Asset allocation seems to be on the minds of many investors these days, and it’s no surprise why. Many studies suggest that the way in which money is distributed across sectors and financial instruments is a primary driver of return volatility. As investors start thinking about putting capital to work in 2010, many will also be re-assessing the strategies they employed earlier in the decade.

The easy money and cheap dollars policy by the Federal Reserve has rescued the U.S. economy … at least for now. While the recession may be over, we are not out of the woods yet. There is growing concern that the expansionary monetary policy will produce rapidly rising prices, possibly even double-digit inflation rivaling that experienced during the 1970s, according to some prognosticators.

Charlie McNairy, managing partner at International Farming Corp., answers this month’s reader’s question: “Does a recent downturn in farm income portend a fall in farmland values?”