Colorado Hay Report

Compared to last week, trade activity and demand light.  Northeast 
Colorado 1st cutting haylage complete and growers wrapping up baling in 
dry, windy conditions.  Producers in southwest Colorado are wrapping up 
1st cutting grass and alfalfa hay while battling dry, windy conditions.  
Southeast Colorado battling D3 drought category as pasture and range 
conditions continue to deteriorate.  Trade activity is getting underway 
for first cutting alfalfa in the San Luis Valley as producers and buyers 
try to find a middle ground on pricing.  Growers there are being 
encouraged to cut back on irrigation water usage for 2nd cutting.  
Weather conditions remain unchanged in the Mountains and Northwest 
Colorado regions as producers express concerns as to what yields will be 
on meadow grass hay.  According to the U.S Drought Monitor’s High Plains 
Summary released June 16, 2020; conditions are rapidly deteriorating 
through most of the High Plains Region.  Although rainfall deficits only 
date back a few weeks to a few months, other factors are making things 
worse, specifically abnormal heat, low humidity, and gusty winds. All 
these factors led to broad areas of deterioration in eastern Colorado, 
southern Kansas, Wyoming, the Dakotas, and adjacent parts of Nebraska. 
Notably, extreme drought (D3) expanded to cover a large part of southern 
and eastern Colorado, and adjacent parts of Kansas.  According to the 
NASS Colorado Crop Progress Report for week ending June 14, 2020, 1st 
cutting harvested alfalfa hay is at 63 percent with crop condition 
percentages for alfalfa hay rated 11 percent Very Poor, 16 percent Poor, 
28 percent Fair, 41 percent Good and 4 percent Excellent.  Stored feed 
supplies were rated 9 percent very short, 18 percent short, 72 percent 
adequate, and 1 percent surplus.  The next available report will be 
Thursday, June 25, 2020.  All prices reported are FOB at the stack or 
barn unless otherwise noted.  Prices reflect load lots of hay.  If you 
have hay for sale or need hay, use the services of the Colorado 
Department of Agriculture website: www.coloradoagriculture.com.

Northeast Colorado Areas
  Alfalfa
   Large Squares: Fair 130.00, Contract, DEL.
  Alfalfa/Grass
     Mid Squares: Premium 240.00, Retail/Stable.
   Small Squares: Premium 250.00-307.50 (7.50-10.00), Retail/Stable.
  Timothy/Brome Grass
     Mid Squares: Premium 235.00, Retail/Stable.
   Small Squares: Premium 250.00 (7.50 per bale), Retail/Stable.
  Grass
   Small Squares: Premium 335.00 (10.00 per bale), Retail/Stable.
   No reported quotes for all other classes of hay.

Southeast Colorado Areas
  Alfalfa
   Large Squares: Good/Premium 150.00, Rain Damaged.
   Small Squares: Premium 265.00-290.00 (8.00 per bale), Retail/Stable.
  Triticale
   Large Squares: Premium 125.00, DEL.
   No reported quotes for all other classes of hay.

San Luis Valley Areas
  Alfalfa
   Large Squares: Premium/Supreme 150.00-155.00.
   No reported quotes for all other classes of hay.

Southwest Colorado Areas
  3-Way Forage Grass Mix
   Small Squares: Premium 300.00-365.00 (9.00-11.00 per bale), Certified 
Weed Free.
   No reported quotes from all other classes of hay.

Mountains and Northwest Colorado Areas
  Grass
     Mid Squares: Premium 180.00.
                  Good 150.00.
   Small Squares: Premium 270.00 (7.00 per bale), Retail/Stable.
   No reported quotes for all other classes of hay.

Northeast: Weld, Washington, Morgan, Cheyenne, Kiowa, Lincoln, Elbert, 
Adams, Sedgwick, Yuma, Larimer, Jefferson, Douglas, Kit Carson, Phillips, 
Logan, Boulder, Arapahoe, and El Paso.
Southeast: Fremont, Custer, Huerfano, Las Animas, Bent, Otero, Prowers, 
Crowley, and Pueblo.
San Luis Valley: Saguache, Alamosa, Costilla, Conejos, Rio Grande, and 
Mineral.
Southwest: Mesa, Delta, Montrose, Ouray, San Miguel, Montezuma, Dolores, 
San Juan, Hinsdale, Archuleta, and La Plata.
Mountains and Northwest: Moffat, Routt, Jackson, Rio Blanco, Garfield, 
Gunnison, Teller, Grand, Chaffee, Park, Clear Creek, Gilpin, Summit, 
Lake, and Eagle.

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