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Comment by bragr | Hacker News Reader

Just as long as you don't sell onion futures on the internet, or anywhere else for that matter.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Onion_Futures_Act

I think what's really strange about this is that it is written as though there is just one kind of onion, whereas any connoisseur will wax poetic about the difference between Walla Walla Sweets, Vidalias, Mauis, Texas varieties, generic yellow, white, and red onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, pearls, cipollinis... so does the law just cover generic yellow onions?

Futures contracts on commodities necessarily assume fungibility of the underlying commodity!

I think the issue is: are tomatoes fungible for onions? What about garlic, or leeks? Or shallots? Just some pretty fuzzy categories.

Best way to find out is to try suing someone using the law and see how far the case goes. Let me know how it ends up!

Ugh.... with this activist supreme court, it's not worth the risk. /s

I totally get that, but I guess that's perhaps part of the conflict between big ag and more traditional farming... or said another way, as a cook, I know the difference between so many varieties of vegetables et. al. and I want very specific types for their unique qualities. But I guess I'm not buying by the ton or train car either.

Planet Money podcast on same topic

https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2018/09/19/649273647/epis...

That article was a ride!

Shipping onions to be reconditioned, like an old alternator.

Onions were a condiment not a food staple?!

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