Contrasting Reactions to Technology: New York Times food bloviator Mark Bittman's New Year's toast accuses "hyper-industrial" agriculture of causing a half-million deaths annually. He says we must "un-invent this food system"; it must be "dismantled" because it causes climate change, obesity, wasted energy, tortured animals and a ruined environment. His more renowned (but equally flawed) colleague, economist Paul Krugman, earlier wrote how labor is being squeezed between robots (automation) and robber barons (capital). In contrast to Bittman, Krugman suggests taxing the capitalists to pay rich welfare benefits to people idled by the machines.2012 Hits: Assessing what people read most in Ag Perspectives during 2012, policy took a backseat...
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
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.