Tips for Navigating Grain Marketing Decisions

With the start of every crop year comes excitement, anticipation and the burden of decision-making. Grain marketing is perhaps one of the most powerful tools to enhance the profitability of any operation. But grain marketing is no easy decision.

DTN says these 9 factors can influence grain marketing decisions:

1. USDA reports
2. Scared investors
3. War, drought, pestilence and plagues
4. Rumors (regardless of whether they’re true)
5. Weather forecasts
6. Legislation or political action being considered (even if it’s unlikely to pass)
7. Reactions to price changes
8. Physical demand
9. Advantageous selling prices But DTN says the last two factors are the most important as they directly correlate to profitability.

Producers should take the emotions of decision-making and trader speculation out of grain marketing and stick to the fundamentals of profitability.

Read more on grain marketing here.