Exploring the Energy Market

Mar 27, 2023


The energy market is continuing its volatility as we enter 2023. There are no longer days when energy markets would be somewhat predictable with moderate changes. It is not uncommon to see over ten cent changes daily in diesel fuels.
 
 Managing energy risks is more important than ever to the coop and our customers. Customers should take advantage of forward contracting options to limit risk and lock in acceptable margins. Additionally, our AFD (Automatic Fuel Delivery) program enables average daily pricing based on monthly consumption, which minimizes pricing risk and volatility. 
 
Long-term crude and diesel forecasts released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) have indicated a softening in crude and diesel pricing. However, as we have experienced over the last couple of years, we are only a significant event away from continued volatility.  The most recent significant event was the unforeseen banking collapses which drove crude prices to levels not seen since December 2021. 
 
The EIA has noted that global inventories will increase due to the production of liquid fuels to an average of 102.8M barrels per day in 2024 versus 100M barrels per day in 2022. Ongoing concerns related to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, global economic conditions, and Chinese demand will provide uncertainty in the energy forecasts. The basic economic theory of increased supply and reduced demand equals lower prices will remain to be seen.
 
 
 

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Jun 02, 2023
With the 2023 growing season now underway, Dylan Meyer, Account Manager at the Lost Nation location, scouted fields to prepare for post-emergence herbicide spraying.

While out in the field, Dylan found very little evidence of weed pressure. With these dry conditions, it's hard to tell if there will be much pressure from fungus. Dylan recommends during this stage, a V5 fungicide not only helps fight against funguses that might form on the plants but will also help the plants manage water.
 
May 26, 2023
Friday in the Field | May 26, 2023
Now that most farmers have their seed in the ground and parked their planter for the year, Trevor Conrad, Agronomy Account Manager, scouted several local fields to check for any disease or insect pressure.
 
Apr 12, 2023

Your Fields are Talking, It’s Time to Listen
Matt VanSloten, Decision Ag Specialist

Knowing what to do and when to do it in your farming operation is challenging. It becomes even harder to manage when it is your crop. I say this because many variables and influences can affect that decision or outcome. For example, how or when do we treat corn rootworms? Many make decisions based on their past experiences. Did my field have an issue with corn rootworms over the last few years? Some may approach this issue with how much risk they’re willing to assume. What happens if I don’t apply an insecticide or plant a rootworm-trait hybrid? Or the decision may come down to how likely you are to have a problem with this pest. 

 

Mar 29, 2023

Improve nutrient utilization and conditions for root growth. 

River Valley Cooperative is excited to introduce BioPath, a new product offering in the nutrient enhancement category, this year. BioPath is a microbial inoculant containing bio actives of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria (PGPR).