Crop Prices Rally as Report Points to Easing of Glut

U.S. crop prices surged Tuesday, extending an unexpected run in agricultural prices that has drawn in big investors like hedge funds.  The gains promise much needed relief for a farm economy battered by the slump in prices for major row crops over the past three years.  The catalyst was a closely watched government report that said rising exports would eat into the glut in farm commodities by next year. The big surprise was a projection that U.S. soybean inventories would fall by a steep 24%.