USDA Montana Hay 08/22 11:35
08/22/2025 | 11:35 am CDT USDA Montana Hay 08/22 11:35
AMS_2769
Montana Direct Hay Report
Released on August 22, 2025
Direct Hay Weighted Average Report for week ending 08/22/2025
VOLUME
This Week Last Reported Last Year
(08/04/2025)
Tons:
Hay 1505 6530 3450
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Total 1505 6530 3450
======================================================================
Compared to last report(8-08-25): Hay sold generally steady.
Demand was mostly moderate and not as strong as last report.
Supplies of grain hay are large with many farmers not being able to harvest
grain due to poor protean quality and sprouted heads from late
summer rains.
Many farmers in the Yellowstone valley have large quantities of grain
hay they need to move.
Several large sales of discounted rained on and hailed out grain hay
moved over the last few weeks.
A large supply of rained on hay is available in some locations as rains
made putting up high quality hay difficult, even past 1st cutting.
Much of this hay is being priced 25.00-30.00 behind good quality hay
but little is moving at this time as ranchers are buying up higher quality
hay first.
Some producers in Northern Montana have pulled hay equipment back out
of the shed as late summer rains have allowed for some producers to try
and put up one last cutting for the season.
With hay 200.00-230.00 delivered to many locations along the highline
ranchers and hay producers seemed willing to try to get as much forage
put up as possible.
Drought conditions continue to contract especially in the eastern and
northern portion of the state.
Rains have all but wiped out drought conditions in Eastern Montana over
the past 2 weeks.
Producers in Southern and Eastern Montana are mostly done with 2nd cutting
and some are starting on 3rd.
Central Montana and along the highline are wrapping 2nd.
Market activity was mostly slow to moderate this secession.
According to the drought monitor 41.95% of the state is in Moderate drought
or worse, down 14.48% from 2 weeks ago.
22.40% of the state is in an Severe drought or worse, down 5.52% from
2 weeks ago.
5.86% of the state is in Extreme drought or worse, down 2.0% from 2 weeks ago.
0% of the state is in Expectational drought, unchanged from 2 weeks ago.
Notably, 52.71% of the state is abnormally dry, down 24.95% from 2 weeks ago.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
N/A
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hay Conventional
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alfalfa Good Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Round 140 150.0 150 F.O.B.
Large Round 150 120.0 120 F.O.B. Old Crop
Barley Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Round 100 110.0 110 F.O.B.
Large Round 750 65.0 65 F.O.B.- Rain Damage
Feedlot
Grass Fair/Good Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Round 300 100.0 100 F.O.B. Old Crop
Timothy Grass Fair Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 15 210.0 210 F.O.B. Small Lots
Timothy Grass Premium Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 50 270.0 270 F.O.B. Small Lots
[0600059A]