The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released its preliminary report on August farm prices Tuesday afternoon. The all-products price index rose 3% month over month to 102, with the crop production index up 2.3 points to 88 and the livestock production index up 1.7 points to 117. The August prices-received index is up 3.0 points month over month, but down 3.0 points from August 2014. The index uses prices from 2011 as its base value (100).

The USDA noted August’s lower prices received for broilers, wheat, onions and hay offset higher prices for market eggs, lettuce, strawberries and apples. Prices paid by farmers in the month fell to an index value of 108, about 3.6% lower compared with August 2014 prices.

The price farmers received for livestock is about 10% lower than it was a year ago and the price for meat animals is 0.8% higher. The August hog price is down $0.30 per hundredweight since June, and down $24.20 compared with August 2014. Beef prices are down $10.00 per hundredweight compared with the August 2014 price and down $1 compared with July.

Year over year, all-wheat prices are down $1.12 a bushel at $4.85, and feed corn is down $0.12 compared with July but up $0.05 compared with August 2014 at $3.68 a bushel.

Dairy prices were unchanged month over month and down 31% year over year. Market egg prices rose $0.57 per dozen, compared with July prices to $2.38 a dozen. A dozen eggs costs $1.52 more than it did in August 2014.

The prices farmers paid for feeder pigs fell $7 month over month to $88 per hundredweight in August. Feeder cattle prices fell $8.00 per hundredweight to $219.00 in August.

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