Price Risk
Hedging Basics for a Small Grain Producer
How a short hedge with futures can protect a grain price, with a worked example, the role of basis, margin needs and the limits of hedging.
Tariffs and Policy
Why Tariffs on Farm Goods Ripple Beyond the Border
A tariff on farm imports does more than raise one price. See how it shifts trade flows, changes buyer choices and reaches farms and consumers.
Grain Markets
What Does Basis Mean in Grain Markets?
Basis is the gap between a local cash grain price and the futures price. Learn how it is calculated, what moves it and why it matters.
Trade Paperwork
Reading a Bill of Lading for Bulk Grain
What a bill of lading says on a bulk grain shipment, why it works as a receipt and title document, and the mistakes that cause costly delays.
Storage and Freight
How a Grain Elevator Works, Step by Step
Follow a truckload of grain through an elevator: weighing, sampling, grading, lifting, binning and loading out for rail, barge or ship.
Crop Basics
What Is a Bushel, and Why Do Grain Prices Use It?
A plain-English look at the bushel: how it became a weight, how it differs by crop, and how to convert bushel prices to metric tons.