The Southeastern Hay Contest celebrated its 21st year with record-high participation at the Sunbelt Ag Expo being held this week in Moultrie, Ga. A total of 540 entries comprised the competition’s playing field, making it the largest forage quality contest in the country.

Beeson Farms of Climax, N.C., topped the relative forage quality (RFQ) charts for the fourth consecutive year with their alfalfa hay sample that boasted a 400 RFQ. Since the farm was ineligible to be a repeat grand prize winner, it went to runner-up Jon Pope from Coats, N.C., for his alfalfa hay with a 354 RFQ.

Forage samples across nine categories were ranked based on RFQ, and the top three samples in each category received cash awards (see table below). As the grand prize winner, Pope received $2,000 in cash and his choice between the use of a Massey Ferguson DM series disc mower or an RK series rotary rake for the 2026 production season.

Producers from 13 states — Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma (east of I-35), South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas (east of I-35), and Virginia — are eligible to participate in the Southeastern Hay Contest. The event is coordinated by extension agents with Auburn University, the University of Arkansas, the University of Florida, the University of Georgia, Louisiana State University, Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, Oklahoma State University, Clemson University, the University of Tennessee, Texas A&M University, and Virginia Tech.

Submissions for the 2026 Southeastern Hay Contest are now open. For more information, visit the contest website.

2025 Southeastern Hay Contest category winners