Commodity Marketing A Myth

[Burbert]

In our necka the woods, grain companies decide, when, where and how farmers will market their grain. Our grain company friends, however assure us that they are gettin us the best return for our grain that they kin and that their scales and gradin is correct. All the programs, plans are administered by the grain companies, cause in most cases farmers are busy, farmin or exhausted from loadin the sh-t onta big modern trucks. The work doesn't exhaust most, but the BS that the trucker is layn on ya will kill ya ifn you listen to the crap. Bye the way. Where are all the lady grain haulers anyways? Guess this is why they say, farmers are price takers, not price makers, hopin to git a check sooner er later mosta the time! What the heck kin we do anyways, the HTP is so damn far away, you'd have ta take holidays to go there, to meet these nameless faceless characters that hold your future in their hands. All you kin really do, is suck up to them on the phone!!!!!

[Choice2U]

Try making sense once and you might get a better response from people. Here's a little secret for you...companies are made up of real people. If you're anything in real life like you are on Agri-ville, I am not surprised by your comments.

Commodity marketing - winner move so far - I sold some canola at $9 in December. Bought call options in early and mid may and am now making money on both so my $9 is going up as the market goes up. I looked like a genius in January but would be looking like an idiot now so I had to find a way to participate in the run when it started to get really, really wet.
Commodity marketing - questionable move so far - I sold green lentils at 22 cents/lb in winter and am now thinking this may have been a mistake but western SK is still looking pretty damn good so there may not be a bull run on that market.
Commodity marketing - CWB - I have not done anything yet with a FPC or BC so as it sits, I'm in the pool which is a commodity marketing decision albeit a basic one built on the TRUST that a bunch of bureaucrats with no money invested will make the right decision for the collective good of all.

Commodity marketing is reading Agri-ville, reading newsletters, the paper???, talking to agents, other farmers, etc. and then MAKING THE DECISION YOURSELF and LIVING WITH IT. Even if you use a marketing consultant, you still make the final decision as to go with their recommendation or not. If you're stupid enough to just take it to the elevator when you need money, I guess Commodity marketing is a myth.

[Choice2U]

Well, grain companies are made up of real people, OK.
Congratulations on your excellent trades.
Grain companies would not cover your cost of trucking
from bin to elevator if they could. And if you believe
there's competition, it might occur sometimes, just so
they can prove it exists, but I see that they have
divided up areas, so they don't compete. I have
worked for a large international company, only profit
counts. Every employee is watching for a knife in the
back, to give or to receive. It is CYA.

[samhill]

So grain companies are made up of real people. OK.
Congratulations on your excellent trades. Grain
companies would not cover your cost of trucking from
bin to the elevator if they could. I see that they have
divided areas up so they do not compete. Occasionally
there might be some competition just so they can say
it exists, but overall no. Only profit counts.I have
worked for a large international company and every
employee is looking for a knife in the back, to give or
receive. It is CYA.

[charliep]

Always an interesting point. Will note the grain in a farmers bin has no value. Worth didley squat. When it does have value is when it goes into a consumers mouth (or maybe fuel tank in the case of biofuels). So the supply chain is necessary evil - you need partners to add value unless a farmer takes on the some of roles of the supply chain themselves - direct marketing or value adding.

My guess is neither one of you want a role in marketing or value adding to your production beyond the farm gate. You will get what the consumer pays minus all costs. That is the commodity reality.

[SASKFARMER3]

Fertilizer when 8 or more companies couldn't really screw farmer when its just about down to two my god guess what market control one oh one.

[checking]

Would you say that a feeling of comfort, or a smile has no value? I find that a bin full of grain can provide both without a transactional exchange having to take place.

The didley squats behind the important first number in your account must feel unappreciated in just sitting there Charliep. Time to put them to work. (lol)

[Burbert]

All of the so called effishency's that have recently come down the pipe, only benefit the grain companies and rrd's. Think about it fer a split second. Is farming getting any easier or funner? The future of farming, is WAIT FOR IT NOW.
Western Canadia will become one big Heutterite Colony in the future. After all they make their kids stay stupid, forcin them to quit school, so they kin farm into the future. Yup now that effishiency!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[furrowtickler]

Well managed family farms will always be around regardless of size, imo.

[fjlip]

But the Hutterite model is the max in efficiency and success. Many bodies, cheap labor, economy of scale, latest in technology top return on investment... sort of a Soviet commune idea with a twist of religion that works.

[Choice2U]

So how do you beat the big bad wolves when commodity marketing is a myth? I would say you have to hone your skills, become smarter, find win-win situations with industry, keep all doors open and have a positive attitude. Burbert et. al think the way, the truth and the light is to whine and complain about everything and probably have more government regulation....I'm sure their favorite song is "Back in the USSR"!

[TOM4CWB]

bURBERT;

yOU ARE A MYTH!!!!

DID IT RAIN AND YOU WERE BORED?

GET A TRUCK...DRIVE IT YOURSELF; AND STOP COMPLAINING!