News

USDA price indices up in April

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

The index of prices received was up 1.1%, with a 2.6% increase the livestock index cancelling out a 1.2% decline for crops. Prices were higher for hogs, milk, broiler chickens, and hay, lower for corn, market eggs, strawberries, and lettuce. Marketings were higher for milk, broilers, strawberries, and oranges, but lower for corn, soybeans, cattle, and hay.

The index of prices paid gained 0.5% with rising prices for feeder cattle, feeder pigs, gasoline, and hay and forages cancelling out declines in feed grains, herbicides, nitrogen, and supplements.

Year to year, the index of prices received was 0.1% higher, including a loss of 4.3% for crops and a gain of 4.6% for livestock, while the index of prices paid was up 2.3%, reflecting the continued losses experienced by many producers.