Thus far Congressional policymakers have assured that the 2012 Farm Bill will continue federal subsidies to farmers, consumer subsidies to sugar, and aid to beginning farmers and ranchers as if there were a shortage of farmers. The Senate Agriculture Committee included subsidies for fresh fruit and vegetable purchases for schools, but otherwise there is no indication the Hill will address the largest food-related issue affecting the country: obesity.A study just released by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) indicates that stabilizing obesity at the current level would save $550 billion in health care costs. Confidentially, members of Congress want to do something but, given the lack of a single, definable and unobtrusive silver bullet for t...
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.