April Agricultural Prices Received

Released: April 30, 2008 For more information contact us at 1-800-835-2612.

Montana crop prices for the full month of March 2008 were mostly higher when compared with the previous month. The March to February price comparisons are: winter wheat was $8.26 per bushel, up $0.95, spring wheat rose $0.18 to $8.84 per bushel, and durum wheat increased $3.20 to $14.40 per bushel, setting a new record high. Feed barley prices decreased $0.23 to $4.49 per bushel and malt barley decreased $0.11 to $4.15 per bushel. The mid-April price for alfalfa hay was unchanged from March at $89.00 per ton, but all other hay increased $5.00 to $84.00 per ton. Mid-April grain prices were mixed when compared with March 2008. Winter wheat was $9.77 per bushel, up $1.51, spring wheat was $10.20 per bushel, up $1.36, durum wheat was $12.50 per bushel, down $1.90, feed barley was $4.16 per bushel, down $0.33, and malt barley was $5.13 per bushel, up $0.98. Livestock prices for the full month of March 2008 were mostly lower when compared with February 2008. March to February price comparisons are: steers and heifers decreased $5.20 to $96.80 per cwt, cows decreased $1.50 per cwt to $51.20, beef cattle decreased $2.30 to $91.30 per cwt, calves were unchanged at $120.00 per cwt, sheep were down $1.30 to $19.50 per cwt, lambs dropped $10.80 to $99.20 per cwt, and milk decreased $1.90 to $19.40 per cwt. The mid-April prices were: steers and heifers were $101.00 per cwt, cows were $49.80 per cwt, beef cattle were $90.20 per cwt, calves were $114.00 per cwt, and milk was $17.30 per cwt. Nationally, prices for March 2008 and changes from February were: winter wheat was $10.00 per bushel, up $1.03, spring wheat was $11.00 per bushel, down $0.10, durum wheat was $15.40 per bushel, up $1.90, all barley was $4.17 per bushel, down $0.22, steers and heifers were $92.70 per cwt, down $1.50, cows were $51.20 per cwt, down $0.20, beef cattle were $87.70 per cwt, down $1.30, calves were $119.00 per cwt, down $1.00, sheep were $28.30 per cwt, down $1.60, lambs were $98.00 per cwt, up $1.20, and all milk was $18.10 per cwt, down $1.00. The U.S. mid-April prices were: winter wheat was $9.26 per bushel, spring wheat was $10.90 per bushel, durum wheat was $12.60 per bushel, all wheat was $10.10 per bushel, malt barley was $4.62 per bushel, and feed barley was $4.28 per bushel, steers and heifers were $90.10 per cwt, cows were $49.90 per cwt, beef cattle were $85.10 per cwt, calves were $115.00 per cwt, all milk was $18.00 per cwt, all hogs were $40.60 per cwt, and all eggs were $1.16 per dozen. The preliminary All Farm Products Index is up 11 points (8.3 percent) from April 2008. The Food Commodities Index, at 140, decreased 5 points (3.4 percent) from last month but increased 5 points (3.7 percent) from April 2008.

MONTANA AVERAGE FARM PRICES RECEIVED BASE MONTH: March 2008 U N I T     Monthly Average Change From Mid-Month Avg. MONTANA U.S. Prev Mo Prev Yr Montana U.S. Mar 2007 Feb 2008 Mar 2008 Mar 2008 Feb 2008 Mar 2007 Apr 15 2008 Apr 15 2008 Winter Wheat Durum Wheat Spring Wheat Wheat, All Barley Feed Barley Malt Barley Oats 1/ Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. Bu. 4.65 5.37 4.75 4.74 3.28 3.01 3.32 2.32 7.31 11.20 8.66 8.01 4.39 4.72 4.26 na 8.26 14.40 8.84 8.73 4.23 4.49 4.15 na 10.00 15.40 11.00 10.60 4.17 4.22 4.16 3.44 0.95 3.20 0.18 0.72 -0.16 -0.23 -0.11 na 3.61 9.03 4.09 3.99 0.95 1.48 0.83 na 9.77 12.50 10.20 10.10 4.90 4.16 5.13 na 9.26 12.60 10.90 10.10 4.53 4.28 4.62 3.59 Alfalfa Hay All Other Hay All Hay Baled Ton Ton Ton 95.00 99.00 95.00 78.00 82.00 78.00 89.00 79.00 88.00 143.00 128.00 139.00 11.00 -3.00 10.00 -6.00 -20.00 -7.00 89.00 84.00 88.00 157.00 140.00 152.00 Steer & Heifers Cows Beef Cattle 2/ Calves Sheep 3/ Lambs 3/ All Milk Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. Cwt. 102.00 47.60 91.10 125.00 31.80 101.00 15.00 102.00 52.70 93.60 120.00 20.80 110.00 21.30 96.80 51.20 91.30 120.00 19.50 99.20 19.40 92.70 51.20 87.70 119.00 28.30 98.00 18.10 -5.20 -1.50 -2.30 nc -1.30 -10.80 -1.90 -5.20 3.60 0.20 -5.00 -12.30 -1.80 4.40 101.00 49.80 90.20 114.00 na na 17.30 90.10 49.90 85.10 115.00 na na 18.00 1/ Insufficient sales to establish a price. 2/ Composite of steers, heifers, and cows. 3/ Mid-month prices for sheep and lambs discontinued January 1996.

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