Reframing Grain Marketing From Price Reaction to Risk Strategy

Compeer Ag Economist Megan Roberts opens with a macroeconomic and crop market update, including the Federal Reserve's latest rate decision and current WASDE projections heading into planting season. She's joined by Jeff Kazin and Mike Rohlfsen, veteran grain traders with decades of experience at Cargill who now educate and consult with farmers across the U.S. and Canada. Together, they walk through five best practices for approaching grain marketing as a disciplined risk strategy rather than a reaction to price. The conversation covers how to think and function like a grain merchant—understanding futures efficiency, separating basis decisions, knowing your position, calculating carrying costs, and reading market structure to inform when to move grain.