Only twice has a country filed a challenge in the WTO against another’s required notification of its domestic ag subsidies. The first was in May when the U.S. did so against India’s report on market support for wheat and rice during MY 2010/11-2013/14. The second time was yesterday when it filed another counternotification against India’s report of its cotton subsidies for MY 2015/16 (that for MY 2016/17 has not yet been submitted). India’s market price support (MPS) program payments operate as government purchases of the supported commodities at a guaranteed reference price. The limit of such payments under the WTO is 10 percent of the total market value of production (VoP), but the U.S. counter notice claims that...
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
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.