Profits at North Dakota's state mill and elevator slumped to $130,456 during the first three months of the year.

Mill manager Vance Taylor says higher wheat prices and less demand for flour have put pressure on the state-owned mill's margins. He told the state Industrial Commission he expects the trend to continue.

The profit number is a significant decrease from the same period a year ago. During January, February and March of last year, the mill's profit totaled $1.3 million.

However, the numbers are similar for the first nine months of the mill's budget year. The mill's profit through March is $3.02 million. During the same period the year before, the profit number was $3.13 million.

- Associated Press