Transcript Montana MarketManager Program - Ag Risk & Farm Management

Montana MarketManager
Program
®
A Commodity Group’s Approach to Risk
Management Education
Richard Owen
Montana Grain Growers Association
www.montanamarketmanager.org
Montana MarketManager
Program
®
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Developed in late 1998 to improve producers grain
marketing skills.
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MISSION: To provide Montana grain and livestock
producers with the tools and information necessary to
maximize profits from the marketplace.
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Integrates Workshops/Seminars, Marketing Clubs and an
online Market Information System (website)
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Through partnership with Montana Stockgrowers
Association, now includes livestock information in all
three program components
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Montana MarketManager
Program
®
We are in the education and information
business – not the advisory business
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Why Montana
MarketManager?
 Because
our members told us this was
what they wanted MGGA to do!
 Because
it makes $ense!
– On the grain side, every one cent increase
that Montana producers receive for their
grain equals $1.6 million to the states
economy.
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MarketManager Goal
 How
will we know when we are
successful?
 When
Montana producers
consistently market their product
in the upper ½ of the market
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Program Evaluation and
Assessment
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Benchmark and measure educational
progress of participants
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Benchmark and measure increased income
from participation in the program
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Surveys to evaluate producers preference
for different distance learning modes
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Advisory Committee
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Provides overall guidance and direction for the
program
 Includes producers, grain and livestock industry
reps, ag lenders, extension, adult and distance
education, agribusiness
 Meets on a regular basis in Great Falls and by
conference call, e-mail
Major Partners Public/Private Partners:
MT Dept. of Ag. – (Growth Through Ag)
 Texas Ag Extension Service (MasterMarketer)
 Montana Stockgrowers Association
 Burlington Northern Santa Fe
 Cenex Harvest States
 Montana State University
 General Mills – Northwest Grain Division
 USDA – Risk Management Agency
 USDA - Rural Development Agency
 Burns Telecommunications Center, MSU
 Northwest Farm Credit Services
 Bonneville Power Administration
 Qwest Communications
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Program Elements
Two full-time staff members dedicated
to Montana MarketManager
– Program Coordinator
– Website Manager
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Additional Partner – Livestock
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Similar customer base to the Montana Stockgrowers
Association (MSGA). Joint convention in 2000.
Discussions started summer of 1999. Finalized spring
of 2000.
Livestock information now incorporated into all three
components of the program.
Contract pays for half of MarketManager Coordinator
position. Portions of other staff and administrative
expenses.
Most importantly – shows both membership bases that
we can work together.
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Program Elements
 Marketing
Clubs
 Marketing Workshops
 MarketManager
Online
(Website)
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Marketing Clubs
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Clubs provide a peer support group for learning about and
practicing marketing decisions.
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Over 40 clubs in place around MT – and growing
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MarketManager provides a network among clubs and
leaders.
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Offers material, speakers, hands-on support. Communicate
with staff and each other through e-mail listserv, discussion
board, interactive TV and conference calls
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Many clubs cover both livestock and grain markets
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Marketing Workshops
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Started out just grain – now includes livestock
Available to multiple Montana locations through
interactive video delivery
Fall and winter 1999/2000- nine grain workshops –
1039 attendees. Total of 114 workshops in 22 locations
Speakers host an online discussion forum
Five grain and livestock workshops held in the fall of
2000
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Marketing Workshops
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MasterMarketer Program developed by Texas A&M –
Montana and Minnesota added in 2001
Over 60 hours of top notch instruction on all aspects of
marketing
Rotated around different Montana locations
2003 Dates:
– Part 1: January 27-29
– Part 2: Feb. 11-12
– Part 3: Feb. 25-26
Advanced Topic Series (ATS) added in 2002
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Montana MarketManager Online
(www.montanamarketmanager.org)
®
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Hub of the overall program
Debuted in March 1999. Expanded to included
livestock market information in June 2000
Provides Montana-specific market news, pricing
information, market commentary, weather,
educational information
Full time Website Manager
Website free to all members – started out
subscription based
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Commodity Challenge
Online Marketing Simulation Game
www.commoditychallenge.com
®
• Realistic way to practice your
marketing skills – and not lose money
• Open to all producer
• Most fun when played as a marketing
club
• Concurrent session on CC yesterday
afternoon
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Why So Much Emphasis on The
Internet?
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Over 45% of MT producers on the Internet – and
growing rapidly
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Reduced costs to the association
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Much quicker and more timely information delivery
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Time and $ savings for members (less travel)
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Improved interaction between members (discussion
boards, listservs)
Embracing New Technology in Other
Areas
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Interactive video delivery of workshops
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Video streaming workshops and meetings to
producers home computer
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Telephone conferencing of speakers to
marketing club meetings
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Audio and video taping of workshops
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Extensive Internet training at conventions
Lessons Learned
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Producers are more accepting of new distance
technology then we realize. Producers are often
more flexible than the technology
Anything to lessen mileage is appreciated by
users
Rural Internet connection speed is relatively fast,
but still in desperate need of more bandwidth
Traditional education providers, such as extension
and associations, are at risk from for-profit
startups targeting the same audiences
Constantly scan for non-traditional partners
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Richard Owen
Executive Vice President
Montana Grain Growers Association
[email protected]
Phone: (406) 761-4596
www.montanamarketmanager.org
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