11100.        SCOPE OF CHAPTER

This chapter is limited in application to soybean futures. The procedures for trading, clearing, inspection, delivery and settlement of soybean futures, and any other matters not specifically covered herein or in Chapter 7 shall be governed by the general rules of the Exchange.

11101.        CONTRACT SPECIFICATIONS 

Each futures contract shall be for 5,000 bushels of No. 2 yellow soybeans at par, No. 1 yellow soybeans at 6 cents per bushel over contract price, or No. 3 yellow soybeans at 6 cents per bushel under contract price provided that all factors equal U.S. No. 2 or better except for foreign material (refer to Rule 11104.). Every delivery of soybeans may be made up of the authorized grades for shipment from eligible regular facilities provided that no lot delivered shall contain less than 5,000 bushels of any one grade from any one shipping station.

11102.        TRADING SPECIFICATIONS

Trading in soybean futures is regularly conducted in seven months – September, November, January, March, May, July and August. The number of months open for trading at a given time shall be determined by the Exchange.

11102.A.        Trading Schedule

The hours for trading of soybean futures shall be determined by the Exchange.  

On the last day of trading in an expiring future, the close of trading shall begin at 12 o'clock noon and trading shall be permitted thereafter for a period not to exceed one minute. Quotations made during this one minute period shall constitute the close. 

11102.B.        Trading Unit        

The unit of trading shall be 5,000 bushels of soybeans. 

11102.C.        Price Increments

The minimum fluctuation for soybean futures shall be ¼ cent per bushel ($12.50 per contract), including spreads.

11102.D.        Daily Price Limits

There shall be no trading in soybean futures at a price more than $0.70 per bushel ($3,500 per contract) above or below the previous day’s settlement price. Should two or more soybean futures contract months within the first seven listed non-spot contracts (or the remaining contract month in a crop year) close at limit bid or limit offer, the daily price limits for all contract months shall increase to $1.05 per bushel the next business day. Should two or more soybean futures contract months within the first seven listed non-spot contracts (or the remaining contract month in a crop year) close at limit bid or limit offer while price limits are $1.05 per bushel, daily price limits for all contract months shall increase to $1.60 per bushel the next business day. If price limits are $1.60 per bushel and no soybean futures contract month closes limit bid or limit offer, daily price limits for all contract months shall revert back to $1.05 per bushel the next business day. If price limits are $1.05 per bushel and no soybean futures contract month closes limit bid or limit offer, daily price limits for all contract months shall revert back to $0.70 per bushel the next business day.  There shall be no price limits on the current month contract on or after the second business day preceding the first day of the delivery month.

 

11102.E.        Position Limits

In accordance with Rule 559., Position Limits and Exemptions, no person shall own or control positions in excess of:

1.       600 contracts net long or net short in the spot month. 

2.       6,500 futures-equivalent contracts net long or net short in any single contract month excluding the spot month. Additional futures contracts may be held outside of the spot month as part of futures/futures spreads within a crop year provided that the total of such positions, when combined with outright positions, does not exceed the all months combined limit.

3.       10,000 futures-equivalent contracts net long or net short in all months combined.

For the purposes of this rule, one mini-sized soybean contract is equivalent to one-fifth of a corresponding full-sized soybean contract, and positions in soybean and mini-sized soybean contracts will be aggregated for the purpose of determining compliance with the contracts’ position limit.   

Refer to Rule 559. for requirements concerning the aggregation of positions and allowable exemptions from the specified position limits. 

11102.F.                        Termination of Trading

No trades in soybean futures deliverable in the current month shall be made after the business day preceding the 15th calendar day of that month. Any contracts remaining open after the last day of trading must be either:

a.       Settled by delivery no later than the second business day following the last trading day (tender on business day prior to delivery).

 

b.       Liquidated by means of a bona fide Exchange of Futures for Related Position no later than the business day following the last trading day.

11103.        RESERVED

11104.        GRADES / GRADE DIFFERENTIALS  

Upon written request by a taker of delivery at the time loading orders are submitted, a futures contract for the sale of soybeans shall be performed on the basis of United States origin only.

SOYBEAN GRADE DIFFERENTIALS
U.S. No. 1 Yellow Soybeans           (maximum 13% moisture)	at 6 cents per bushel over contract price
U.S. No. 2 Yellow Soybeans             (maximum 14% moisture)	at contract price
*U.S. No. 3 Yellow Soybeans           (maximum 14% moisture)	at 6 cents per bushel under contract price

 

*All factors equal to U.S. No. 2 grade or better (including splits; heat damage; brown, black and/or bicolored soybeans in yellow soybeans) except foreign material (maximum 3%).

A contract for the sale of soybean futures shall be performed on the basis of the grades officially promulgated by the Secretary of Agriculture as conforming to United States Standards at the time of making the contract. If no such United States grades shall have been officially promulgated, then such contract shall be performed on the basis of the grades established by the Department of Agriculture of the State of Illinois, or the standards established by the Rules of the Exchange in force at the time of making the contract.

11105.        LOCATION DIFFERENITALS

Soybeans for shipment from regular shipping stations located within the Chicago Switching District or the Burns Harbor, Indiana Switching District may be delivered in satisfaction of soybean futures contracts at contract price, subject to the differentials for class and grade outlined above. 

Soybeans for shipment from regular shipping stations located within the Lockport-Seneca Shipping District may be delivered in satisfaction of soybean futures contracts at a premium of 2 cents per bushel over contract price, subject to the differentials for class and grade outlined above. 

Soybeans for shipment from regular shipping stations located within the Ottawa-Chillicothe Shipping District may be delivered in satisfaction of soybean futures contracts at a premium of 2 1/2 cents per bushel over contract price, subject to the differentials for class and grade outlined above. 

Soybeans for shipment from regular shipping stations located within the Peoria-Pekin Shipping District may be delivered in satisfaction of soybean futures contracts at a premium of 3 cents per bushel over contract price, subject to the differentials for class and grade outlined above. 

Soybeans for shipment from regular shipping stations located within the Havana-Grafton Shipping District may be delivered in satisfaction of soybean futures contracts at a premium of 3 1/2 cents per bushel over contract price, subject to the differentials for class and grade outlined above. 

Soybeans for shipment from regular shipping stations located in the St. Louis-East St. Louis and Alton Switching Districts may be delivered in satisfaction of Soybean futures contracts at a premium of 6 cents per bushel over contract price, subject to the differentials for class and grade outlined above.

11106.        DELIVERY POINTS

Soybean Shipping Certificates shall specify shipment from one of the warehouses or shipping stations currently regular for delivery and located in one of the following territories:

A.       Chicago and Burns Harbor, Indiana Switching District - When used in these Rules, the Chicago Switching District will be that area geographically defined by Tariff ICC WTL 8020-Series and that portion of the Illinois Waterway at or above river mile 304 which includes the Calumet Sag Channel and the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal.  When used in these Rules, Burns Harbor, Indiana Switching District will be that area geographically defined by the boundaries of Burns Waterway Harbor at Burns Harbor, Indiana which is owned and operated by the Indiana Port Commission.

B.       Lockport-Seneca Shipping District - When used in these Rules, the Lockport-Seneca Shipping District will be that portion of the Illinois Waterway below river mile 304 at the junction of the Calumet Sag Channel and the Chicago Sanitary & Ship Canal and above river mile 244.6 at the Marseilles Lock and Dam.

C.      Ottawa-Chillicothe Shipping District - When used in these Rules, the Ottawa-Chillicothe Shipping District will be that portion of the Illinois Waterway below river mile 244.6 at the Marseilles Lock and Dam and at or above river mile 170 between Chillicothe and Peoria, IL.

D.      Peoria-Pekin Shipping District - When used in these Rules, the Peoria-Pekin Shipping District will be that portion of the Illinois Waterway below river mile 170 between Chillicothe and Peoria, IL and at or above river mile 151 at Pekin, IL.

E.       Havana-Grafton Shipping District - When used in these Rules, the Havana-Grafton Shipping District will be that portion of the Illinois Waterway below river mile 151 at Pekin, IL to river mile 0 at Grafton, IL.

F.       St. Louis-East St. Louis and Alton Switching Districts - When used in these Rules, St. Louis-East St. Louis and Alton Switching Districts will be that portion of the upper Mississippi River below river mile 218 at Grafton, IL and above river mile 170 at Jefferson Barracks Bridge in south St. Louis, MO.

11107.        REGISTRATION AND DELIVERY OF SOYBEAN SHIPPING CERTIFICATES  

(Refer to Rule 712., Delivery and Registration, and Rule 713., Delivery Procedures.)

11108.        PREMIUM CHARGES

To be valid for delivery on futures contracts, all shipping certificates covering soybeans under obligation for shipment must indicate the applicable premium charge. No shipping certificates shall be valid for delivery on soybean futures contracts unless the premium charges on such soybeans shall have been paid up to and including the 18th calendar day of the preceding month, and such payment is endorsed on the shipping certificate. Unpaid accumulated premium charges at the posted rate applicable to the facility shall be allowed and credited to the buyer by the seller up to and including date of delivery.

The premium charges on soybeans shall not exceed 15/100 of one cent per bushel per day.

11109.        REGULARITY OF WAREHOUSES AND ISSUERS OF SHIPPING CERTIFICATES

11109.A.        Regularity Requirements

In addition to the conditions set forth in Rule 703. A., Conditions for Approval, the following shall constitute requirements and conditions for regularity:

1.        The operator of a shipping station issuing soybean shipping certificates shall limit the number of shipping certificates issued to an amount not to exceed:

(a)           20 times his registered total daily rate of loading barges, or in the case of Chicago, Illinois and Burns Harbor, Indiana Switching Districts, his registered storage capacity; and

(b)           a value greater than 50 percent of the operator’s net worth. 

2.       The shipper issuing soybean shipping certificates shall register his total daily rate of loading barges at his maximum 8 hour load out capacity in an amount not less than:

(a)           one barge per day day at each shipping station within the Lockport-Seneca Shipping District, within the Ottawa-Chillicothe Shipping District, within the Peoria-Pekin Shipping District, within the Havana-Grafton Shipping District, and within the St. Louis-East St. Louis and Alton Switching Districts; and

3.       Shippers located in the Chicago, Illinois and Burns Harbor, Indiana Switching Districts shall be connected by railroad tracks with one or more railway lines.

11109.B.        Location

For the delivery of soybeans, regular facilities may be located within the Chicago Switching District or within the Burns Harbor, Indiana Switching District or within the Lockport-Seneca Shipping District or within the Ottawa-Chillicothe Shipping District or within the Peoria-Pekin Shipping District or within the Havana-Grafton Shipping District or in the St. Louis – E. St. Louis and Alton Shipping Districts.

No such regular facility within the Chicago Switching District shall be declared regular unless it is conveniently approachable by vessels of ordinary draft and has customary shipping facilities.  Ordinary draft shall be defined as the lesser of (1) channel draft as recorded in the Lake Calumet Harbor Draft Gauge, as maintained by the Corps of Engineers, U.S. Army, minus one foot, or (2) 20 feet.

Delivery in Burns Harbor must be made in regular facilities providing water loading facilities and maintaining water depth equal to normal seaway draft of 27 feet.

In addition, deliveries of soybeans may be made in regular elevators or shipping stations within the Burns Harbor Switching District PROVIDED that:

(a)           When soybeans represented by shipping certificates are ordered out for shipment by a barge, it will be the obligation of the party making delivery to protect the barge freight rate from the Chicago Switching District (i.e. the party making delivery and located in the Burns Harbor Switching District will pay the party taking delivery an amount equal to all expenses for the movement of the barge from the Chicago Switching District, to the Burns Harbor Switching District and the return movement back to the Chicago Switching District).

If inclement weather conditions make the warehouse or shipping station located in the Burns Harbor Switching District unavailable for barge loadings for a period of five or more calendar days, the party making delivery will make soybeans available on the day following this five calendar day period to load into a barge at one mutually agreeable water warehouse or shipping station located in the Chicago Switching District; PROVIDED that the party making delivery is notified on the first day of that five-day period of inclement weather that the barge is available for movement but cannot be moved from the Chicago Switching District to the Burns Harbor Switching District, and is requested on the last day of this five calendar day period in which the barge cannot be moved.

(b)           When soybeans represented by shipping certificates are ordered out for shipment by vessel, and the party taking delivery is a recipient of a split delivery of soybeans between a warehouse or shipping station located in Burns Harbor and a warehouse or shipping station in Chicago, and the soybeans in the Chicago warehouse or shipping station will be loaded onto this vessel, it will be the obligation of the party making delivery at the request of the party taking delivery to protect the holder of the shipping certificates against any additional charges resulting from loading at one berth in the Burns Harbor Switching District and at one berth in the Chicago Switching District as compared to a single berth loading at one location.  The party making delivery, at his option, will either make the soybeans available at one water warehouse or shipping station operated by the party making delivery and located in the Chicago Switching District for loading onto the vessel, make soybeans available at the warehouse or shipping station in Burns Harbor upon the surrender of shipping certificates issued by other regular elevators or shipping stations located in the Chicago Switching District at the time vessel loading orders are issued, or compensate the party taking delivery in an amount equal to all applicable expenses, including demurrage charges, if any, for the movement of the vessel between a berth in the other switching district.  On the day that the soybeans are ordered out for shipment by vessel, the party making delivery will declare the regular warehouse or shipping station in which the soybeans will be available for loading.

Delivery within the Lockport-Seneca Shipping District or within the Ottawa-Chillicothe Shipping District or within the Peoria-Pekin Shipping District or within the Havana-Grafton Shipping District must be made at regular shipping stations providing water loading facilities and maintaining water depth equal to the draft of the Illinois River maintained by the Corps of Engineers.

Delivery in the St. Louis-East St. Louis and Alton Switching District must be made at regular shipping stations providing water loading facilities and maintaining water depth equal to the draft of the Mississippi River maintained by the Corps of Engineers.

11109.C.        Barge Load-Out Procedures for Soybeans

(Refer to Rule 703. C., Load-Out, and the Interpretations to Chapter 7).

11110.        BILLING 

11110.A.        Soybeans (Chicago Delivery)

The Chicago shipper is not required to furnish transit billing on soybeans represented by shipping certificate deliveries in Chicago, Illinois. Delivery shall be flat.

11110.B.        Soybeans (Burns Harbor Delivery)

When soybeans represented by shipping certificates delivered from Burns Harbor are ordered out for shipment by rail, it will be the obligation of the party making delivery to protect the Chicago rail rate, if lower, which would apply to the owner's destination had a like kind and quantity of soybeans designated on the shipping certificates been loaded out and shipped from a regular shipping station located in the Chicago Switching District. If soybeans are loaded out and shipped to an industry in the Chicago Switching District, the party making delivery will protect the minimum crosstown switch charge in the Chicago Switching District.

When rail loading orders are submitted, the party taking delivery shall state in writing if he elects to receive the applicable rail rates from Burns Harbor or Chicago. If the party taking delivery specifies Burns Harbor, the party making delivery will load rail cars at the Burns Harbor shipping station and will not be required to protect the Chicago rates.

If the party taking delivery specifies Chicago rates, the party making delivery will declare on the day that the soybeans are ordered out for shipment by rail, the shipping station at which the soybeans will be made available, which is operated by the party making delivery and is located either in the Burns Harbor or the Chicago Switching Districts. If the declared shipping station is located in the Chicago Switching District, the party making delivery will provide only that billing specified in Rule 1110.A.

However, if the declared shipping station is located in Burns Harbor and the rail rate from Chicago or the minimum Chicago crosstown switch charge requires protection, the party making delivery will compensate the party taking delivery. The compensation shall be in an amount equivalent to the difference of the freight charges from Burns Harbor and the freight charges which would be applicable had the soybeans been loaded at and shipped from a shipping station located in the Chicago Switching District to the owner's destination.