The markets have seen their share of ups and downs lately, making risk management all the more important.
One ag economist says all farmers need to go back to the basics.
“Let’s go back to some core basic strategies that we can pull out of the bag for our marketing plans. One of those is to recognize that, number one, you, as a farm manager, are not fast enough to chase the marketplace. Things are happening so quickly. The volatility is so high that you can’t chase the market, so the challenge is how do we try to get out in front of this?” said Frayne Olson.
Olson says farmers need to sit down and crunch the numbers, then decide what price they are willing to sell at.
“And a lot of that is based on your cost of production and the cost of storage. Those are things that you know and have much more direct control over.”
Olson adds that placing orders ahead of time can help you capitalize on acceptable prices, saying it helps avoid impulsive decisions during market volatility.
Leadership development and bipartisan engagement remain central to advancing agriculture’s priorities in 2026.
January 12, 2026 11:40 AM
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This simple but powerful tool from Nutrien enables farmers to keep track of highly personalized input costs and expenses involved in running their operation.
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Expanding chicken supplies are likely to keep prices under pressure in early 2026 despite steady demand growth.
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Prompt removal of Christmas trees and careful handling of decorations reduce winter fire risk during an already high-demand season for emergency services.
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Reduced winter placements indicate tighter fed cattle supplies and greater leverage during peak-demand months.
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AFBF Economist Faith Parum provides analysis and perspective on the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program—what commodity growers should know and potential remedies for producers facing crop losses where that aid falls short.
January 08, 2026 02:45 PM
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