Japanese Pivot: They were against it before they were for it. The new Japanese coalition government (LDP/New Komeito) announced post-election policy changes on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations and nuclear energy. Campaign rhetoric was harsher than the now nuanced framing that the TPP should be an agreement "consistent with offering the best path for the national interest." And while New Koteimo had previously advocated an impractical "zero nuclear" policy, LDP leader and incoming Prime Minister Shinzo Abe indicates the government may allow the construction of new nuclear reactors, presumably with very high safety standards.Truck Angst All for Naught: The Teamsters Union fought tooth and nail against allowing Mexican trucks...
What You Need to Know Today: U.S. weather is getting more attention this week as conditions vary greatly across the western, central, and eastern corn belts, with the different regions battling dryness and too much rain simultaneously. The ProFarmer Crop Tour began today in Indiana and Nebrask...
Key Takeaways: Argentina is on pace for a record corn crop and record exports in the current marketing year, with abundant supplies likely to keep the country highly competitive in global export markets. Argentina’s record exportable surplus is allowing it to offer highly competitive pri...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.