In the 2008 farm bill, USDA was directed to promulgate regulations that prohibit packers, and livestock and poultry contractors from engaging in undue preferences for select producers and unfair practices against others. That rule was published in December 2020 and went into effect in January of this year. Today, USDA issued a statement on how it will enforce the Packers and Stockyards Act (PSA) under the new rule, promising a “significant pivot from the previous administration.” The timing of today’s release of the new enforcement policy is to “celebrate” the 100th anniversary of the PSA (originally enacted in August 1921) and to “strengthen” USDA’s enforcement while it is...
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.