Release Number 5489-08
Release: 5489-08
For Release: April 21, 2008
Agriculture Forum Agenda and Participant Details Released
Washington, DC – Today, the CFTC released the agenda and the names of participants for the April 22 agriculture forum.
“These are extraordinary times in the agricultural commodity markets, and this forum is designed to bring all the different voices and views from around the marketplace together for discussion and consideration,” said CFTC Acting Chairman Walt Lukken. “The CFTC keeps a watchful eye on the markets and the upcoming forum will provide critical fact-finding and dialogue so we may better understand and evaluate the inter-related factors impacting the futures markets."
The forum is being held in the CFTC Hearing Room in Washington, D.C. It begins at 9 a.m. on April 22, 2008 – doors open at 8:30 a.m. Agenda and participant details are listed below:
I. Agenda | ||
9:00-9:30 a.m. |
Opening Remarks | |
9:30-10:00 a.m. |
Presentation: John Fenton; Dave Kass; Gerald Bange | |
10:00-11:00 a.m. |
Roundtable Discussion: | |
a. Overview of fundamentals in markets b. Role of speculators, index funds and commercial hedgers c. The adequacy of transparency in the markets d. The adequacy of contract terms and conditions | ||
11:00 -11:15 a.m. |
Break | |
11:15-11:45 a.m. |
Presentation: Dr. Jeffrey Harris; Dr. Eugene Kunda | |
11:45 a.m.-12:30 p.m. |
Roundtable Discussion: | |
a. Convergence of futures and cash prices b. Forward contracting in the current markets c. Role of agricultural swaps and other risk management tools | ||
12:30 -1:30 p.m. |
Lunch Break | |
1:30-2:00 p.m. |
Presentation: Andrew Jacob; Esther George | |
2:00-2:45 p.m. |
Roundtable Discussion: | |
a. Role of margin and the clearing system b. Overview of agricultural credit and record margin levels c. Proper determination of margin d. Price limits and margin levels e. Credit market conditions and lending outlook | ||
2:45-3:00 p.m. |
Q&A; Concluding Remarks | |
II. Agriculture Forum Participants | ||
Government/Academic Participants: | ||
CFTC Acting Chairman and Commissioners Mark Keenum, U.S. Department of Agriculture Leland Strom, Farm Credit Administration Jeff Harris, Commodity Futures Trading Commission John Fenton, Commodity Futures Trading Commission Dave Kass, Commodity Futures Trading Commission Gerald Bange, U.S. Department of Agriculture Esther George, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City Eugene Kunda, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Andrew Jacob, Farm Credit Administration | ||
Invited Roundtable Participants: | ||
Charlie Carey, CME Group David Lehman, CME Group Thomas Farley, ICE Futures, U.S. Layne Carlson, Minneapolis Grain Exchange Roger Hipwell, Minneapolis Grain Exchange Seaver Sowers, American Bankers Association Samuel Miller, American Bankers Association John Kowalik, CalPERS Doug Hepworth, Gresham Investment Management LLC Bob Greer, PIMCO Robert Ellis, Ridgefield Capital Billy Dunavant, Dunavant Enterprises Andy Weil, American Cotton Shippers’ Association Joe Nicosia, American Cotton Shippers’ Association Chuck Coley, National Cotton Council of America Woods Eastland, AMCOT Wallace Darnielle, AMCOT Tom Coyle, National Grain and Feed Association Jerry McReynolds, National Association of Wheat Growers Diana Klemme, Grain Service Corporation Garry Niemeyer, National Corn Growers Association Luke Lind, National Cattlemen’s Beef Association Steve Wellman, American Soybean Association Tom Buis, National Farmers Union Bob Stallman, American Farm Bureau Federation Mike Walter, Commodity Markets Council David Brown, American Bakers Association John Popp, Independent Bakers Association Jim Byrum, Michigan Agri-business Council Justin Towery, USA Rice Federation | ||
Media Contacts
Ianthe Zabel
202-418-5080
R. David Gary
202-418-5085
Last Updated: April 21, 2008