Hearings on Proposed Ban of Irish Potato Futures Trading (1963)
July 20, 2026
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The Frame
The hearings examine whether federal law should eliminate the ability for traders to buy and sell future contracts for Irish potatoes, which directly impacts commodity market operations and agricultural pricing mechanisms.
Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.
Potato farmers
The proposed ban would eliminate a mechanism used for hedging or speculating on future potato prices.
Commodity exchange traders
The proposed ban would remove Irish potato futures as a tradable asset on commodity exchanges.
Last recorded activity July 20, 2026.
Next step not available in the current record.
Summary
Key Facts
- The hearings were held on April 8, 9, and 10, 1963.
- The subject of the hearings is H.R. 904, which seeks to prohibit futures trading in Irish potatoes.
- The hearings were conducted by the Subcommittee on Domestic Marketing of the House Committee on Agriculture.
- The legislative goal is to determine the impact of commodity exchange trading on the potato industry.
Why It Matters
The hearings examine whether federal law should eliminate the ability for traders to buy and sell future contracts for Irish potatoes, which directly impacts commodity market operations and agricultural pricing mechanisms.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a potato futures contract?
What was the purpose of these hearings?
News Coverage
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Historical Agricultural Regulation
The document highlights the federal government's active role in the mid-20th century in regulating specific agricultural commodity markets.
Connected Entities
Sources
www.govinfo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance60How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz5Current news / social attention level
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