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This year many of the ghosts of grain merchandising past have revisited us; low cash prices, higher than normal harvest basis levels, uncertainty of spread needs due to delayed ownership and fluctuating price later charges. Now none of these haunts...
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Jeff Reardon: Sep 22, 2015
“Trust but verify” is a Russian proverb Ronald Reagan made famous, but risk managers, CFO’s and grain company lenders live by it today.
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Sherry Lorton: Sep 1, 2015
When you see what appear to be good, well-established, long-standing companies suddenly fall apart it makes you wonder. How do good businesses go...
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In the workplace, training and development can often be an overlooked or underutilized approach to improving business. Often the myth is that with...
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Jeff Reardon: Jul 14, 2015
Grain Merchandisers intentionally eliminate as much currency risk as possible and trade based on the changes in the basis in the grain markets. The...
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When was the last time you actually walked through your merchandising plan? In the midst of the lackadaisical pricing environment of this past...
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Being a grain merchandiser can be a pretty lonely existence. There just aren't that many people on the planet that truly understand what a grain...
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Jeff Reardon: May 5, 2015
It can be very painful for grain companies to change banks. New financial relationships require conference calls, planning sessions, and a lot of...
1 min read
It seems like each crop year that comes around brings new types of contracts with new promises. Of course, the years of low prices that make it...
1 min read
Jeff Reardon: Mar 10, 2015
The handling margin (back-to-back margin) is captured when the bushels are sold and delivered when grain companies value inventory and purchase...
