University of Minnesota grain marketing economist and author Ed Usset will share practical wisdom on how to develop a preharvest marketing plan during challenging market conditions at the Iowa Farm Bureau Economic Summit June 14 in Ankeny.

With weather disruptions causing planting delays in key U.S. growing regions and slowing harvest in parts of South America, farmers have tough choices to make this year when marketing their crops. News headlines are causing significant market swings, with new-crop corn futures trading in a 20-cent range in the past month and new-crop soybeans moving more than 75 cents since mid-April. 

Working with colleagues at Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota, Usset developed several grain marketing workshops including “Winning the Game” and manages the Commodity Challenge, an online marketing education game that uses real-time cash and futures data. 

Usset also teaches “Commodity Markets” and “Futures and Options Markets” at the university and is a regular contributor for Corn and Soybean Digest and Farm Futures. The 3rd Edition of his book, “Grain Marketing is Simple (it’s just not easy),” was released in October 2023. 

The daylong 2024 IFBF Economic Summit will take place June 14 at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny with an impressive lineup of speakers who will provide farmers with information on the key factors impacting today’s volatile farm economy and how to mitigate economic pressures and leverage opportunities.

Dr. Austan Goolsbee, president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, headlines the event with a “fireside chat” with IFBF President Brent Johnson, providing valuable insight into the U.S. macroeconomy. The summit will also feature Fulcrum Macro economist and founder Frank Kelly; expert panels on the meat supply chain and ag lending/real estate; and an examination of U.S.-Mexico trade challenges and opportunities with trade advisors from the Embassy of Mexico in Washington D.C.

Registration for the conference is $40 for Iowa Farm Bureau members and $200 for non-members. Registration includes two meals and admission to a complimentary reception from 5-7 p.m. on June 13, also at the FFA Enrichment Center, where attendees will get to interact with several summit speakers. To see the full agenda and to register, go online to IowaFarmBureau.com/EconomicSummit.