Separation of Church and State USDA announced a $300 million program to assist farmers in certifying organic. The agency notes that for years, organic has been the fastest-growing segment of grocery sales, but the number of farms transitioning to organic production dropped by nearly 71 percent since 2008 despite assistance from USDA. So, there is market demand, but prices are not high enough encourage farmers through the conversion process so double down on the assistance that hasn’t worked. The question is why does the government care? Has there been a scientific conclusion that organic is good and conventional production is bad? If so, why subsidize conventional production? Why is EPA still approving pesticides, including re...
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...
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.