Hay Supplies Tightening on Both Sides of Border

Jul 30, 2019

Hay supplies are shaping up to be tight on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border this year.

In Canada, overly dry conditions across the Prairies are sharply reducing yields and many producers are not expected to even get a second cut. Meanwhile, U.S. hay supplies are tightening on limited supply combined with strong domestic and export demand.

According to the USDA, U.S. hay harvested area this year will come in at 52.8 million acres, down only slightly from a year earlier but the lowest since 1908. Record-low hay production is expected in many states right from California to Ohio, with prices in the spring reported at the highest since 2014, ranging from around US$150/tonne for hay excluding alfalfa and $205 for alfalfa.

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