Marketing subscriptions/services

[jdg364]

Just wondering what farms are paying for grain marketing services / marketing newsletters these days. Everyone has their own take on how to market their grain. This is more of a question regarding $1000 newsletters or brokerage services costing farms $3-5/ac.

Our farm only forward sells basis and cash contracts, however no calls/puts, no buying/shorting futures market. That’s our decision and we are comfortable with this level of risk. We pay for a couple newsletters and know our cost of production and don’t sell below it. Pretty simple.

Went to a seminar today and the company was willing to help the farmer do futures/option trades, recommendations for selling grain during the growing year along with a list of other full meal services. I asked what the fees were at the end of presentation and I was surprised that it would cost between $15k -$25k/year.

To me, it seemed like a lot of money but maybe I’m missing something and should be signing up.. thanks.

[Guest]

DePutter is $750/yr
Pretty poor showing last year
It’s a lot to tell you that you should sell every month
Larry’s newsletter is pretty informative
Much more reasonable
And he fights hard for us every day

[therealnorthernf]

I spend at least a couple of hours on the computer every morning, searching and reading... I try to follow world weather, politics, crop news, and read anything I can find from farmers around the world... I don't follow or read anything from the CBC, CTV or Global..

I find that being informed is more important then me paying someone else doing the leg work then telling me what I should do..

I might not get the highest price but I'll know why I didn't.