Timothy hay market soars

By Seth Hoyt


Seth Hoyt
Author of The Hoyt Report, providing hay market analysis and insight.

Timothy hay prices for export and domestic retail markets in the West have been very strong the past two weeks. Most of the timothy hay grown in Washington is exported overseas with Japan and Korea as two major buyers. While many people in the hay industry in Washington thought the timothy market would be higher in 2017, it is much higher than expected. Premium dairy timothy for export, 3 by 4 bales, in the Columbia Basin during the past two weeks sold from $285 to $310 per ton (FOB fully tarped stacks). Premium horse quality for export sold from $320 to $340.

Small supplies of old crop carryover timothy from last year have resulted in first cutting prices this season being $100 per ton higher than a year ago. Premium to high Premium domestic retail timothy hay in the Northern California Mountains and in the Diamond Valley of Nevada sold from $347 to $350 per ton for current to extended movement.