# USDA hay acres



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

USDA has all hay acres down 1% for 2011.

That confirms it they are fricking idiots.

OVER 90% of the people I talk to are down on alfalfa acres.Not just a little either.I would say 40% reduction in alfalfa acres in upper midwest.Other hay not as much reduction maybe 5-10%

All Hay Area Harvested - States and United States: 2009-2011
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: Area harvested 
State :------------------------------------------------------------------------
: 2009 : 2010 : 2011 1/ : Percent of 
: : : : previous year 
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
: -------------- 1,000 acres ------------- percent 
: 
Alabama .......: 800 780 760 97 
Arizona .......: 310 320 270 84 
Arkansas ......: 1,415 1,480 1,480 100 
California ....: 1,540 1,470 1,400 95 
Colorado ......: 1,600 1,600 1,600 100 
Connecticut ...: 62 59 55 93 
Delaware ......: 17 15 15 100 
Florida .......: 300 320 350 109 
Georgia .......: 700 650 570 88 
Idaho .........: 1,510 1,470 1,370 93 
: 
Illinois ......: 610 600 600 100 
Indiana .......: 620 670 640 96 
Iowa ..........: 1,220 1,200 1,150 96 
Kansas ........: 2,550 2,550 2,600 102 
Kentucky ......: 2,520 2,530 2,450 97 
Louisiana .....: 380 450 400 89 
Maine .........: 149 137 140 102 
Maryland ......: 210 215 220 102 
Massachusetts .: 81 77 80 104 
Michigan ......: 990 1,000 1,000 100 
 : 
Minnesota .....: 2,050 1,900 1,900 100 
Mississippi ...: 700 700 670 96 
Missouri ......: 3,880 3,840 3,800 99 
Montana .......: 2,500 2,850 2,900 102 
Nebraska ......: 2,700 2,690 2,600 97 
Nevada ........: 490 470 450 96 
New Hampshire .: 57 56 55 98 
New Jersey ....: 110 105 110 105 
New Mexico ....: 320 310 290 94 
New York ......: 1,360 1,380 1,440 104 
: 
North Carolina : 847 865 840 97 
North Dakota ..: 2,960 2,550 2,500 98 
Ohio ..........: 1,040 1,110 1,170 105 
Oklahoma ......: 3,220 3,210 3,100 97 
Oregon ........: 1,030 1,045 1,000 96 
Pennsylvania ..: 1,550 1,500 1,600 107 
Rhode Island ..: 7 8 8 100 
South Carolina : 350 360 390 108 
South Dakota ..: 3,800 3,600 3,500 97 
Tennessee .....: 1,915 1,965 1,970 100 
: 
Texas .........: 4,620 5,220 5,000 96 
Utah ..........: 690 700 700 100 
Vermont .......: 190 195 200 103 
Virginia ......: 1,180 1,330 1,380 104 
Washington ....: 810 840 780 93 
West Virginia .: 625 620 620 100 
Wisconsin .....: 1,920 1,660 1,700 102 
Wyoming .......: 1,270 1,190 1,150 97 
: 
United States .: 59,775 59,862 58,973 99


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## NCSteveH (Jun 30, 2009)

Maine .........: 149 137 140 102
Really? I have a list of people just begging to plant row crops on my lands. Most of the farmers around me are planning to plow under any field that is in any need of renovation and putting corn or beans on it this year. Anything that came out of CRP that I know of is going into row crop this year. So I can't see a 2% increase happening this year.

Now this one just proves that they are smoking some good crack

Illinois ......: 610 600 600 100
really? staying the same? yeah right!


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## Beach Farmer (Jan 8, 2010)

Minnesota .....: 2,050 1,900 1,900 ???????

The 09 and 10 numbers aside, I agree the 11 totals are way off base. There has to be some really good stuff going around the USDA 

I agree, the swing acres are going to be the alfalfa acres that are on better ground. My experience, along with most others, is that the grass hay is on the marginal or wet ground that you can't get a consistent row crop off of. I get through a pretty good swath of the state on a regular basis and unless I'm missing something, there sure don't seem to be a lot of acres going back in. I don't know if I would venure a guess on % down but you may not be far off with a 40% shot.

Time will tell. The only thing that bugs me about the whole acreage battle, crop futures, etc is the level of emotion in everything now. It seems like even the reports such as this are suspect to non-scientific analysis. Who knows what's around the next bend?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I'm not the only one thats think there munbers are off.

From Dyersville Auction site,

Sale Results - Hay
Hay Auction Market Report
March 30 2011
Receipts: 1579 tons
The market was firm demand good. Top was $240/ ton on several load of top end dairy hay. Rounds topped at $147.50 on 3rd crop mixed balage. Straw and stalks were firm and the crowd was huge. The USDA has forecasted only a 1% drop in hay acres harvested in 2011. If you believe that you probably believe in the Easter Bunny.


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## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

I dont know about everyone else but I dont think the government needs to KNOW MY business, They will just fu-k it up I am sick of the us gov involved with everything , they cant even run a country much less a farm. I dont need the us gov in my farming operation , everytime they ever come out with a report it just cost me money. Besides you cannot TRUST anything that the USA or usda has to say, bunch of idiots getting a fat pay check from the tax payers. alot of propaganda is what they are good at.


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## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

I think someone in the USDA released the April Fool's joke they planned for the boss by mistake...every little bit has been gone after...I think one guy is eying the garden for a corn field. This is getting crazy...these guys are going after everything. No way those figures are correct Even near Indy I counted four alfalfa/OG fields in nice hay that were being worked today coming up to the farm. These were large fields that sold horse hay to the folks north of Indy...20-40 acre fields. I think good hay will be at a premium, especially if we have another really wet spring again around here.

I think I will start a forum for IReports like CNN. People can report on what they are seeing on the local hay situation and post pictures and video of hay fields being torn up for row crops.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

If hay was on CBOT I would be buying March 2012 contracts.Hay stocks will be 0 buy then with everything being ripped out.

I think the hay brokers will be trying to lock up hay this summer.Bigtime.


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## IAhaymakr (Jun 4, 2008)

I'll be the contrary one here, I am adding hay acres. Probably ever 300. My demand is good and I don't expect that to change, only increase. I would really like to not grow any corn at all but I like to feed cattle too, so my corn acres will shrink but not go away completely. I do however believe that the USDA report doesn't paint an accurate picture of the reductioon in hay acres. The Pioneer guy here said I am the only alfalfa seed buyer he has this year. Maybe it's wise to walk the opposite direction that everyone else seems to be RUNNING!


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