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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Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.