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.