Agriculture at the CFTC
The CFTC’s roots are in the trading of agricultural commodities. Since the agency was founded in 1975, its mission has been to serve our nation’s farmers and ranchers with the purpose of promoting resiliency in the U.S. derivatives markets.
America’s agriculture producers utilize derivatives markets to manage many of the risks they face every day, like low commodity prices and high input costs. These same producers depend on the CFTC’s oversight to effectively hedge those risks and discover prices in the markets. The House and Senate Agriculture Committees have jurisdiction over the agency because the roots of both the CFTC and exchanges are in the agriculture sector.
The CFTC seeks to foster a regulatory environment that is fair, transparent, and free from market manipulation, while ensuring farmers and agricultural producers can hedge their risks. Key goals include:
- Promoting transparent and easily accessible markets that facilitate price discovery
- Ensuring sufficient access to clearing
- Providing legal and regulatory clarity
- Providing protection from market manipulation and fraud
Agriculture Focus Areas
The agency is focused on three core agricultural themes:
- Price discovery and market transparency
- Identifying what regulations are best tailored for traditional agricultural markets
- Avoiding unnecessary burdens on our producers
How We Work
Through public roundtables, requests for input, the Agriculture Advisory Committee, and stakeholder outreach, the CFTC aims to develop insights that will help inform Commission policy, interpretation, and rulemaking considerations. Please contact us at [email protected] or by requesting a meeting in the form below.
Agriculture News
Chairman Selig to Sponsor the CFTC's Agricultural Advisory Committee (CFTC Press Release)
Chairman Michael S. Selig: The Next Era of American Markets Leadership (FIA Global Cleared Markets Conference)