Mystery Meat Ingredient: Horse Burger Last week Sweden discovered that exports of meat labeled "Argentine beef tenderloin" from Hungary were in fact dyed pork. This week, the latest in the EU mystery meat saga has authorities in the UK and Ireland tracing the source of horsemeat that was found in frozen "mince" -- also known as "hamburger" -- that was on retail shelves in the two countries. The adulterated burger was discovered by Ireland's Food Safety Authority (FSAI) via DNA testing. Out of the sample of 27 burgers tested by the FSAI, 10 tested positive for horse DNA. One top of that, 23 samples tested positive for swine DNA, likely implying cross-contamination with pork processing. Some frozen lasagne packages also were discovered t...
Weighing in on strategic realignment
WPI’s team was retained by the governing board of a U.S. industry organization to review a decision, reached by vote, to invest significant assets into the development and management of an export trading company. WPI’s team conducted a formal review of this decision and concluded that the current level of market saturation would limit the benefits of the investment. Based on WPI’s analysis and recommended actions, the board subsequently reversed its decision and undertook a strategic planning effort to identify more impactful investments. On behalf of numerous clients, WPI has not only assisted in identifying strategic paths but also advised their implementation.
What You Need to Know Today: Cattle futures extended their sharp selloff Friday as weakening cash cattle prices, deteriorating feedlot profitability, and reduced packer demand continued to weigh on the market. The inability of futures to sustain a rally following last week's bullish Cattle on...
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 €...