After peaking at $191 per ton in May, the average price for alfalfa dropped by $18 per ton during June and July. According to the USDA’s Agricultural Prices report, alfalfa fell to $173 per ton, down $4 from June and $10 below a year ago. Typically, the highest average price each year is posted in April or May, and that seems like it will hold true in 2025.
The average price for grass hay in July rose by $3 per ton to $144, matching the average price in May.
The price paid for Supreme and Premium alfalfa hay during July bumped to $245 per ton, which was $1 above the previous month.
Four states had a double-digit month-over-month alfalfa price gain during July. Texas, Kentucky, Utah, and Colorado were all up by $10 per ton.
Six states had a double-digit decline in average alfalfa price. California, Ohio, Arizona, Nevada, Oklahoma, and Minnesota were all down by $10 per ton.
The highest average July alfalfa hay price was reported in Pennsylvania at $250 per ton. It was followed by Texas at $245, while New Mexico and New York posted a price of $240 per ton.
Minnesota had the lowest average alfalfa price at $90 per ton. It was followed by North Dakota at $93 and South Dakota at $94 per ton.
Keep in mind that USDA average prices account for all qualities and bale types of hay sold. Also, the final U.S. estimate is a volume-weighted average rather than a simple average of state values. Those states with the most volume sales will impact the final U.S. dollar value more than those states with fewer sales.
Supreme and Premium
The USDA also tracks the prices of Supreme and Premium quality alfalfa in the major dairy states and determines an average price from the five top milk-producing states (California, Idaho, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin). This data is used to determine feed prices in the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC) program.
For July, the average price of Supreme and Premium alfalfa hay rose by $1 per ton after dropping by $33 per ton the previous month. The July average alfalfa price posted at $245, which was $8 per ton above the average price from a year ago.
Other hay
The July average price of other hay rebounded by $3 per ton to $144. This was $10 per ton lower than the previous year.
The highest July price for hay other than alfalfa was reported in Washington at $215 per ton. Oregon followed at $205, while Pennsylvania and New York posted a $185 per ton price.
North Dakota had the lowest reported other hay average price at $68 per ton. It was followed by Wisconsin at $80 per ton.
