How to Read the USDA Agricultural Prices Report — Prices Received by Farmers, Prices Paid Index and Their Ratio
USDA Agricultural Prices, U.S. indexes for September 2026 (2011=100): prices received by farmers 133.2 (-1.7% from August), prices paid 160.5 (+0.4%); ratio 83.
Key figures (Agricultural Prices, October 30, 2026 report)
As of 31 October 2026, 04:20 KST; most recently published report: Agricultural Prices, released October 30, 2026, by the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS), with U.S. prices received by farmers and prices paid indexes for September 2026. The NASS October 2026 calendar lists the release at 3:00 pm ET; the publication page lists the next scheduled releases on November 30 and December 30, 2026, at 3:00 PM without a time zone. Primary source: https://esmis.nal.usda.gov/sites/default/release-files/796128/agpr1026.txt[1][2][3]
| Indicator (United States) | Previous (August 2026, as printed in the October 30 report) | Current (September 2026) | Change vs previous | Change vs year ago (September 2025) | Evidence type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prices Received Index, agricultural production (2011=100) | 135.5 | 133.2 | -1.7% (published) | +0.5% (published) from 132.5 | levels and changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record (changes as published) |
| Prices Received Index, crop production (2011=100) | 113.3 | 117.5 | +3.7% (published) | +15% (published) from 102.0 | levels and changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record (changes as published) |
| Prices Received Index, livestock production (2011=100) | 153.7 | 147.0 | -4.4% (published) | -10% (published) from 163.4 | levels and changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record (changes as published) |
| Prices Paid Index, PPITW (2011=100) | 159.9 | 160.5 | +0.4% (published) | +5.2% (published) from 152.6 | levels and changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record (changes as published) |
| Ratio of prices received to prices paid (percent) | 85 | 83 | -2 points (this page's subtraction) | from 87 | levels: USDA NASS primary statistical record; change: this page's calculation |
| Corn price received (dollars per bushel) | 4.45 | 4.81 | +36 cents (published) | +81 cents (published) from 4.00 | levels and changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record (changes as published) |
| Market egg price received (dollars per dozen) | 0.770 | 0.648 | -12.2 cents (published) | -$1.28 (published) from 1.93 | levels and changes: USDA NASS primary statistical record (changes as published) |
Comparison basis: index levels (2011=100) and prices are as printed in the October 30 report, including its August 2026 column; changes are the report's own published figures, which are rounded (whole percentages for the larger year-ago changes), except the ratio change, which is this page's subtraction. The report notes that revised historical indexes for months not shown are available from NASS. The release, publication page and calendar are all from USDA and count as one source.[1]
In three lines
1. The monthly NASS report gives U.S. prices farmers received for crops and livestock, indexes of those prices, and an index of prices farmers paid for inputs, interest, taxes and wages.
2. In September 2026, the Prices Received Index (2011=100) was 133.2, down 1.7% from August, while the Prices Paid Index was 160.5, up 0.4%.
3. The ratio of prices received to prices paid fell to 83 from 85 in August.[1]
What the report says (in NASS's words)
"The September Prices Received Index 2011 Base (Agricultural Production), at 133.2, decreased 1.7 percent from August but increased 0.5 percent from September 2025." "At 117.5, the Crop Production Index was up 3.7 percent from last month and 15 percent from the previous year." "The Livestock Production Index, at 147.0, decreased 4.4 percent from August and 10 percent from September last year." "In addition to prices, the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes."[1]
"The September Prices Paid Index for Commodities and Services, Interest, Taxes, and Farm Wage Rates (PPITW), at 160.5, is up 0.4 percent from August 2026 and 5.2 percent from September 2025." "The corn price, at $4.81 per bushel, is up 36 cents from last month and 81 cents from September 2025." "The September market egg price, at 64.8 cents per dozen, is 12.2 cents lower than August and $1.28 lower than September 2025."[1]
What prices received measure. "Prices received represent sales from producers to first buyers." "They include all grades and qualities." "Primary sales data used to determine grain prices were obtained from probability samples of about 1,900 mills and elevators." "Generally, States surveyed account for 90 percent or more of total United States production."[1]
How prices paid are measured. "Annually, about 8,500 firms are randomly selected from lists by type of item sold with an average response rate in the range of 75-80 percent." "The survey reference period for all items is the full preceding calendar year." "Prices paid indexes for new autos and trucks, building materials, farm supplies, motor supplies, and marketing containers are updated based on price changes measured in selected Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) indexes."[1]
Reading in pairs
Prices vs volumes. The received indexes are not pure price measures: "In addition to prices, the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes." A monthly move in an index can therefore reflect both prices and the mix of commodities marketed; the report lists both kinds of change but does not split the index move between them.[1]
Level error vs change. "United States price estimates based on probability surveys generally have a sampling error of less than one percent for the major commodities such as corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton, and rice." For commodities without probability surveys: "However, analytical measures approximate the United States relative sampling errors at around five percent." For prices paid: "However, analytical measures approximate the United States relative sampling errors for major items around 10 percent." These describe the precision of price levels; they are not tests of whether a monthly change, such as the 0.4% rise in the Prices Paid Index, is significant.[1]
Prices received vs prices paid. Both indexes use 2011=100, and their ratio fell from 85 in August to 83 in September 2026 (87 in September 2025). Within prices paid, the fuels index rose from 116.7 to 133.6 (14.48%, this page's calculation from the displayed index levels; the report publishes 14 percent). The report lists which prices rose and fell without attributing them to wider causes.[1]
First print vs revised. "Revisions are published in monthly issues of Agricultural Prices." The August 2026 column in this report is the basis for the published monthly changes; earlier first-print values are not shown in it.[1]
Verified facts
Each fact is labelled with its evidence typeEach fact in this section carries its evidence type — either cross-checked against independent sources, or confirmed from a single authoritative record.
The U.S. Prices Received Index (2011=100) for agricultural production was 133.2 in September 2026, down 1.7 percent from August and up 0.5 percent from September 2025.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
The U.S. Prices Paid Index (PPITW, 2011=100) was 160.5 in September 2026, up 0.4 percent from August and 5.2 percent from September 2025.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
U.S. farmers received $4.81 per bushel for corn in September 2026, up 36 cents from August.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
The U.S. market egg price received was 64.8 cents per dozen in September 2026, $1.28 lower than September 2025.[1] 1 source · authoritative record
The USDA publication page lists the next scheduled Agricultural Prices releases on November 30 and December 30, 2026.[2] 1 source · authoritative record
Statements and readings
Not counted as facts — each item shows what kind of statement it isFrom here on: statements not counted as facts — single-source reports, the issuing body’s own statements, and this page’s own readings, each labeled.
NASS reports a ratio of prices received to prices paid of 85 in August 2026 and 83 in September 2026; this page subtracts the published values to obtain a 2-point decline.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the October 30 release
The U.S. fuels prices paid index rose from 116.7 in August to 133.6 in September 2026, a 14.48% increase calculated from the displayed index levels; NASS publishes the change as 14 percent.[1] This page’s own calculation or reading · This page's calculation from the October 30 release
Timeline
What this page could not establish
These are questions this page tried to answer and could not. The gaps are left open rather than filled with a guess.- How much of the September index move came from prices rather than marketing volumes?
- Why did the fuels prices paid index rise from August?
- Model
- claude-opus-5
- Time
- 10/31/2026, 04:24
- Body characters
- 6,445
- Sources
- 3 sources adopted
- Model
- ChatGPT (checked sources on the web)
- Time
- 10/31/2026, 04:27
- Verdict
- Revision required
Show revision history (3)
| 10/31/2026, 09:00 | First authored (claude-opus-5) | Created |
| 10/31/2026 | First version. Read in full the USDA NASS Agricultural Prices text release of October 30, 2026, including the prices received and prices paid tables, state tables, parity prices, rice marketing tables and reliability sections, plus the publication page and the NASS October 2026 release calendar; quotations are complete sentences matched against the source text. | Updated |
| 10/31/2026 | Revised after review: the reliability answer names what each published sampling error applies to and says it is not a significance test of the September changes; the ratio claim attributes both values to NASS and the 2-point decline to this page's subtraction; the fuels index change is given as 14.48% from the displayed levels beside NASS's published 14 percent. | Updated |
Frequently asked
What was the U.S. Prices Received Index for agricultural production in September 2026?
133.2 (2011=100), down 1.7% from August 2026 and up 0.5% from September 2025, according to the NASS report of October 30, 2026.[1]
What was the U.S. Prices Paid Index (PPITW) in September 2026?
160.5 (2011=100), up 0.4% from August 2026 and 5.2% from September 2025; it covers commodities and services, interest, taxes and farm wage rates.[1]
What price did U.S. farmers receive for corn in September 2026?
$4.81 per bushel, up 36 cents from August and 81 cents from September 2025; prices received are sales from producers to first buyers, all grades and qualities.[1]
Does a 1.7% fall in the U.S. Prices Received Index for September 2026 mean prices alone fell 1.7%?
Not necessarily: the 1.7% index move can reflect more than prices, because NASS says the volume change of commodities marketed also influences the indexes, alongside prices.[1]
How does NASS describe the general reliability of its price estimates in the October 30, 2026 report?
Prices from probability surveys for major commodities such as corn, wheat, soybeans, cotton and rice generally have a sampling error of less than 1 percent; non-probability commodities have relative sampling errors of around 5 percent; major items in the prices paid survey around 10 percent. These describe the precision of price levels and are not a significance test of the September 2026 index changes.[1]
What was the U.S. ratio of prices received to prices paid in September 2026?
83 percent (2011 base), down from 85 in August 2026 and 87 in September 2025.[1]