Year Round Grain Marketing
Feb 09, 2026
By Lindy McMillen, Director of Grain Trading
Winter is a season for planning ahead and reflecting on the year behind us. Agronomic decisions, crop rotations, and variety selections all play a vital role in your operation’s success — and just as important is your grain marketing strategy.
This slower time of year offers a valuable opportunity to evaluate what worked (and what didn’t) in your previous marketing year, and to lay the groundwork for a stronger, more confident marketing approach in the year ahead. A well‑built grain marketing plan is a critical part of preparing for the coming growing season.
As you develop your grain marketing plan, here are a few considerations to keep in mind:
- Know your numbers. Understanding your cost of production is the foundation of knowing whether each sale is helping you move toward profitability.
- Sell in percentages, not just bushels. Instead of thinking in terms of “X bushels,” consider selling a percentage of your expected production. Incremental, meaningful decisions can make a real impact on your bottom line.
- Set selling deadlines. Whether tied to crop stages or the calendar, deadlines help ensure proactive selling. Remember—the best time to sell fall crops is often when you’re on the planter.
- Understand your contracts. Garden City Co-op offers a variety of contract options tailored to your risk‑management goals.
- Stay informed. Keep an eye on market trends and the headlines driving them. And if you ever have questions, your GCC Grain Team is here to help you make sense of the markets.
Grain marketing can be challenging — especially in this lower market environment — but a thoughtful marketing plan helps remove emotion from decision‑making and keeps you focused on your goals. Your GCC Grain Team is here to be your partner every step of the way.
Reach out anytime to discuss how we can help you build a winning grain marketing plan for the year ahead.