Land in Hay Rising 2%

WASHINGTON - Jun 30/06 - SNS -- Hay producers in the United States expect to harvest 62.7 million acres of all hay in 2006, up 2% from 2005, according to the USDA's seeded area estimates for 2006.

Harvested area of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures is forecast at 22.4 million acres, up fractionally from last year. All other hay harvested area is expected to total 40.3 million acres, up 3% from a year earlier.

The major increases in alfalfa hay acres are expected in; States from the Great Basin westward to the Pacific Coast, the central areas of the Great Plains and Corn Belt, and in Pennsylvania and New York. These increases are nearly offset by decreases in the northern Great Plains, Southwest, and western and eastern Corn Belt.

Wisconsin is expecting the largest increase of alfalfa hay harvested acres, up 100,000 acres from last year, as many growers are expecting to cut the alfalfa for dry hay at this time instead of haylage. Additionally, large increases in alfalfa hay acres are expected in California and New York, both up 60,000 acres from 2005.

Compared with 2005, all other hay harvested area is expected to increase or remain unchanged in all but 10 States. Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas are expecting large increases in all other hay harvested acreage, up 110,000 acres, 100,000 acres, and 300,000 acres, respectively.

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