2016/17 is shaping up to be a far different and better year for producers, handlers, transporters, processors and exporters of the major U.S. row crops than seemed possible six months ago.Views of potential U.S. and South American crop production in 2016 have been the principal driver of grain and soybean futures prices since last spring, although certainly not the only one. Assumptions that U.S. farmers would cut back on planted acreage sponsored a price rally that began in the early part of that season. Those two factors together pulled a number of commodity funds and hedge funds back into the grain and soy futures markets after many had exited following large losses in 2015. The price rally paused briefly when USDA’s initial March acreag...
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
Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming
WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.