Moisture Helps U.S. Hay Crop

WASHINGTON - Aug 13/15 - SNS -- Production of hay other than alfalfa is forecast at 80.0 million tons in the U.S., up 2% from 2014, according to the latest USDA production forecast for 2015.

Based on August 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 2.09 tons per acre, up 0.06 ton from last year. If realized, the 2015 average yield will be a record high and production will be the third highest on record behind 2004 and 2003. Harvested area is forecast at 38.2 million acres, unchanged from June but down 1% from 2014.

Good moisture, excluding the far western States and to a lesser extent the Southeastern and Gulf Coast States, has many producers expecting improved yields and production compared with last year. Producers in Missouri, Montana, and Nebraska are expecting record high yields.

All Other Hay Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2014
and Forecasted August 1, 2015
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                :    Area harvested     :    Yield per acre     :      Production
      State     :-----------------------------------------------------------------------
                :   2014    :   2015    :   2014    :   2015    :   2014    :   2015
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                :  --- 1,000 acres --       ----- tons -----       --- 1,000 tons ---
                :
Alabama 2/ .....:     750         720       2.80        2.50        2,100       1,800
Arkansas .......:   1,220       1,050       2.00        2.30        2,440       2,415
California .....:     500         455       3.40        3.00        1,700       1,365
Colorado .......:     600         700       1.75        1.90        1,050       1,330
Georgia 2/ .....:     580         540       2.60        2.80        1,508       1,512
Idaho ..........:     300         330       2.10        2.20          630         726
Illinois .......:     250         275       2.70        2.50          675         688
Indiana ........:     360         330       2.75        2.30          990         759
Iowa ...........:     345         345       2.20        2.50          759         863
Kansas .........:   1,700       1,800       1.60        2.00        2,720       3,600
                :
Kentucky .......:   2,100       2,100       2.00        2.20        4,200       4,620
Louisiana 2/ ...:     470         460       2.70        2.40        1,269       1,104
Michigan .......:     340         350       2.10        2.20          714         770
Minnesota ......:     810         820       1.60        1.80        1,296       1,476
Mississippi 2/ .:     600         620       2.60        2.70        1,560       1,674
Missouri .......:   3,200       3,300       2.00        2.10        6,400       6,930
Montana ........:     880         900       1.70        1.90        1,496       1,710
Nebraska .......:   1,750       1,800       1.50        1.70        2,625       3,060
New York .......:   1,080       1,060       1.80        1.80        1,944       1,908
North Carolina .:     820         720       2.40        2.20        1,968       1,584
                :
North Dakota ...:   1,050       1,150       1.90        1.80        1,995       2,070
Ohio ...........:     650         700       2.50        2.10        1,625       1,470
Oklahoma .......:   3,300       3,000       1.60        1.60        5,280       4,800
Oregon .........:     680         680       2.40        2.40        1,632       1,632
Pennsylvania ...:   1,050       1,050       2.10        2.50        2,205       2,625
South Dakota ...:   1,350       1,400       1.70        1.70        2,295       2,380
Tennessee ......:   1,750       1,700       2.20        2.20        3,850       3,740
Texas ..........:   5,300       5,100       2.10        2.20       11,130      11,220
Virginia .......:   1,100       1,050       2.20        2.30        2,420       2,415
Washington .....:     450         400       2.80        2.80        1,260       1,120
                :
West Virginia ..:     600         620       1.80        1.70        1,080       1,054
Wisconsin ......:     390         350       1.90        2.30          741         805
Wyoming ........:     570         560       1.70        1.50          969         840
                :
Other States 1/ :   1,752       1,767       2.18        2.23        3,826       3,943
                :
United States ..:  38,647      38,202       2.03        2.09       78,352      80,008
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1/ Other States include Arizona, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maine, Maryland,
   Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Rhode Island, South
   Carolina, Utah, and Vermont. Individual State level estimates will be published in
   the "Crop Production 2015 Summary."
2/ Alfalfa and alfalfa mixtures included in all other hay.