central - east central Minnesota - | monroecheeseman - 11/16/2013 20:18 Any suggestions on tools to help be become a better educated marketer? I'm a small farmer (240 acres) that works full time off the farm. So "better" for me would be a plan and sticking to it. I shouldn't be agonizing over each sale or non-sale. ;-) Here's some educational items i found.
Farm Journal Marketing Education Series
Advanced Grain Marketing
Grain Marketing is Simple
Ag Ventures - Grain Marketing
I've started to talk with different Grain Marketing services too, but with my lack of knowledge selecting a service would seem like a crap shoot at this point.
I would start with the middle two, then the 4th one, then maybe the first choice . . . . .
Get a good basic understanding of the lingo/concepts . . . then work with a trader, one on one, where you call the shot - not them "selling" you the days special, which all it does is make them commissions (which is their bread and butter). Lot's of grain marketing services that make money off farmers and unsuspecting speculaters, selling them the daily special, and farmer/spec looseing out.
You can do everything a marketing service can offer you - there's a term in the industry . . . Stupid news, don't trade stupid news and most all the news is stupid.
The info that really moves markets isn't available to farmers, at our level. That info cost the commercials and fund big, big money and they aren't going to offer it to marketing services or farmers. What trickles out, later is considered stupid news, for the most part and generally a day late and serveral dollars short.
Work with the middle two first and get your feet wet - good luck.
Edited by iseedit 11/17/2013 09:29
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Grain Marketing Education
