Some Alberta farm input prices buck the trend to increases

More than one-third of Alberta farm input prices declined this year from January 2017, according to an Alberta Agriculture survey of farm inputs.

Year over year average prices declined on 21 items, increased on 30 and were flat on three items. Highest decrease was 41 per cent for natural gas to $2.21 per cubic foot. Next largest price decline was 82-0-0 anhydrous fertilize down 13.3 per cent to $782.71 a tonne. Phosphorous and calcium cattle mineral was down 12.6 per cent to $29.91 per 20 kilos. Many new farm machinery prices declined slightly with a 325-375 hp diesel 4wd tractor down 2.9 per cent to $385,856. A self-propelled class seven combine, 323-374 hp, was down 1.7 per cent to $478,428.

A 40-42-foot air drill was down three per cent to $303,976 while a pull type sprayer was $193 less to $70,282.

A three-quarter ton truck was up 6.3 per cent to $50,000.

Largest price increase was 36 per cent for construction grade spruce 2x8s at $936 per thousand.

Reflecting a tough winter, 50 per cent alfalfa hay was up 28 per cent to $144.24 a tonne. Farm gate feed barley was up 22 per cent to $3.92 a bushel with feed wheat up 13 per cent to $4.90 a bushel. Feed oats was up three per cent to $2.68. Weathermax Roundup was up 13 per cent to $8.08 per litre.

Liquefied propane was up 16 per cent to $7.42 a litre. Purple gas was up 7.4 per cent to 97.8 cents a litre.

Certified seed increases ranged from 2.8 per cent for Roundup Ready canola ($482.29/22.7kg) to 5.3 per cent for seed wheat ($54.71/100kg) to 1.5 per cent for barley ($38.921/100 kg).

Livestock feed rations ranged from up five per cent for calf starter pellets ($16.09/25kg) to 1.2 per cent for feedlot supplement pellets ($16.58/25kg).

Farm labour averaged $3,555, up 4.3 per cent from one year ago.

A 4,000 bushel hopper bottom grain bin was up 12 per cent to $16,940 while 17-inch first line radial truck tires were up 4.5 per cent to $308.

The Alberta farm input price survey is part of the Growing Forward program. Saskatchewan does not keep track of farm input prices.

Ron Walter can be reached at ronjoy@sasktel.net