World Perspectives

Threats to the Food System; Aid to Africa; Jumping the Shark

Threats to Food System A risk assessment of the impact of COVID19 on the U.S. food system includes the following: Only a small handful of countries have announced export bans on things like wheat and flour, items not needed in the U.S. Foods that are imported by Americans include high value products like cheese and wine from Europe, fresh fruits and vegetables from Mexico and Central and South America, plus low grade beef. U.S. farmers are forecast to produce record levels of some commodities this year. To prevent food borne illnesses, food processing companies are already set up as a microbiological control point (workers wear gloves, masks, do daily washdowns, etc.). Warehouses are stocked with 7 -9 months of shelf-st...

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Tariffs and the Value of the U.S. Dollar

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Export Sales

Export Sales and Shipments for August 1-7, 2025.  Wheat: Net sales of 722,800 metric tons (MT) for 2025/2026 were down 2 percent from the previous week, but up 14 percent from the prior 4-week average. Export shipments of 340,800 MT were down 49 percent from the previous week and 37 percen...

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Market Commentary: Another Day in a Sea of Red

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From WPI Consulting

Weighing in on strategic realignment

WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.

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