An individual or company owning or planning to own a cash commodity-corn, soybeans, wheat, U.S. Treasury bonds, notes, bills, etc.-and concerned that the cost of the commodity may change before either buying or selling it in the cash market. A hedger achieves protection against changing cash prices by purchasing or selling futures contracts of the same or similar commodity and later offsetting that position by selling or purchasing futures contracts of the same quantity and type as the initial transaction.