World Perspectives

Trade versus Self-Sufficiency

David Ricardo’s concept of comparative advantage has not been disproven; it has just been ignored for the past 200 years. While there has been progress toward untethered competition in the post-war period, American labor unions became most vocal against trade agreements during the Obama Administration. The opposition expanded even as real median incomes grew, with the rise of China cited as the watershed that broke the free trade movement. But where is the future?  The increased opposition to imports has seen a concurrent rise in the self-sufficiency mantra. Just to name a couple of examples, Mexico has now allocated $1 billion toward promoting products produced with native corn, and China is focused on raising domestic yields an...

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War and China The U.S. and Israeli attacks on Iran also involve China, tangentially if not directly. Iran has been supplying about 13.4 percent of China’s oil imports, roughly 1 million barrels per day. The attacks follow the U.S. removal of Venezuela’s leader, a country that is a s...

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feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Market Commentary: Fundamentals in the Backseat; Conflict Impacts Driving Markets

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Schumer Planning a Bill to Force Divestiture in Meat Industry

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) is currently seeking co-sponsors for a bill he will introduce as early as Thursday of this week, the Family Grocer and Farmer Relief Act. The plan promises to “break up dominant meatpackers, rein in foreign-controlled corporate giants, and use...

feed-grains soy-oilseeds wheat

Summary of Futures

May 26 Corn closed at $4.465/bushel, up $0.0075 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Wheat closed at $5.74/bushel, down $0.0325 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soybeans closed at $11.705/bushel, up $0.065 from yesterday's close.  May 26 Soymeal closed at $314.7/short ton, up $1.8 from...

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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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