The mid-December price for alfalfa hay increased $19.00 from November to $126.00 per ton and all other hay rose $17.00 to $120.00 per ton. The mid December grain prices were mostly lower than November with winter wheat at $5.31 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.85 per bushel, durum wheat was $9.95 per bushel, feed barley was $3.25 per bushel and malt barley was $4.45 per bushel.

Livestock prices for the full month of November were mostly lower than October 2008 and lower than November 2007. Full month November livestock prices and the changes from the previous month and year are as follows: Steers and heifers were $101.00 per cwt, down $2.00 and down $11.00; cows were $39.70 per cwt, down $5.80 and down $2.30; beef cattle were $81.40 per cwt, down $7.80 and down $9.60; calves were $109.00 per cwt, unchanged and down $14.00; sheep were $18.90 per cwt, up $6.70, but down $0.20; lambs were $97.60 per cwt, up $2.50, but down $4.40; and milk was $17.30 per cwt, down $1.10 and down $4.90.

Montana mid-December prices were mostly lower than November with steers and heifers at $96.30 per cwt, cows were $38.10 per cwt, beef cattle were $81.20 per cwt, calves were $97.20 per cwt, and all milk was $17.40 per cwt.

Nationally, prices for November and changes from October were as follows: Winter wheat was $5.64 per bushel, down $0.41, spring wheat was $7.12 per bushel, down $0.14, durum wheat was $8.68 per bushel, down $3.32, all barley was $5.41 per bushel, down $0.20, oats were $2.99 per bushel, down $0.26, steers and heifers were $91.00 per cwt, down $2.00, cows were $43.10 per cwt, down $5.20, beef cattle were $84.90 per cwt, down $3.00, calves were $106.00 per cwt, down $1.00, sheep were $27.00 per cwt, up $5.20, and lambs were $99.60 per cwt, up $2.10.

The U.S. mid-December winter wheat price was $5.06 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.65 per bushel, durum wheat was $8.52 per bushel, oats were $2.40 per bushel, malt barley was $4.51 per bushel, and feed barley was $3.01 per bushel. Mid-December steers and heifers were $85.70 per cwt, cows were $39.80 per cwt, calves were $101.00 per cwt, all milk was $15.90 per cwt.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in December, at 133 percent, based on 1990-92=100, decreased 8 points (5.7 percent) from November. The Crop Index is down 11 points (7.1 percent) and the Livestock Index decreased 4 points (3.2 percent). Producers received lower prices for cattle, corn, milk, and soybeans and higher prices for broilers, strawberries, lettuce, and hogs. In addition to prices, the overall index is also affected by the seasonal change based on a 3-year average mix of commodities producers sell. Increased monthly marketings of wheat, milk, broilers, and oranges offset decreased marketings of soybeans, corn, cattle, and grapes.