As WPI covered earlier this year, the Biden Administration’s reconciliation bill proposed major changes to capital gains taxes, including an increase in the rate, eliminating stepped-up basis, and taxing capital gains at the time of transfer. These provisions were strongly opposed by virtually all farm and commodity groups, despite assurances from Secretary Vilsack that the plan has special protections for family farms. When making the proposal in May, Secretary Vilsack asserted that 98.5 percent of all farms would not be impacted. In September, about the time the proposal was being dropped by Congress, USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS) came out with its analysis. Last week, ERS re-published that analysis, raising speculat...
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.
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...