Markets | IATP

Resolving the Food Crisis: Assessing Global Policy Reforms Since 2007

Executive summary

Supreme Court may decide if market manipulation on U.S. exchanges is illegal

On August 28, IATP co-filed a friend of the court (amicus curiae) brief with Better Markets and the Consumer Federation of America to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Voluntary CO₂ emissions offset trading: The CFTC must examine risks of deceptive emissions reduction reporting

The role of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions credit trading to achieve the objectives of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has been debated since the authorization of international emissions trading in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol to the UNFCCC.

Letter demanding no water privatization in the infrastructure plan

218 organizations, including IATP, signed onto the following letter. Download a PDF of the letter.  

IATP Input Letter on SEC Climate Change Disclosures

Download a PDF of the comment letter. 

WEBINAR: Water Financialization 101

On Wednesday, March 24 at 10:30 a.m., the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy, Blue Planet Project, Food & Water Watch and Transnational Institute hosted a webinar about water futures and financialization. 

A solidarity statement in support of the farmer protests in India

To download the full statement and view the full list of 87 signatories, please see here. 

Revisiting Crisis by Design: Agricultural commodity exposure to financial market instruments and risks

The interconnectedness between farmers and the financial system, as well as between agricultural commodities and price risk management tools, has increased dramatically in recent years. Relentless industry opposition to rules designed to prevent and limit excessive speculation by financial entities continues to make even limited reforms difficult to enforce.

Regulating agricultural futures markets to benefit producers, processors and consumers

How difficult can it be to trade contracts based on the cash value of wheat, crude oil, unroasted coffee beans and other raw materials? Sure, there are future risks, physical and financial, but they can be usually managed with the help of trading exchanges, standardized data and lightning-fast computer technology.

USDA helps High Frequency Traders now; promises help for farmers later

On July 10, USDA announced a change to the decades old policy of releasing its monthly World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) first to accredited media representatives and 90 minutes later to the public. In theory, the media interpret WASDE information to the benefit of their subscribers, including traders. But starting in August, the media will receive the WASDE report at the same time as everyone else, due to a policy change made with the analytic assistance of the Commodity Trading Futures Commission.