The Wall Street Journal noted that China’s pork production fell 55 percent last year (per Rabobank) and yet U.S. pork prices have fallen as China instead bought pork from Europe and Brazil. But global pork supplies are finite, with neither Europe nor Brazil indicating the presence of surplus carryover stocks for the past few years. The data is anomalous. Over the past two years, global pork production fell by 17.7 MMT while trade only grew by 1.9 MMT, and surplus stocks increased by 7.4 percent. China had its own trade tiff going with Canada, which saw surplus pork stocks grow by 23 percent, whereas U.S. carryover increased by 12.5 percent. So, where did the extra pork to feed China come from? China produces half the world’s po...
Key Takeaways: Dry bulk markets remain mixed with Capesize vessels seeing continued pressure from weaker demand while fixtures and rate strength gradually increases towards the smaller vessel classes. Tanker markets are pulling back from their recent highs as tonnage moves out of the Mid...
The Trump import plan for 300,000 MT of beef supplies used for ground beef, i.e., lean trim, from September through November has, according to Secretary Brooke Rollins, brought some relief to beef prices. The Executive Order states that the Secretary of Agriculture will analyze and review the m...
Key Takeaways: Texas illustrates the assumptions underlying the 2025 FMMO reform; Idaho exposes their limitations. The Southwest order blend (roughly 27 percent Class I, 32 percent Class III and 31 percent Class IV) exposes Texas producers to every lever USDA adjusted, with a near-neutral proj...
From WPI Consulting
Accountability and a comprehensive approach to export programming
WPI’s team helped construct a strategic approach to develop, implement, and track promotional activities in 8 key regions across the globe for an agricultural export association. With continued progress measurement and strategic advisory services from WPI, the association has seen its ROI from investments in promotional programming increase by 44 percent over the past 5 years. Not only does this type of holistic approach to organizational strategy provide measurable results to track and analyze, it fosters top-down and bottom-up organizational accountability.