Simplistic economics suggest that the value of any freely-traded commodity is ultimately determined by the balance between its supplies and demand. That is especially true for renewable crops such as grains and oilseeds that have their supplies replenished annually or semi-annually if production occurs in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Since neither the volumes of supply nor the amounts of demand remain constant, the balances between the two are always changing, and this means that values as measured by prices are as well. These changes are transmitted by the derivative futures and options markets that represent specific commodities. There are of course some factors influencing futures market price action that make many of the...