Philip Luce

1 min read

Poker or Chess?

The grain business deals with a lot of numbers – yields, bin capacities, prices, basis, spreads, moisture, supply, demand, and more. Along with the numbers come various reports, from the government and otherwise, as well as the many people who...

Read More

1 min read

Surviving Volatility

A volatile market can make you feel like you don’t know anything about merchandising. Price, basis, and spreads swing around in bigger increments and...

Read More

1 min read

Things You Can and Cannot Do in the Grain Business

In the grain business, it’s easy to get distracted by the things we wish we could control. Prices, timing, market moves - these often feel just out...

Read More

1 min read

Defending Your Bid

Your grain bid expresses your opinion of your own value to the people you are buying from. Pushing the bid a few cents seems like a small concession,...

Read More

2 min read

Shifting from Inverse to Carry Markets

Reviewing the fundamentals of the basis trading environment The 2023-24 crop year was a transition away from inversion and into carry for corn and...

Read More

1 min read

Getting Your Merchandising Season Off to a Good Start

As you get your facilities in top shape for the fall harvest, don’t overlook doing the same for your merchandising. A little bit of pre-harvest...

Read More

1 min read

What Are “Basis Eyes” and Why Are They So Important?

There are several different ways to say it, but at the core having basis eyes means

Read More

2 min read

Is Deferred Price the Answer?

A big drop in prices has farmers understandably reluctant to sell, but the grain industry still needs to grind, process, ship, and otherwise do what...

Read More
thumbs up at producer meeting

1 min read

Attitude Is Important to Grain Buying

I was recently talking to someone who buys 90% of the grain that crosses the scales; some spot and some forward contracted. The approach is nothing...

Read More