Hay market prices are steady for alfalfa and grass hay. Demand is fair to good, with trades slow. Producers have been busy in the fields this past week finishing up haying, baling sudan and harvesting corn. According to NASS, corn harvested was 20%, ahead of 15% last year, and near 19% average. Pasture and range conditions rated 7% very poor, 15% poor, 36%
fair, 40% good, and 2% excellent. According to the US Drought Monitor for the week of September 14th, Short-term dryness and drought has become more apparent in recent weeks across the southern section of the region, including parts of Kansas and Colorado, aggravated by periods of late-summer heat. Across the High Plains, September 10-11 featured consecutive triple-digit, daily-record highs in the communities of Goodland, Kansas (103 and 102°F); and Dodge City, Kansas (105°F on the 11th). Dodge City’s 105-degree reading in September was only the third time on record, following 106°F on September 3, 1947, and 107°F on September 1, 2011. Abnormal dryness (D0) increased to near 29%, while moderate drought (D1) decreased to 4% and severe drought (D2) increased to just over 2%. If you have any extra hay to sell and/or need hay here in Kansas, use the services of the Internet Hay Exchange:www.hayexchange.com/ks.php. FULL REPORT HERE