As planters prepare to roll across Minnesota this spring, farmers aren’t just thinking about getting the seed in the ground – they are also concerned about getting their old and new crops marketed to ensure that they can stay in the black

In this timely episode of Minnesota CropCast, hosts Dave and Seth Naeve are joined in the studio by Ed Usset, Grain Marketing Economist with University of Minnesota and Extension. Ed brings his decades of expertise to break down current market dynamics, domestic crush capacity, and the psychological hurdles of selling grain in a tight-margin year.

Key Episode Highlights:

• The "11th Commandment" of Grain Marketing: Ed explains why holding unpriced old crop in the bin past July 1st is a major risk, and how farmers can capitalize on recent soybean rallies.
• Making Sense of a Weak Basis: Despite ethanol and crush plants running at near-full capacity, local basis levels for corn, soybeans, and wheat are historically poor. Ed breaks down the local supply factors driving this trend.
• The Soybean Crush Boom: They take a dive into the massive nationwide expansion of soybean crush capacity driven by renewable diesel. Learn why soybean oil has officially overtaken meal as the primary value driver of the bean.
• New Crop Price Targets: Ed shares his pre-harvest minimum price targets for December corn, November soybeans, and September wheat. With beans trading near his $11.40 target and corn nudging his $5.00 goal, he discusses why it might be time to start putting sales on the books.
• The Psychology of Selling: How to avoid the trap of holding out for "home runs" during unpredictable weather markets and instead focus on base hits that cover your production costs.

Whether you're keeping an eye on South American yields, tracking geopolitical shifts out of China, or just trying to navigate this year's input costs, Ed’s no-nonsense approach to grain marketing is required listening.

Tune in to the full episode of Minnesota CropCast today to get your 2026 marketing plan on track!