Update
Added September 11, 2013.
Feed Price Update: September 4th 2013
National Organic Grain and Feedstuffs Report
The following information is provided by the USDA livestock and Grain Market News who produce one national report.
Trading in national organic grain and feedstuff has been steady and market activity continued to be very slow as buyers and sellers take a ‘wait and see’ approach towards the market. Demand for feed grade soybeans was good as supplies of finished soybean meal were limited. Crop conditions were mixed with the Eastern Corn belt being excellent and the Midwest reporting average conditions. Drought conditions throughout much of the Midwest are of great concern. Some essential corn growing areas have been without significant rainfall since July. New crop wheat harvest in the Northwest is reported to be very good with yields coming in better than originally expected.
Corn and Soybean prices are generally running under 2012 levels but hay and forage are higher, especially in the Midwest where the weather has followed an unpredictable roller coaster of extremes. While the contracted prices are lower there is no thought or indication that these slightly lower prices will be passed on to producers who purchase pelleted feed or roasted soymeal. In the northeast 2012 had a summer drought that burnt up the pastures and cut the yields on field crops and hay and 2013 has seen excess rainfall causing late planting and delayed harvesting but the pastures are still growing. Corn yields in the East are generally predicted to be higher than those in Central US but concerns of an early frost and late planting makes predictions difficult
Alfalfa hay in Iowa: Supreme quality is $335.00; Premium is $300.00, and Good grade is $285.00. Oregon alfalfa: Good quality has been traded at $265.00. California: (Large squares) Supreme $230, Premium $210 and Good $200. All hay prices are reported on a per ton bases. Quality hay is difficult to find in the northeast.
Organic Future contracts
Feed Grain Corn – New Crop |
$10-12.50 for delivery in Dec 2013-Feb 2014 |
|
Barley – New Crop |
$9.04 for delivery in Fall 13- Spring 2014 |
|
Feed Grade Soybeans – New Crop |
$25-26.00 for delivery in Oct-Dec 2013 |
Prices negotiated on the spot market, freight on buyer (trucking paid by buyer = FOB) the farm. Prices are quoted based upon $/bushel, except soybean meal ($/ton and FOB the mill) and roasted soybeans, $/ton. Most prices are based on trading in the Midwest, so delivery to other parts of the country has to be added. Hay is reported FOB the stack or barn unless otherwise noted.
|
|
Aug 13 |
June 2013 |
May 2013 |
2nd qtr. 13 |
Sept. 2012 |
|
Feed Grade Corn |
11.92 |
12.61 |
13.15 |
12.93 |
16.71 |
|
Food Grade Soybeans |
30.00 |
27 |
|
28.33 |
|
|
Feed Grade Soybeans |
26.87 |
26.13 |
25.53 |
25.94 |
30.29 |
|
Feed Grade Oats |
|
6.58 |
|
6.48 |
5.59 |
|
Feed Grade Barley |
9.52 |
11.5 |
11.63 |
11.59 |
10.8 |
|
Food Grade Wheat |
|
|
14.51 |
15.15 |
14.89 |
|
Feed Grade Wheat |
|
15.5 |
12.5 |
15.5 |
10.36 |
|
Soybean meal |
$1120/ton |
$1109/ton |
$1095/ton |
$1,109/ton |
1264/ton |
|
Feed Grade Peas |
|
|
|
21.8 |
|
|
Organic Alfalfa - Premium |
|
|
$300/ton |
|
|
|
Organic Alfalfa – Good |
|
|
$275/ton |
|
|
|
Organic Grass Hay |
|
|
|
|
|
The Farm Price Barometer highlights the failure of price to farmers and growers increasing with comparable increase in inputs and comparable prices. Organic prices for grain are comparable to parity or higher which reflects the true costs for grain farmers. Unfortunately the parity price for organic dairy and livestock does not reflect parity, even using non-organic prices with a parity price of $52 per cwt for non-organic milk and an average organic price of approximately $30/cwt. For a comprehensive article explaining parity prices by Kevin Englebert please go to: http://www.nodpa.com/in_parity_pricing_012213.shtml
Commodity |
Current Organic price |
Non-organic parity price |
% of Parity |
|
Crops |
|
|
|
|
Barley (bushel) |
$ 11.25 |
$ 12.60 |
89% |
|
Corn (bushel) |
$ 14.49 |
$ 12.00 |
121% |
|
Cotton, Upland (lb) |
$ 1.50 |
$ 2.08 |
72% |
|
Flaxseed (bushel) |
$ 38.71 |
$ 31.80 |
122% |
|
Oats (bushel) |
$ 5.75 |
$ 7.60 |
76% |
|
Peanuts (lb) |
|
$ 0.75 |
0% |
|
Rice (cwt) |
$ 25.00 |
$ 42.20 |
59% |
|
Sorghum Grain (cwt) |
$ 35.00 |
$ 21.10 |
166% |
|
Soybeans (bushel) |
$ 26.72 |
$ 28.90 |
92% |
|
Wheat (bushel) |
$ 14.12 |
$ 18.30 |
77% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Livestock |
|
|
|
|
Cattle (cwt) |
$ 163.00 |
$ 292.00 |
56% |
|
Hogs (cwt) |
$ 85.00 |
$ 160.00 |
53% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Dairy/Poultry |
|
|
|
|
Eggs, (dozen) |
$ 2.75 |
$ 2.63 |
105% |
|
Milk, All (cwt) |
$ 30.00 |
$ 52.00 |
58% |
Courtesy of Bob Parsons, University of Vermont
Courtesy of Green Mountain Feeds, University of Vermont and Producers
Current market price for organic dry shelled corn is between $550-650/ton, $620 for corn meal in NY, and organic raw soybeans are between $950-1,050/ ton. Second cut hay is selling for around $200-250/ton and high quality alfalfa hay at $450/ton at the farm.
Located below are the links to latest organic price reports.
National Hay, Feed & Seed Weekly Summary http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lswfeedseed.pdf
Bi weekly National Organic Grains and Feedstuffs: http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lsbnof.pdf
