GEAPS is, and rightfully so, proud of it’s 2013 Exchange in Louisville this week, pointing out that it’s the largest event ever. This is my 29th GEAPS. After 29 years we’re supposed to have earned and learned from great experiences, which gives us the right to provide a bit of perspective. Here’s mine: First, the industry always represents and reflects progress. Perhaps whether we like it or not. The mergers and consolidations we’ve all seen — from farms to feed mills to co-ops — bring some pain. But it also brings progress, builds scale and often improves our opportunity to innovate, to add services and continue growing. Second, highlighted by the attendance we’ve seen at many sessions here in Louisville, people...

Wouldn’t it be nice if you could look at your mobile device or fire up your computer and determine where your grain trucks are located, who is driving, time spent at each delivery and when it’s time for servicing? Fleet management services are quickly becoming a common tool for managing agricultural businesses both large and small.  There are numerous GPS devices and mobile technologies that have been developed in recent years that have made this service affordable for managing your vehicles, trucks, tractors & other motorized equipment.  Imagine logging into GPS Insight account via any computer and evaluating such things as: Fuel Costs - determine wasteful idling, excessive speeding; efficiency of driving routes or unauthorized...

Corn and soybean basis saw little movement again this week as tight crop inventories mixed with struggling demand keeps basis levels treading water. For the week, US average corn and soybean basis levels averaged only a 0.3 cent a bushel increase. For corn, Thursday’s EIA ethanol number showed the slump in production continued as weekly ethanol production was only 792,000 barrels per day. Grain Hedge still looks for lower corn used for ethanol than USDA’s projection of 4.5 billion bushels for the year.  Tight crush margins continue to force some plants to curb production, and this week we saw key plants in Eastern Nebraska lower their basis by a nickel or more. On the export front, Friday’s weekly tally came in at 138,500 MT versus...

Soybean basis saw double-digit gains in many parts of the country this week as strong export bids and falling barge freight helped push basis levels higher. For the week, U.S. average soybean basis was up 4 cents a bushel while corn Spot soybeans rose sharply on the river system this week, bolstered by a decline in shipping costs to the lowest levels since before the autumn harvest. An adequate supply of empty vessels on U.S. Midwest rivers pressured barge freight, with shipping costs on the Illinois River falling to the cheapest since August.  Gulf premiums also rose by 10 cents a bushel . On average, river terminals were up 12 cents a bushel for the week while soybean crushing plants lagged behind with a 4-cent advance. In corn, lack...