nd-prices-economic NEWS RELEASE Agricultural Prices March 30, 2005 North Dakota Agricultural Prices The Index of Prices Received for All Farm Products in March is 113 percent of the 1990-1992 base, according to the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service. This is down 6 percent from last year but 6 percent above two years ago. The All Crops Index, at 109 percent of the base, is down 11 percent from March 2004 while the All Livestock Index, at 124 percent, is up 12 percent from last year. March indexes are calculated using preliminary mid-month prices. The February Index of Prices Received for All Farm Products, recalculated with full month prices, was 112 percent of the base, down 3 percent from February 2004. The All Crops Index, at 108 percent, was down 8 percent from the previous year while the All Livestock Index, at 121 percent, was up 11 percent. Preliminary March prices, followed by the change from February: Spring Wheat, $3.45 per bushel, up 10 cents; Durum Wheat, $3.55 per bushel, down 10 cents; Winter Wheat, $2.85 per bushel, up 5 cents; Feed Barley, $1.40 per bushel, unchanged; Malting Barley, $2.05 per bushel, down 21 cents; Corn, $1.65 per bushel, up 2 cents; Soybeans, $6.10 per bushel, up 76 cents; Flaxseed, $11.90 per bushel, up 90 cents; Oil Sunflower, $13.70 per hundredweight (cwt.), down 50 cents; Non-Oil Sunflower, $20.50 per cwt., up $1.00; All Dry Edible Beans, $28.20 per cwt., down 80 cents; All Potatoes, $5.85 per cwt., down 25 cents; Alfalfa Hay, $63.00 per ton, up $1.00; Other Hay, $46.00 per ton, up $2.00; Steers and Heifers, $106.00 per cwt., up $3.00; Cows, $57.00 per cwt., up $1.60; Calves, $130.00 per cwt., up $2.00. February whole month prices, with no preliminary March, followed by the change from January: Canola, $9.34 per cwt., down 61 cents; Navy Beans, $25.30 per cwt., up $2.30; Pinto Beans, $30.30 per cwt., up $3.20; Fresh Potatoes, $5.95 per cwt., down 30 cents; Potatoes for Processing, $6.10 per cwt., up 10 cents; Hogs, $51.50 per cwt., down $2.80; Lambs, $119.00 per cwt., up $3.00; Sheep, $46.00 per cwt., down $2.00. March prices are preliminary and based on sales data for only part of the month. They will be replaced with whole month prices in next month's report. February prices are based on sales data for the entire month. Index Numbers of Farm Prices, March 2005 Indexes North Dakota United States and Mar Feb Mar Mar Feb Mar Ratios 2004 2005 2005 2004 2005 2005 Prices Received (1990-92 = 100) All Farm Products 120 112 113 121 114 118 Crops 123 108 109 121 106 113 Food Grains 126 108 110 127 109 114 Feed Grains & Hay 116 87 87 118 90 95 Oil Bearing Crops 1/ 145 120 127 165 99 113 Potatoes & Dry Beans 2/ 92 107 99 105 105 110 Livestock 111 121 124 122 119 122 Meat Animals 113 124 128 111 120 123 Dairy Products 106 105 106 118 119 119 Other Livestock Products 3/ 99 99 99 148 120 122 Prices Paid --- --- --- 132 135 135 Ratio 4/ --- --- --- 92 84 87 1/ Includes non-oil sunflower. 2/ North Dakota includes sugarbeets. 3/ United States excludes wool. 4/ Ratio of Index of Prices Received to Index of Prices Paid. Prices Received by Farmers, March 2005 North Dakota Entire Month Preliminary Item Unit Mar Feb Mar 2004 2005 2005 - - - Dollars - - - Wheat, All Bu 3.95 3.39 3.45 Durum Bu 4.15 3.65 3.55 Other Spring Bu 3.90 3.35 3.45 Winter Bu 3.29 2.80 2.85 Corn Bu 2.62 1.63 1.65 Rye Bu --- --- --- Oats Bu 1.40 1.21 1.20 Barley, All Bu 2.48 2.05 1.89 Feed Bu 1.98 1.40 1.40 Malting Bu 2.65 2.26 2.05 Sunflower, All Cwt 13.10 16.10 15.70 Oil Cwt 12.50 14.20 13.70 Non-oil Cwt 15.80 19.50 20.50 Baled Hay, All 1/ Ton 54.00 58.00 59.00 Alfalfa 1/ Ton 58.00 62.00 63.00 Other 1/ Ton 40.00 44.00 46.00 Canola Cwt 12.20 9.34 --- Flaxseed Bu 6.53 11.00 11.90 Soybeans Bu 8.59 5.34 6.10 Dry Edible Beans, All Cwt 16.80 29.00 28.20 Navy Cwt 17.90 25.30 --- Pinto Cwt 16.30 30.30 --- Potatoes, All Cwt 5.90 6.10 5.85 Fresh 2/ Cwt 4.60 5.95 --- Processing Cwt 6.00 6.10 --- Beef Cattle Cwt 86.80 94.90 98.70 Steers & Heifers Cwt 91.60 103.00 106.00 Cows Cwt 48.10 55.40 57.00 Calves Cwt 113.00 128.00 130.00 Sheep Cwt 36.00 46.00 --- Lambs Cwt 97.00 119.00 --- Hogs Cwt 48.20 51.50 --- 1/ Alfalfa, other and all hay are preliminary prices only. 2/ Fresh market prices only, includes table stock. Prices Received by Farmers, March 2005 United States Effective Entire Month Preliminary U.S. Item Unit Parity Mar Feb Mar Price 2004 2005 2005 Mar 2005 - - - Dollars - - - - Dollars - Wheat, All Bu 3.83 3.36 3.53 10.00 Durum Bu 4.14 3.71 3.64 --- Other Spring Bu 3.90 3.50 3.65 --- Winter Bu 3.76 3.27 3.44 --- Corn Bu 2.75 1.95 2.03 6.71 Rye Bu --- --- --- 6.40 Oats Bu 1.60 1.66 1.60 3.99 Barley, All Bu 2.77 2.37 2.48 6.80 Feed Bu 2.19 1.62 1.77 --- Malting Bu 2.97 2.64 2.76 --- Sunflower, All Cwt 13.10 15.10 15.10 --- Oil Cwt --- --- --- --- Non-oil Cwt --- --- --- --- Baled Hay, All 1/ Ton 81.80 84.70 89.10 --- Alfalfa 1/ Ton 86.20 91.90 96.40 --- Other 1/ Ton 72.00 70.00 70.40 --- Canola Cwt --- --- --- --- Flaxseed Bu 6.53 11.00 11.90 13.60 Soybeans Bu 9.28 5.42 6.28 16.20 Dry Edible Beans, All Cwt 20.20 27.80 27.40 50.90 Navy Cwt --- --- --- --- Pinto Cwt --- --- --- --- Potatoes, All Cwt 6.09 5.76 6.16 15.10 Fresh 2/ Cwt 7.20 6.53 --- --- Processing Cwt 5.24 5.26 --- --- Beef Cattle Cwt 83.70 89.00 91.90 174.00 Steers & Heifers Cwt 88.00 93.30 96.30 --- Cows Cwt 46.50 52.40 53.60 --- Calves Cwt 115.00 128.00 132.00 236.00 Sheep Cwt 36.70 51.30 --- 85.10 Lambs Cwt 103.00 114.00 --- 211.00 Hogs Cwt 47.20 50.70 51.50 108.00 1/ Alfalfa, other and all hay are preliminary prices only. 2/ Fresh market prices only, includes table stock. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: David Knopf, Director North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service NDSU, IACC Bldg., Room 448 P.O. Box 3166 Fargo, ND 58108-3166 Telephone: (701) 239-5306 E-Mail: nass-nd@nass.usda.gov Internet: http://www.nass.usda.gov/nd/