Post Harvest Marketing Edward Usset Grain Marketing Specialist, U of M usset001@umn.edu Ed s World blog http://edsworld.wordpress.com/ Columnist Corn & Soybean Digest Center for Farm Financial Management www.cffm.umn.edu A premier on-line trading game, features real time cash, futures and options quotes Unlike other trading websites, Commodity Challenge highlights marketing decisions and risk management tools (not speculation) Educational and free! www.commoditychallenge.com 1
A typical strategy this fall Prices are low I m going to store grain and wait for higher prices. s of usage 12 10 8 6 4 U.S. Ending Stocks of Corn and Soybeans, 2007-2014 Crop Years Soybeans Corn Big increases! 2 0 2
1.10 Seasonal Patterns in the National Average Corn Price 1.05 1.00 0.95 0.90 1990-2012 (all years average) 1.10 1.05 1.00 0.95 0.90 Seasonal Patterns in the National Average Corn Price Years when ending stocks increase more than two s usage from the previous year (1992,94,96,97,2004) 1990-2012 (all years average) 3
U.S. Corn Crop Conditions, 1986-2014 400 390 1992, 94, 2004, 09 average 1986-2013 average 2014 Crop Conditions Index 380 370 The crop condition index is based on ly USDA crop ratings. An index of 500 reflects a crop in excellent condition, 400 is good, 300 is fair, 200 is poor and 100 is very poor. 2014 is tracking closely with the average of crop conditions during the four best years since 1990, as measured by yields vs. trend (9-14% above trend). 360 350 1.10 Seasonal Patterns in the National Average Soybean Price 1.05 1.00 0.95 0.90 1990-2012 (all years average) 4
1.10 1.05 1.00 0.95 0.90 Seasonal Patterns in the National Average Soybean Price Years when ending stocks increase more than two s usage from the previous year (1990,98,2005) 1990-2012 (all years average) Illinois Iowa Soybean Conditions, Good to Excellent Ratings, September 7, 2014 Minnesota Indiana Top 10 states in production (2013) Nebraska Ohio Missouri South Dakota Arkansas North Dakota 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 percent rated good or excellent 5
Quiz Time! In 2014, Iowa, Illinois and Minnesota led the nation in planted soybean acres. Which state was fourth? North Dakota farmers planted 6 million acres! 400 U.S. Soybean Crop Conditions, Selected Years 1990-2014 The crop condition index is based on ly USDA crop ratings. An index of 500 reflects a crop in excellent condition, 400 is good, 300 is fair, 200 is poor and 100 is very poor. 380 Crop Condition Index 360 340 1992, 94, 2004, 05 average 2014 320 June 2 3 4 early 6 7 8 9 early 1 July August 11 12 13 14 early Sept. 16 17 18 6
106 Seasonal Patterns in North Dakota Spring Wheat Prices, 1990 2013 Crop Years 104 102 100 98 96 94 1990-2013 (all years average) 106 104 102 100 98 96 94 Seasonal Patterns in North Dakota Spring Wheat Prices, 1990 2013 Crop Years Years when ending stocks increase more than two s usage from the previous year (1993,96,97,2001,08,09) 1990-2013 (all years average) 7
A better strategy this fall Sell the carry in the market Copyright 2013 Center for Farm Financial Management, University of Minnesota. All Rights Reserved. Selling the carry in corn September 3, 2014 closing prices Place the crop in storage at harvest, and sell the carry with futures or HTA contracts, e.g. sell the Jul 15 contract at $3.80/bu. May $3.73 Jul. $3.80 basis -0.40? $3.40 Mar. $3.65 Dec. $3.52 harvest price @ 60 cents under the Dec cash $2.92 8
What have we learned? 1. In an average year, odds of a cash price increase after harvest are 75%. 2. Stocks are rising sharply - this is not an average year. Odds of a cash price increase after harvest are 35%. 3. Sell the carry and hope for better opportunities in 2015 9