In yesterday's market commentary we noted (as did Gary Blumenthal in his policy comments) that the owners of the largest Chinese meat packing company, Shuanghui International Holdings Ltd., had agreed to purchase Smithfield Foods Inc., the largest U.S. hog producer and pork processor. In 2012 Smithfield had revenues of about $13 billion. The price of the proposed purchase is $4.7 billion, or $7.1 billion including Smithfield's debt. It seems to us that this proposed transaction deserves a closer look because it inevitably will involve some of the stress points in today's food chain as well as give various critics of the food chain to sound off.The purchase of Smithfield would be the largest Chinese takeover of a U.S. company by far. As su...
The magpie goose (Anseranas semipalmata) is the sole living representative species of the family Anseranatidae. This waterbird is found in northern Australia and southern New Guinea.[2] The species is not truly migratory but it sometimes travels large distances to find food and water, especiall...
The common ostrich (Struthio camelus), or simply ostrich, is a species of flightless bird native to certain areas of Africa (and historically, Arabia) and is the largest living species of bird. The common ostrich is one of two extant species of ostriches, the only living members of the genus St...
A pika (/ˈpaɪkə, ˈpiːkə/ PY-kə, PEE-kə[3][4]) is a small, mountain-dwelling mammal native to Asia and North America. With short limbs, a very round body, an even coat of fur, and no external tail, they resemble their close relative the rabbit, but with short, rounded ears.[5] The large-eared pi...
Lobelia (/loʊˈbiːliə, lə-/[4][5][6]) is a genus of flowering plants in the family Campanulaceae comprising 415 species,[7] with a subcosmopolitan distribution primarily in tropical to warm temperate regions of the world, a few species extending into cooler temperate regions.[8] They are known g...
From WPI Consulting
Like all marmots
An adult Vancouver Island marmot typically measures 65 to 70 centimetres (26 to 28 in) from the tip of its nose to the tip of its tail.