E-mail: nass-ny@nass.usda.gov
(518) 457-5570

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Contact:  Joe Morse
Monday, February 2, 2009

www.nass.usda.gov/ny

                 JANUARY MILK PRICES DECREASE FROM DECEMBER

Prices received by New York producers for milk sold during January were
down from a month earlier, according to Steve Ropel, Director of USDA=s
National Agricultural Statistics Service, New York Office. The price of
corn, apples, and wheat also decreased.  The price of hay and eggs
increased. The price of potatoes was unchanged.  Many previous month prices
were revised due to more complete sales information.

Dairy farmers in the Empire State received an average of $14.40 per
hundredweight of milk sold during January, down $1.70 from December and
$6.90 less than January a year ago.  Poultry producers received an average
of 93.7 cents per dozen eggs sold, up 4.7 cents from December but 34.3
cents lower than last year.

Grain corn, at $3.89 per bushel, was down 80 cents from December and
decreased 61 cents from last year.  Potatoes, at $16.40 per hundredweight,
were unchanged from December but down $4.30 from last year at this time.
Hay averaged $121.00 per ton, up $3.00 from December and $8.00 from January
2008.  Apples, at 29.7 cents per hundredweight, were down 4.8 cents from
last year at this time.  Wheat, at $5.08 per bushel, was down $1.14 from
January 2008.

The preliminary All Farm Products Index of Prices Received by Farmers in
January, at 137 percent, based on 1990-92=100, increased 2 points (1.5
percent) from December. The Crop Index is up 8 points (5.4 percent) but the
Livestock Index decreased 4 points (3.4 percent). Producers received higher
prices for soybeans, lettuce, oranges, and broccoli and lower prices for
milk, cotton, tomatoes, and onions. 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 corn,
soybeans, cattle, and rice offset decreased marketings of cottonseed,
grapes, broilers, and cotton.  The information in this release is available
by free email subscription by subscribing to New York reports at
www.nass.usda.gov/ny.

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2-2-09