March Agricultural Prices Received
Released: March 30, 2009
For more information contact: Carmen Pennington or Steve Andersonat 1-800-835-2612.
 
February 2009 full month crop prices were mixed when compared with January 2009. Montana's winter wheat price was $5.90 per bushel, up $0.04 from the previous month, spring wheat prices decreased $0.05 to $7.19 per bushel, durum wheat was down $1.08 to $9.12 per bushel. Feed barley prices decreased $0.22 from the previous month to $2.72 per bushel, but malt barley prices increased $0.27 to $5.93 per bushel.

The mid-March price for alfalfa hay rose $14.00 to $125.00 per ton, but all other hay decreased $9.00 to $94.00 per ton. Mid-March grain prices were mostly lower than the previous month with winter wheat at $5.50 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.84 per bushel, durum wheat was $7.86 per bushel, malt barley was $5.20 per bushel, and feed barley was $3.27 per bushel.

Livestock prices for the full month of February were mostly higher when compared with January 2009. Steer and heifers decreased $1.00 to $92.70 per cwt, cows increased $1.90 to $41.40 per cwt. The price for calves was up $1.00 to $108.00 per cwt. Sheep prices were down $0.50 to $27.70 per cwt, but lamb prices increased $4.00 to $112.00 per cwt. All milk prices decreased $0.60 per cwt from last month to $16.90 per cwt. Steer and heifer prices for mid-March were $94.00 per cwt, cows were $42.60 per cwt, beef cattle were $77.00 per cwt, calves were $107.00 per cwt, and all milk prices were $12.00 per cwt.

Nationally, prices for February and changes from January were as follows: winter wheat was $5.26 per bushel, down $0.47, spring wheat was $6.62 per bushel, down $0.41, durum wheat was $7.53 per bushel, down $0.62, the all barley price was $4.94 per bushel, down $0.35, steer and heifers were $83.80 per cwt, down $2.00, cows were $43.90 per cwt, up $1.60, calves were $105.00 per cwt, down $1.00, sheep were $31.90 per cwt, up $0.50, lambs were $100.00 per cwt, down $1.00, and all milk was $11.60, down $1.70 per cwt.

The U.S. mid-March winter wheat price was $5.27 per bushel, spring wheat was $6.51 per bushel, durum wheat was $7.05 per bushel, all wheat was $5.85 per bushel, malt barley was $5.07 per bushel, feed barley was $2.98 per bushel, and all barley was $4.82 per bushel. Steer and heifer prices were $83.50 per cwt, cows were $44.00 per cwt, calves were $104.00 per cwt, and all milk was $11.50 per cwt.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in March, at 126 percent, based on 1990-92=100, was unchanged from February. The Crop Index is up 1 point (0.7 percent) but the Livestock Index decreased 1 point (0.9 percent). Producers received higher prices for corn, lettuce, snap beans, and tomatoes and lower prices for broilers, soybeans, strawberries, and celery. 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 strawberries, broilers, soybeans, and milk offset decreased marketings of cattle, corn, cotton, and oranges.
 
MONTANA AVERAGE FARM PRICES RECEIVED

BASE MONTH:
February 2009 		U
N
I
T		     Monthly Average Change From Mid-Month Avg.
MONTANA U.S. Prev Mo Prev Yr Montana U.S.
Feb
2008 		Jan
2009 		Feb
2009		 Feb
2009 		Jan
2009 		Feb
2008		 Mar 15
2009		 Mar 15
2009
Winter Wheat
Durum Wheat
Spring Wheat
Wheat, All
Barley
Feed Barley
Malt Barley
Oats 1/ 		Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu.
Bu. 		7.33
11.20
8.77
8.08
4.39
4.73
4.26
N/A		 5.86
10.20
7.24
6.57
5.55
2.94
5.66
N/A		 5.90
9.12
7.19
6.62
5.56
2.72
5.93
N/A		 5.26
7.53
6.62
5.79
4.94
2.63
5.50
2.76		 +0.04
-1.08
-0.05
+0.05
+0.01
-0.22
+0.27
N/A		 -1.43
-2.08
-1.58
-1.46
+1.17
-2.01
+1.67
N/A		 5.50
7.86
6.84
6.19
4.99
3.27
5.20
N/A		 5.27
7.05
6.51
5.85
4.82
2.98
5.07
2.11
Alfalfa Hay
All Other Hay
All Hay Baled 		Ton
Ton
Ton 		79.00
82.00
80.00		 109.00
104.00
108.00		 111.00
103.00
110.00		 143.00
107.00
132.00		 +2.00
-1.00
+2.00		 +32.00
+21.00
+30.00		 125.00
94.00
123.00		 137.00
109.00
129.00
Steer & Heifers
Cows
Beef Cattle 2/
Calves
Sheep 3/
Lambs 3/
All Milk		 Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.
Cwt.		 102.00
52.70
93.60
120.00
20.80
110.00
21.30		 93.70
39.50
74.20
107.00
28.20
108.00
17.50		 92.70
41.40
79.90
108.00
27.70
112.00
16.90		 83.80
43.90
78.80
105.00
31.90
100.00
11.60		 -1.00
+1.90
+5.70
+1.00
-0.50
+4.00
-0.60		 -9.30
-11.30
-13.70
-12.00
+6.90
+2.00
-4.40		 94.00
42.60
77.00
107.00
N/A
N/A
12.00		 83.50
44.00
78.50
104.00
N/A
N/A
11.50
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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