In the past two weeks, just over 96,000 tons of alfalfa hay have been traded in Idaho to both dairy and export buyers, with a larger amount going for export. This is by far the most alfalfa hay sales reported in any of the seven Western states. It verifies USDA’s alfalfa hay production report on August 10, which showed that Idaho’s alfalfa hay production was up 10 percent, a higher percentage increase than most states in the West.
Alfalfa hay production in California was forecast to be up 4 percent from 2017. Alfalfa hay trading in some Western states the past two weeks was very slow, such as in Nevada, Utah, and Arizona. Alfalfa hay sales in these three states were impacted by lackluster demand from export and dairy hay buyers. Low milk prices and tariffs on alfalfa hay shipping to China continue to be the two main reasons affecting alfalfa hay trading in the West. Although rain in Arizona and Utah has also impacted trading.
Author of The Hoyt Report, providing hay market analysis and insight.
