Busy June Ahead!

Several storms rolled through various parts of the state over the weekend and on Memorial Day.  Some areas reported damaging winds, hail and heavy rains.  There are still areas of the State that have yet to receive measurable rains and are very dry.

It’s hard to believe that June is here this week.  Exhibitor contracts for the 2019 Mid-America Forage Expo that will be held at Adams County Fairgrounds in Hastings, Nebraska on January 15 & 16 will be sent out in the next couple of weeks and we hope exhibit spaces will fill up quickly.  The speakers program should be finalized and announced on the alfalfaexpo.com in the near future.

On June 19^th and 20^th we will be participating in the Sandhills Ranch Expo being held in Bassett, Nebraksa.  Then on June 25th through the 27th we will be attending the National Forage Alliance summer board meeting in Olathe, Kansas. 

Whether you are looking to buy hay or are looking for markets to sell hay, the Independent Forage Growers can help you.  Membership in the Association is open to all forage producers.  The goal of the Association is to gain access for you to customers that you might otherwise not have access to on your own.  We have a national advertising campaign that directs potential customers to our inventory listing system, where as a member, you have the opportunity to list your personal inventories; you can be involved with any of the trade shows the Association attends, and we will gladly share information with you regarding trucking, receiving payment or in any other areas you may need assistance.

Drought stricken areas of the Four Corners the Souther Plains remain dry.

According to the latest drought monitor, moderate precipitation fell in a wide swath covering an area from Kansas and Nebraska, eastward into parts of the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Additionally, moderate precipitation fell in the South and Southeast. Locally higher amounts fell in northern Florida late last week. Moisture laden systems continued to provide much needed precipitation to coastal California and the Sierra. Light to moderate precipitation fell in the Northeast, High Plains, and parts of the Rockies. The drought stricken areas of the Four Corners and the Southern Plains saw little to no precipitation.

The 6-10 day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center calls for an increased chance of below-normal precipitation in the West while the highest probability of precipitation is forecast for the South. The probability of above-normal temperatures are also highest in the South. Below-normal temperatures are most likely to occur across the western third of the U.S.

Prices for Large and medium squares of dairy quality alfalfa are at $150-210.  Large rounds of alfalfa $85-120, some limited reports of $130-145.  Grass hay in large rounds is at $90-110.  Cornstalk large round bales $55-65.  These prices are all priced per ton at the stack and are actual sales reported by members of the Independent Forage Growers.

The Board of Directors will be holding what will likely be the last full board meeting before the summer break, next Thursday, April 5 beginning at 10 am at the Best Western Inn & Suites in Grand Island.  Board meetings are open to all members and you are always encouraged to attend.

National Ag Week March 19-23, 2018

In honor of National Ag Week this week, I’d like to review a few facts about agriculture in this great state. Nebraska ranks 1^st in the nation on all cattle on feed, commercial red meat production and commercial cattle slaughter.  Second in the nation on all hay production which in 2017 was 6.1 million tons.  Fourth in the nation on Alfalfa hay production which in 2017 was 3.2 million acres. There are nearly 23 million acres of rangeland and pastureland in Nebraska. And 1 in 4 jobs in Nebraska is related to agriculture. Agriculture in Nebraska is imperative to the economy and forages are a huge contributing factor.

The Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association dba Independent Forage Growers supports the forage industry and it’s producers through promotion, production and marketing education and acts as a voice at the national level on issues such as research funding and other issues related to forages.

Calls continue to come in on the 800# and hits on www.nebraska-alfalfa.com and www.IndependentForageGrowers.com keep coming.  Most interest is for feedlot hay old or new crop and a few dairies are beginning to inquire about new crop pricing.

Prices for Large and medium squares of dairy quality alfalfa are at $150-200.  Large rounds of alfalfa $85-120, some limited reports of $135-150.  Grass hay in large rounds is at $80-100.  Cornstalk large round bales $55-65.  These prices are all priced per ton at the stack and are actual sales reported by members of the Independent Forage Growers.

Grinding Hay Shortage....

Last year at this time there was a great need for hay in the fire stricken areas of Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma.  This year Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas remain in a drought pattern but fires are not yet an issue. 

Demand for lower quality cow/calf and feedlot hay has created a shortage for those types of hay.  Prices for that type of hay has increased but locating the hay is more of an issue than price at this point.

There have been a few new inventory listings posted on IndependentForageGrowers.com and Nebraska-alfalfa.com in the last couple of weeks and calls continue to come in on the 800 number.  Prices are holding steady both for grass and alfalfa.  Large and medium squares of dairy quality alfalfa are at $150-200.  Large rounds of alfalfa $85-120, some limited reports of $135-150.  Grass hay in large rounds is at $80-100.  Cornstalk large round bales $55-65.  These prices are all priced per ton at the stack and are actual sales reported by members of the Independent Forage Growers.

If you are a producer and would like assistance in gaining access to potential customers that you may not otherwise have access to on your own, then you need to join the Independent Forage Growers.  With the inventory listing system, customer referrals and the reputation of 32 years as a respected Association in the forage industry membership may be just what you need.

N.A.M.A. Joins NAFA in Washington DC

Alfalfa is key to sustainable agricultural systems and is an economic engine in rual communities-its value for soil conservation, nitrogen fixation, energy savings, crop rotation, and wildlife habitat is unsurpassed.  In terms of value, it is the nation’s third most valuable field crop following only corn and soybeans.

However, alfalfa must offer a competitive value for farmers in order to provide these benefits and maintain or expand acreage base.  Yields of other major cropping choices have significantly surpassed alfalfa due, in part, to the vast amount of public research dedicated to these other crops.

It is for these reasons that the Independent Forage Growers are actively involved in the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance (or NAFA).  NAFA is a non-profit organization comprised of all facets of the forage industry including genetic suppliers, seed growers, hay growers, equipment manufacturing, government and university scientists and experts and others within the industry that have come together in support of and to fight for research for the forage industry.

This week we are in Washington DC as a team meeting with congressional representatives to try to instill upon them the importance of forages and seek continued public research dollars to keep our crop competitive.  This will be NAFA’s eight consecutive year in Washington DC.

So you can see, membership dues are not only used to help members find customers, but also to give us a seat at the national level to promote alfalfa and forages as an industry, to promote dairy and livestock growth in our own state and to promote alfalfa and forages in general.

If you would like more information on how you can be a member of the Independent Forage Growers, the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance or if you are looking for a good source for forages, please give me a call at 800-743-1649 or visit our website at IndependentForageGrowers.com.