U.S. hay prices pushed upward in April compared to those of the previous month, according to the Agricultural Prices report released by USDA last week.
At $191/ton, the average all-hay price in the 27 reporting states was up by $18 in April as compared to the March price. A year earlier in April, the all-hay price averaged $195/ton.
Drought-stricken California reported the highest price at $239/ton, followed by New Mexico’s $232, Nevada’s $226, Arizona’s $225 and Oregon’s $220/ton prices. Missouri had the lowest all-hay price – $94/ton.
The average U.S. alfalfa price in April was $206/ton. That’s up by $15/ton from the March average, but $7/ton lower than the April 2013 price. Pennsylvania saw the sharpest price increase from March to April, rising $29/ton to average $233/ton. In two states, the price rose during the month by $20/ton; in California, it increased to $250/ton and in New York to $205/ton.