The many ways to think about marketing grains can be overwhelming. Extension’s grain marketing discussion groups are a great way to casually explore and review our personal marketing needs compared to the pricing tools available to us.

Penn State Extension is once again facilitating grain marketing discussion groups in Crawford, Mercer and Indiana Counties in late March.

Grain marketing discussion groups are prepaid so there is no registration cost, but participants will need to buy their own meal. Folks also are welcome to participate without having food.

Everybody has a marketing plan.The decision is really about “when do I stop speculating?” There are two dice every grain producer rolls each year — yield and price.

We generally spend most of our time and skill on yield maximization. These grain marketing discussion group events are an opportunity to enhance our understanding of, and skill with, grain marketing.

The primary focus of our time together will be, “Do you have adequate price protection in place at this time?”

The March schedule for Crawford, Mercer and Indiana Counties is:

- 6 p.m. March 27at Hoss’s Restaurant, 18817 Smock Highway, Meadville, PA 16335

- 11:30 a.m. March 28 at Hoss’s Restaurant, 1948 Leesburg Grove City Road, Grove City, PA 16127

- 6 p.m. March 28at Hoss’s Restaurant, 1198 Wayne Ave., Indiana, PA 15701

If you have not participated in these casual educational events, this may be a great time to see what they’re all about. Everyone is welcome to attend. There is no registration; just show up.

Contact John Berry at 610-391-9840, 610-554-2561 or johnberry@psu.edu with any questions.

Luke Vogel is the acting county executive director of the USDA Farm Service Agency in Butler County.