Vol. I · No. 13 · Tuesday, May 19, 2026
Minnesota · USDA AMS Wire · Free Weekly
From the Wire

HayWire Insights

Hay market analysis, price reports, and regional auction data — built from USDA AMS records across 69 markets. No fluff, no filler. Just the numbers and what they mean.

Hay Prices Explode to $483/Ton as Western Buyers Panic Buy

Colorado timothy hit $483/ton this week — a number that would have seemed impossible six months ago. California premium alfalfa is trading at $429/ton. Meanwhile, Rock Valley, Iowa is still clearing loads at $135–224/ton. The $259 gap between those two markets is the entire story of the 2026 hay market: the West is in crisis mode, and the Midwest hasn't caught up yet.

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$483
CO Timothy / ton
$259
E–W spread

18 Months of Drought, China Back in the Market: What Hay Buyers Need to Know Right Now

Drought has now hit 57% of US hay acres. First cutting is light across Texas and Oklahoma. Montana has sold through its 2025 carryover. And China is back in the export market — joined by elevated volumes from Japan and Korea. At the same auction on the same day, Utility hay traded at $108/ton while Supreme went for $273. That $165 quality spread is your signal.

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57%
US acres drought
$165
Quality spread

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