Master Marketer grads broader scope of topics The Corn and from Minnesota. and a deeper level of experienced speakers who Soybean The tremendous value of travel far to be part of the the program is illustrated program." Digest by how it has helped the bottom line of its producer Of those participating, 90- students. 95% of the Master March 1, 2006 Pg. 20d Marketers are growers, ISSN: 0038-6014 In Texas, the average including many spouses. increase in revenue of Others in the classes these growers was more include ag lenders, You Can Be A than $32,000/year. Strong Extension personnel and increases in profit have those with an interest in Master Marketer also been seen in commodity marketing. Minnesota and other By Larry Stalcup states. Instructors are not limited to A&M or University of A $4 million investment "Students learn how to Minnesota economists. with a $130 million return - develop marketing plans, Other university grain, those beefy figures evaluate marketing cotton and livestock describe the highly alternatives, manage marketing economists add successful Cooperative production and price risk their expertise. So do Extension economics and execute a risk representatives of the program known as Master management and Chicago Board of Trade, Marketer. marketing plan," says Chicago Mercantile Steve Amosson, Texas Exchange, Kansas City Celebrating its 10th A&M Extension economist, Board of Trade and other anniversary in 2006, this who started the program in private commodity risk management 1996. companies. education program started at Texas A&M University Edward Usset, Minnesota "Two examples of the great before expanding to the Extension economist, adds expertise we attract from University of Minnesota. that Master Marketer is outside Minnesota are Master Marketer different from other Robert Wisner and Elwynn workshops have also been marketing education Taylor of Iowa State held in South Dakota, and opportunities. University. Their depth of the Montana Grain knowledge is unsurpassed Growers Association has "For too many producers, in the areas of grain conducted several full marketing education is a marketing and climatology. programs. one-hour presentation on It's great for our Minnesota the outlook for grain prices, producers to share in their Master Marketer involves or a two-hour introduction insights," says Usset, 64 hours of intense to the latest options noting that his program has marketing training for strategy," says Usset, who even crossed into South growers who have some worked with Amosson to Dakota Master Marketer knowledge of using futures initiate the Minnesota ventures. and options. More than 700 program in 1999. "A Master people have been through Marketer program Amosson says growers Master Marketer in Texas. distinguishes itself with a "like being exposed to Another 450-plus are higher level of intensity, a quality instructors, the subject matter that is more have been formed in producers become better taught on a very applied Minnesota. at pricing their grain." level and the interaction with other producers." "Efforts by our graduates to Unfortunately, producers develop marketing clubs haven't done as good a job Amosson started 2006 have been and will be in marketing their crops, Master Marketer classes in critical in increasing Amosson adds. "It may be January. Participants marketing and because the income applied for enrollment management skills of a security of past farm through their local and much larger number of programs has not required regional Extension office. producers," says Amosson. them to hone their Each class has about 50 marketing skills, or the fact students. Some are Richard Owen of the that marketing is usually straight corn, wheat, grain Montana Grain Growers not a black-or-white sorghum producers. Others Association says the decision but various have corn, soybean, wheat program, coordinated with shades of gray. and cotton rotations, or run assistance from Texas stocker cattle on their A&M, did a good job in "I believe most producers farms. making better marketers could increase their gross out of its participants. 5-10% by improving their Usset started the eighth Duane Griffith, Montana marketing and risk year of Minnesota Master State University Extension management skills, with Marketer in January. economist, says Master virtually all of that increase "Producers have to Marketer workshops have going to net income," he remember that the Master helped promote marketing says. Marketer program is clubs in his state. "The different from other program helps marketing Amosson and his marketing education clubs stay active," he says. associates have opportunities," he says. "The clubs keep producers consistently conducted "We cover basic and involved in the marketing two-year post-graduate advanced marketing process year-round." surveys of producers. "The strategies using futures results have been far more and options, fundamental Usset and Amosson see a than we expected and very and technical price strong need for more consistent over all the analysis and the role of advanced marketing classes surveyed," he crop insurance in training for growers, who says. marketing. We also look at usually do a better job of climate trends and impacts, producing their crops than "Our graduates average key elements of a solid they do selling them. $32,370/year more in sales marketing plan and based on what they marketing clubs." "The producers who learned and implemented remain in business today from the training. That's a The establishment or have a good handle on 3.6% increase in sales. revitalization of marketing production, and the best of When you consider that clubs is a key segment of them understand that the includes some that the overall program next decade will challenge reported no impact concept. In Texas, Master those who can't master the because they still didn't feel Marketer grads have art of grain marketing," comfortable marketing, I started or revitalized more says Usset. "The Master consider that impact than 100 marketing clubs Marketer program is remarkable. Many times across the state. Dozens dedicated to helping $32,000 can make the difference between having the shortage of personnel a profit or loss." at some locations. The Texas program has Amosson stresses that received extensive since growers can apply financial assistance from the Master Marketer state commodity groups, training year after year, which helps sustain the long-time returns can be progress of the program. even larger. "I have producers from the first "In defense of other states, class, which was 10 years most Extension services ago, tell me that they are are stretched so thin they still using what they don't have the critical mass learned," he says. "If you of personnel to pull off this consider that say, 75% of type of program without an the producers are in influx of external funding," business more than 10 says Amosson. "We are years, the total increase in grateful in Texas for the the income of all graduates support we have received would be more than $130 from our commodity million." groups."

Usset says the University For more information on of Minnesota surveys of the Texas A&M Master producers who have Marketer program, go to completed the Master http://mastermarketer.tamu Marketer programs indicate .edu/. A University of the bottom line impact has Minnesota Master Marketer been up to $12,000 per brochure is available at year for their operation. http://www.cffm.umn.edu/w orkshops/mmmp.aspx. He says the concept behind Master Marketer is solid and transferable to any state that wants to establish similar programs.

"It takes a great deal of effort and cooperation to pull together a Master Marketer program," he says, "but the response from past participants is so overwhelmingly positive that we continue to make it happen."

Even with its success rate, Master Marketer hasn't spread nationwide, due mainly to tight budgets and