Navigating Volatile Markets With Confidence

Farming is a risky business with many factors that are beyond growers’ control. Lex Kassel, a sixth-generation farmer from Emmetsburg, Iowa, knows this all too well. “The corn and soybean markets are so volatile, and that’s something that, as a farmer, I can only control so much,” he says. “The name of the game is mitigating risk and trying to make yourself more profitable.” That’s why Kassel decided to participate in the 2023 pilot year of the Cropwise™ Commodity Pro offer.

Cropwise Commodity Pro helps growers reduce the risk of a volatile market by providing up to 15 percent cash back in down markets. Enrollment is free to growers in the Midwest and South with the purchase of a qualifying Syngenta premium corn or soybean crop protection and/or seeds product. This offer aims to give growers confidence to focus on agronomics and crop yield potential instead of managing market risk.

Ryan Peterson, owner and President of R&M Brothers in Pocahontas County, Iowa, also participated in the pilot offer. “We decided to participate because it seemed like a really good tool that we could use to mitigate commodity risk in the latter part of the season,” he says.

Growers will be locked into the commodity price for corn and/or soy by late July based on their qualifying purchases. The locked-in price in July is compared to the late-season price come October to determine cash back amounts.

During the 2024 season:

• Syngenta paid more than $1.5 million in cash back, with the average grower receiving around $6,000.
• 250+ growers were enrolled in the Cropwise Commodity Pro offer, covering nearly 650,000 acres.

Kassel is glad he participated in the pilot year. “I really enjoyed the extra layer of protection and comfort when it came to making commodity decisions. It’s something you don’t need when times are good, but when times aren’t so good, it helps to have as many people as you can in your corner looking out for you.”

To learn more about the offer and inquire about enrolling, talk to your Syngenta representative.