The average price for all classes of hay during May posted significant upswings, according to the USDA’s Agricultural Prices report. It will now be interesting to watch if this is a longer-term trend or simply a temporary seasonal bump. Historically, monthly average hay prices peak during April or May.
The average price paid for alfalfa hay during May was $195 per ton, which was up $10 from the previous month and $4 higher than one year ago. The price paid for Supreme and Premium alfalfa hay during May improved by $13 per ton to $247. During late spring, high-quality hay is more difficult to find.
The average May grass hay price jumped by $9 per ton from the previous month, settling at $142. This price was still $2 under the price from a year ago.
Eleven states posted a double-digit alfalfa price improvement from April to May. That group was led by Colorado, which was up by $20 per ton. Montana and Wyoming were $15 higher, while Minnesota was up by $14. Pennsylvania was $12 per ton higher. Idaho, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, and Utah were all up by $10.
Only two states had a double-digit alfalfa hay price decline. Texas was down by $15, and Arizona was $10 lower.
The highest average May alfalfa hay price was reported in Pennsylvania at $280 per ton. New Mexico and New York followed at $265, while Kentucky posted a $245 per ton average price.
North Dakota had the lowest average alfalfa price at $94 per ton. It was followed by South Dakota at $98 and Nebraska at $102 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.
During May, the average price of Supreme and Premium alfalfa hay rose by $13 per ton, posting at $247. The average high-quality alfalfa hay price was still $30 per ton lower than a year ago.
Other hay
The May average price of other hay was reported at $142 per ton, which was up $9 from the previous month and just $2 below May 2025.
The highest May price for hay other than alfalfa was reported in New Mexico at $220 per ton. Pennsylvania followed at $215, while Washington posted a $210 per ton price. California and Oregon both averaged $200 per ton for May grass hay.
North Dakota had the lowest reported other hay average price at $67 per ton. It was followed by Oklahoma at $86 per ton.
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