Do you think opposites attract? Or is it important to consult likeminded individuals when making an
important decision?
Like so many things in life, the answer varies in each situation. We have these conversations every day
when referring Farmers to one of our Broker partners cash-grain managed pricing programs, or when
someone is looking for pricing advice beyond their MPP.
Here are a few guidelines that might help you evaluate what type of grain marketing advisor is a good fit
for you:
What type of advice do I need?
Local cash basis markets and/ or Futures & Options
What is this Broker s market mindset?
Technical or Fundamental
How does this Broker tend to look at economics?
Macro level or Micro level
Perhaps most importantly: Do I like this person, and can I trust them with my family s future?
Be upfront and honest with a new advisor. Tell them you’re looking for education in specific areas of the
markets. It could be technical help in learning Futures & Options, or thoughtful support to hear you out
as you talk through your thinking before making a sale.
If you feel that you have a strong understanding of your local cash markets, but do not understand
Options as much as you’d like to, then maybe you want a more technically minded, micro-level
Commodity Broker who agrees to take the time to teach you these principles. You can also find more
information on basic Futures & options on our Grain Marketing 101 page.
Also, here is a link to our Broker Bio page with a range of Broker styles so you can get a feel for the
different approaches out there. We are happy to discuss your options more in depth, so please reach out
if you are looking for a commodity marketing advisor!