Time to finalize your grain marketing plan

Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development

Now that grain is being harvested and starting to go in the bin, it is time for producers to finalize their grain marketing plan.

“Marketing should be more than just selling,” says Jennifer Stoby, market analyst, ag inputs, Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development, Edmonton. “Marketing includes setting financial goals, assessing risk, exploring pricing and delivery alternatives, seeking market opportunities and keeping one’s pride in check. Good marketing takes planning, selling discipline, access to good market information and a good understanding of pricing and delivery alternatives. Expecting to price everything at the market peak is unrealistic.”


Stoby says the keys to marketing are to:

• know your cost of production
• spread sales over a 12-14 month period
• avoid pricing during heavy delivery points
• gather information from various marketing sources, such as commodity futures brokers, cash grain brokers, local buyers etc.
• know your product, know what you have in the bin

“There are various types of contracts and delivery options available,” says Stoby. “Do your homework and look at all the options to make the right decision for your crop and your overall farm.”

For more information on grain marketing, see the Alberta Agriculture Marketing Manual articles on the Farm Manager website at agriculture.alberta.ca/farm-manager. “Alberta Agriculture also has a series of Youtube videos that are related to grain marketing and farm business management,” says Stoby. “To access these videos, click on the Youtube channel link on the Farm Manager website and then click on the Farm Business Management playlist.”