WASHINGTON, D.C., U.S. — The preliminary U.S. average price received by farmers for all wheat in May was $6.60 per bushel, down 51¢ from $7.11 in April and down $1.56 from $8.16 in May 2011, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in its latest Agricultural Prices report.

The average price paid for winter wheat in May was $6.18 per bushel, down 29¢ from $6.47 in April and down $1.62 from $7.80 in May 2011. The average price paid for durum was $8.75 a bushel, down 43¢ from $9.18 in April but up 89¢ from $7.86 a year earlier. Spring wheat other than durum averaged $7.61 a bushel, down 34¢ from $7.95 in April and down $1.24 from $8.85 in May 2011.

The average price paid for all rice was $13.70 a cwt, down 20¢ from $13.90 in April but up $1 from $12.70 in May 2011.

The May index of prices received by farmers for food grains was 216 compared with the 1990-92 base of 100, down 4% from 226 the previous month and down 15% from 253 in May 2011.

The May index of feed grains was 269, down 1% from 272 in April but up 1% from 266 in May 2011. The average price paid to farmers for corn was $6.22 a bushel, down 12c from $6.34 in April and down 10¢ from $6.32 in May 2011. Farmers received an average of $10.10 a cwt from grain sorghum in April, down 50¢ from $10.60 in April and down $1.50 from $11.60 in May 2011.

The average price paid for oats in May was $3.76 a bushel, down 5¢ from $3.81 in April but up 21¢ from $3.55 in May 2011.

The index of May prices received for oilseeds was 245, unchanged from April but up 3% from 237 in May 2011. Farmers received an average of $13.70 a bushel for soybeans in May, unchanged from April but up 50¢ from $13.20 in May 2011.