NAFTA Close and Far U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer announced he’s “hopeful that in the next several days we’ll have a breakthrough” on NAFTA. This ignited a harsh response from his boss, Donald Trump, who warned against a deal without a major breakthrough and said, “I’m in no rush. We have to make the right deal.” He then went on to rant about Canada’s trade barriers. Trump knows that the uncertainty surrounding NAFTA is imposing a larger cost on the smaller economies north and south. His threat is intended to extract more from Canada and Mexico. Whether it works remains to be seen, but at least the threat of NAFTA withdrawal has not re-emerged. Planning Swiss Agricultu...
What You Need to Know Today: Russia rejected calls for a ceasefire in the Black Sea, including a proposal to halt attacks on civilian shipping that could help restore grain flows from Ukrainian ports. Tyson Foods announced plans to permanently close its Joslin, Illinois, beef processing facili...
The big news in the cattle markets yesterday was Tyson Foods’ move to close two more beef plants. One of them, the Joslin, Illinois, plant was shuttered immediately after the announcement. The other, in Eagle Mountain, Utah, is a case-ready plant that does not slaughter cattle. Tyson also...
The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday. In July, the CPI rose 0.1 percent, seasonally adjusted, and rose 3.4 percent over the last 12 months, not seasonally adjusted. The index for all items less food and energy, or the “core” infla...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.