The expectation that U.S. hay prices will fall off in the year ahead was bolstered by the higher-than-anticipated carryover hay-stock numbers in last week’s USDA Crop Production report. But don’t lay any wagers on how much the decline will be, advises Matt Diersen, ag economist at South Dakota State University....More

Many Kentucky hay growers are bringing in lower-than-normal first-cutting yields, reports Ray Smith, University of Kentucky Extension forage specialist....More

Extension forage specialists from the University of Florida and University of Georgia are teaming up again this year to conduct a Corn Silage and Forage Field Day. The event will be held May 24 at the Plant Science Research and Education Unit near Citra, FL....More

Like many farmers and University Extension specialists these days, some editors just can’t seem to call it quits. And that’s fortunate for Hay & Forage Grower, whose former editor, Neil Tietz, has agreed to keep his hands on the keyboard as a feature writer for the magazine....More

Demand for U.S. alfalfa hay in China is likely to remain strong for some time to come. So says a representative of a company hired to help that country’s dairy industry become efficient. “There is definitely a need for high-quality alfalfa and other feeds in China. Chinese producers are very happy with the quality of U.S. hay,” says James Su Hao, co-founder and general manager of East Rock Ltd. The company comprises six dairy-related businesses in the U.S. and Canada that want a part in developing Chinese dairies....More

“How thin is too thin to keep a new alfalfa seeding?” That’s the question that Marvin Hall, Penn State University Extension forage specialist, has fielded from several growers who have complained of having very thin new alfalfa stands....More

Some Illinois alfalfa fields are showing visible signs of boron deficiency, reports Fabian Fernandez, University of Illinois Extension soil fertility specialist....More

Unusually warm weather has pushed along hay growth at a faster-than-normal pace in Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley this spring. Plentiful rainfall in the last two weeks of April was icing on the cake, says Tom Weaver of T. Weaver Auctioneering in Harrisonburg....More