overview
The Economic Research Service (ERS) annually calculates normalized prices for evaluating alternative development and management plans for water and related land resources. Normalized prices smooth out the effects of short-term fluctuations so that plans can be evaluated on a more realistic basis rather than using current prices, which may be lower or higher than normal because of short-lived phenomena. Since 1993, ERS has estimated these prices based on 5-year moving averages of actual market prices (1998-2002 for 2004 normal prices). State-level prices for 2004 were calculated by multiplying the national-level normalized prices by the average ratios of the State prices to the national prices for 2000-2002.

media and naming convention
The four table files in the normalized prices database are downloadable in both .wk1 and .xls spreadsheet format. File names are listed and described below.

data files

Table 1 (natlprices) shows national-level normalized price estimates for commodities for 1999-2004.

.wk1 format .xls format

Table 2 (natlindices) shows national-level normalized indices of market-clearing prices received and paid by farmers, also based on 5-year moving averages, for 1999-2004.

.wk1 format .xls format

Table 3 (natlindicesbases) compares the 2004 indices using three base periods (1990-92=100, 1977=100, and 1967=100), for users to convert the data in Table 2 to a different base year, if needed.

.wk1 format .xls format

Table 4 (stateprices) shows State-level normalized price estimates for commodities for 2004.

.wk1 format .xls format

for more information, contact: Tim Payne
web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov
page updated: September 27, 2004