Farmers need to go back to the basics to manage today’s markets, according to an economist

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.

Related Stories
Iowa land values dropped 3% year-over-year. Sen. Chuck Grassley said this discomforting pattern is a harbinger of crisis for farmers, as seen in the 1980s.
Jed Bower, the incoming president of the National Corn Growers Association, joined us for his sector’s perspective on the ongoing government shutdown.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last week said an announcement would be made on Tuesday. However, that self-imposed deadline has now passed.
Expect firm demand for dependable HRS and SW, steady movement in HRW, more sorting on SRW, and selective bids on durum until full milling results are released.
Dr. Todd Davis, Chief Economist with the Indiana Farm Bureau, shares a snapshot of his state’s harvest conditions and insights from producers.

LATEST STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR:

Pull out the popcorn! We’ve rounded up the 10 best cowboy movies of all time.
U.S. Rep. Dusty Johnson (R-SD) shares his outlook on the developing U.S.-China Trade agreement, and the ongoing impact of the federal government shutdown—now stretching past four weeks—on rural communities and producers.
RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss what the Carney-Xi meeting could mean for Canadian producers.
Market analyst and friend of the show, Shawn Hackett, says Brazil’s shifting use of crops for biofuel production is a significant factor.
The Livestock Conservancy joins us in the RFD-TV Studio to discuss how protecting heritage-breed poultry is essential to resilient food systems and the preservation of agricultural traditions.
Texas A&M livestock economist Dr. David Anderson joins Tony St. James to discuss the geopolitical tensions and U.S.-Mexico border closure that are leading to sharp swings in the cattle market.