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Strategic AG
Trading
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Access This Page Directly:
http://strategicag.altavra.com
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Program Descriptions
In order to offer clients as
much diversification as possible, Strategic Ag
offers two programs to choose from. The Strategic
Ag Trading Grains
program, managed by Charles Wickens and Strategic Ag
Trading Balanced
program, managed by Robert Wiedeman.
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SAT Agricultural Programs
All of the agricultural programs
currently offered by SAT use fundamentals to help
determine trades to one degree or another. Strategic
Ag Trading
Agricultural Programs trade primarily in the
agricultural futures and options, but may trade
non-agricultural futures and options on occasion.
Factors that affect the supply and demand of a
particular commodity in order to predict future
prices are looked at. As an example, some of the
fundamental factors that affect the supply of a
commodity (e.g., corn) include the acreage planted,
crop conditions such as drought, flood, and disease;
strikes affecting the planting, harvesting, and
distribution of the commodity; and the previous
year's crop carryover. The demand for commodities
such as corn consists of domestic consumption and
exports and is a product of many things, including
general world economic conditions, as well as the
cost of corn as a feed in relation to the cost of
competing products such as soybean meal. In
addition, historical and seasonal patterns are
reviewed, which may indicate the direction the
market may move in the future.
Decisions whether to trade a
particular commodity contract are also based upon
various factors including liquidity,
diversification, and crop potential, both historical
and at a given time. The decision not to trade
certain commodities for certain periods, or to
reduce the number of contracts traded in a
particular commodity might result at times in
missing a significant profit opportunity which
otherwise might be captured by other strategies.
The trading guideline and the
experience of Strategic Ag Trading traders are factors upon which
decisions concerning the percentage of managed
assets to be used for each commodity traded and the
size of the positions taken or maintained. SAT may
also decide to increase or decrease the size of a
futures position (long or short) from time to time.
Such decisions require the exercise of subjective
judgment and include consideration of the volatility
of the particular futures market, the pattern of
price movement, open interest, volume of trading,
changes in spread relationships between various
contract months and between related commodities, and
overall portfolio balance and risk exposure. No
assurance is given, however, that consideration of
any or all of these items will be made with respect
to every trade, or that consideration of any of the
above in a particular situation will lessen the risk
of loss.
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SAT Grains Program
The Strategic
Ag Trading Grains Program is traded
by Charles Wickens. The trading methods used by Mr.
Wickens combine both fundamental and technical
analysis with the ultimate determinations made on
the basis of fundamental analysis. The program
trades in the agricultural markets. Mr. Wickens’
analysis also looks at certain technical factors,
such as price of a commodity in relation to it’s
price during previous periods, open interest and
volume. These factors are generally used by Mr.
Wickens to assist in determining when to liquidate
positions.
The trading philosophy is
threefold: fundamental, technical and innate. In
the long run, the fundamentals of the grain markets
ultimately win. Mr. Wickens’ cash trading
experience coupled with the constant influx of
fundamental contacts, allow him to stay close to the
pulse of the market. Mr. Wickens constantly
monitors both the short-term and long-term technical
picture, but he also tries to be aware of the
intra-market technical opportunities. The third
category of the trading philosophy is defined as
innate. Consistent, successful trading is not just
a chart point or a new fundamental development, but
the ability to decipher all of the inputs and
determine which is relevant to the market at this
juncture.
In summary, the most important
attribute to longevity and profitability in today’s
market is the ability to change. Change does not
necessarily mean bullish or bearish, but increasing
or decreasing position size; whether to take profits
or let them run; to trade or not to trade; an
aggressive or a patient posture; an emerging market
or the end of the trend; to name a few instances.
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SAT Balanced Program
The Strategic
Ag Trading Balanced Program is
managed by Robert Wiedeman. The trading methods
used by Mr. Wiedeman are based on a general overview
of fundamentals of grain and soybean markets and the
principle that grain and soybean contracts have
strong relationships. The program trades in the
agricultural markets.
Mr. Wiedeman’s trading
philosophy consists of three basic strategies:
- Long and short positions will
be hedged in related commodities and/or with covered
options
- The program will not be
outright long or short
- Technical indicators will be
constantly monitored to enhance fundamental
methodology. Technical tools are used to assist
money management.
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Management Information
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Robert Wiedeman
Robert Wiedeman was granted
registration as a Floor Broker in January, 1982 and
remained registered until August, 2003. In February
of 2004 Mr. Wiedeman was again granted registration
as a Floor Broker and remained registered until
December, 2005. From June of 1991 to July, 2000, Mr. Wiedeman was a principal of FCStone
Group, Inc., a Futures Commission Merchant in West Des Moines, Iowa. From April, 1989 until
July, 2000, Mr. Wiedeman was the branch manager of
the Chicago office of Farmers Commodities
Corporation. From July, 2000 to December of 2000
Mr. Wiedeman was a principal of FC Stone, LLC, a FCM
in West Des Moines, Iowa. From July, 2000 to
September of 2000 Mr. Wiedeman was a Branch Manager
of FC Stone, LLC in West Des Moines, Iowa.
Since February of 1999 Mr.
Wiedeman has been an associated person, trading
principal and branch manager of Strategic Ag
Trading’s branch office located in Chicago, IL.
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Charles Wickens
Charles Wickens, born in 1955,
received a Bachelor of Science degree in
Agricultural Industries from the University of
Missouri in 1977. Following his graduation Mr.
Wickens went to work for Continental Grain in
Minden, Nebraska. In 1978 Mr. Wickens was hired by
Pillsbury to run their West Coast trading operation
out of Omaha. In 1980 he was transferred to the
corporate headquarters in Minneapolis to be the
export manager for Pillsbury’s Soybean Desk. The
job consisted of coordinating soybean trading for
more than 80 river elevators along with trading the
company’s CIF and FOB positions. Mr. Wickens was
then hired by Hennessy & Associates, a Chicago Board
of Trade Commission House, where he handled major
export, domestic and speculative accounts from the
trading floor, and, after a year, was named a
partner in the firm. In 1987, Mr. Wickens became an
independent trader. Since March of 1990 Mr. Wickens
has been registered as a floor broker.
Mr. Wickens joined Strategic
Ag Trading in
February, 2002 as an associated person and
trading principal of the SAT Grains Program.
The
descriptions above
are from the manager’s disclosure document.
THE
RISK OF LOSS IN TRADING FUTURES, OPTIONS AND
OFF-EXCHANGE FOREX
CAN BE SUBSTANTIAL. PAST RESULTS ARE NOT
NECESSARILY INDICATIVE OF FUTURE RESULTS. PLEASE READ THE
CTA'S RISK DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT CAREFULLY BEFORE
INVESTING MONEY.
Disclosure Statement
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