Non Alfalfa Yields Slip

WASHINGTON - Oct 9/15 - SNS -- Production of hay other than alfalfa is forecast at 79.2 million tons, down 1% from the August forecast but up 1% from 2014, according to the USDA.

Based on October 1 conditions, yields are expected to average 2.07 tons per acre, down 0.02 ton from August but up 0.04 ton from last year. If realized, yield would be a record high for the United States. Harvested area is forecast at 38.2 million acres, unchanged from August but down 1% from 2014.

Beneficial moisture in many central States during May and June, along with an increase in harvested acreage, has producers expecting slightly increased production over last year. Producers in Georgia, Idaho, Missouri, and North Dakota are expecting record high yields in 2015.

All Other Hay Area Harvested, Yield, and Production - States and United States: 2014
and Forecasted October 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        2.70        2,100       1,944
Arkansas .......:   1,220       1,050       2.00        2.20        2,440       2,310
California .....:     500         455       3.40        3.00        1,700       1,365
Colorado .......:     600         700       1.75        1.60        1,050       1,120
Georgia 2/ .....:     580         540       2.60        3.00        1,508       1,620
Idaho ..........:     300         330       2.10        2.30          630         759
Illinois .......:     250         275       2.70        2.50          675         688
Indiana ........:     360         330       2.75        2.80          990         924
Iowa ...........:     345         345       2.20        2.10          759         725
Kansas .........:   1,700       1,800       1.60        1.80        2,720       3,240
                :
Kentucky .......:   2,100       2,100       2.00        2.40        4,200       5,040
Louisiana 2/ ...:     470         460       2.70        2.10        1,269         966
Michigan .......:     340         350       2.10        2.00          714         700
Minnesota ......:     810         820       1.60        2.00        1,296       1,640
Mississippi 2/ .:     600         620       2.60        2.40        1,560       1,488
Missouri .......:   3,200       3,300       2.00        2.10        6,400       6,930
Montana ........:     880         900       1.70        1.70        1,496       1,530
Nebraska .......:   1,750       1,800       1.50        1.50        2,625       2,700
New York .......:   1,080       1,060       1.80        1.60        1,944       1,696
North Carolina .:     820         720       2.40        2.30        1,968       1,656
                :
North Dakota ...:   1,050       1,150       1.90        1.90        1,995       2,185
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        2.40        2,205       2,520
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        2.70        1,260       1,080
                :
West Virginia ..:     600         620       1.80        1.90        1,080       1,178
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        2.20        3,826       3,881
                :
United States ..:  38,647      38,202       2.03        2.07       78,352      79,187
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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.