This past week, demand remains light, despite the winter weather and prices remain mostly steady. Previously purchased hay has been moving, when drivers can move it on the ice and snow packed roads. Some folks have reported that they need to buy grinder hay, but many producers are holding on to their supplies hoping for higher prices. The supply of hay available remains heavy as almost all contributors indicated that there is still 2023 and 2024 hay sitting around. The National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released their 2024 Annual Crop Production Summary. According to NASS Alfalfa hay production, at 1.54 million tons, is down 31% from a year earlier. The average yield, at 2.65 tons per acre, is down 0.40 ton per acre from 2023. Area harvested, at 580,000 acres, is down 21% from 2023. Alfalfa for haylage and greenchop production, at 150,000 tons, is up 355% from last year. Average yield at 6.00 tons per acre, is up 3.80 tons from last year. Area harvested, at 25,000 acres, is up 10,000 from last year. Seedings of alfalfa during 2024 totaled 50,000 acres, down 40,000 acres from the year earlier. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor for the week of January 7th, heavy precipitation, for this time of year, resulted in a 1-category improvement to northeastern Kansas. The categorical percent area of abnormally dry conditions (D0) is at 40%, Moderate drought (D1) is at 24%, and no Severe drought (D2), Extreme drought (D3) or Exceptional drought (D4) was recorded. Prices below reflect the average price. There could be prices higher and lower than those published. FULL REPORT

Southwest Kansas Demand light. Trade activity is slow to moderate. Dairy alfalfa steady, ground and delivered price mostly steady, grinding alfalfa $5.00-$10.00 lower. Alfalfa: Dairy, $1.05-$1.15/point RFV. Good quality, Stock or Dry Cow hay $115.00-$125.00. Fair/good, grinding alfalfa, large rounds $95.00-$100.00, large square $95.00-110.00. Ground and delivered locally to feed lots and dairies $140.00-$150.00. Grass Hay: Bluestem, none reported. Teff, none reported. The week of 1/5-1/11, 8,554.5T of grinding alfalfa and 50T of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold. The average paid by feedlots on January 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $152.14, down $0.41 from the previous month. Usage was 588T/day, up 10.5% from last month and total usage was 18,227T.

South Central Kansas Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa, ground and delivered and alfalfa pellet price, steady. Alfalfa: Dairy $1.00-$1.10/point RFV. Good, Stock cow, $100.00-$120.00. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, large rounds $100.00–$110.00 delivered, 3×4 and 4×4’s $100.00-$110.00 delivered. Alfalfa ground and delivered $135.00-$145.00. Alfalfa pellets: Sun cured 15 pct protein $220.00-$225.00, 17 pct protein $230.00-$235.00, 17% dehydrated $350. Grass hay: Bluestem, none reported. Brome, large rounds, $100.00-$110.00. The week of 1/5-1/11, 6,506T of grinding alfalfa and 0T of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold. The average paid by feedlots on January 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $147.98, up $4.58 from the previous month. Usage was 231T/day, virtually the same as last month and total usage was 7,158T.
Southeast Kansas Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy Alfalfa and brome hay price, steady; bluestem $10.00-$15.00 lower. Alfalfa: horse or goat, none reported. Dairy, $1.05-$1.10/point RFV. Good, stock cow, none reported. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, large squares $115.00-$125.00. Grass hay: Bluestem small squares $160.00-$180.00, large round $85.00-$100.00, 3×4 and 4×4’s $95.00-$110.00. Brome, small squares $6.00-$10.00/bale, large rounds $100.00-$110.00, 3×4 and 4×4’s $125.00-$135.00. Wheat straw large square $70.00. The week of 1/5-1/11, 1,599T of grass hay was reported bought or sold.

Northwest Kansas Little to no demand. Trade activity is slow. Alfalfa: horse, $175.00-$185.00. Stock cow, good, none reported. Fair/good grinding alfalfa large round and squares $90.00-$100.00; Sudan large rounds none reported. North

Central-Northeast Kansas Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa price, ground and delivered and grass hay all steady. Grinding alfalfa mostly steady. Alfalfa: Dairy $1.10-$1.20/point RFV; Horse or goat small squares 12.00/bale; Stock Cow good, $145.00-$155.00; Fair/good, grinding alfalfa, large rounds $90.00-$100.00, 3×4 and 4×4 $115.00-$120.00. Alfalfa ground and delivered $135.00-$145.00.00. Grass hay: Bluestem, small squares $8.00-$9.00/bale, large rounds $80.00.00-$100.00, large squares $110.00-$120.00. Brome: small squares $9.00-$10.00/bale, large square 3×4 and 4×4 $130.00 delivered. The week of 1/5-1/11, 419T of grinding alfalfa and 50T of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold.

THIS HAS BEEN YOUR KANSAS HAY MARKET REPORT. THIS IS KIM NETTLETON WITH THE KANSAS DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, MANHATTAN, KS