Brokerage for futures/options

[Klause]

mustardman, if you go onto the open market, make a $1/tonne basis contract, then make a $550/tonne futures contract, and then on top of that buy a call option - I call that marketing your grain, or rather, one way of marketing your grain.

It is much the same as a gold producer markets their gold, or an oil company markets their crude.

Notice doing as above, you are not taking what the elevator gives you. You are locking in what they take (their cut = $1/tonne). You are then setting yourself a price, and then also guaranteeing that if it goes up you'll get more.

Or are ya one of the guys who thinks that the big bad elevator companies manipulate the Futures market?

[mustardman]

Klause - you are marketing in that situation on canola ,however pulse crops and other oilseeds mustard for example do not have other way but "price taking"

[parsley]

mussy,

You so underate yoursef and your peers.

Do you really not understand how valuable 'eye to eye' business is?

Do you really not understand how valuable the individual farmer is, in doing business with, in negotiating with, even state buyers?

They WANT to come to your farm, and do business.

You are the expert on your farm!

Banding together with a half dozen of like minded peers makes you a formidable seller, a unit that is real, and sound, and approachable and bloody accountable.

Farmers are very unique because they are wealth creators, RISK takers every time you sow a crop, but mainly because on the most part, they are very an exceptionally decent group of people.

And don't even know it. Pars

[parsley]

Lots of farmers market their crops, mussy. And do well.

[Choice2U]

I use Keith Ferley at RBC Dominion Securities. 1-866-820-9297. Paid $443.76 in commissions/fees in 2008 but netted $8,582.50. Paid $320.75 in commission/fees in 2009 and lost $2,861.25. Paid $379.66 in 2010 and have netted $8,540.54 to date. His "non-pushy" comments are well worth the $300 to $400 per year that I give him. I deal in 3 - 5 x 20 Mt. contracts so even if you're a bigger farmer and triple the size of decisions, the commissions are still worth it.

[charliep]

Will get the other guys to help but commissions themselves are normally about a buck a tonne with minimum $100/trade (depends on the firm) - this is little out as I am somewhat out of date. Comments on margin money (good faith money while you have a trade on) but that is an interest cost which will depend on your situation. Bigger traders may do better on their commissions.

[ry0972]

Hopper Re: 5440 seed,
We were told we had to order/pay for ours by end of Sept to save the most $$$, guarantee mini bulk bags and be able to get all the L-150 we wanted.
Ended up paying $8.30 for 5440. 2% divedend from CC (no CC surcharge from retailer) and a 2% discount on total bill, So net $7.97/#.
No more 864L Liberty totes!!!!
Hear any prices for Liberty for next year???
Paid $440 for 46 0 0 0
$640 for 13 33 0 15

[mbratrud]

I use RBC as well Keith Ferley is a good broker. For online I use MF Global and the T4 Trader, great for futures not so great for options.

[a2farms]

AJ Tooley @ Union Securities 204-982-0398. Young guy, not full of "ideas" to get you to trade. Very happy with his service.

[furrowtickler]

ry: cc is that co-op? And you mention 2% off total bill, what else besides the 5440? Tech agreement? Is it 2010 seed or carry over from '09 or '08 and what's the seed treatment - prosper? Just currious, that's a good price if new seed with fresh seed treatment. Just be carefull, several farms here got burnt big time with 'good deals' on Liberty carry over seed treated with prosper this year. Prosper can and will hammer seed vigour over time.