Merchants of Grain

A fascinating history of the grain trade and valuable reference. It is a classic and a must read for any macro investor.

I first read this book 20 years ago and was awed by the importance of the distribution of grain to the world, and particularly to one-party dictators. Anyone who understands political power knows that a small number of soldiers can control a much larger populace of people i.e. the German SS figured one storm trooper for roughly every 1000 plus people. However, when those people are all hungry at the same time it becomes another matter entirely, as in more difficult.This book shows how a few big companies control the distribution of grain throughout the world. In so doing they are not prone to accept "aging receivables" from dictators, tin-pot or otherwise. Every political leader must understand the importance of grain or face a coup. Of course, one can find those who have lasted longer than others, but only at the cost of so weakening their state that it ultimately crumbles from internal implosion. Read this book to understand history and more importantly the origen of our food supply and how it reaches our table.

An excellent work detailing how only a handful of families have controlled the worlds grain trade for centuries. A great piece for families that till the soil, but one that is even more important to the people who live in the city; and have no idea of the power and control that these families wield. Reading this book will show you how these families control the cheap food policies as well as the commodities markets and other products world wide.

I am a captain on Mississippi River towboats. I have pushed millions of tons of grain down the Mississippi River for years. But I never really understood the gobal impact of the world's grain company's until I read this book.Now I understand the real power behind families such as Cargil and ADM's Andreas.

We can begin to understand the importance or lack thereof for our country's cheap food policy. Point being, Cargil is buying out Continental Grain. The total purchase price is $300 million. Oprah Winfrey and Michael Jordan make that much money in 2 years. An enclosed football stadium costs more than that. There is one of them in every major city in America. Something is wrong with that picture. The importance placed on other things, and the lack of understanding as to the realities of life are almost mind boggling. Merchants of Grain is a book that cuts to the inner most core of real power and control. We all eat. We need to put self behind us, and focus on basics, i.e. why are we so blest as a country? We need to be gracious. Thank you Farmers, Ranchers, and others in the real food chain.