[Sacajaweau]

This is really maddening. My local farmer says that the corn farmers make out as they play the market, too.

I didn't even buy corn on the cob this year. And I can hardly remember the last time I had a good steak.

[BipolarBob]

And I can hardly remember the last time I had a good steak.

I am becoming a vegetarian . . and not by choice. I cast furtive longing looks at the meat aisle until the prices come into focus and I trudge on.

[Balding_Eagle]

My local farmer says that the corn farmers make out as they play the market, too.

Even though farming has become much more profitable in recent years (2014 may be the turnaround), very few farmers have enough money to play the markets. Most use futures markets as a required tool for marketing their crops.

Using futures as a tool is very different than playing the market, as the contracts are based on actual crop in the bin, or the estimated actual crop to be harvested.

Your farmer friend may be one of the few very wealthy who can afford to lose money in the commodity markets.