President Obama Announces National Export Initiative “…Ninety-five percent of the world’s customers and the world’s fastest-growing markets are outside our borders. We need to compete for those customers because other nations are competing for them. …. And that’s why, for the first time, the United States of America is launching a single, comprehensive strategy to promote American exports...it's called the National Export Initiative and it’s an ambitious effort to marshal the full resources of the United States government behind American businesses that sell their goods and services abroad.” Speaking before the Export-Import Bank on March 11, 2010 President Barack Obama announced that the National Export Initiative will include: increased access to trade financing, stronger U.S. government advocacy on behalf of business, a battery of efforts to promote new markets and new opportunities for American exporters, partnerships to help firms break into new markets with the help of those who have been there, and work on new trade agreements and enforcement of current agreements to ensure fair and freer access to international markets. The President says this will include work to achieve a balanced Doha agreement, moving forward with existing agreements with South Korea, Panama and Colombia, and pursuit of negotiations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership launched last year. Market Solutions LLC has long experience providing useful research-based consulting support worldwide to help make exporters more successful. With our network of local alliance partners we provide the critical insights on market opportunities, challenges and competition to be overcome, and strategies, tactics and resources needed for success. Contact us today for a no-obligation discussion of your requirements.

Facing High U.S. government deficits, Congress and the Administration are taking a new look at policies affecting commodity spending, the biofuels industry, food safety, transportation regulations, spending and security and how developed market agricultural polices affect farmers and consumers in the less developed world. How will this affect agricultural production and trade, food security and economic growth? Market Solutions LLC has examined agricultural and trade policy issues for clients in many parts of the world. Our findings have been used to better understand issues, opportunities and threats, accomplishments and unintended consequences of reform, and options for improvement.

The United States now has 2.2 million farms and ranches, up 4 percent since 2002, according to newly released results of the 2007 Census of Agriculture. New farms tend to be smaller and run by younger operators. Only one in three is a full time farmer. There are more women and minority farmers than in the last census. While overall farm numbers have increased, fewer farmers account for a larger share of total production than in 2002. More farms have internet access, 57 percent, but only one in three farmers has high speed access. Clients call on Market Solutions LLC to provide insights into the changing face of agriculture in order to better understand business opportunities and challenges, and how best to address them.

What's Behind Commodity Price Volatility and Widening Price Basis? Hearings by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and U.S. Congress have sought to better understand factors contributing to recent increased volatility of futures market contracts for a number of agricultural commodities. Substantial increases in commodity price levels as well as price basis, the difference between cash prices and prices of nearby futures contracts, were blamed by some observers on speculation by hedge and index funds, government support for biofuels, energy prices, exchange rates and a variety of other factors. Proposed legislation and new regulations aimed at limiting speculative positions in futures and increasing transparency of swaps and other off-market transactions could have important impacts. Market Solutions LLC has examined these issues from a number of perspectives, including in-depth analysis of the changing role of transportation options in price basis for soybeans in different parts of the country, and the role that rail transportation costs have been playing in widening basis. (Visit our Newsroom for more details.)

Consumers would purchase local food products instead of organic, according to a new survey released by the Food Marketing Institute and Rodale. With explosive growth in sales of natural and organic products in recent years, challenges in supplying these products has led to longer supply chains, food safety challenges and more interest among consumers and the distributors, retailers, and restaurants who supply them in knowing where their food comes from, how they can be sure it is safe, how it is raised and the impact on the environment of delivering it from farm to table. Books like Michael Pollan's, The Omnivore's Dilemma and cover stories in national news magazines have increased interest in local sources of supply. Consumer and technical research on topics from animal welfare to carbon footprints, sustainability and even water footprints sometimes result in surprising impacts on markets food and agriculture products. As food distribution and retailing become more concentrated, and concerns with food safety and security lead to more stringent supply chain requirements, the challenge faced by agricultural producers in supplying consumers interested in local products are increasing. Market Solutions LLC has worked with clients on projects to help preserve local crop and livestock industries, and support sales of local products through farmers' markets, chain and specialty retailers and distributors, and a variety of hotel, restaurant and institutional foodservice outlets.