Commodity marketing isn't easy.  Some farmers have hired this kind of help without success.  In this video, taken at a Commodity Classic seminar earlier this year, Arlan Suderman, Market Analyst with Farm Futures and Darren Frye, President and CEO of Water Street Solutions talk frankly about the process of hiring a marketing service, including some of the traps you can get into.  If you're really thinking you need help in marketing, watch this video to help you make a better hire.  

We all want to be better marketers.  One way we can do that is by understanding the way we operate and the emotions we bring to the markets.  Water Street Solutions' Director of Development Dean Heffta has a unique analogy to help you better understand how you approach the markets.  He talks here with Ken Rahjes from KRVN.

The Marketing Zoo - Heffta AUDIO

Last week's USDA production and ending stocks estimates reflected the challenges of the planting season.  Water Street Solutions' President and CEO Darren Frye was a guest on Brownfield's Managing for Profit.  Listen to the report here.

Corn futures hit a record high price today in response to the lower USDA production estimate.  Water Street Solutions President and CEO Darren Frye spoke with John Perkins from Brownfield about the report.  Tune in here.

Are you thinking about it the same way as everyone else? Being different wasn't much fun in high school, but out in the business world, it can be an advantage. Here KRVN's Ken Rahjes talks with Dean Heffta, Director of Development for Water Street Solutions about how being a contrarian might be helpful to your business.

Being a Contrarian - Heffta AUDIO For the text of the interview, click here: Being a Contrarian

Many areas of the eastern corn belt are far behind on planting progress, whether it's the first time this season, or round two.  It's a tough decision, often made based on emotion.  If you're looking for some advice, take a look at our new blog on www.farmfutures.com.  It's called Finance First.  Read it here.

There's some benefit of not thinking and doing the same way as everyone else.  Find out how to capture some of that benefit by reading Finance First this week on www.farmfutures.com.  You can read it by clicking here.

If you're looking for a business tune-up, it's on the agenda June 7th and 8th in Bettendorf, Iowa as Top Producer announces the agenda for its Summer Seminar.  If you joined them in Chicago in January, you know the place was packed with top farmers from around the country wanting to work on their business and management skills.  Because of high demand, the group has added an additional seminar.  Two of our executives have been tapped to speak.  Darren Frye, our President and CEO will talk Wednesday at 1:30 on The New Rules of Profitable Farming.  Dean Heffta, Director of Development at Water Street Solutions will present The Seven Keys to Forging Farm Success at 11:00 that morning.  Click here for the online agenda and registration.

Sometimes we have such a hard time making a decision, that we just choose not to make a decision.  It's called inaction and it has its own set of consequences.  Water Street Solutions' President and CEO Darren Frye talks here with KRVN's Ken Rahjes about what this means to a producer.  The Risk of Not Doing Anything - Frye AUDIO  For the text of the interview, click here: The Risk of Not Doing Anything

Expansion may seem a no brainer if you've managed to do some things right in these times of opportunity and generate extra cash.  But growing the size of your operation can be done right and it can be done wrong.  In this article, Water Street Solutions' President and CEO Darren Frye talks about both ways - and some of the ramifications of each.  To read this article, click here.  IN Agrinews April 29 2011