Expert system techniques applied to grain marketing analysis

Abstract Grain marketing problems are often relegated to human experts because they involve the integration of objective and subjective information with experiental knowledge. An expert system was developed that incorporates this knowledge to assist grain producers in marketing their crop. The methods used to develop the rule-based system are discussed. Expert system technology was found to be useful for representing the human expertise necessary to make grain marketing decisions. The program guarantees a systematic analysis of marketing alternatives, provides consistent conclusions, and successfully incorporates the diverse information needed to make marketing recommendations. In addition, the human expert's decision-making process was improved through the formalization of his grain marketing expertise.