TL;DR — The Quick Read: LRP vs Selling Futures  The Decision: You need to protect your cattle's price. The two primary tools available are Selling Futures and Livestock Risk Protection (LRP). The Difference: Futures contracts are capital-intensive tools that require...

TL;DR: The 30-Second Summary The Myth: "My bins are paid for, so storing grain is free." The Reality: High interest rates mean holding grain costs you money every day in "Opportunity Cost." The Math: If you have an operating note, holding corn costs roughly 3 cents...

You Can Trade Your Own Account. The Question is: Discount vs full-service broker. What should you do?  TL;DR — The Short Version The Trap: Trading your own account looks "cheaper" on paper. The Reality: Farming is a full-time job. Trading while distracted in the field...

TL;DR — The AgOptimus Executive Summary The Reality: Margin calls are liquidity events, not penalties. They occur because futures markets settle daily, while physical crops sell seasonally. The Mismatch: A margin call does not mean a hedge is failing. It often means...

TL;DR — How to Pick the Right Hedge Month for Your Cattle Match your hedge month to when cattle will likely finish, not when the board looks best today. Weather, health, and feed performance influence finish dates — build flexibility into your plan. If cattle slip or...