Illinois Farm Bureau Introduces Commodity Challenge '12

Buy! Sell! Trade!
We've all made bad marketing decisions… or been left with regrets on a selling choice.

Now you'll have a chance to practice, at no expense to you. The 2012 ILFB Commodity Challenge lets you trade commodities on the cash, futures, and options markets… without losing a dime! What you do gain is knowledge… to better understand the mechanics of pricing crops in today's fast-paced agricultural world.

You can trade corn and soybeans on the cash, futures and options markets. Storage costs accrue at four cents, per bushel, per month. Cash prices are based on the same grain elevator's daily bids. You make decisions like how to manage price risk, and determine the best way to sell. Should you sell to a local cash market? Or will you use futures contracts to establish a price for delivery later in the year. Will you use options contracts to establish a minimum price? The choice is yours.

Prizes are awarded to the top three winners in three divisions:

• Overall
• Young Leader
• Women

There are exciting prizes for each division, too:

• 1^st - iPad
• 2^nd - $250 Visa Card
• 3^rd - $100 Visa Card

The contest runs from January 1, 2012 to November 30, 2012. Registration is open through July 1, 2012. Winners will be determined by calculating the highest cumulative value of cash grain sales, hedging gain/loss, and option trade gains/losses for all commodities at the completion of the game November 30, 2102. Winners will be announced at IFB's 2012 Annual Meeting. 

What are you waiting for. Take a sneak peek at the game website or go ahead and sign up at www.ilfb.org/challenge.

Employees of Illinois Farm Bureau, county Farm Bureaus, or any IFB affiliated company are not eligible for prizes but may still participate in the challenge.