mi-press-releases

News Release
NR-12-19
March 30, 2012

U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Statistics Service
Michigan Field Office
Michigan Department of Agriculture
Post Office Box 30239
Lansing, MI  48909-6248

Phone:      (517) 324-5300
Facsimile:  (517) 324-5299
E-mail:     nass-mi@nass.usda.gov
Web site:   www.nass.usda.gov

Jay V. Johnson, Director

March Agricultural Prices

Prices received by Michigan farmers for the full month of February 2012 and 
mid-month prices as of March 15, 2012, according to the USDA, NASS, Michigan 
Field Office, are listed in the table below. According to Jay Johnson, 
Director, USDA, NASS, Michigan Field Office, Michigan highlights were: corn 
$6.35 per bushel, up $0.21 from February and up $0.51 from last year; 
soybeans $13.10 per bushel, up $1.00 from last month; milk $17.90 per cwt, 
down $0.60 from last month, and down $3.20 from last year.

U.S. preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in 
March, at 186 percent, based on 1990-1992=100, increased 5 points (2.8 
percent) from February. The Crop Index is up 8 points (3.9 percent) and the 
Livestock Index increased 3 points (1.9 percent). Producers received higher 
prices for soybeans, corn, broilers, and cattle and lower prices for milk, 
strawberries, snap beans, and lettuce. In addition to prices, the overall 
index is affected by the seasonal change based on a 3-year average mix of 
commodities producers sell. Increased monthly movement of soybeans, 
strawberries, broilers, and milk offset decreased marketings of corn, cattle, 
cotton, and wheat. The preliminary All Farm Products Index is up 13 points 
(7.5 percent) from March 2011. The Food Commodities Index, at 173, increased 
5 points (3.0 percent) from last month and March 2011.

The March Index of Prices Paid for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, 
and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW) is 210 percent of the 1990-1992 average. The 
index is up 1 point (0.5 percent) from February and 9 points (4.5 percent) 
above March 2011. Compared with February, higher prices in March for diesel, 
gasoline, feed grains, and concentrates offset lower prices for nitrogen, 
potash & phosphate, feeder cattle, and supplements.

                 Prices received by farmers, March 2012                 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  :     :       Michigan        :     United States     
                  :     :-----------------------:-----------------------
     Commodity    :Unit :  Mar  :  Feb  :  Mar  :  Mar  :  Feb  :  Mar  
                  :     :2011 1/:2012 1/:2012 2/:2011 1/:2012 1/:2012 2/
------------------------------------------------------------------------
                  :     :                    Dollars                    
                  :     :                                               
Beans, dry edible : Cwt : 36.70   53.40     (D)   29.90   46.70   49.00 
Corn              : Bu  :  5.84    6.14    6.35    5.53    6.28    6.48 
Hay, all          : Ton : 97.00  106.00  100.00  126.00  176.00  181.00 
Oats              : Bu  :  3.34     (D)     (D)    3.28    3.46    3.58 
Potatoes          : Cwt : 12.40   12.70   13.20   10.74    9.31    9.74 
Soybeans          : Bu  : 12.20   12.10   13.10   12.70   12.20   13.10 
Wheat, winter     : Bu  :  6.81    6.78    6.70    7.02    6.67    6.65 
                  :     :                                               
Milk, all         : Cwt : 21.10   18.50   17.90   20.40   17.70   17.40 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
(D)  Withheld to avoid disclosing data for individual firms             
1/   Entire month weighted average price.                               
2/   Mid-month price.