A top grain market analyst has said that farmers need to stay informed and be ready to change their opinions with new information in current grain markets.

Speaking to the Irish Farmers Journal’s Tillage Podcast in Spencer, Iowa last week, Karen Braun, of Zaner Ag Hedge, said that there is a lot going on in grain markets with trade and geo-politics.

“It’s a time you’ve got to be paying attention. Stay informed, that’s the only way you can really get an edge and stay ahead of things.”

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Braun explained that there are really big crops around the world and grain sellers will need to take advantage of any rally in the market. This year the USDA predicted a record maize yield of 188.8 bushels per acre.

The former Reuters reporter has attended the Pro Farmer Crop Tour for 12 years and commented that “consistency” is this “crop’s secret weapon”.

“We’re not pulling absolutely massive samples, but we’re not pulling bad ones.

“They’re consistently really good and that’s the biggest thing – consistency. You have to have that across the whole corn belt and I think we’re seeing that.”

Listen the full interview with Karen on this week’s Tillage Podcast at ifj.ie/podcasts.

- Siobhán Walsh