Chicago Butter and Egg Board

Initially, the Chicago Butter and Egg Board traded only two types of contracts, butter and eggs. Over several decades, it evolved into the CME which traded futures contracts and options contracts on over 50 products, from pork bellies to eurodollars and stock market indices.

The butter and egg markets died out in the 1960s after the production of both commodities had become much less seasonal, which reduced both the price volatility and the need for inter-temporal signals for guiding the disposal of inventories.

Background

The United States was experiencing significant population growth in the late 19th century, but periods of food scarcity continued. Markets were not yet well organized, refrigeration had not been invented and production was still governed by seasonal cycles. Butter was salted and stored for later use. By 1915 the Butter and Egg Board had developed 28 rules for butter grading.