![]() ![]() ![]() “Once a farm moves out of hay,” he says, “it’s a major decision to return to hay. During that time, hay prices jumped to two to three times the normal rate, according to the Ontario Forage Council.Īnd while hay prices have begun to drop again in both countries, Hurt predicts a slow recovery in the U.S. “The summer of 2012 brought a historic drought to Southeast Canada-Ontario specifically,” says Richard Horne, policy adviser for the Beef Farmers of Ontario. hay crop price averaged $98 per ton, and the price for the 2012 crop was nearly double that, at $191 per ton,” says Hurt, citing USDA statistics. Predictably, fewer hay acres lead to higher prices. ![]() “The national hay yield in 2012, for example, was the lowest since 1998.” Conversely, the number of acres planted in hay has decreased by 5.1 million. have increased by 13.6 million acres and soybeans by 4.5 million acres, according to the USDA. From 2005 to 2013, planted corn acres in the U.S. due to big demand surges for corn and soybeans,” says Christopher Hurt, professor at the Purdue University department of agricultural economics. “Hay acreage has been falling in the U.S. Even growing hay on plots of land once considered too small to be worth the effort has become an increasingly popular solution for producers looking to squeeze the value out of every dollar, hour and acre. One of the main drivers of the trend is that less hay is being produced, leading to higher prices.Īlso, significant advances in equipment have made it more cost-effective for many farmers to grow their own as opposed to buying feed or hiring custom harvesters. Thalman and Hammann are among the growing ranks of the do-it-yourself hay producers. Thalman checks over a 600-pound round bale made with his Hesston 1734 baler. Around the ranch, there are just numerous things that have to be done on a daily basis.” Falling Hay Production, Rising Prices ![]() “Normally, I start work around 6:30 a.m., and I can be done by 3 to 3:30,” he says. Living and working about a three-hour drive east from Hammann, Thalman is a full-time postal employee in Centralia, Ill., who, in addition to his day job, grows grass hay on 18 acres of his 40-acre spread. That’s much the same story for Ken Thalman. No matter what he’s up to, the work usually doesn’t stop until dark, if not later. Hammann, who, among his many other duties, is also the assistant chief of the local volunteer fire department, estimates he sells 25 to 30 head of cattle per year at weaning age. “We cut the grass, paint, work on anything and everything-electrical, plumbing, stoves, refrigerators, we do it all,” he says.īy mid-afternoon, he’s working closer to home on his 185-acre farm, where he raises about 80 head of cattle a year, as well as oats, wheat and hay-a mixture of fescue, orchardgrass, brome and clover-to use as feed for his cow/calf operation. He’s an assistant engineer at the Truman Hotel in his hometown of Jefferson City, Mo. to 1:30 p.m., you can find Galen Hammann working what might be called his first shift. The baler is easy to operate and its simple design/constructions allows most buyers to be able to start performance baling within a few hours.Where growing and harvesting hay might once have been a losing proposition for small farmers like Hammann, it’s now becoming an economical way for them to procure quality feed. There are many sustainable and growing retail markets for hay and the others are excellent for cattle fodder, mulch and beds for box and mushroom farming, paper pulp and power generation. The Farm-Maxx Hay Baler helps farmers, ranchers, convert hay, straw, pine needles, mowing and harvest residue into stalks into a marketable product to generate income! Hay, straw, forage & even pine straw are no problem for this machine. This makes these twine balers perfect for the small farmer in a hurry. The superior design and simple plug & play, hook up with no messy hydraulic hoses. Farm-Maxx Mini Round Hay Baler Model FMRB-330įMRB-330 Round Balers feature robust construction for years of trouble free baling. ![]()
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