You've heard that you can leverage your crop insurance with your marketing strategy.  But how does that work exactly?  Today we're sharing an in-depth explanation of how that works in bull and bear market years.  Keep in mind this was recorded in early March -- but the lesson's a good one.  Click here to watch the video.  It'll take a little over ten minutes of your day.

For the text and charts of the video, click here: Tutorial Combining Marketing and Crop Insurance

Lots of market analysts like to talk about the fundamentals that may affect the prices in the next few weeks, but there are some pieces of market advice that can make a big difference in your profitability that have nothing to do with the price of grain tomorrow or even next week.  Arlan Suderman from Farm Futures and Mike Jacobson, a banker from Nebraska spoke on a panel at Commodity Classic in March and had a couple excellent pieces of advice about marketing that you've never even considered.  Take a listen by clicking here.  

For the text of this video segment, click here:  Marketing Tips You Probably Never Thought About

What are the best farmers doing that you're not?  We asked a panel of ag business experts that question at Commodity Classic, and got a variety of answers.  I'm sure you'll learn something if you click here to check out the video.

For the text of this video segment, click here:  Characteristics of the Most Successful Producers

Being a young farmer just getting started in this business presents its own set of challenges, especially if you're operating without the backing of an entity with experience and assets.  This was one of the lines of discussion with the panel we sponsored at Commodity Classic last month.  If you'd like to listen to the advice of this group, click here.

A panel discussion at this year's Commodity Classic focused on the financial elements of farming - and what parts growers can control.  We will be sharing pieces of the panel discussion over the coming weeks.  Here's the first installment.  The question was:  What will make the biggest difference in farmer profitability this year?

Panelists:  Arlan Suderman, Market Analyst, Farm Futures; Darren Frye, President & CEO, Water Street Solutions; Tim Copeland, VP of Marketing, Great American Insurance; and Mike Jacobson, Chairman, President & CEO of NebraskaLand National Bank

Click here to watch the video.  The discussion took place on March 6, 2010.

Water Street Solutions and Farm Progress Companies sponsored the Closing Learning Center Session Saturday at the 2010 Commodity Classic is Anaheim, CA.  The 2-hour panel discussion was a great opportunity for growers to learn things they do have control over on the financial end of their operation.  A summary of the contents of the session is posted today on Farm Progress web sites, and you can read it by clicking here.  In the coming weeks, video from this session will be shared here.

If you're coming to the Commodity Classic, you'll want to make sure to mark this session on your program.  At 1:30 on Saturday, March 6th, there's a panel discussion titled Controlling What You Can Control.  Arlan Suderman from Farm Futures Magazine told me that farmers come out in droves to attend an outlook seminar.  And he knows, because he gives them.  It's fun to talk about the factors impacting the markets.  But after a while it gets frustrating, because what can you really do about those factors?  Nothing.  During this session the focus will be on things where you can impact your profitability, simply by learning and tracking and knowing what numbers to watch and what to do with them once you've found them. 

       Max Armstrong                 Arlan Suderman                 Mike Jacobson                Tim Copeland                       Darren Frye

Max Armstrong (you've heard of him, right?) is hosting the session.  Our experts include:  Arlan Suderman, Market Analyst for Farm Futures Magazine; Mike Jacobson, Chairman, President and CEO of NebraskaLand National Bank; Tim Copeland, VP of Marketing at Great American Insurance and Darren Frye, CEO of Water Street Solutions. 

I'm sure you'll go home from this session energized about what you've learned and how it can help you take the financial reins of your operation.  If you can't be there with us, you'll be able to find information from the session on this web site.

Even in the current grim economy, a good plan can lead to commodity marketing success, according to Darren Frye.  He talked with Brownfield's Tom Steever about the economy and the opportunities that still exist.  Listen to Tom's report here.

You know you want to make money, but how do you start building a marketing plan that's strategic and will help you get to your financial goals?  Water Street Solutions' CEO Darren Frye says it's a little like taking a trip.  First you start with a map.  That map is your financial analysis.  Here's more from his discussion with KRVN's Ken Rahjes.  Starting a Marketing Plan with a Financial Analysis - Frye AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Start a Marketing Plan with a Financial Analysis

Grain and livestock marketing can seem a whole lot like gambling if you don't know what you're doing.  But it doesn't have to be that way.  Darren Frye talks to KRVN's Ken Rahjes about how we build marketing plans at Water Street Solutions and what a person needs to learn to manage risk and build profits.  Whats Behind a Marketing Recommendation - Frye AUDIO

For the text of the interview, click here: Whats Behind a Marketing Recommendation