Wednesday night's announcement that Russia shut down exports for probably the rest of the year on wheat, barley, rye and maize, sent U.S. wheat cash prices to the ceiling, with corn and soybeans following close behind.

I realize that as livestock feed, wheat has been a cheaper source than corn for a long time, but this sudden rise doesn't make sense to me, other than the typical knee-jerk emotional reactions that markets, or rather those who "play" them, tend to make over such news.

One online blogger Thursday morning said the markets are responding to the influence of "financial players," who are jumping in quick, and will take a quick profit, leaving those who need to secure grain on cash futures markets to pony up the players' profits.

This is the same nonsense the "players" did two years ago. When they take their profits, the correction, and it will come, will be hurtful — especially for livestock producers.

I hope those who tried to play the market two years ago and were hurt, learned the lessons that were there for them. This drastic rise in commodity futures can hardly be substanciated for long.

please, be careful out there.