Weekly
Hay Market Demand and Price Report for the Upper
Midwest
as of February 5, 2010
Data
Compiled by Ken Barnett,
UW-Extension
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 sales and reports in the Midwest.
Demand and Sales Activity
Compared
to the previous week, small square bale prices were down 23%. Large square bale
prices were down 3%. Large round bale prices were down 27%. Sales activity was light
to very good.
In Nebraska, hay prices were steady. Demand and trade activity were
good. For Iowa, hay prices were $15.65 higher. Buyer inquiry was
good. Demand and trade activity were very good. In South
Dakota, hay
prices were mixed to $3.75 lower. The area is again receiving ice, freezing fog
and snow. Hay sales and deliveries were slowed by slippery roads. Dairy quality
hay supply remains limited, whereas lower quality hay remains abundant. For Missouri, hay prices were steady. Hay demand was light to moderate
and the supply was heavy. Snow covered much of southern Missouri this past week. Some areas saw nearly 10 inches of
snow, which brought trucking to a halt and made feeding even more of a chore.
The arrival of February has many farmers now checking inventories and trying to
out guess Mother Nature planning for the remainder of feeding season. In Southwest
Minnesota, hay prices
were mixed to $16.15 lower. Sales activity was good. For Wisconsin, there were no reports on sales activities and
demand.
The demand for Illinois hay was moderate to good, with moderate to active sales
activity. Hay prices were steady to $1.25 lower. Demand continued to be good
for dairy and horse quality hay, with demand for beef hay moderate. Inventories
of hay for many producers were smaller than one year ago, with some of the
higher qualities of hay becoming very short. Hay production in Illinois was higher than the 2008 season. According to the USDA's Annual Crop
Production report, released on January 12th, all hay production for 2009 was
estimated at 2.001 million tons, compared to 1.878 million tons one year ago.
Alfalfa and Alfalfa Mixtures category produced 1.326 million tons from 340,000
acres with an average yield of 3.90 tons per acre. The All Other hay category
produced 675,000 tons from 270,000 acres, with an average yield of 2.50 tons
per acre. The demand for wheat straw was good, with light supplies.
Straw prices in the Midwest averaged $2.90 per small square bale (range of $2.00 to $4.50); $30.81
per large square bale (range of $15.00 to $47.00); and $36.30 per large round
bale (range of $30.00 to $55.00) Compared to the previous week, straw prices
for small square bales down 12%. Large square bale prices
were up 10%. Large round bale prices were down 1%.
Hay Price Summary
|
|
|
---------- Price ($/ton) ----------
|
|
Hay Grade
|
Bale type
|
Average
|
Minimum
|
Maximum
|
|
Prime (> 151 RFV/RFQ)
|
Small Square
|
166.39
|
100.00
|
300.00
|
|
|
Large Square
|
141.30
|
90.00
|
202.92
|
|
|
Large Round
|
102.92
|
80.00
|
125.00
|
|
Grade 1 (125 to 150
RFV/RFQ)
|
Small Square
|
112.50
|
76.00
|
154.00
|
|
|
Large Square
|
96.36
|
53.40
|
125.00
|
|
|
Large Round
|
75.28
|
55.00
|
125.00
|
|
Grade 2 (103 to 124 RFV/RFQ)
|
Small Square
|
50.00
|
40.00
|
60.00
|
|
|
Large Square
|
69.17
|
55.00
|
80.00
|
|
|
Large Round
|
57.92
|
40.00
|
75.00
|
The next Weekly Hay Market
Demand and Price Report for the Upper
Midwest will be posted
on February 15.
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System, doing business as the Division of
Cooperative Extension of the University
of Wisconsin-Extension