The USDA has released details of a plan to help cover the cost of transporting feed for livestock that rely on grazing and are located in regions affected by the drought.

For those framing their hay feeding and marketing plans, the 2021 U.S. hay harvest picture is becoming clearer.

Gains in larger and four-wheel-drive tractors offset smaller declines in the sub-40-hp range in the U.S., while Canadian farm tractor unit sales were positive across the board in July, according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

Drought is affecting hay supplies and prices in much of the western U.S., while the impact on hay quality from wildfire smoke is still unknown. Transportation availability and cost are concerns both home and abroad. Here’s a snapshot of factors affecting hay markets as we move into the second week of August.

The USDA is investing $15 million for a new drought pilot to assist agricultural producers impacted by worsening drought conditions to provide relief to impacted California and Oregon producers in the Klamath River Basin.

I bring up this illustration every year, but your perception of forage conditions and markets is probably a lot like the parable of the blind men and the elephant: it depends on where you are standing. Here’s a description of factors affecting hay markets as we approach the middle of July.

The grazing season was well underway in the southern U.S. when tornadic weather spawned in early May. Across the country, 14 states have declared worsening drought stages in the peak of calving season.

Agricultural producers with crop insurance can hay, graze or chop cover crops for silage, haylage or baleage at any time and still receive 100% of the prevented planting payment.

Organic forages remain a growth market, based on national survey data from the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS).