Luna says another group, which has just 10 or 12 years in, were eligible for the biggest payout and leapt at it.

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Still, if you have the cash and the patience, farmland could provide the biggest payout of all as the agriculture sector booms over the next decade.

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Curious, then, that an independent director speaking on background refers questions about the formula to Chief Executive John Brennan , who is likely the biggest beneficiary of the payout.

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At the same time, Nasdaq executives hope that resolving the payout questions will lay to rest a source of tension between the company and some of its biggest customers.

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