Do you want to know a secret?

[agstar77]

It will cost you 447 tax. Ag-Chieve marketing seminar. Secrets of Successful Grain Marketing. I didn't know these were secrets. These are the same guys that called the grain market so well last year. Does anyone plan to attend these seminars? Do you have to take an oath of secrecy when signing up? L.O.L.

[charliep]

I agree they are not secrets.

Perhaps to turn the question around, what are the "Most Important Considerations in Successful Grain Marketing"?

[mbratrud]

Good Question? It would interesting to see everyones responses. I will take the first stab at it! (for free)
Suppress emotion!

[dave4441]

Lock in profit

[wilagro]

To assist in marketing: Have at least four fingers...eany, meany, minee and moe.

[TOM4CWB]

Dear Charlie,

1. Know what your costs are.

2. Be patient.

3. Know what production you have.

4. If an actual good profit is available... that others involved agree is a good decision... IS.

5. Know what your risk is on the cost and production variability on your production.

6. Do Not Be Greedy.

7. Use the lowest cost risk management possible... giving this risk to others in the marketing chain... especially when they are willing to mitigate risk at low cost that is affordable.

8. Do Not Think of yourself as 'smarter' than anyone else...

9. If it seems 'to good to be true'... 99.9% of the time you will be right!

10. Many councilors and information sources... are good... are key.

11. Hard work and diligent self- discipline give the best results.

12. There is no such thing as 'good luck'. Achievable plans... that effectively understand the above... make opportunities.

[mbratrud]

Know your Market History. How do you know how information will effact the market if you understand some history behind it.
What does 660 million tonnes of World Wheat Production really mean? Or what does 15Million Acres of Canola and Canada really mean? They are just numbers unless you have tracked their history.
You can't make your decisions based on history, but it goes along way to helping you understand what needs to happen in the future from a supply and demand perspective.

[Hopperbin]

Drozd latest secret.

http://www.ag-chieve.ca/drozd_report/barley_feb10/barley_feb10.html

Really great after the fact crap.

[wmoebis]

I think it is important to know what quality you have for sale. Know what the degrading factors are and how much. Know exactaly your protien content and that it is being checked properly and accurately. Know what your dockage is and that it is being assesed properly.

This will give you barganing power for blending etc. Just because you go where you get the best deal might not mean that it is the BEST deal.

It always amazes me when guys say "the best I can get is #2" but they don't know why or what the degrading factor even looks like or what the content is.

To me it is like running around with a bag full of money bills, letting everyone count it and selling it to the one that offers you the most. I think I would count it first and know exactaly what I had, how many 100's, 50's, 20's etc.

Quality and quantity.

[Fransisco]

Easy one, don't let a government bureaucracy sell your grain on your behalf. A one armed blind monkey can do a better job.