Unrealistic FTA Swiss Ambassador to the U.S. Jacques Pitteloud encouraged a Washington audience this week to pursue a bilateral free trade agreement with his country. He contended that Switzerland has adjusted its agricultural policies to make liberalization easier, and that even a limited deal was better than no deal at all. However, there is still WTO compliance concerns with limited trade agreements and the associated discussion about the inclusion of quota and tariff protections by a relatively small market such as Switzerland provokes low interest by some American special interest groups. The largest hurdle to such an agreement is the fact that Switzerland’s major trading partner is the EU, and if Brussels cannot consider agricu...
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.
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...