A number of developments are brewing in the biofuels sector. Below is a look at each: Sugar to Ethanol The Feedstock Flexibility Program (FFP) was completed – at least the first round – with bids for sugar from one ethanol producer being accepted. A total of 118,000 short tons (ST) of sugar were offered. As we previewed last week, the bidding was light and, as we also projected, the most likely potential buyers of the sugar are ethanol mills that are out of location for the Corn Belt – probably south and west. Front Range ethanol of Colorado purchased 7,118 ST at a price of six cents per pound. A southern ethanol mill which was expected to bid did not come to terms. The amount sold should produce about one million gallon...
As predicted, the Federal Reserve held rates steady at the last meeting before the midterm elections, likely in part because of the election (see WPI 19 October and 22 September). The decision comes at the tail end of a midterm election cycle that has been marked by the two parties campaigning...
Key Takeaways: WPI’s new EU rapeseed crushing margin models point to weaker processing returns over the next four months due to higher rapeseed procurement costs and weaker product values. Statistical forecasts call for German crushing margins to decline from €181/MT to €...
Key Takeaways: The tariff burden rose sharply in 2025 and 2026: the effective rate on imports in HTS Chapters 1–24 increased from 1.53 percent in 2024 to 6.11 percent in 2025, before averaging 5.68 percent in January–August 2026. Headline rates tell only part of the story: exemptio...
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.