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CME Group - the world's leading futures exchange - and the National 4-H Council - America's largest youth development organization are partnering for a third consecutive year to bring their popular and award-winning Commodity Carnival fair experience to more than 100 state and county fairs in nine states this summer. An interactive and educational game about the business of agriculture, the Commodity Carnival teaches young fairgoers how to manage the costs and risks associated with bringing an animal - this year, a hog - to market. Beyond the fairgrounds and throughout the year, the Commodity Carnival mobile app, Risk Ranch, enables people of all ages to try their hand at agricultural risk management from their mobile devices, as well as online.
"Fairs have been mainstays of America's heartland since the 1840s, and our CME Group heritage in commodities markets goes back almost as far. We are pleased to return to these fairs with our Commodity Carnival game to teach young agriculture participants the importance of risk management," said CME Group Executive Chairman and President Terry Duffy. "With 4-H, we are able to reach young audiences and provide them the tools to kick-start their thinking about food production and the risks that farmers and ranchers face - knowledge that will become crucial as global demand for food increases in the coming decades."
"We are constantly seeking new ways to empower and educate today's young people," said Jennifer Sirangelo, president & CEO, National 4-H Council. "The Commodity Carnival has proved an invaluable tool for expanding the agriculture and economic education of both rural and urban youth, and the game teaches elements of business that are applicable beyond farming. Our partnership with CME Group allows us a unique opportunity to prepare the next generation of farmers and business leaders for the complexities of the marketplace," Sirangelo said.
The Commodity Carnival, developed in 2013 by the Ohio State University Extension, will travel to nine states during fair season this year: Michigan, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Wisconsin. Fairgoers also can go to www.cmegroup.com/4Hcarnival to find participating fairs that will be hosting the Commodity Carnival this summer and fall and to find out how to share their fair experiences online with 4-H fans and members, as well as fair enthusiasts across the country.
The Risk Ranch app is available all year long in any location and can be downloaded from Google Play or the App Store, or accessible from www.cmegroup.com/4Hcarnival. Since its launch, Risk Ranch has earned multiple awards - including Best Children's App and Parents' Choice Approved Award Winner.
The partnership between CME Group and National 4-H Council is a part of CME Group's ongoing educational efforts around markets and risk management. This year, CME Group completed its 12th annual CME Group Trading Challenge, a global contest that gathered more than 500 teams of students from 37 countries to compete in a simulated trading competition. In May of this year, CME Group and Discovery Education partnered to debut Econ Essentials, a free program that explores the important and ever-changing variables that affect our global economy. The program offers free resources for high school classrooms that help teachers explain basic economic principles through the lens of energy, agricultural, and financial markets.
