Iowa farmers have the opportunity now to consider various preharvest marketing strategies to lock in potential profitability before this year’s crop is even in the ground.

During a series of programs across Iowa last month hosted by the Iowa Farm Bureau and Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach, marketing experts said there are many options available to farmers looking to lock in higher commodity prices at a time of rising input costs and overall margins that are expected to shrink during the next couple years.

“One way to manage tighter margins is to consider stepping your toe into possibly marketing some crops ahead of time,” said Ed Kordick, education project manager with Decision Innovation Solutions. ...