Dry Hay Harvest Slipped 4%

WASHINGTON - Jan 12/07 - SNS -- The United States produced 142 million tons of dry hay in 2006, down 4% from the October 1 forecast and down 6% from the 2005 total, according to the USDA.

Area harvested, at 60.8 million acres, is down 3% from the October forecast and down 1% from 2005. The average yield, at 2.33 tons per acre, is down 0.02 ton from October and down 0.12 ton from the previous year.

Production of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures ended up at 71.7 million tons, down 4% from the October 1 forecast and 6% below 2005. Harvested area, at 21.4 million acres, is 5% below the October forecast and the previous year and the lowest since 1951. The average yield is 3.35 tons per acre, 0.02 ton above the previous forecast but 0.04 ton below 2005.

New seedings of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures totalled 3.18 million acres in 2006, down 3% from the 2005 seeded area of 3.29 million acres. The largest decrease occurred in Wisconsin, down 150,000 acres from 2005. The new seedings of alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures will normally be harvested for the first time in the year following planting.

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