Explore Contracts

Find the right mix of contracts to diversify your marketing plan.

Diversify your marketing plan with contracts that fit your farm and your situation.

When you’re choosing contracts to include in your marketing plan, there are several factors to consider. What's your target price for your commodities? How much risk are you willing to take on? How comfortable do you feel tracking the markets? Your answers to these questions will help you decide which types of contracts make the most sense in your plan.

Choosing your contracts.

To get started, it’ll be helpful to understand your options and how each type of contract fits in a diversified marketing plan.

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Lay the Foundation

Market like a pro and lay the groundwork for a diverse, profitable plan with these building blocks.

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Establish the Floor

Protect yourself from the risks of volatile markets with a guaranteed minimum price for your crop.

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Express Your Market Bias

Gain added control and flexibility to take advantage of opportunities and act on your market movement predictions.

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Keep it Simple

Choose when to set your basis or futures to establish a cash price. Simplified contracts with straightforward components.

Marketing for every season.

To get your target price for your commodities, make the most of every opportunity, and reach your profit goals, it’s important to keep an eye on your marketing plan throughout the year and adjust to changing market conditions.

Here are some things you can think about in each season.

Summer (June – August)

During the growing season, you have a lot on your plate — feeding and watering your crops, keeping an eye out for potential problems, getting ready for harvest. This is also the time of year when you can start forecasting your yield and emptying your bins to make way for new grain.

Tip: Based on historical data, prices tend to drop in August. If you haven’t already established a basis, now’s the time.

  • Are you prepared for the USDA June 30th Acreage and Grain Stocks reports? 
  • Have you taken advantage of the early ProPricing enrollment?
  • Do you need to sell any remaining grain from last year to make room in your bins for the current crop?

 
  • Minimum Price
  • Focal Point

Fall (September – October)

Your hard work and preparation paid off, and it’s time to harvest your grain. Harvest time means long days in the fields and extra attention to equipment to make sure everything is in good working condition.

Tip: This is the time of year when the supply of grain is at its highest. That typically means lower prices.

  • Do you need to deliver on any contracts during harvest?
  • Do you need to sell any additional grain because of better-than-expected production?

 
  • Pacer 
  • Minimum Price 

Winter (November – March)

During winter, you can take time to analyze your harvest, figure out what went well and what could’ve gone better, and start making grain marketing plans for next season.

Tip: The USDA World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates (WASDE) report is released the second week of January and the USDA planting intentions report is released on March 31. These reports can be major market movers. Consider protecting unsold bushels heading into these releases and capitalizing on market movement before and after the reports.

  • Do I still have uncontracted grain and should I enroll it in ProPricing InventoryPro before the December Deadline?
  • When do I need cash flow throughout the winter?
  • What percentage of my grain do I want to forward contract before I start planting?
  • How do spring crop insurance prices impact my grain marketing plan?
  • Am I prepared for the USDA March 31st planting intentions report?

  • Minimum Price
  • Focal Point
  • Firm Offer

Spring (April – May)

We know you’re busy preparing your fields, planting your crops, and setting yourself up for a successful growing season this time of year. There are also key market opportunities, so don’t forget to carve out some time to think about your grain marketing plan.

Tip: Risk premiums tend to be highest in the spring, so this can be a great time to start pricing your grain instead of waiting for harvest-time lows.

  • Do you expect prices to trend upwards in the near future based on planting expectations, carry-over stocks and weather?
  • How can you capture potential spring rallies?
  • What time periods will be the best to lock in a narrow basis?
  • Do you need to look at additional contracts to capture seasonal highs?

  • Floored Contracts
  • Premium Offer
  • Firm Offer

Working together to reinvent agriculture.

At Cargill, we’re committed to partnering with farmers like you to help improve the future of farming, preserve our natural resources, and promote the long-term success and prosperity of your farm.