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 Business Consulting
The Informa Economics Consulting Group provides management and economic
consulting services to organizations in the agriculture, renewable fuels,
food processing and foodservice sectors. Clients include corporations,
cooperatives, trade associations and government agencies in the United
States, Canada and overseas. Informa Economics advises clients on a broad
range of economic, marketing, financial, strategic planning and regulatory
issues.
In order to meet client objectives, Informa Economics utilizes a variety of
methods, including:
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Financial statement preparation;
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Business plan development;
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Site selection studies;
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Market research;
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Strategic planning;
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Econometric analysis; and
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Risk management strategies.
In addition to
business-related services, the Informa Economics Consulting Group conducts
analyses of government policies and regulations. Informa Economics consults
with government agencies, non-government organizations, multinational
organizations and agribusinesses regarding the impacts of policies and
regulations on agricultural markets and industries. Informa Economics
consultants also participate in a variety of international economic
development projects. Additionally, Informa Economics provides expert
testimony for legal cases and government hearings. The following are
lists of some of our recent projects:
Projects Outside of the U.S. and Canada
 Analysis
of export marketing opportunities for processors of Egyptian fruits,
vegetables and other processed food items; the project was funded by the
U.S. Agency for International Development.
Examination of
the competitive position of the Mexican sugar industry and the financial
position of all sugar mills, on behalf of the Mexican government. The
analysis provided recommendations to improve financial returns and
long-term, sustainable growth.
Study of the
global outlook and potential for the soybean crushing industry.
Commodity
procurement strategy for one of the world’s largest food retailers, focusing
on the raw material supply outlook and market structure in 21 countries.
Analysis of the
long-run forces driving the global food industry and implications for
potential business initiatives by one of the world’s largest agricultural
equipment manufacturers.
Financial
feasibility study of establishing a corn wet-milling facility in a
developing region of Brazil.
Technical assistance
in management and business planning to agribusiness firms in the European
Union, Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia, Japan, Indonesia, Australia, Ghana,
Morocco, Mexico, Argentina, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Trinidad, Haiti, Honduras
and Ecuador.
For a Middle Eastern firm, an evaluation of company risks and
development of risk mitigation strategies.
Projects
for North American Clients
Financial feasibility study, marketing plan and business plan for the
establishment of a pork-packing operation by a multistate cooperative of hog
producers in the Eastern Corn Belt.
Study on the financial feasibility of establishing a turkey processing plant
in the U.S. Midwest.
Study of the financial feasibility of establishing a flour mill in the
Southeast U.S.
Determination of the economic valuation of a novel food processing
technology.
Assessment of the acquisition of a major branded beef program, including
economic, financial and market-related factors affecting the sector and the
company/brand in particular.
Assessment of the historical financial performance of major domestic meat
processing companies, including development of a set of benchmark indicators
to support management of a loan portfolio.
An
evaluation of selected sites for the development of high throughput
elevators in Western Canada, including the development of an optimization
model employing linear programming to assess the greatest potential for a
high throughput elevator under a variety of market and transportation
related scenarios.
Economic development study to identify opportunities for agriculture and
value-added processing initiatives in North Carolina, funded by the Golden
Leaf Foundation.
Port Competitiveness study for Transport Canada assessing the relative
competitiveness of Canadian ports to American ports for the export of
Canadian grain. (This study also included a quantitative assessment of
moving the Canadian Wheat Board’s point of involvement in transportation to
the port).
Comprehensive
study for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and Department of
Agriculture regarding trends in the state’s diverse production agriculture
sector, in support of efforts to attract and retain agribusiness in the
state.
Study of the
economic impact on the rendering industry from U.S. Food and Drug
Administration regulations limiting ruminant-based feeds.
Study of the
economic impact of a widely grown biotech crop prior to its introduction.
Several studies
of attitudes toward biotech crops among decision makers at grain, food and
livestock/poultry companies.
Structural
analysis of the fresh and frozen strawberry market and development of a
model for forecasting prices, on behalf of one of the world’s largest
foodservice companies.
Evaluation of
strategy alternatives for a major U.S. fertilizer manufacturer.
Commodity price
risk management audit for a major domestic food processor, including unique
hedging techniques quantitatively generated by Informa Economics.
Multi-Client Studies
 Study
forecasting the size of the U.S. ethanol market by metropolitan area and
state through 2010; ethanol prices and margins and co-product prices also
were forecast, and likely transportation patterns were evaluated.
Study of implications of
the biotechnology revolution for the global food and agriculture system,
especially the U.S. and Canadian agricultural inputs, grain merchandising
and processing industries.
Evaluation of the
structure and performance of the U.S. dairy industry, emphasizing the
implications of potential policy changes.
Analysis of the market
opportunities, procedures and costs involved in the identity preservation of
crops.
Evaluation of the
structure and financial outlook for the food and agriculture industry in
North America, including analysis of the risks and returns of major
agricultural equities. Risk assessment tools and models also were developed
for lenders to the sector.
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Renewable Fuels
Consulting Services area |
