3. Forward Contract Take advantage of forward contract off erings from your cooperative supplier. Prices are usually higher in the fall and winter when demand is strong. When demand is low in spring and summer, propane inventories are building, and this is historically a good time to forward contract for fall and winter propane needs. Million barrels U.S. Propane Production, Inventories and Exports 100 2.0 80 1.5 Million barrels per day 4. Keep an Eye on Safety Above all, keep propane safety as your top priority. Have your cooperative supplier perform regular inspections and maintenance on propane equipment, appliances and venting systems. ■ LEARN MORE 60 1.0 40 0.5 20 0.0 H History y Tony Headrick is an energy market analyst at CHS Hedging (chshedging.com). Follow him on twitter @hedgeit_ahead. 0 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 Forecast -0.5 2016 TOTAL PROPANE PRODUCTION, MILLION BARRELS PER DAY PROPANE INVENTORIES, MILLION BARRELS PROPANE NET EXPORTS, MILLION BARRELS PER DAY Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration Your CHS Connection 23