Monday PNW Hay Update

Hopefully hay producers got their hay out of the field prior to the showers that some regions of the Pacific Northwest received on Friday and Saturday. I spent Friday in Yakima at the WSU Beef Production Conference — lots of great information. USDA Market Reporter Robert Eaton shares last week’s hay market update.
Eaton: “Hays sales seem moderate this week with strong demand with the high-end prices continuing to rise compared to last week about $5 to $10 a ton on the higher grade alfalfa. However there is a larger spread on the prices compared to last week with further down on the lower end as well. Limited supply nationwide and regular demand continue to press prices higher. Some buyers are attempting to actually try to wait out the high price market by delaying their purchases in anticipation — or in hopes — that prices could drop down a little bit. While on the other hand, some sellers are holding on to their first cutting in anticipation of even higher prices in the future — which is very possible from what we’ve seen. Farmers in most of Eastern Oregon and Washington are harvesting and a few are actually close to if not already on their second cutting. While other high elevation areas such as Lake County and Wallowa County in Oregon won’t see their first cutting until the end of June or early July. the weather has been good for most with only a recent report of rain damage coming out of Othello.”