One of the key pieces of our marketing service for our farmers is in the area of hedging training.  Hedging is far less complicated and risky than most people think - if it is done properly and you are well trained.  Everyone else in the industry uses hedging to protect themselves from risk and maximize their returns.  Farmers would be very well served to do the same.

 

I will be running hedging training courses in several towns and cities through this winter.  Most other training seems to start over the heads of most farmers and just makes them feel dumb.  My seminars will start with the very basics at the beginning and build on those until you feel comfortable with the whole concept.

 

Good hedging is really just like buying insurance for a favorable price for your grain when you use options.  Buying or selling actual futures contracts can be very risky and expensive but we will train you to use options instead.  When grain prices hit an attractive price like they often do through the spring and summer, we will help you learn how to lock in a high floor price for a reasonable premium.  This then allows you to guarantee that price as your minimum while leaving the door open to make even more if the price goes up.