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Hay & Forage Grower
USDA
Hay Prices
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by Rick Mooney
Editor, eHay Weekly
A shortage of available, ocean-going cargo containers, coupled with
rising freight rates, is putting a big-time chokehold on hay exports out
of the Pacific Northwest.
“We have customers,” says Rollie Bernth, president of Ward Rugh,
Inc., a hay export firm in Ellensburg, WA. “We just can’t get the
hay shipped. It’s creating all kinds of headaches. This is as bad as
it has been in years.”
The recession in the U.S. economy is the key factor. With fewer imports
coming into West Coast ports, there aren’t as many cargo containers
available to backhaul U.S. hay to customers in the Pacific Rim. At the
same time, to make up for the decrease in shipping volume, companies
have been increasing freight rates at a steady clip. “Rates are double
what they were last year and just about triple what they were two years
ago,” says Bernth.
"The whole (hay export) business is built on the fact that we can ship
our products competitively,” adds Mark Anderson, president of Anderson
Hay & Grain Co., Inc., another exporting firm based in Ellensburg.
“This is a major concern.”
He fears that if the situation doesn’t improve soon, there could be
long-term negative consequences for hay export firms in the Pacific
Northwest and the entire U.S. hay-growing industry. “We’ve developed
a reputation with our customers for being able to produce and deliver
high-quality hay. But if this continues, some of those customers may
start thinking that the forage supply coming from the West Coast of the
U.S. isn’t dependable. That’s something we absolutely don’t want
to happen.”
On the upside, Anderson believes freight rates may be approaching the
point where shipping firms find it feasible to move containers, either
by water or rail, from other areas of the country to the Pacific
Northwest. Even so, he says, it will still take a major pickup in the
overall U.S. economy to get westbound hay shipments moving again. “The
only way we’re going to see export volume pick up is if we have a good
balance of imports.”
To contact Bernth, call 509-925-2827 or email rollie@wardrugh.com. Anderson can
be reached at 509-925-9818 or mark.anderson@anderson-hay.com.
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With this week’s Minnesota-Wisconsin weather forecast calling for
balmy conditions – greater than 70°F is forecast in many areas –
alfalfa growers could see stands fully break winter dormancy earlier
than they might like, say forage agronomists in the two states.
If April comes and goes without any hard freezes, this should be of
little concern, say University of Minnesota Extension forage specialist
Paul Peterson and University of Wisconsin Extension forage agronomist
Dan Undersander in a press release issued early Monday morning. But the
odds of hard freezes in April are “too high to not be alert to” the
condition of alfalfa-dominant stands as spring unfolds and 2010 forage
supplies are being planned, they also point out.
Growers should especially be on the alert this spring after an
exceptionally warm last November followed a cold, wet October, which may
not have enabled full dormancy acquisition. The early March thaw has
shown some short green "preserved" fall 2009 alfalfa and grass stand
regrowth. However, the insulating snow cover of this past winter should
have limited potentially damaging cold exposure through mid-March. (The
forage specialists warn that these same conditions can actually favor
brown root rot infection). April weather could be the major determinant
of how these stands fare going into the 2010 growing season.
Peterson and Undersander recommend taking these steps now:
- Closely monitor all alfalfa-dominant fields multiple times as
spring progresses. This requires walking fields multiple times, as
drive-by assessments can be deceiving.
- Dig up some alfalfa plants to assess crown/root health. Assess root
integrity and split roots to assess rot. Do this as soon as soil
conditions allow and again in early May.
- Count stems in representative areas after average stem height is
greater than 6”. Stands need 55 stems/sq ft or greater to be at
maximum yield potential.
- If stands look questionable, consider the N-credit value of turning
them under early or after first cutting and planting a grass (corn) crop
in 2010.
Other considerations:
- Mixed forage stands approximate sod, so are less likely to break
dormancy early and are less susceptible to crown-damaging low
temperatures than are alfalfa monocultures.
- Alfalfa stands stressed by age, suboptimal fertility or drainage,
disease, insects and/or prior management are more apt to succumb to an
April freeze than are less-stressed stands if they break dormancy early.
- Alfalfa varieties with greater fall dormancy are less susceptible to
spring freezing.
- Stands on sandy soils and/or southern slopes will break dormancy
sooner and thus be more susceptible to spring freeze damage. Stands in
clayey soil are more susceptible to heaving.
Get more information on alfalfa winter survival assessment at Extension
forage Web sites of the University of Minnesota
and the University of
Wisconsin.
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With daytime temperatures and sunlight levels on the increase with
the arrival of spring, timothy hay growers will want to step up
monitoring stands for cereal rust mites on the 2010 crop, says Paul
Craig, Extension agent in Dauphin County, PA.
Craig reports the mite is already active in many fields in south-central
Pennsylvania. Early in the season, population levels are low and mites
are only found in the most protected areas of the young tillers. As
spring progresses, populations will increase and the pest will be more
readily observed on leaf surfaces when looking through a 20X hand lens.
Field signs of higher levels of mite infestations later in the spring
include wrapped leaves (similar to drought stress), an off-green stand
color or a stand that is simply not growing. Fields with a history of
mite damage should also be looked at closely.
Craig says that many producers in his area have had “good success”
applying 3 pts/acre of Sevin XLR Plus in late April. “This application
window allows a 30-day pre-harvest interval,” he notes, adding that
cereal rust mites are not a problem in timothy after harvest.
For more information, download the Cereal
Rust Mite fact sheet.
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 Know where to find the best alfalfa seed?
Isn’t it obvious? Syngenta offers top quality, high yielding alfalfa
varieties like 6422Q, a new industry leader with top quality forage for
dairies with an outstanding winterhardiness in a full FD4 variety. To
learn more, see your Garst seed advisor, Golden Harvest dealer or NK
retailer.
The Syngenta logo is a trademark of a Syngenta Group
Company.
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Even with challenges presented by high fertilizer prices and tough
weather, many growers in northwestern Arkansas still managed to put up
high-quality bermudagrass hay in 2009, reports Robert Seay, University
of Arkansas Extension agent, Benton County.
Seay notes that, of 127 bermuda hay samples entered in this year’s
Quality Forage Program, 87% had relative forage quality (RFQ) scores of
100 or better. Average RFQ for the samples was just over 112. “The
2009 weather pattern provided cooler-than-average temperatures
throughout summer and fall,” says Seay. “In addition to being
pleasant for animals, cooler temperatures delivered better fiber
quality.”
On the flip side, program sampling results showed that producers
struggled with high fertilizer prices last year. Crude protein levels on
program entries averaged 14%, while potassium levels averaged 1.7%, Seay
points out. “Those were some of the lowest averages we’ve seen in
the 12 years of the program. It signals 2009 fertilizer prices were too
high to gamble on.”
Since the program was launched in 1998, results of 1,226 bermuda hay
harvest analyses have been recorded.
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1-2 Percent increase (estimated) of
custom rates in Iowa this year, according to the 2010 Iowa Farm Custom
Rate Survey. Get more details on the survey at hayandforage.com.
2 Men charged by the FBI in Missouri earlier
this month with the theft of farm equipment from five states –
Wyoming, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. The men are charged
with 12 counts each for interstate commerce of stolen merchandise valued
at $5,000 or more. According to the indictment, the thefts took place
between November 2005 and April 2008. Source: Associated Press.
277 Pronghorn antelope recently removed to
protect alfalfa fields near Clayton, NM. The state Department of Game
and Fish sent most of the antelope to Mexico in exchange for desert
bighorn sheep rams. See “Antelope
In Alfalfa Fields Relocated.”
$406 million Cash receipts for Idaho hay
growers last year, according to a recent report from the University of
Idaho. That’s down by 40% from the 2008 figure. Source: Idaho State
Journal.
72 People, as of Monday, March 29, who have
signed up for the upcoming 2010
Hay Production School slated for April 8-9 at the Sunbelt Ag Expo
grounds in Moultrie, GA. There’s still time to register for the
school, which has room for 150 attendees, notes University of Georgia
Extension forage specialist Dennis Hancock.
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Indiana
A solid stretch of warm, sunny weather over the past week or so has
spring greenup coming along quickly throughout most of the state,
reports Keith Johnson, Purdue University Extension forage specialist.
“We might see the refrigerator turn back on in some parts of the state
this week and have a return to more seasonal cool conditions. But
barring any unforeseen developments, I don’t think we’ll see much
that would delay the start of the hay harvest.”
For the most part, alfalfa growers in the state were able to avoid
winterkill problems. “We’ve really been fortunate the last couple
years compared to some other states in the region,” says Johnson.
“There shouldn’t be a lot of reseeding going on due to stand
failures.”
Hay supplies in the state appear to be adequate to meet demand. “I
don’t foresee any kind of dire situation developing at all.”
With fertilizer costs coming down a bit, he says growers need to think
seriously about the nutrient needs of individual fields heading into the
growing season. “A lot of people were putting the brakes on their
fertilization programs the last few years because of high prices. Now
with prices more favorable, it would be a good time to soil test to see
what nutrients are needed and then follow through accordingly to get
everything you can out of that crop.”
To contact Johnson, call 765-494-4800 or email johnsonk@purdue.edu.
New York
Don’t expect much of an improvement in horse hay prices until the
general economy picks up, says grower Phil Saunders of Sugar Creek Farm
in Dansville. “Money is still tight everywhere. Like everybody else,
horse owners don’t want to pay any more for a product than they have
to. Up until last year, the hay business was spectacular for 10 straight
years. Last year was the first time we had to drop prices just to keep
hay moving.”
On two cuttings last year, Saunders put up more than 40,000 small square
bales of timothy hay on 450 acres. He works with three brokers to market
the hay. He figures somewhere around 80% of his hay went to stables and
racetracks in the New York City area. He also ships hay as far away as
to Florida.
Saunders reports that high-quality, No.1 racetrack hay is currently
fetching around $230-240/ton, down $30-40/ton from year-ago levels.
Stable-quality hay is selling for around $140/ton. “Last year, the
same kind of hay was bringing around $180/ton.”
Looking to the growing season, Saunders says he’ll start out with 100
more acres of hay ground than he had last year. He’ll also likely
fall-seed another 100 acres. “We’re in rotation with vegetable crops
(primarily snap beans and sweet corn). But we’re trying to get back to
a little more hay. We’ve been tracking the numbers closely for the
past three years and, compared to other crops, hay always wins when it
comes to making us money.”
Like growers throughout his part of the country, Saunders is hoping for
better weather in 2010. “Last year we weren’t able to get into the
field on first crop until around the first of July. Ordinarily, we would
have been all done with first crop by then. As a result, 60% of the hay
we put up was lower quality.”
To contact Saunders, call 585-370-7301 or email haygrower@rocketmail.com.
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Alfalfa best management practices, pest identification, costs of
production, irrigation management and cost-share programs will be
discussed at the April 12 Hay Day hosted by Washington State University
Extension in Okanogan County.
A demonstration of new soil moisture monitors will also be available at
the event, to be held at the Okanogan Grange Hall.
The program is free. Refreshments and reference materials will be
provided. For more information, contact Norman Suverly at 509-422-7245
or suverly@wsu.edu.
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The Oregon Forage and Grassland Council (OFGC) will hold its 2010
annual meeting at the Benton County Fairgrounds in Corvallis on April
7-8.
Michael Murphy, a grass-based dairy farmer from Ireland, and Bill
Tucker, director of legislative affairs for the American Forage and
Grassland Council, will be among the speakers. The meeting will also
feature a trade show, poster presentations and a forage and pasture
management course.
The registration fee is $50 for OFGC members, $85 for non-members.
Registrations received by tomorrow, March 31, will qualify for a $10
discount. Get
more information.
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April 8-9 -- Hay Production School, Spence Field, Moultrie,
GA. Get details.
April 10 -- Georgia Annual Ryegrass Field Day, Joe B. Harris
Pond House, Odum. RSVP by April 5. Contact Shanda Thompson,
912-427-2502, ext. 3, or Shanda.Thompson@ga.usda.gov.
April 14 -- Alfalfa And Biofuels Field Day, 8:30-Noon, Desert
Research and Extension Center, El Centro, CA. Details to come.
April 14-15 -- Kentucky Grazing School, University of Kentucky
Research & Education Center, Princeton. Preregistration required. See
a brochure.
April 16-18 -- Midwest Horse Fair, Alliant Energy Center,
Madison, WI. Get more
details.
April 20-21 -- 2010 Tri-State (Michigan, Indiana, Ohio) Dairy
Nutrition Conference, Grand Wayne Center, Fort Wayne, IN. For
registration details, contact Michelle Milligan at 614-292-7347 or milligan.4@osu.edu. Get more information.
April 23-25 -- Minnesota Horse Expo 2010, Minnesota State
Fairgrounds, St. Paul. Learn
more.
May 13 -- Legume Management In The Southeast: Field Day And Pasture
Walk, Central Georgia Research & Education Center, Eatonton. Details forthcoming.
May 19 -- University Of California Alfalfa & Forage Crops Field Day,
UC-Davis Agronomy Field Headquarters, Davis. Get additional details.
June 21-23 -- American Forage And Grassland Council Annual
Conference, University Plaza Hotel, Springfield, MO. Get details.
Aug. 9-10 -- Kentucky Grazing School, Woodford County Extension
Office, Versailles. Preregistration required. See
a brochure.
Sept. 1-4 -- National Hay Association Annual Meeting, Griffin
Gate Marriott Resort, Lexington, KY. Watch for details.
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