November Agricultural Prices Received
Released: December 1, 2008
For more information contact: Lindsey Houska or Peggy Stringer at 1-800-835-2612.
 
October full month crop prices were lower when compared with September 2008. The price for Montana's winter wheat, at $6.70 per bushel, was $0.56 lower than September 2008. Spring wheat decreased $0.95 from last month to $7.28 per bushel. Durum wheat was $0.30 below September 2008, at $11.80 per bushel. All barley, at $5.74 per bushel, was $0.38 below last month. Feed barley was $0.39 below the previous month at $3.67 per bushel. Malt barley decreased $0.41 from a month ago to $5.82 per bushel.

The mid-November price for alfalfa hay was $15.00 below October 2008 at $107.00 per ton and all other hay decreased $1.00 from October to $103.00 per ton. The preliminary November grain prices were lower than the previous month with winter wheat at $5.74 per bushel, spring wheat was $7.10 per bushel, durum wheat was $9.16 per bushel, all barley was $5.48 per bushel, feed barley was $2.54 per bushel, and malt barley was $5.60 per bushel.

Livestock prices for the full month of October were lower when compared with last month. Steer and heifers decreased $1.00 from September 2008 to $103.00 per cwt. Cows dropped $5.40 from last month to $45.50 per cwt. Beef cattle were $5.80 lower than last month at $89.20 per cwt. The price for calves decreased $2.00 from a month ago to $109.00 per cwt. Sheep prices decreased $3.30 from last month to $12.20 per cwt. Lamb prices dropped $1.70 from September to $95.10 per cwt. The all milk price was $1.00 below a month ago at $18.40 per cwt.

The mid-November livestock prices were mostly lower than last month. Steer and heifers were $105.00 per cwt, cows were $41.60 per cwt, beef cattle were $86.00 per cwt, and calves were $112.00 per cwt. The all milk price was $17.10 per cwt.

Nationally, October prices and changes from September 2008 were as follows: winter wheat was $6.05 per bushel, down $0.94; spring wheat was $7.26 per bushel, down $0.51, durum wheat was $12.00 per bushel, up $0.20, all barley was $5.61 per bushel, down $0.13, oats were $3.25 per bushel, down $0.04, feed barley was $4.14 per bushel, malt barley was $6.28 per bushel, steers and heifers were $93.00 per cwt, down $6.30, cows were $48.30 per cwt, down $6.20, calves were $107.00 per cwt, down $6.00, sheep were $21.80, down $2.00, lambs were $97.50 per cwt, down $2.10 and all milk was $17.70 per cwt, down $0.50.

The U.S. mid-November prices were lower when compared with October. Winter wheat was $5.34 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.75 per bushel, durum wheat was $9.78 per bushel, all wheat was $6.13 per bushel, oats were $2.37 per bushel, malt barley was $5.35 per bushel, and feed barley was $3.54 per bushel. Steers and heifers were $93.00 per cwt, cows were $44.70 per cwt, beef cattle were $87.20 per cwt, calves were $106.00 per cwt, all hogs were $41.40 per cwt, all milk was $17.40 per cwt, and the all egg price was $1.03 per dozen.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in November, at 139 percent, based on 1990-92=100, decreased 12 points (7.9 percent) from October. The Crop Index is down 16 points (9.5 percent) and the Livestock Index decreased 2 points (1.6 percent). Producers received lower prices for soybeans, corn, lettuce, and hogs and higher prices for tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, and cantaloups. 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 milk, cattle, cotton, and cottonseed offset decreased marketings of soybeans, potatoes, peanuts, and lettuce.
 
MONTANA AVERAGE FARM PRICES RECEIVED

BASE MONTH:
October 2008 		U
N
I
T		     Monthly Average Change From Mid-Month Avg.
MONTANA U.S. Prev Mo Prev Yr Montana U.S.
Oct
2007 		Sept
2008 		Oct
2008		 Oct
2008 		Sept
2008 		Oct
2007		 Nov 15
2008		 Nov 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. 		7.32
9.52
7.57
7.59
4.26
4.79
4.03
2.34		 7.26
12.10
8.23
7.83
6.12
4.06
6.23
2.89		 6.70
11.80
7.28
7.30
5.74
3.67
5.82
N/A		 6.05
12.00
7.26
6.67
5.61
4.14
6.28
3.25		 -0.56
-0.30
-0.95
-0.53
-0.38
-0.39
-0.41
N/A		 -0.62
+2.28
-0.29
-0.29
+1.48
-1.12
+1.79
N/A		 5.74
9.16
7.10
6.55
5.48
2.54
5.60
N/A		 5.34
9.78
6.75
6.13
4.77
3.54
5.35
2.37
Alfalfa Hay
All Other Hay
All Hay Baled 		Ton
Ton
Ton 		73.00
71.00
72.00		 132.00
106.00
128.00		 122.00
104.00
119.00		 172.00
122.00
157.00		 -10.00
-2.00
-9.00		 +49.00
+33.00
+47.00		 107.00
103.00
106.00		 163.00
116.00
147.00
Steer & Heifers
Cows
Beef Cattle 2/
Calves
Sheep 3/
Lambs 3/
All Milk		 Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.		 114.00
45.70
99.00
125.00
19.40
98.80
22.70		 104.00
50.90
95.00
111.00
15.50
96.80
19.40		 103.00
45.50
89.20
109.00
12.20
95.10
18.40		 93.00
48.30
87.90
107.00
21.80
97.50
17.70		 -1.00
-5.40
-5.80
-2.00
-3.30
-1.70
-1.00		 -11.00
-0.20
-9.80
-16.00
-7.20
-3.70
-4.30		 105.00
41.60
86.00
112.00
N/A
N/A
17.10		 93.00
44.70
87.20
106.00
N/A
N/A
17.40
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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