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Managing the risks of volatile grain markets

A marketing consultant says farmers need to have a price floor in mind as they’re working on their balance sheets for the 2023 growing season.

Matt Bennett with AgMarket.net tells Brownfield commodity prices are strong, but not as strong as they have been in recent years.

“It concerns me a little bit that maybe producers look at them and think ‘oh they aren’t good enough for me’. I’m concerned that with all that we have invested in in this 2023 crop, that maybe we could miss the boat if the market were to roll over on us.”

He says if US corn exports don’t pick up, the US carryout is going to grow. And while he expects to see more December corn priced at $6, there are no guarantees and growers should have a plan.

“Maybe I go ahead and HTA (Hedge-to-Arrive) some grain with the people I do business with an then turn around and buy myself a call option on a portion of those bushels. Or maybe I just simply buy a put option and lock a floor in , let the upside run.”

Bennett says the bottom line is to have a floor in place, either through a sale or put option.

Brownfield interviewed Bennett at a recent Fielding Forward Crop Insurance Meeting hosted by Farm Credit Illinois.