National 4-H Council and CME Group Launch Third Annual Commodity Carnival at State Fairs

CHEVY CHASE, Md. and CHICAGO, June 11, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- 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.

About CME GroupAs the world's leading and most diverse derivatives marketplace, CME Group (www.cmegroup.com) is where the world comes to manage risk. CME Group exchanges offer the widest range of global benchmark products across all major asset classes, including futures and options based on interest rates, equity indexes, foreign exchange, energy, agricultural commodities, metals, weather and real estate. CME Group brings buyers and sellers together through its CME Globex® electronic trading platform, its trading facilities in New York and Chicago, and through its London-based CME Europe derivatives exchange.  CME Group also operates one of the world's leading central counterparty clearing providers through CME Clearing and CME Clearing Europe, which offer clearing and settlement services across asset classes for exchange-traded contracts and over-the-counter derivatives transactions.  These products and services ensure that businesses everywhere can substantially mitigate counterparty credit risk.

CME Group is a trademark of CME Group Inc. The Globe Logo, CME, Globex and Chicago Mercantile Exchange are trademarks of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc.  CBOT and the Chicago Board of Trade are trademarks of the Board of Trade of the City of Chicago, Inc.  NYMEX, New York Mercantile Exchange and ClearPort are registered trademarks of New York Mercantile Exchange, Inc.  COMEX is a trademark of Commodity Exchange, Inc.  KCBOT, KCBT and Kansas City Board of Trade are trademarks of The Board of Trade of Kansas City, Missouri, Inc.  All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Further information about CME Group (NASDAQ: CME) and its products can be found at www.cmegroup.com.

About 4-H4-H, the nation's largest youth development organization, grows confident young people who are empowered for life today and prepared for career tomorrow. 4-H programs empower nearly six million young people across the U.S. through experiences that develop critical life skills. In the U.S., 4-H serves every county and parish through our network of 110 universities and more than 3000 local offices. Globally, 4-H collaborates with independent programs to empower one million youth in 50 countries. The research-backed 4-H experience grows young people who are four times more likely to contribute to their communities; two times more likely to make healthier choices; two times more likely to be civically active; and two times more likely to participate in STEM programs. 4-H is led by a unique private-public partnership of universities, federal and local government agencies, foundations and professional associations. National 4-H Council is the private sector, non-profit partner of the Cooperative Extension System and 4-H National Headquarters located at the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) within the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Learn more about 4-H at www.4-H.org, find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/4-H and on Twitter at https://twitter.com/4H.

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SOURCE CME Group