U.S. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler is accustomed to attacks from environmentalists, but attacks by farmers over the agency’s small refinery exemptions (SREs) from the ethanol blend requirement has exposed the soft underbelly of the Trump administration. The number of waivers has increased under this presidency at the same time the rural vote is considered a key to the 2020 battle for the White House. Sensing the problem, President Trump has reportedly ordered his troops to find a way to placate farmers. Earlier analysis by the Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute indicated that the waivers could cause the domestic ethanol industry to lose 4.6 billion gallons in demand with a value of almost $20 billion over six years; th...
Key Market Insights The broad market is locked in on this week’s Trump-Xi meeting in Beijing, but this is no longer just a trade summit. Increasingly, the meeting is becoming tied directly to Iran, energy security, and the growing global economic fallout from disruptions through the Strai...
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.