Despite the highest wheat prices in seven...

Despite the highest wheat prices in seven years, the prices of grains and other farm products rose just 0.7% from August to September, the smallest monthly increase since the Midwest drought began last spring. The Agriculture Department’s price index rose 3.1% from April to May, 2.2% in June, 2.9% in July and 2.1% in August. Higher prices for grapefruit, milk and wheat contributed most to the latest, if modest, monthly increase, which was largely offset by lower prices for hogs, oranges and broiler chickens. Still, prices received by farmers for their crops in September averaged 12% higher than those of a year earlier.