I developed a monthly newsletter, the Crops Marketing and Management Update, to inform ANR agents, farmers, and agricultural lenders on updated USDA reports, price risk management opportunities, and emerging issues in crop marketing and risk management. Information in the newsletter is original analysis and is not regurgitation and repackaging of USDA reports. I email this newsletter to every ANR agent in Districts 6 and 7 plus other interested agents. Fifty-one ANR agents receive this monthly newsletter with sixteen agents responding that they forward the newsletter each month to over 3,200 farmers, lenders, and local agribusiness. In addition, Kentucky Corn Growers, Kentucky Soybean Growers, and Kentucky Farm Bureau distribute the newsletter to an unknown number of members every month. This newsletter is posted on the KY Grains website reaching a large regional audience. I send this email to the KFBM specialists and Extension specialists across the Southeast that do not have a Grain Marketing Specialist. Information in the newsletters is also incorporated into several ANR agents’ own newsletters. This effort has raised visibility and awareness of my educational program and has further strengthened relationships with the ANR agents.

Feedback includes “Keep up the good work of analysis. We may not always like the price forecast that you offer, but denying the facts does not seem to change them! Your effort is obvious.” Allen Franks, Todd County farmer. Clint Hardy, Daviess County ANR agent, responded: “Excellent! Todd, this is what we have been missing for too long. You are fulfilling many of the pieces of information our producers seek from the Extension Grain Marketing program.” The newsletter has a regional impact. James W. Prevatt, Alabama Cattle Producer and Emeritus Extension Professor from Auburn University, states, “This is the most informative crop marketing and management newsletter that is available to farmers and agribusiness representatives that I have seen. It is short enough to read and understand in one sitting, while also providing sufficient detail and analysis to make farm-level decisions. This newsletter is a reliable source of information that I use to make short and long-term decisions. Todd is one of a very few economists that provides applied and meaningful information.” Monty Parrish, Henderson County farmer, commented, “Your information is far more valuable than any I receive from industry or commercial sources. Again, I wanted to pass along my compliments for a great job and my sincere thanks.”