Agricultural production along the southeastern coast of North Carolina is far down the list of the area’s biggest and most prominent economic activities. There is still a small amount of tobacco grown there along with a smattering of soybeans. However, demand for land to accommodate tourist and retirement-related interests has limited agricultural production there to small fruit and vegetable farms. Yet, the headline story in today’s Wilmington Star News concerns the potential effect that the U.S./China trade dispute may have on local farmers. In truth, the direct impact of both countries’ threatened tariffs would be far greater for tourists and retirees as consumers of goods produced in China. The fact that this is headli...
What You Need to Know Today: Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva secured reelection on Sunday, defeating right-wing Senator Flávio Bolsonaro despite trailing in the first round of voting. The surprise victory triggered a sharp selloff in Brazilian financial market...
The 2026 midterm elections are a week from tomorrow, but early voting has been taking place for weeks. At stake is control of Congress, including the House of Representatives, where all 435 seats are contested, and the Senate, where approximately one-third of the seats are up for election. Farm...
Key Takeaways: Total U.S. crop acres (excluding hay) are forecast to expand fractionally this year due to greater oilseed crop and winter wheat plantings. One of the key drivers of this year’s crop outlook is input costs, and crops with a lower cost profile have an advantage in producers...
From WPI Consulting
Infrastructure investment due diligence
On behalf of a Canadian oilseed processer WPI's team provided market analysis, econometric modeling and financial due diligence in support of a $24 million-dollar investment in a Ukrainian crush plant. Consistent with WPI's findings, local production to supply the plant and the facility's output have expanded exponentially since the investment. WPI has conducted parallel work on behalf of U.S., South American and European clients, both private and public, in the agri-food space.