sponsored by… 2015 Women in Agriculture Educators National Conference The New Game for Feed Buyers

Edward Usset Center for Farm Financial Management University of Minnesota

A premier on-line trading game, features real time cash, futures and options quotes Unlike other trading websites, Commodity Challenge highlights marketing decisions and risk management tools (not speculation) Educational and free!

Learn about… agricultural markets marketing terms pricing tools risk management

Commodity Challenge is growing!

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Who uses Commodity Challenge?

Why use Commodity Challenge?

1.Learning by experience 2.Complement curriculum 3.End of year fun

The game can be played from three different perspectives.

(1)Producer selling “old crop” grain (grain harvested and held in storage)

(2)Producer pricing “new crop” grain (grain to be harvested in the fall)

(3)Livestock or dairy buying corn (grain needed for feeding)

Let’s start a buyers game!

As an educator, I prefer the buyers game. Players learn by making decisions. Sellers can easily choose NOT to decide. Corn buyers MUST make purchasing decisions, to feed animals.

Let’s play the game!

Curriculum

Tips

Tip #1 Ask players to get join an open game to learn how to navigate the system, place orders, read market quotes, etc.

Tip #2 Start two games; one for competition and another for practice, assignments, and learning.

Tip #3 Don’t grade according to performance. I ask “Why?” on the pricing decisions. Price objective? Breaking news? Expert opinion? Chart formation?

Tip #4 Use your power as the game leader.

We used the game last year and really enjoyed it. My students have really learned a lot from your activity. The game is really interesting and helpful to understand trades in the real world. Commodity Challenge project was the single best way to learn this information.

How can I start a game?

to… 1. Group name 2. Location 3. Game Leader 4. Start date 5. End date