RICHMOND—The Virginia Farm Bureau Federation Commodity Marketing Department has launched a new tool to assist farmers with frequent decisions they must make about grain market pricing.

The weekly 3-minute Merchandiser Minute video is short but packed with timely information that follows the ups and downs of the grain market. It is posted on the VFBF Facebook page and Twitter page on Friday afternoons after the Chicago Board of Trade market closes.

“The Merchandiser Minute is a snapshot, another tool to use in looking at market influence and prices,” remarked Robert Harper, VFBF grain manager, who researches and presents the reports.

In the weekly updates, Harper looks at closing futures prices for corn, wheat and soybeans and gives a price range for that week. He then highlights key U.S. Department of Agriculture reports, which assist farmers in decision-making.

“I present condensed information so people will know the bellwethers to help them make marketing decisions with confidence,” Harper explained.

The Merchandiser Minute will soon be available on Farm Bureau’s website, vafb.com.

Media: Contact Harper at 804-290-1105.