The idea of espionage over farm crops and food is novel to most consumers. However, the U.S. government has identified the sector as ripe for spying for years, and two recent cases illustrate that point.Industrial espionage of the seed corn variety is making a splash in the media. The New Republic published a story last week by Ted Genoways, "Corn Wars," which is about a 2011-12 investigation into the alleged stealing of proprietary seed corn samples by Chinese nationals in the U.S. and Canada and their attempt to take those seeds to China. It also covers the 2013-14 action taken against them. Genoways is an investigative reporter who has covered the standard salacious food and agricultural controversies, most recently including the whistle...
What You Need to Know Today: A third U.S. border crossing (Columbus, New Mexico) has reopened to Mexican cattle imports following nearly two years of restrictions related to New World screwworm. The reopening could gradually improve feeder cattle availability, although more than 60 confi...
Yesterday, the USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) released a new report of negotiated cash purchases of cattle under the mandatory price report. The report included Colorado, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas, and Kansas. The goal of the report was to solve the confidentiality issues e...
Key Takeaways: U.S. soybean crushing began in 1911 and saw its most rapid expansion during the 1930s amid the broader agricultural and technology revolutions of the time. After peaking in the early 2000s, the soybean crushing industry went through a downturn as poor crush margins forced...
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.