Farming, finance and the global marketplace - a symposium sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, June 8-9, 2010

The 21st century ushered in a new era of prosperity for global agriculture. Coupled with lean commodity supplies, strong demand for food, fiber and energy led to historically high profits for many agricultural enterprises. Robust profit opportunities were fleeting, however, as the global recession trimmed demand for agricultural products. As global economies emerge from recession, the volatility in agricultural profits remains elevated. The response of agricultural producers to potentially larger but more volatile profit opportunities could reshape the global structure of agricultural production. In turn, these changes could alter the agricultural supply chain and the institutions financing agricultural investments.