Rating market advisors

[cottonpicken]

I aint that guy.

[TOM4CWB]

JamesB,

Anyone truly worth their salt... can teach the marketing basics... and they the decisions must be made by you for your farm.

THis is why CWB claims simply blow my mind.

Information is what we need... valid, timely info that has been sorted through for relevance... Yes like DTN and Lweber provide.

I will never understand how we should turn these decisions over to someone who has interests opposite to ours... LIKE GRAIN CO's... and come out on the positive side once they have signed us up and contracted our grain! Production contracts tend to make this worse. BUNGE/Canamera has been the best marketing partner by far... of the majors... for long term vision in marketing options for our grain sales... Viterra and Pioneer about even as next place.

So in my small mind... you need to know what you need to make money doing sales... and have a marketing partner who will put those sales into stable/executable contracts when you need to pull the trigger on your sales. Some of the smaller independents have helped keep some big buyers in line... so they should be supported to keep the big guys humble!

If you need training that is a whole different matter... which you need to think about. Agriville is about as good as it gets... to learn from decades of experience and from those who have often learned the hard way... BY MAKING MISTAKES!

Nothing ventured nothing gained... just make sure; you know who will reap the gain... that it is actually your farm... from those sweet talking well paid hired hands!

If the CWB were honest... they could be a very good asset in marketing...

If we know where the CWB lies... from their realistic past performance... a farm can hold their nose and make decisions that are not half bad on the economic end. The world has changed after 9-11... especially across the 49th to the south. Going back to the early 90's marketing opportunities... is long gone and water under the bridge.

Where you farm... and who you choose to do business with on agro... has a big bearing on who to listen to... and what motivates them!

DO THEY NEED YOUR BUSINESS NEXT YEAR TOO?

[shaney]

I think its important to note that we all must
identify where are strengths are. Most farmers are
great at production and hate marketing. There is
nothing wrong with seeking marketing help from
one of the services that are available. It doesn't
make you less of a farmer to get help. In my
opinion to many times farmers assume that they
can do it all to save money. I some cases this may
be a short term approach and will not provide hight
ROI in the long term. This discussion is no
different that some farmers hiring an agronomist
because they are weak on crop production and
better at the marketing side.

[Hopperbin]

Is there really farmers out there that hate marketing and selling grain? I like selling grain I could sell grain all day wish I could have more grain to sell. I do have enough to sell really, just that I don't understand why anyone would not like to market their grains. Then again some people leave it in the bin to heat also hmmmm.

[Hopperbin]

And can do marketing and selling and get intoxicated all at the same time, great job. Right Cotton? Good thing I am not a market advisor. Could get alcohol poisoning from that job. haha reminds me of my dad's old accountant when you stepped into his office you could slice the air with a knife so thick with smoke haha.