This is the first of a three-part special series of reports from WPI’s analysts in Ukraine. The first installment looks at what the war’s impact on agriculture looks like at this juncture. The second article to be posted tomorrow focuses on the sector’s prospects for production this spring and summer. The third and final report on Friday will focus on Russia itself. We are grateful that for the most part our analysts have remained safe, but we also know that the risks rise over time. Russia’s Methodology It is not rumor but fact that Russian troops are in a destructive mood. They have destroyed farms and there are gruesome pictures of dairy cows that have been unnecessarily shot with machine guns. There...
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...
We have described the long-term investment climate in crop and livestock production, using data primarily from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). The data provided background on the current investment climate and outlook for agricultural capital formation. Our conclusion was that investment...
From WPI Consulting
Forecasting developments in production agriculture
On behalf of a private U.S. agricultural technology provider, WPI’s team generated an econometric model to forecast the movement of concentrated corn production north and west from the traditional U.S. Corn Belt. WPI’s model has subsequently provided quantitative support to a multi-million-dollar investment into short-season corn variety development. WPI’s methodology included a series of interviews with regional grain elevators and seed consultants. Emphasizing outreach and communication with stakeholders who possess intimate sectoral knowledge – on-the-ground insights – is a regular component of WPI’s methodologies, made possible by WPI’s ever-growing network of industry contacts.