Reading Time: 2 minutes Marketing your grain and using your drone have more in common than you might think. “No one just buys a drone, flips the switch, and away it goes. You’ve got to figure out how it works and how it’s going to work for you,” said David Derwin, an investment adviser at PI Financial. “It’s the […] Read more
Grain marketing plans come with a learning curve
Forward contracting is a good way to get started, and a solid plan is needed to lower risk
You can direct market grain, too — but it’s more complicated
Mark Gibeau sells flour to bakers and chefs while selling direct helped Steven Snider get started
Reading Time: 4 minutes Mark Gibeau wouldn’t be a farmer today if he couldn’t direct market his grains. “Having small acres in the big-boy system doesn’t work,” said the owner of Heritage Harvest near Strathmore. “We had to find something different right from the get-go.” Gibeau, who farms with his wife, began growing certified organic heritage grains on his […] Read more
Grain marketing shifting to a digital focus
Winnipeg | CNS Canada – The future of grain marketing includes access to a larger market for producers online, according to Lyle Ehrmantraut. “You have to be able to see the deals to make the best decisions. So without all the deals in front of you in a centralized system I don’t know how it’s […] Read more
Wheat storage a winner, says analyst
Winnipeg | CNS – As yields grow throughout North America and the physical size of the crop becomes larger, farmers who invest in storage bins now, stand to reap the rewards later. “Guys with space are winning,” said Kurt Ahrens, founder of Grainbot in Omaha, Nebraska. Speaking at the Grain World Conference in Winnipeg, he […] Read more
Adviser urges farmers to give up their sinful ways
Trying to hit the market peak, getting angry about mistakes, and putting off marketing chores are three of the seven ‘sins’ of selling your crop
Reading Time: 3 minutes While many grain growers came to FarmTech looking for insight on where markets may be headed in the coming year, Brian Voth challenged those attending his sessions with a different perspective on the game. Lured in by his title of ‘The Seven Deadly(ish) Sins of Grain Marketing,’ attendees soon found the Manitoba-based market adviser wasn’t […] Read more
Viterra results offset Glencore’s improved year-end
Commodity giant Glencore’s efforts to ratchet down its debts paid off in fiscal 2016 — though “challenges” weighed on the ledger for its Viterra grain handling arm. Swiss-based Glencore on Thursday released preliminary results for 2016, booking net income attributable to equity holders of $1.379 billion on $152.948 billion in revenues, up from an $8.114 […] Read more
Will the money come in fast enough this fall?
Make a list of bills coming due, expected crop sales, and make use of cash advances, says market expert
Reading Time: 2 minutes With grain prices down sharply this year, a marketing plan is especially critical, says a provincial crop market analyst. “First, assess your financial position,” said Neil Blue. “Start with a quick cash flow, which is the money inflow compared to money outflow. List the amounts and timing of bills, loans, and personal living expenses to […] Read more
Get the grade and make more money when marketing your grain
The Canadian Grain Commission will grade samples for free — with even the postage paid for
Reading Time: 2 minutes Know exactly what’s in your bins before selling your grain. “One of the things that we can’t emphasize strongly enough is that farmers really should be getting good independent third-party samples of their grain,” said Jonathon Driedger, senior market analyst with FarmLink. “Then you know exactly what you have. You have a sample sheet that […] Read more
FarmLink picks up mobile management app
A Saskatchewan-developed, cloud-based mobile app for farm management is being uploaded into Prairie grain marketing consultancy FarmLink Marketing Solutions. Winnipeg-based FarmLink announced Tuesday it will merge Farm At Hand, the software platform developed by Kim Keller and Himanshu Singh, into its operations. Financial terms of the merger weren’t released. “It has long been our belief […] Read more
Minogue: Optimism reigns at FCC outlook meeting
Regina — Despite commodity prices down off recent highs, resurgent transportation problems and crop disease issues across the Prairies, farmers heard all good news at Farm Credit Canada’s Ag Outlook 2015 conference here Tuesday. “The sky’s not falling,” said J.P. Gervais, chief ag economist for Regina-based FCC. Actually, he said, things are pretty good. If […] Read more