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Hay & Forage Grower
USDA
Hay Prices
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Rick Mooney, Editor, eHay Weekly, at
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U.S. growers harvested slightly more hay last year than in 2008,
and less was fed last summer and fall due to lower cattle numbers. The
result was 3% more hay stored on farms going into this winter than at
the start of the previous one.
In its January Crop Production report, issued earlier today, USDA
estimated Dec. 1, 2009, hay stocks at 107 million tons, up from 103.6
million tons on Dec. 1, 2008. Stocks increased in the Rocky Mountains,
Pacific Northwest, northern Great Plains and the Southeast with the
exception of Florida. Stocks decreased in the southern Great Plains and
Great Lakes states.
Hay disappearance from May to December 2009 totaled 62.3 million tons
compared with 64.2 million tons for the same period a year earlier.
USDA’s final estimate of the 2009 hay crop shows production of alfalfa
and alfalfa mixtures at 71 million tons, up from 69.6 million tons in
2008. Acreage was estimated at 21.2 million compared with 20.98 million
the previous year. The average yield was 3.35 and 3.32 tons/acre in 2009
and 2008, respectively. Production of other hay totaled 76.4 million
tons last year, up from 76 million in 2008. The average yield was 1.98
tons/acre from 38.5 million acres harvested.
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Nearly 400 comments have already been made regarding the draft
environmental impact statement (EIS) on Roundup Ready alfalfa. "We are
getting a lot of comments,” says Andrea Huberty, USDA-APHIS project
coordinator for the EIS.
She encourages even more, but cautions that, to be effective, comments
need to refer back to the 1,476-page document or some part of it. The
most effective remarks should "be clear and concise and, most
importantly for us, be relevant to the analysis in the document," she
says.
Huberty recommends reading A Citizen’s Guide to the NEPA: Having
Your Voice Heard, or at least the section called "How to Comment,"
on page 27 of the pamphlet. It was published by the Council on
Environmental Quality to explain the National Environmental Policy Act
and can be viewed online at tinyurl.com/NEPAguide.
To download the draft EIS, visit tinyurl.com/RRAlfalfaEIS.
To submit comments, go to tinyurl.com/RRcomment.
For more on how to comment effectively, visit hayandforage.com.
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If you want to enter the World Ag Expo Forage Challenge, you’ll
have to hurry. The deadline – recently extended – is this Thursday,
Jan. 14.
Farmers and ranchers from 11 states – Arizona, California, Colorado,
Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming
– are eligible to enter the contest. Entries will be judged in three
categories: alfalfa hay, standard corn silage and brown midrib (BMR)
corn silage. Results will be based on forage lab analyses performed by
Cumberland Valley Analytical Services, Inc., and a visual evaluation of
the entries will be conducted by experts in dairy nutrition and forage
production.
First-place winners in each category will receive $2,000; second place,
$1,500; and third place, $1,000. Winning entries will be on display at
the 2010 World Ag Expo, scheduled
for Feb. 9-11 at the International Agri-Center in Tulare, CA.
The entry fee for the contest is $25; download an entry
form and contest rules.
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Whether you’re looking for proven
performance in a package that offers exceptional value or a tractor that
gives you the latest electronic conveniences and push button simplicity,
the new T6000 Series tractors from New Holland are built for you. T6000
tractors are a natural choice for haying operations and heavy loader
work. To learn more, see your local New Holland dealer or call
1-888-290-7377. www.newholland.com/na
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Hay prices in the Upper Midwest during 2009 declined considerably
from year-earlier levels, reports University of Wisconsin Extension
educator Ken Barnett.
Averaged over all qualities, Barnett notes, small square bale prices
declined from $155.29/ton in 2008 to $123.72/ton last year, a drop of
20%. Large square bale prices dropped by nearly 16% while large round
bale prices decreased by almost 22%.
Barnett also reports that, averaged over all bale types, the price of
prime hay (>151 RFV/RFQ) in the region declined by 16% last year. The
Grade 1 (125-150 RFV/RFQ) price dropped by nearly 27%, and the Grade 2
(103-124 RFV/RFQ) price decreased by more than 28%.
Barnett compiled the numbers for the Jan. 1 edition of his Weekly
Hay Market Demand and Price Report for the Upper Midwest.
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$12.75 Average U.S. all-milk price
(per hundredweight) in 2009, reported by University of Wisconsin ag
economist Bob Cropp in his December
Dairy Situation and Outlook Report. That’s down $5.55/cwt from the
2008 average price. On the upside, Cropp expected the December price
will be near $16, about $4.70 higher than the yearly low of $11.30
established in June and July.
34,378 Increase in the number of member
families in the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF) during 2009.
AFBF membership now tops 6.27 million families. With last year’s
increase, the organization has now experienced 49 consecutive years of
membership growth.
$143 million Value (estimated) of
Mississippi’s hay crop in 2009, an 11% increase over that of the year
before. According to a report from Mississippi State University, hay was
the only crop in the state to increase in value last year.
$3.5 billion Crop and livestock losses due
to drought in Texas during 2009, according to Texas Agrilife Extension
Service economists.
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 New from National Alfalfa &
Forage Alliance and Hay & Forage Grower
The Fall Dormancy & Pest Resistance Ratings for Alfalfa Varieties
2010 Edition is now available in print and online. National Alfalfa
& Forage Alliance produced and Hay & Forage Grower published the
2010 Varieties Guide. The 2010 Varieties Guide is well-regarded within
the alfalfa seed industry as the most accurate listing of alfalfa
varieties ratings available. Click here for the
2010 Alfalfa Varieties Guide.
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Michigan
Horse hay sales were slow in Michigan’s Thumb area in late 2009,
reports commercial hay grower Mike Lauwers, owner of Lauwers Alfalfa and
Straw near Capac. “It’s been tough,” he reports. “With the slow
general economy, a lot of people have been putting off hay purchases and
just buying hand to mouth. We still have a pretty good supply left.”
Last year, Lauwers devoted 400 acres to producing grass hay
(orchardgrass and timothy) and alfalfa-grass mixed hay for the horse
market. He also put up alfalfa baleage on another 350 acres, marketing
it to dairies in Michigan and Ohio. All of his hay is packaged in large
square bales.
Due to a cool growing season, Lauwers says, yields across the board were
off by an average of 1.5 tons/acre from previous years. “On the other
hand, we had very high quality. A lot of our first cutting looked like
second-cutting hay.”
Currently, second-cutting grass hay in his area is fetching around
$160/ton. “That’s down around $20/ton from a year ago,” he says.
“Things could pick up a little bit as the supply of small squares
works its way down. People are going to need hay.”
Lauwers plans to fine-tune his marketing strategy in 2010. “For
awhile, we considered going back to making small square bales,” he
says. “But we’ve decided against it for now. You can just get a lot
more done with a lot less labor when you put up the large squares.
Instead, we’ll do a little more advertising aimed at places with 40-80
horses. If we can get people to put a pencil to it, we think they’ll
see there are a lot of advantages to going with the large bales.”
As for the alfalfa baleage, Lauwers says he’s already sold most of his
four cuttings. The going price for hay testing 185 or above on relative
forage quality (RFQ) is around $180/ton. That’s off just slightly from
year-ago levels. “The supply of top-quality dairy hay seems to be
tightening up. We might have gotten a little more for it by waiting to
sell, but I really don’t like to do that.”
To contact Lauwers, call 810-343-0671 or email slauwers@airadvantage.net.
Oregon
Christmas Valley hay grower John Flowerree expects hay prices to bump up
slightly in the year ahead for one simple reason: Last year was an
incredibly tough year. “Prices fell back to levels we haven’t seen
for 20 years,” he says. “That means a lot of people will be plowing
up their hay ground. They can’t make any money at the current price.
“I’ve been in this business 30 years, and that’s the way it always
seems to work. You get a real bad year, people quit growing it and then
the price comes back.”
Flowerree works about 1,800 acres of hay ground. Alfalfa – including
250 acres of organic alfalfa – accounts for about 75% of his
production. He also grows a variety of grass hays and some oat hay.
Most of his alfalfa is packaged in three-tie, 140-lb bales destined for
export to Pacific Rim countries. He says top-of-the-line alfalfa export
hay was bringing around $150/ton in late 2009, down roughly $85/ton from
the market high of 2008. “Export demand held up pretty well compared
to domestic demand. We can grow a high-quality, very palatable hay that
appeals to dairy producers in Japan and other countries in that
region.”
Flowerree believes prices for conventional hay could go up by at least
20% in the year ahead. “They’ll strengthen somewhat due to a lower
supply. But I don’t see them getting back to 2008 levels anytime
soon.”
He’s less optimistic about the price prospects for organic alfalfa
hay. “Prices dropped off by $100/ton or more this last year,” he
says. “Couple that with the yield cut you have (compared to
conventional hay), and it’s just not worth the trouble.”
His current game plan is to cut back on organic production by around
50%. “We won’t get completely out of it because we have some
longtime customers who are counting on us. They stuck with us when times
were rough, and we feel like we need to stick with them now. I
wouldn’t be surprised, though, to see a lot of people get out of it
entirely.”
To contact Flowerree, email john@flowerreefarms.com.
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The Delmarva Hay and Pasture Conference will take place Jan. 19 at
the ACE Building of the Delaware State Fairgrounds, Harrington. The
conference, which runs from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., is being held as part
of Delaware Agriculture Week.
Agenda topics will include: pasture and hay weed control, forage
management practices as they relate to plant growth and pasture
management, identifying plants toxic to horses, and extending the
grazing season.
For more information, call 302-730-4000.
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The 2010 Heart of America Grazing Conference, a multistate meeting
of grassland farmers, is scheduled for Jan. 20-21 at the Roberts Center
in Wilmington, OH.
Along with presentations by nationally acclaimed researchers and
producers, the conference will feature breakout sessions focusing on
beef, sheep and goat, dairy and advanced grazing management. There will
also be commercial exhibits. The annual conference rotates among five
states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Missouri and Ohio.
The registration fee is $65 and includes dinner, lunch and breaks. The
one-day registration fee is $25 for Jan. 20 and $45 for Jan. 21. Get a
conference
brochure and registration form.
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Jan. 13 -- Kansas Hay And Grazing Conference, Kansas Farm
Bureau building, Manhattan, sponsored by K-State Research and Extension
and the Kansas Forage & Grassland Council (KFGC). Register at 8:30 a.m.
Program starts at 9:30 a.m. A $45 registration fee includes KFGC
membership. Call 620-431-1530 or email kwalters@ksu.edu.
Jan. 13-14 -- Washington State Hay Growers Association Annual
Convention And Trade Show, Three Rivers Convention Center,
Kennewick. Details at www.wa-hay.org/convention.
Jan. 13-15 -- Ag Connect Expo, Orange County Convention Center,
Orlando, FL. Visit www.agconnect.com.
Jan. 16 -- Winter Regional Horse Owner Program, Rochester
Community and Technical College Heintz Center, Rochester, MN.
Registration deadline is Jan. 13. Register online.
Jan. 19-21 -- North Carolina Forage And Grassland Council Mid-Winter
Conferences, on efficient management of diverse forage resources,
starting at 1 p.m. at three locations: Jan. 19, Nash County
Extension Office, Nashville; Jan. 20, Union County Extension
Office, Monroe; Jan. 21, Mountain Research Center, Fletcher.
Register by Jan. 10 by calling 919-552-9111. For details, call
800-896-4857 or 919-609-9824.
Jan. 20 -- Southern Maryland Hay And Pasture Conference, Izaak
Walton League Center, Waldorf, MD. Visit the University of Maryland
Forages Program Web site.
Jan. 21 -- Tri-State Hay And Pasture Conference, Garrett
College, McHenry, MD. Get details.
Jan. 21-22 -- I-29 Dairy Conference, Best Western Ramkota Inn &
Conference Center, Sioux Falls, SD. See a conference
brochure.
Jan 25-28 – Virginia Forage And Grassland Council’s Winter
Conferences at four locations. Jan. 25 – Brandy Station
Fire Hall, Brandy Station; Jan. 26 – Mrs. Rowe’s Country
Buffet, Mt. Crawford; Jan. 27 – Southern Piedmont Ag Research
and Extension Center, Blackstone; Jan. 28 – Wytheville Meeting
Center, Wytheville. Contact Margaret Kenney at 434-292-5331 or download
the brochure.
Jan. 26-27 -- Midwest Forage Association, Wisconsin Custom Operators
And Professional Nutrient Applicators Symposium And Annual Meetings,
Chula Vista Resort, Wisconsin Dells, WI. Contact the Midwest Forage Association.
Jan. 28-29 -- North Central Ohio Dairy Grazing Conference,
Buckeye Event Center, Dalton, OH. Contact the Small Farm Institute
or download the
brochure.
Feb. 2-3 -- 2010 Mid-America Alfalfa Expo, Buffalo County
Fairgrounds, Kearney, NE. For details, visit www.alfalfaexpo.com, call Barb
Kinnan at 800-743-1649 or email her at nebalf@cozadtel.net.
Feb. 8-12 -- Minnesota Forage Days, at various state locations.
Feb. 8, Holiday Inn, Detroit Lakes; Feb. 9, Cromwell
Pavilion, Cromwell; Feb. 10, Joseph’s Restaurant, Avon; Feb.
11, Southwest Research & Outreach Center, Lamberton; Feb. 12,
UCR Heintz Center, Rochester. Call 651-484-3888 or visit the University of Minnesota
forage Web site.
Feb. 9-11 – World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA, starting at 9 a.m. each
day. Cost: $12/day. Visit www.worldagexpo.com.
Feb. 16-17 -- Idaho Hay And Forage Conference, Best Western
Burley Inn, Burley. Contact Glenn Shewmaker at 208-736-3608 or gshew@uidaho.edu.
Feb. 18-20 -- 2010 Wisconsin Grazing Conference, Hotel Mead,
Wisconsin Rapids. Visit www.grassworks.org or contact
Heather Flashinski at 715-289-4896 or grassheather@hotmail.com.
March 4-6: U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. Annual Convention, Howard
Johnson Plaza Hotel, Wichita Falls, TX. Visit www.uschi.com.
March 5-6 -- Maryland Cattle Industry Convention/Hay And Pasture
Conference, Hagerstown Hotel and Convention Center, Hagerstown.
Contact Les Vough at vough@umd.edu or
301-405-1322.
March 10-11 -- Wichita Falls, TX, Ranch & Farm Expo, JS Bridwell
Ag Center, Wichita Falls. Visit
www.wichitafallsranchandfarmexpo.net,
call 866-685-0989 or email dales@bwtelcom.net.
March 27 -- Winter Regional Horse Owner Program, Cloquet Forestry
Center, Cloquet, MN. Registration deadline is March 24. Register online.
April 8-9 -- Hay Production School, Spence Field, Moultrie, GA.
Details at www.georgiaforages.com.
April 16-18 -- 2010 Midwest Horse Fair, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Get more
details.
April 23-25 -- Minnesota Horse Expo, Minnesota State Fairgrounds,
St. Paul. Email glen@mnhorseexpo.org or call
952-356-2090.
June 21-23 -- American Forage And Grassland Council Annual
Conference, University Plaza Hotel, Springfield, MO. Details at www.afgc.org.
Sept. 5-7 -- National Hay Association Annual Meeting, Griffin
Gate Marriott Resort, Lexington, KY. Watch for details on the NHA Web site.
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