popular live and/or WEBINAR TOPICS:

FEW OF USDA'S REPORTS IMPACT MARKETS MORE THAN ITS WORLD AGRICULTURAL SUPPLY AND DEMAND ESTIMATES KNOWN AS WASDE FOR SHORT. USING HIS EXCLUSIVE WASDE WIZARD FORECASING MODEL, DAN ENTERS THE LATEST ACREAGE ESTIMATES FOR CORN AND SOYBEANS UNDER THREE WEATHER SCENARIOS FOR THE COMING GROWING SEASON AND THE IMPACT ON AVERAGE FARM PRICE AND EVEN THE LIKELY RANGE OF PRICES UNDER EACH.                

DAN ANALYZES USDA'S LATEST QUARTERLY PRICE FORECASTS FOR CATTLE AND HOGS AGAINST CURRRENT FUTURES MARKET OFFERINGS TO SEPARATE WHAT COULD BE WISE HEDGING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PRODUCERS FROM THOSE THAT AREN'T . HE EVEN HAS A PROVEN METHODOLOGY USING HISTORICAL PRICE RELATIONSHIPS TO CONVERT USDA'S FED CATTLE PRICE FORECASTS INTO "IMPLIED" FORECASTS FOR FEEDER CATTLE AS WELL.                   

WITH LAND VALUES QUICKLY RISING TO LEVELS THAT MAKE IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO CASH FLOW WITHOUT HEAVY EQUITY INVESTMENT, GIFTING OR INHERITANCE, KEEPING LEGACY FAMILY FARMS "IN THE FAMILY" HAS GOTTEN INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT, EXPECIALLY TRUE WHEN THERE ARE MULTIPLE SIBLINGS INVOLVED.  DAN OFFERS THE LATEST TACTICS FOR PARENTS TO "PASS THE TORCH" TO THE NEXT GENERATION WITHOUT ANYONE GETTING "BURNED."                 

DAN EVALUATES THE LATEST DATA ON KEY FINANCIAL RATIOS FOR FARMERS IN GENERAL AND HOW THEY COMPARE WITH THE PAST FOR PERSPECTIVE.  HE IDENTIFIES BANDS OF RELATIVE STRENGTH, WEAKNESS, OR "NEUTRAL" ZONES FOR THESE RATIOS AND OFFERS SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW THEY CAN BE USED AS "BENCHMARKS" FOR EVALUATING INDIVIDUAL FARMS FOR THEIR CURRENT FINANCIAL HEALTH, COMPETITIVENESS, AND OUTLOOK.                  

WITH THE WORLD FACING THE POTENTIAL FOR A LONG-TERM FOOD CRISIS, THE STAKES COULDN'T BE HIGHER AND MUCH OF WHAT'S PROPOSED FOR CHANGES TO FARM POLICY WILL BE DEPENDENT ON THE MAKE-UP OF CONGRESS. CRITICAL CHANGES TO CROP INSURANCE, EXISTING CONSERVATION PROGRAMS, AND NEW PROGRAMS TO INCENTIVIZE CARBON CAPTURE AND ONGOING SUPPORT FOR BIOFUELS ARE ALL IN THE MIX OF ISSUES WITH IMPLICATIONS FOR FARM INCOME AND RISK MANAGEMENT.

FEW QUESTIONS ARE MORE LOADED THAN ASKING A PRODUCER HOW COMPETITIVE THEY ARE IN COSTS OF PRODUCTION OR THEIR MARKETING SKILLS.  THE ONLY ANSWERS THAT MAKE SENSE ARE "COMPARED TO WHAT" OR "COMPARED TO WHO." DAN HAS AN INGENIOUS WAY OF UTILIZING UNIVERSITY ANALYSIS OF ACTUAL FARM BUSINESS RECORDS OF HUNDREDS OF FARMS, ENTERPRISE-BY-ENTERPRISE, AS "PERFORMANCE BENCHMARKS" UPDATED EACH YEAR.