Who is your marketing target?

[parsley]

Some of you want to sell to China. Some of you
target the local feed mill. Some have marketing
plan. Some wing it. Some markets are dying.
Some markets are expanding. Whether you
decide to market to a Dollar store or Tiffany
types, your marketing plan impacts on how you
will live based upon your $returns.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/s
tory/2012-07-07/natural-organic-
groceries/56085280/1

[furrowtickler]

Ours floats, before harvest we contract with only who has a good price and must have movement at harvest for bin space and cash flow. After that it is whoever can offer the best price/grade/dockage when we need to or want to move product. Never yet 100% to one company. That to me is way more detrimental than any precieved benifit. JMO

[hobbyfrmr]

So far, I sell bulk b trains, and/or rail cars of
milling oats, feed barley, peas, feed wheat and
hemp seed into the organic market. Most are 15%
forward contracted for the sake of cash flow and
grain movement at harvest time. After those
deliveries I refer back to my cost of,production
break even costs. When the market reaches
profitable prices I sell into those prices.
Thinking of trying to add more value to the
production. I am thinking of buying a grain cleaner
to remove the thins and straw and dockage. The
organic screenings prices usually pay well enough
that it's worthwhile. The downside is I have small
kids and I don't have enough time and I am too
lazy to do this work.
I really would like to clean and bulk bag, any kind
of grains and sell them. More than ever, a farmer
can export grains anywhere in the world with all
the risk management tools available. It's really an
exciting time.

[SASKFARMER3]

I throw a dart!







Ha ha ha ha.

[parsley]

The ultimate marketing target is your consumer.
Some are old. Potatoes
Some are young. Pasta.
Some are Chinese. Rice
Some are Indonesian Sweet rice
Some are rich. Swiss
Some are poor Afghanistan

Do you know who your target is? Cargill is not
your target. Viterra only facilitates selling your
specific product to the target who is interested in
buying your product.


Who Is your target? And yes, farmers too often
use a dartboard. Pars

[wd9]

Removing the CWB will certainly help the
needs of the buyer make it to the farmer.

My customer is ADM, Viterra, Cargill,
Pioneer...

[rockpile]

Well done parsley!!! I thought I was the ONLY one who
looked at producing according to consumer demands.

[SASKFARMER3]

Yes why grow oats if no one is eating granola
bars, etc. if the Chinese like soy and don't like
canola figure out how to grow. Etc etc.

[furrowtickler]

Thats why we grow the crops that seem to have the highest demand. And try to target those crops with people who can afford to pay for it. High protien HRSW, Canola and Green Peas, seem to go to markets that are stable and get paid in general a premium. We no longer grow the soft wheats or feed wheats - Market always on the low side and alot of the world can produce huge amounts of low grade wheat and are willing to give it away. Same with Yellow peas, half the guys that grow them dump them regardless of price b/c of storage issues and easy cash flow. Kinda treated like feed wheat/Barley.

[farmaholic]

The CWB.........

[ado089]

I grow a little seed for the organic
market in a couple of crops that are usually short seed and I've been dabbling
in the California market with pulse crops.
Canola gets sold to the highest bidder and
we will wait and see with wheat. Widely
traded crops I hedge on the markets so I'm
not stuck with a contract to any specific
company. Amazing how much better your
grading gets if you're selling cash.

[Burbert]

Whomever pays us the most and cheats us
the least!

[hobbyfrmr]

I have had discussions with companies in
Saskatoon. There is shelf space for cleaned and
packaged products in the ethnic stores. Peas
lentils, fresh grown herbs and spices. I am
collecting thoughts and information on how to
pursue this. It definitely requires investment into
proper cleaners with magnets and destoners.
Then some nice packaging. There will be freight
and logistics involved. I like thinking about these
ideas, it would definitely get the farmer closer to
consumer, and presumably higher value to the
farm.