USDA Montana Hay                                   09/05 09:20
AMS_2769
 
Montana Direct Hay Report

                               Released on September 05, 2025
 
Direct Hay Weighted Average Report for week ending 09/05/2025
 
                                      VOLUME
                    This Week         Last Reported         Last Year
                                       (08/18/2025)
Tons:
      Hay           4655                1505                450                 
      Straw         2045                                                        
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      Total         6700                1505                450                 
======================================================================

Compared to last report(8-18-25): Hay sold generally steady.
Demand was mostly moderate and similar to last report.
Supplies of grain hay remain large.
Many farmers opted to bale wheat and barley hay instead of harvesting 
it due to poor grain quality.
With large quantities of poor quality (rained on or hailed out) grain 
hay on the market, higher quality grain hay prices have suffered.
Rained on and hailed out hay is currently moving at 60.00-90.00 depending 
on the severity of the damage, while higher quality grain hay is 
seeing resistance around $110.00.
A large supply of rained on hay is available in many locations as rains 
made putting up high quality hay difficult, even past 1st cutting.
Some rained on hay is staring to move however most buyers are opting 
to buy higher quality hay first.
Hay prices remain the highest in Northern Montana as drought and limited 
irrigation water limited production.
A large portion of hay in south and central Montana continues to move 
North to ranches along the highline.
Most delivered prices remain above $200.00.
Producers in Southern and Central Montana are mostly done with 2nd cutting 
and are working on 3rd.
Central Montana and along the highline are wrapping 2nd some are opting 
to try a small 3rd cutting.
Market activity was mostly moderate to active this secession.
According to the drought monitor 41.95% of the state is in Moderate drought 
or worse, unchanged from 2 weeks ago.
22.40% of the state is in an Severe drought or worse, unchanged from 
2 weeks ago.
8.24% of the state is in Extreme drought or worse, up 2.38% 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, unchanged from 2 weeks ago.

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                                   N/A
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Hay Conventional
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Alfalfa Fair Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Round            600       150.0   150    F.O.B.                         
 Large Square 3x4       1150  140.0-150.0 145.65 F.O.B.                         

Alfalfa Fair/Good Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Round            670   160.0-175.0 171.19 F.O.B.                         
 Large Square 3x4       300       160.0   160    F.O.B.                         

Alfalfa Utility/Fair Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Square 3x4       50        140.0   140    F.O.B.                         
 Medium Square 3x3      450       145.0   145    F.O.B.                         

Alfalfa/Grass Mix Good Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Round            50        180.0   180    F.O.B.-    Small Lots          
                                                 Stables
 Small Square           150       250.0   250    F.O.B.                         

Alfalfa/Grass Mix Good/Premium Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Round            25        175.0   175    F.O.B.-                        
                                                 Stables

Alfalfa/Grass Mix Premium Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Small Square           50        325.0   325    F.O.B.-    Small Lots          
                                                 Stables

Grass Fair Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Square 3x4       35        130.0   130    F.O.B.                         

Grass Good Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Medium Square 3x3      25        150.0   150    F.O.B.                         

Orchard Grass Good Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Medium Square 3x3      200       180.0   180    F.O.B.-                        
                                                 Stables

Orchard Grass Premium Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Medium Square 3x3      100       200.0   200    F.O.B.-                        
                                                 Stables

Wheat  Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Round            800       110.0   110    F.O.B.                         


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Straw Conventional
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Wheat  Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Square           500       40.0    40     F.O.B.                         

Barley  Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Square           145       60.0    60     F.O.B.                         

Brome  Per Ton
                        Qty   Price Range Wtd    Freight/   Description Crop Age
                                          Avg    Use
                        ---   ----------- ---    ---------- ----------- --------
 Large Square           1400  60.0-110.0  63.57  F.O.B.