Are You Getting The Most Revenue From Your Crop Rotation?
Have you asked yourself in recent years why you have the crop rotation you have? Are you trying to maximize revenue? Are you trying to minimize expense? Are you trying to manage some weeds that have been tough to control? Do you have an insect problem that requires a special rotation? Are you trying to please a land owner? Or is it because Dad did it that way? Whatever your reason, have you considered comparing single year revenue with the potential for multiple year revenue based on various crop rotations?
Posted by Stu Ellis on 02/02 at 01:26 AM | (0) Comments | Permalink
Has The Mild Winter Jeopardized The Quality Of Your Stored Grain?
When USDA reported December 1 grain stocks earlier in January, farm storage accounted for 6.18 bil. bu. of corn, 1.14 bil. bu. of soybeans, and 405 million bushels of wheat. Whether or not you agree with those numbers is one thing, but another issue is the quality of the grain stored on farms. Certainly, a significant amount has moved to the elevator for the purpose of fulfilling forward contracts for January delivery. But there will still be a significant volume of grain which has been subject to non-winter temperatures, and some bins may have “come to life” during some of the warmer spells of the past few weeks. Are you hesitant to look in your bins?
Posted by Stu Ellis on 01/30 at 12:45 AM | (0) Comments | Permalink
Will Brazilian Ethanol Really Compete With US Ethanol?
The ethanol economy remains strong and healthy, even without the blenders’ credit and the import tariff which expired at the end of 2011. There were few that would have imagined that several years ago, based on the strength of the lobbying efforts of the corn and ethanol associations. However, the lack of expected competition from Brazil has been the reason for today’s ethanol market. That market has US ethanol being shipped to Brazil, just the opposite of what had been predicted. But how long will that be the case, and could it change?
Posted by Stu Ellis on 01/26 at 01:24 AM | (3) Comments | Permalink
What IS Your Corn Marketing Plan?
How about those corn prices? Oh, you’re not very excited about corn prices, you say? March corn has bounced between $5.75 and $6.75 and new crop corn has had an 85¢ swing. With such excitement, what is there to complain about? Oh, predictable stability at high prices, is what you want? Well, we all need to work on that. But in the meantime, we have to work on a marketing plan with the cards that have been dealt to us.
Posted by Stu Ellis on 01/24 at 07:40 AM | (0) Comments | Permalink
Livestock Feed Supplies Remain Tight, But Not Worsening.
The deteriorated pasture and rangeland pushed many head of cattle into feedlots at an early point in their cycle, and Friday’s Cattle on Feed report reflected that glut, with a high number on feed, but low numbers entering feedlots and being marketed. With the weather still uncooperative, many livestock producers are concerned about the outlook for feed in the coming year. Will there be enough, given all of the dynamics pushing and pulling on the supply? Answers follow.
Posted by Stu Ellis on 01/23 at 01:22 AM | (1) Comments | Permalink