Hay Market Demand and Price Report for the Upper Midwest
For August 26, 2019
Data Compiled by Richard Halopka Senior Outreach Specialist
Clark County Extension
Crops & Soils Agent
All hay prices quoted are dollars per ton FOB point of origin for alfalfa hay unless otherwise noted.
The information presented in this report is compiled from public and private quality tested sales and reports in the Midwest.
The past several months of hay reports are archived and you may view previous hay reports, go to https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/forage/ on the Team Forage web site and click on the past hay reports section.
Hay auction data is collected on the first and third week of the month and posted the following Monday when possible. Prices quoted in this report are for “as fed” alfalfa hay.
Demand and Sales Comments
Hay prices were steady this week with limited sales. There are less hay auctions during summer as some sites only have on auction a month. Check out straw pricing on the next page. Connect to the Farmer-to-Farmer webpage at http://farmertofarmer.uwex.edu/ to place an ad for your forage need or what you have to sell. Contact your local county agriculture educator if you need help placing an ad. There is no charge for the service.
Upper Midwest Hay Price Summary by Quality Grade
Straw prices are for oat, barley, or wheat straw. Prices are steady as small grains come off the field. Small square bales averaged $3.00 a bale (range of $1.00 to $6.00). Large square bale straw averaged $58.00 per bale (a range of $30.00 to $90.00). Large round bale straw averaged $49.00 per bale (a range of $35.00 – $65.00).
For Nebraska, hay sold steady, with light demand. Most farmers are not concerned with filling dry hay needs at this time as many are gearing up to chop silage. In Iowa, prices are steady. Some have completed third crop.
In South Dakota, prices are steady with limited sales on a moderate demand. There is demand for quality alfalfa hay with a limited supply.
In Missouri, steady to weak prices, with moderate supply and demand. Currently pasture and water supplies are not an issue.
In Southwest Minnesota, prices were steady, with light demand and a limited supply. In Kansas, demand is slow to moderate with steady prices. Rain across much of the state has limited drought concerns.
In Wisconsin, prices remain strong with demand for quality hay. Hay supplies remain tight with a good supply of lower quality hay. Alfalfa winterkill, poor spring weather, late planting of crops, has many farmers questioning if they will have enough forage to carry livestock during winter-feeding season.
The next Hay Market Demand and Price Report for the Upper Midwest will be posted on Monday, September 9, 2019.
The following links are included in this report allowing producers to obtain some state and nearby state prices, (these may or may not be quality-tested auctions, if quality, they are included in this report). The Equity Cooperative market report is at http://livestock.equitycoop.com/market_reports/. Go to the Lomira, Reedsville, and Stratford locations for their reports on untested hay and straw prices.
The Reynolds Feed & Supply, LLC of Dodgeville is at http://www.reynoldslivestock.com/what1snew/.
The Tim Slack Auction and Realty, LLC of Fennimore is at http://www.timslackauctionrealty.com/market%20report.html.
The Dyersville Sales Company of Dyersville, Iowa is at http://dyersvillesales.com/hay-auction/hay-auction-results/. Fort Atkinson auction is at http://www.fortatkinsonhay.com/
The Farmer-to-Farmer website is an electronic neighborhood bulletin board that allows local farmers to get in touch with one another to facilitate the marketing of feed commodities. It has recently been expanded to connect those with productive pastures to those producers who are in need of pastures. It can be found at http://farmertofarmer.uwex.edu/. If you would like assistance posting to this web site, contact your county’s UW-Extension agriculture agent.
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Cooperative Extension of the University of Wisconsin-Extension
