Prices
Early 2025 opened with a firmer tone in hay markets after the steady softening through most of 2024. Alfalfa prices in many regions began the year several dollars higher than December levels, supported by tighter winter supplies, elevated fuel and freight costs, and selective export interest.
In the West, Premium and export‑quality alfalfa commonly traded from the low to mid $300s per ton, with top lots pushing higher when export buyers were active. Midwest and Plains markets generally held in the $220 to $280 range, depending on quality, supported by dry winter conditions and limited carryover. Grass and mixed hay followed a similar pattern, with early‑year prices typically $10 to $20 per ton above late‑2024 levels. Fair to Good grass hay often brought $180 to $240 per ton, and even lower‑quality lots moved steadily due to tight inventories. While spring moisture and first‑cutting yields ultimately guided 2025 price direction, the year began on firmer footing, reversing the downward trend that defined much of 2024.
Production
Steady moisture across much of the country and strong 2024 carryover supported another year of stable forage production in 2025. National totals showed modest gains, with yield improvements offsetting acreage shifts.
All dry hay: Production reached 123.03 million tons, up 0.5% from 2024. Harvested area held nearly steady at 49.56 million acres. Kansas posted the largest increase at 57%, followed by North Dakota (31%) and Ohio (27%). Texas saw the sharpest decline at 20%, with additional 10% to 20% decreases in Louisiana, Maryland, Montana, New Mexico, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures: Production totaled 50.21 million tons, up just under 1%. South Dakota (3.576 million tons) and Idaho (3.567 million tons) remained the top producers, followed by Nebraska, California and Montana. North Dakota recorded the largest year‑over‑year gain at 34%. Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Kansas also increased. Declines occurred in Idaho (‑7%), Nebraska, New Mexico, Wisconsin and Oklahoma due to heat stress, irrigation limits or stand losses.
Production of all other hay held steady to slightly higher, with gains in the central and northern Plains offsetting reductions in the South.
All other hay: Production was just more than 73 million tons, slightly above 2024. Harvested area remained near 34.9 million acres, and average yield stayed just above 2.09 tons per acre. Gains were concentrated in the northern Plains and upper Midwest. Declines were most common in the South and Southwest – Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico – and parts of the Pacific Northwest.
Total forage: The USDA’s 17‑state forage program estimated total forage at just more than 82 million tons, slightly above 2024. Alfalfa and mixtures accounted for about 40 million tons. Haylage and greenchop were harvested from 3.72 million acres, producing about 28.8 million tons. Consistent moisture in Wisconsin, Idaho, South Dakota and Minnesota supported reliable cutting schedules.
Corn silage: Production was about 124 million tons, slightly above 2024. Harvested area remained near 6.1 million acres, with average yield around 20.3 tons per acre. Late‑season heat trimmed yields in Kansas, Nebraska and parts of the southern Corn Belt, but national supplies remained adequate.
Sorghum silage: Production reached about 4.15 million tons, slightly above 2024. Harvested area increased to roughly 318,000 acres as drought‑prone regions leaned on sorghum’s heat and moisture tolerance. Average yield was about 13.1 tons per acre, with wide regional variation.
New alfalfa seedings: New seedings rose for the fourth straight year to about 1.89 million acres, up roughly 2% from 2024. Major dairy regions accounted for about 1.48 million acres (78% of total), with most gains in the northern dairy belt.
Hay stocks: May 1 hay stocks totaled about 22 million tons, supported by the large 2024 crop and a mild winter. Dec. 1, 2025, stocks were just less than 83 million tons – the highest since 2020.
Forage disappearance from May 1 to Dec. 1 was about 62.5 million tons, slightly above 2024. December inventories in major dairy states were up about 12%, with continued strength in the Southwest and tighter supplies in parts of the eastern Corn Belt.
Exports
Through November 2025, alfalfa hay exports totaled just under 1.95 million metric tons, slightly below the previous year. China accounted for about 45% of shipments, though demand softened late in the year. Exports of dehydrated alfalfa cubes remained historically low at about 55,000 metric tons.
Exports of other hay totaled more than 960,000 metric tons through November, modestly above 2024. Japan led with about 55% of shipments, followed by South Korea at 27%. Full‑year totals were published once December data became available, which occurred after our press deadline.
Weather and drought
Drought remained entrenched across much of the West and northern Plains entering 2025. Early April maps showed about 39% of hay acreage and 48% of alfalfa acreage under moderate or more severe drought. The most significant early‑season dryness persisted in Arizona, South Dakota, Nebraska and New Mexico, with pockets of severe to extreme drought in California and the central Plains.
As the year progressed, drought shifted but remained widespread. Much of the West began and ended 2025 in drought, with persistent dryness across the Mountain West, Southwest and northern Rockies. Drought expanded at times in the Upper Missouri River Basin, Northeast, Midwest, Southeast and the southern Plains. By late summer, conditions eased in parts of the East but reemerged in the Northeast and expanded across the central U.S.
Producers also noted that regional conditions shaped management decisions throughout the year as many areas balanced strong early-season growth with later weather challenges. Reports from field staff highlighted steady interest in forage quality testing and renewed attention to storage practices as operations worked to protect valuable inventories heading into winter.
Note: Monthly average prices calculated by the USDA are across all hay qualities. Among major hay-producing states, the range of monthly prices can vary by $100 per ton or more.
