Grain Origination Essentials Curriculum
Develop a fundamental understanding of grain markets, the futures market and how it trades, what basis is, basic contract types, USDA reports, and understanding of common terminology in this series.
Series Includes
Intro to Futures
In this course, discover the history of the futures market and learn about market fundamentals including prices, symbols, and more.
History of Futures Trading
Listen as Jeff and Tara discuss the evolution of trading at the Chicago Board of Trade and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange.
Understanding Basis
In this course, you’ll learn about the mechanics that help establish a basis value, common terminology, and you’ll get a look at the different basis markets that exist.
Basic Contract Types
Develop an understanding of basic contract types including cash/flat price/spot, basis, delayed pricing (DP), and storage, along with when to use each contract type and corresponding NGFA terms and standards.
Intro to Pricing Tools
In this course, learn what pricing tools are and why they exist, who they are suitable for, and the four basic types: Managed, Min/Max, Accumulator/Double Up Programs, and Long Futures/Lift Hedge Tools.
Intro to Futures Spreads
Discover how to calculate and compare futures spreads, learn the meaning of “full storage” and “full carry,” and better understand the difference between inter and intra-crop year spreads.
How to Explain and Sell Pricing Tools
Listen as Jeff Fichtelman and Tara Deines discuss how to explain and sell pricing tools.
Intro to Options
This course includes the basics of options, key definitions, and how options work with grain futures.
The Business of Farming and Where You Fit In
Learn about the business of farming and where YOU, as an originator, fit into that puzzle. This course includes a key story that highlights the complexity of the farmer marketing process.
Understanding USDA Reports
In this course, learn about the 16 USDA reports including important elements, what numbers to focus on, how the USDA collects the data, and the market-moving importance of each report.
Leveraging USDA Reports to Grow Your Business
Listen as Jeff Fichtelman and Tara Deines discuss how to best utilize the monthly USDA reports to cultivate timely conversations with customers and buy more bushels.
Understanding Corn Supply and Demand
Learn how to read and understand the U.S. Corn Supply & Demand Table, discover key influences on each supply and demand line item, and establish a better understanding of what drives futures prices.
Understanding Soybean Supply and Demand
Learn how to read and understand the U.S. Soybean Supply & Demand Table, discover key influences on each supply and demand line item, and establish a better understanding of what drives futures prices.
Understanding Wheat Supply and Demand
Learn how to read and understand the U.S. Wheat Supply & Demand Table, discover key influences on each supply and demand line item, and establish a better understanding of what drives futures prices.
How to Use USDA and NASS Websites to Your Advantage
In this course, learn how to navigate USDA.gov and NASS websites to access key market reports and data that will prove useful in your role of grain origination.