Page 28 - MWC 2-23-2023s

US Hay Stocks Fall to Lowest Level Since ’74 The Midwest Cattleman · February 23, 2023 · P28

By Mary Hightower
May 1 hay stocks were tight, a 20 percent decline. Florida and Texas saw yields averag-
High fertilizer prices and totaling 16.77 million tons or bucked the trend, seeing a 7 ing 1.25 tons per acre and 1.50
drought in 2022 handed hay 7 percent lower year over year. percent increase in hay pro- tons per acre, respectively.”
production in the United “May 1 stocks, combined duction. Overall, other hay acreage
States its biggest decline in 11 with lower 2022 hay produc- “USDA’s estimate for Ar- fell 2 percent to 34.63 acres.
years with stocks at their low- tion, put hay supplies at the kansas is much better than Arkansas’ hay acres declined
est level since data collection lowest level on record since what I would have predicted by 5 percent, while Texas saw
began, according to the Na- the data began in 1974,” said last summer,” Mitchell said. a 25 percent reduction in hay
tional Agricultural Statistics James Mitchell, extension Based on conversations with acres in 2022.
Service. economist for the University producers last year, he said “I Mitchell said that “declin-
The stats were part of the of Arkansas System Division was expecting a decline closer ing cattle inventories, expen-
Jan. 12 Crop Production Sum- of Agriculture. “The previous to 25 percent. sive inputs, and high crop pric-
mary from NASS, which is record low in hay supplies was “It was hard to predict es all likely contributed to the
part of the U.S. Department in 2021.” whether we would get late-sea- decline in 2022 hay acreage.”
of Agriculture. The report in- Production declines son rain last summer,” Mitch- Higher prices
cludes information about all ell said. “It was even hard to Mitchell said farmers would
Nationwide, other hay pro-
U.S. crops, their production, duction totaled 64.84 million predict whether a late-season likely be paying more for hay.
acreage, and yield. NASS plac- rain would help us make up “Like other commodities,
es hay in two categories, alfal- tons in 2022, down 9 percent for the severe production loss- price comparisons are based
from the prior year, with Ar-
fa and “other hay,” the latter es we had in July. Conditions on the marketing year,” he
being relevant to the South- kansas seeing a 16 percent improved enough in Septem- said. The hay marketing year
decline. Texas, the nation’s
eastern U.S. ber for us to make up for some begins in May and ends in
According to the summary, largest hay-producing state, of that loss.”
produced 6.15 million tons, a April.
40 percent decline compared Yields down “For the May 2021-April
to 2021. “Expensive fertilizer and 2022 marketing year, prices
“Most Southern Plains and poor precipitation impacted averaged $147 per ton,” Mitch-
Southeast states had dou- yields,” he said. “U.S. hay yields ell said. “For the May 2022-
ble-digit hay production de- averaged 1.87 tons per acre April 2023 marketing year, we
clines,” said Mitchell said. or 6 percent lower year over forecast prices to average $170
Mississippi saw a 16 per- year. Yields dropped 9 percent per ton.”
cent decline, Tennessee a 13 in Arkansas to two tons per
percent decline, and Kentucky, acre. Neighboring Oklahoma