Week of March 9, 2026

Week of March 2, 2026 · 606 price records · 56 regions

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THE 30-SECOND VERSION

Midwest alfalfa is flat — good-quality large rounds are still moving at $105–$140/ton across MN, IA, and SD auctions, same as last week. No big swings. The story this issue is Indiana: both Shipshewana and Topeka are clearing premium mixed grass and alfalfa/grass mix at $260–$350/ton — 2–3x Midwest prices for comparable quality. Meanwhile Pennsylvania hit $405/ton for premium small square grass. If you're a Midwest seller with the ability to haul east, that spread is real money.

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🌽 MIDWEST SPOTLIGHT: Minnesota & Iowa

What hay actually sold for at auction this week:

Pipestone, MN

Alfalfa *Good* — Large Round: **$105/ton**

Alfalfa *Fair* — Large Round: $50–$95/ton (avg **$72**)

Alfalfa/Grass Mix *Good* — Large Round: **$110/ton**

Rock Valley, IA

Alfalfa *Good/Premium* — Large Round: **$140/ton**

Alfalfa *Fair/Good* — Large Round: $120–$125/ton

Grass *Good/Premium* — Large Round: $135–$140/ton (avg **$138**)

HPL Auction, IA

Alfalfa *Fair/Good* — Large Round: $95–$105/ton (avg **$102**)

Alfalfa *Utility/Fair* — Large Round: $65–$90/ton

Dakota, SD

Alfalfa *Good* — Large Round: $100–$135/ton (avg **$118**)

Grass *Good* — Large Round: $95–$125/ton (avg **$112**)

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🗺️ NATIONAL QUICK HITS

**Indiana** (Shipshewana + Topeka): Alfalfa/Grass Mix *Good/Premium* clearing $265–$350/ton — highest in the Midwest corridor

**Pennsylvania** (Wolgemuth): Premium small square grass hit **$405/ton**; alfalfa/grass mix *Premium* averaged $326/ton

**Kansas NW**: Alfalfa *Premium/Supreme* ranging $185–$300/ton depending on form

**Pacific NW** (WA/OR): Alfalfa *Premium* small square steady at **$250/ton**; Timothy *Good/Premium* at $300/ton

**Arizona**: Supreme alfalfa small square 3-tie hitting **$295–$310/ton**

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📋 WHAT FARMERS ARE ACTUALLY GETTING PAID

USDA NASS surveys farmers monthly on what they received in private sales — not just auctions. January 2026 data:

| State | Private Sale Avg | Auction Range |

|---|---|---|

| Minnesota | $72/ton | $105–$140/ton auction |

| Iowa | $97/ton | $95–$140/ton auction |

| South Dakota | $89/ton | $100–$135/ton auction |

| Nebraska | $85/ton | $60–$85/ton auction |

| Kansas | $103/ton | $88–$160/ton auction |

| Wisconsin | $83/ton | (no major auctions) |

Private sales tend to lag auction prices by 4–6 weeks. January private prices suggest the market was softer than what auctions showed heading into February.

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💡 TAKEAWAY

The Midwest discount to the rest of the country is holding wide. Iowa and Minnesota buyers are getting good alfalfa at $100–$140/ton while Indiana buyers are paying $260–$350/ton for similar quality grass mixes. That's not a blip — it's a structural price gap driven by demand density and lack of supply in the eastern corridor. Worth watching whether that gap closes as we move toward spring planting.

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Data: USDA AMS hay market reports. Prices per ton unless noted. Next issue: March 9.