Cattle and calves represent Iowa’s fourth-largest ag commodity, contributing more than $5 billion in agricultural sales to the state’s economy annually. More women and beginning farmers are finding economic opportunities in beef production.
They enjoy the time they spend raising, breeding and feeding cattle. They also say they realize the strategy used for selling their livestock is equally important in the production process. For those individuals who do not have a clear direction and goals for marketing their cattle, there may be lost income opportunities causing the livestock to be sold at a less-than-desirable price.
Create a marketing plan
To meet and achieve their goals, every producer should develop and maintain a marketing plan, advises Lee Schulz, chief economist at Ever.Ag. These plans can range from simple to complex, depending on your situation and level of detail. They need to be flexible and easily updated as things change.
A women-centered educational program, known as Women Marketing Cattle, is offered by Iowa State University Extension. It’s an opportunity to meet area cattle producers and learn with other women in a comfortable setting. A team of instructors provide different perspectives and helpful information.
“Cattle producers have more marketing options available today than ever before,” says Tim Christensen, ISU Extension farm management specialist. “They don’t have to wait and see what they get. Producers now have tools they can use to reduce price risk in the cattle market.”
Improve your marketing
The Women Marketing Cattle course is about capturing more value from beef production by understanding the true costs of production and developing an overall marketing strategy, Christensen says. Instructors will compare different market channels and pricing strategies.
Sales at weaning, backgrounding and finishing cattle will be discussed. A refresher on carcass value and its relationship to price will be included.
Producers who attend will learn how they can use futures prices to help manage price risk and develop a marketing plan. They’ll also learn more about how to use livestock risk insurance plans, diversification and other risk management tools. Producers will gain new insights and access tools to help them analyze and understand profitability.
The course includes an interactive market simulation activity. Class members work together in small groups to practice new skills and try out a marketing strategy. “We take producers through a marketing year simulation, where they will make key decisions and discover how those decisions impact their profitability,” ISU Extension farm management specialist Joseph Lensing says.
Attend a course near you
Courses will be held at three locations in Iowa this spring.
In northeast Iowa, Women Marketing Cattle begins April 8 at Decorah. It starts at 5 p.m. and includes a light meal at the Winneshiek County Extension office. The course begins at 5:30 p.m. and concludes by 8:30 p.m. each Tuesday for three weeks. The lead instructor is Lensing. For information and to register, go to the Extension website.
In southwest Iowa, Women Marketing Cattle begins April 29 at Mt. Ayr. It begins at 5:30 p.m. with a light meal at the Ringgold County Extension office. The course begins at 6 p.m. and concludes by 9 p.m. each Tuesday for three weeks. The lead instructor is Christensen. For information and to register, go to the Extension website.
In west-central Iowa, Women Marketing Cattle will be May 17. This is a one-day course. It begins at 9 a.m. and concludes at 4 p.m. A light lunch is provided during this all-day program. The lead instructor is Christensen. For information and to register, go to the Extension website.
Scholarships available
Registration scholarships for women who are interested in attending are available by writing to Madeline Schultz at schultz@iastate.edu.
Funding for this project is provided by the North Central Extension Risk Management Education Center, the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture under award No. 2023-70027-40444. More information about this and other programs for women can be found on the ISU Extension Farm Management Team’s Women in Ag Program website.