Excerpts from the report Preface: A study of the economic importance of futures trading to the production and marketing of potatoes was initiated in view of widespread interest throughout the potato industry and because of recommendations of the Department Potato Research and Marketing Advisory Committee. This study was coordinated with the work on potato futures trading done by the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station as a phase of the Northeastern Regional Potato Marketing project (a study of the factors affecting the quality, price, and sales of potatoes). Since practically all futures trading is done in Maine potatoes, this report deals with potato futures trading in Maine only. In conducting the study, information was obtained directly from packers and shippers, potato brokers, credit agencies, fertilizer and machinery companies, and from secondary sources. Most of the firms and agencies contacted were located in Aroostook County, Maine, the area where the bulk of the Maine potato crop is produced.