Strategic AG Trading
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Access This Page Directly:
http://strategicag.altavra.com
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Disclosure
Statement
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Disclosure
Document:
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Management
Agreement: |
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ALTAVRA
does NOT
charge a
load, upfront
or initial
fee on any
account.
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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:
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Long and short positions
will be hedged in related
commodities and/or with
covered options
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The program will not be
outright long or short
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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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Can't
find what you are
looking for?
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ALTAVRA offers many
programs in addition
to those listed
on this website.
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Contact us at 1-800-998-7870
or
clientservices@altavra.com.
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