CHS Hedging education series begins in June
CHS Hedging will host education classes in June to help farmers, cooperative leaders and agribusiness professionals improve their marketing and risk management skills.
By Matthew Wilde
CHS Hedging will host a series of half-day education courses from June 20-22, 2023. The programs will help businesses and individuals better understand and establish long-term commodity price risk management strategies.
The in-person courses will be held at CHS in Inver Grove Heights, Minn. Participants can take the following classes:
- Commodity basics
- Options basics and strategies
- Origination basics
- Technical trading
- Commercial merchandising
- Energy trading and risk management
Robust and focused learning opportunities
Joe Lardy, a CHS research analyst and course instructor, says the courses provide learning opportunities for producers and marketing professionals with varying experience levels.
“The diverse class offerings give people the opportunity to expand their knowledge and skill sets,” he says. “We’ve made classes more robust and more focused, so people can get a better understanding of key topics.”
Classes break down commodity trading and other terminology, futures markets, hedging concepts and more. Other topics include how world events, such as the Russian war in Ukraine, affect commodity markets and supply and demand.
“If someone wants to take multiple classes, we’ve put them in order by date and time offered to build on what they learn,” Lardy says. Participants can take one or more classes to suit their needs.
Networking and knowledge
Previous participants testify to the value they received by completing similar CHS Hedging courses in March 2023. The education series is held in March and June annually.
Johnna Warden, a commodities trader with CHS based in Okarche, Okla., says the teachers did a great job explaining options and puts and calls. “I hadn’t used those tools a lot, but if someone asked me now what marketing strategies to use, I would have a good answer. I also understand better how to read charts pertaining to commodities.”
The opportunity to network with others was also beneficial, Warden says. “It’s important to go to these classes and meet people who are doing the same job every day. Now I’m able to reach out to those people to collaborate and bounce ideas off them.”
A.J. Andresen, a grain operations manager with Valley United Co-op in Reynolds, N.D., says the ability to learn trading basics from professionals will help in his daily work.
“I learned some basic strategies, specifically in technical trading and origination. They helped me better understand the futures charts, whether markets are in a bullish or a bearish trend, and how that correlates with local basis levels,” he says. “Now I can better communicate with farmers and do what’s best for them and the co-op.”
Register now
Sign up now for June classes, which are filling up fast. Fees range from $299 to $549. A continental breakfast or lunch will be provided.
Learn more about the CHS Hedging education series.