Governments continue to be attracted to one-off tax schemes in an effort to fight the obesity epidemic and concurrently increase the budget coffer for politicians. Several such initiatives are pending in the U.S. as well as Europe. Uncertain TPP Push The trade policy and political machinery in Washington started cranking up this week for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in follow up to President Obama’s trip to Asia. Pivotal Republican Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) softened his stance on addressing the goal of 12 years of intellectual property protection for biologics, support groups were unleashed to storm Capitol Hill, and surveys were highlighted showing Americans aren’t really anti-globalization. Still, the political hurdles are large...
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
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.