What type of agreement allows a productor to lock in a price for livestock sales at a future date?

The correct answer is the type of agreement that allows a producer to lock in a price for livestock sales at a future date is a forward contract. A forward contract is an agreement between a buyer and a seller to exchange a specific quantity of a commodity, like livestock, at a predetermined price on a set future date. This financial tool helps producers manage price risk by securing a sale price in advance, thus providing clarity on potential income regardless of market fluctuations.

In contrast, producer alliances are partnerships between producers that may focus on shared resources or collaborative marketing strategies, rather than fixing prices for future sales. Value-based marketing focuses on pricing products based on the value they provide to customers, which does not necessarily involve locking in a future price. Over the hooks refer to a pricing method where livestock is sold based on the weight and quality of the meat after slaughter, rather than locking in a price beforehand. This method does not provide the price certainty that forward contracts offer.