The Growing On 2016 meeting series kicked off its 13th year this week in South Dakota with the continued focus of helping farmers improve their farm management and marketing skills. Iowa State University Farm Financial Management Specialist Steven Johnson is leading the sessions. He says they’ll be looking at farm financial management strategies in this lower grain price environment.

Johnson says 80 to 90-percent of farmers did not get enough grain marketed ahead and stored their crop. He says they need to be watching for marketing opportunities this winter offered in the cash market verses waiting for a rally in the futures market.

He sees little improvement in grain prices in 2016 without a major weather issue and so he suggests some farmers may need to look at their fixed costs to generate operating cash.

For more information on the dates and locations of the 32 Growing On 2016 meetings in Iowa, Nebraska and South Dakota can be found at the Farm Credit Services of America or South Dakota Corn websites.