Master Marketer Seminar Series helps producers reduce risk, add profit

The annual Master Marketer Seminar Series will move online this year but still offers the same opportunity for producers to learn to reduce risks and increase profits to their agriculture operations.

The Master Marketer Seminar Series is an annual comprehensive marketing course developed by Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Economics. It rotates locations each year, and this year it is being hosted through the Amarillo office, but must be held online due to COVID restrictions.

“This is one of the best resources our department provides, and includes not only timely outlooks and market information, but also fundamental techniques for marketing beyond the current crop/livestock year,” said Justin Benavidez, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, Amarillo.

Meeting open to all for free

The educational training will be conducted via Zoom. Although there is no charge to attend any of the sessions, registration is required.

Since 1996, over 1,300 participants have graduated from 31 Master Marketer programs. Participants report increased financial returns to their farming and ranching operations as well as an increased understanding of risk management concepts.

“Though we would rather have the program in person, the digital delivery of this program allows us to reach significantly more people, whereas the Amarillo Master Marketer course normally sells out with 60 students,” Benavidez said.

The program remains free to all thanks to funding provided by AgriLife Extension, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Southern Risk Management Education Center, Cotton Inc.‐Texas State Support Committee, Texas Farm Bureau, Texas Grain Sorghum Producers and Texas Wheat Producers Board.

All Master Marketer sessions will be held on Wednesdays beginning Jan. 27 and will run through March 3 from 10 a.m. to noon with a couple of evening sessions offered as well from 7-8 p.m. 

Session topics and speakers

Jan. 27
– An Introduction to Futures and Options — Mark Welch, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, Bryan-College Station.
– Working with a Broker — Donna Hughes, Daniels Trading futures broker, Abilene

Feb. 3
– Budgets – Benavidez.
– Marketing Plans — Ed Usset, a grain marketing specialist for the Center for Farm Financial Management at the University of Minnesota.

Feb. 10
– Crop Insurance — Steven Klose, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension economist, Bryan-College Station.
– Weather — Brian Bledsoe, chief meteorologist KKTV-Channel 11, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Feb. 17
– Cotton Outlook — John Robinson, Ph.D., AgriLife Extension cotton marketing economist, Bryan-College Station.
– Technical Price Analysis — Alan Brugler, Brugler Marketing and Management, Omaha, Nebraska.
– Grain Outlook – Welch.

Feb. 24
– Livestock — David Anderson, Ph.D., professor and AgriLife Extension economist, livestock marketing, Bryan-College Station.
– Ag Policy — Bart Fischer, Ph.D., co-director of the Agriculture and Food Policy Center at Texas A&M, Bryan-College Station.

March 3
– Legal Issues — Tiffany Dowell Lashmet, AgriLife Extension agricultural law specialist, Amarillo.
– Tying It All Together — Darrell Holaday, a private marketing/management consultant, Frankfort, Kansas.

For additional information, visit the Master Marketer homepage or contact Benavidez at [email protected] or 806-677-5600, or Welch at [email protected] at 979-845-7677.