"Your market has been a very interesting one this winter. It has avoided the weakness that the northern markets have seen. You guys are fortunate to have such a huge usage in that area. Couple that with biweekly storms and the beast just can't get enough to eat."

No matter what you read in the basis/spread charts, the market here is dealing with the well-worn fact that the 2013 heavy prevented planting area of Iowa is just to the North and West of the Cedar Rapids processors. Corn is not flowing "business as usual" and the market continues to reflect that.

Not to diminish the importance of managing the basis, and those willing to comment on it, the past month's sharp moves up in the flat price of corn and soy sure steal the show from this producer's perspective.