Price opportunities abound as December corn futures trade above $5 per bushel and November soybeans surpass $12, and Brian Grete, a grain analyst at Commstock Investments, sees several paths for farmers to grab good prices now and use marketing tools to take another swipe if opportunity knocks later.
“There are opportunities there,” said Brian Grete of Commstock Investments, speaking on this week’s Ag Marketing IQ In Depth. “The opportunities got there because of crop shortages or the perception of crop shortages going into the end of the growing season here, but also because of the fund money that’s flowed into the long side of both corn and soybeans.”
Since crop tour estimates are one of the drivers of the current rally, Grete understands the tendency to look at national numbers to devise marketing strategy. But that’s not what will make the difference for an individual farmer. What makes the difference for each farm is its yield.
So, the first step for late-season marketing? Into the field.
Grete recommends farmers assess their actual yield potential immediately, especially given July's crop damage and August's storms and flooding. Some farmers may find themselves oversold, while others could have better-than-expected production.
“Get out in your fields and know what you have from a yield perspective,” Grete said.
The rally comes as producers face uncertainty heading into harvest as USDA reports loom and crop estimates continue to shift. This uncertainty can create “market paralysis” among farmers trying to decide when to sell. A farmer who has a solid estimate of this year’s yield can move forward with more confidence.
And taking action is key. With many 2026 grain prices now trading above breakeven for numerous farms, Grete said it’s time to seize the opportunity: “If you do get to that period of profitability, the sales light really needs to be going off at that point in time. And I wouldn't be afraid to make cash sales. You can always re-own them.”
He also stressed understanding market sentiment, noting that fund money flow drives today’s markets as much as fundamentals. And those traders can change direction on, well, a dime. But the market could make an even bigger move when that happens.
To hear more of Grete’s top tips and the thoughts behind them, watch or listen to Ag Marketing IQ In Depth.