The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) submitted written comments to the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) on Jan. 19 in response to the agency’s request for comments on agency programs and Western water quantity.

If you’re a forage numbers geek, your Christmas arrived on Jan. 12, 2021. That’s the day the USDA released a number of reports covering forages from seed to shed.

From supply and demand, weather and shipping challenges to distribution of government assistance payments and pandemic vaccines, there was no shortage of issues affecting hay markets and marketers – directly or indirectly – as the new year got underway.

Agricultural producers and private landowners interested in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) can sign up for the popular program beginning Jan. 4, 2021, until Feb. 12, 2021.

The American Feed Industry Association (AFIA) released Dec. 10 an updated Feed Manufacturing Technology (FMT) as an online subscription as well as a printed copy.

The early December hay market contained a little bit naughty and a little bit nice. Average prices and exports inched up, but areas impacted by drought grew. 

Single or mixed species of small grains such as barley, wheat, oats and triticale are being used more frequently as rotation forage crops in the West, especially during drought years, as small-grain forages typically require less total irrigation than corn, and the timing of their irrigation needs (April – July) often better synchronizes with water availability from snowmelt, or “high water,” than corn in some areas of the West.

The USDA announced Nov. 12 the sign-up periods for the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) and the CRP Grasslands in 2021. Sign-up for general CRP will be open from Jan. 4, 2021, to Feb. 12, 2021, and sign-up for CRP Grasslands runs from March 15, 2021, to April 23, 2021.

Overall farm tractor unit sales continue their growth across North America in October 2020 despite a small pause in larger units in Canada according to the latest data from the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM).

The hay season is transitioning from harvesting to feeding and/or marketing, as the calendar changes to early November. Marketers reported a noticeable increase in buyer interest, as winter needs came into focus. Here’s a look at post-election-day hay market conditions.