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USDA says April prices paid, received up on month

The USDA says producers made and paid a little more in April than in March.

The prices received index was 2% higher, with higher prices for cattle, broilers, broccoli, and lettuce cancelling out declines in hogs, milk, market eggs, and strawberries. The crop production index gained 6.5%, with a big jump for vegetables and melons, a relatively slight rise for other crops, and declines in feed grains, food grains, oilseeds, and fruit and tree nuts. The livestock production index was down 1.1% with an increase in meat animals and decreases for dairy and poultry and eggs.

The prices paid index was up 0.4%, with higher prices for feeder cattle, nitrogen, hay, forages, and other services mostly cancelling out lower prices for feeder pigs, wages, complete feed, and concentrates.

Year to year, the received index is up 4.4%, while the paid index is 0.8% higher.