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Hay Prices by State — July 2026

Real reported sales from USDA market news, linked to their reports — plus the converter that catches overpriced bales.

Price converter: $/ton ↔ $/bale

Reported hay market observations — July 2026

USDA AMS reported hay market observations, summarized by FieldAndFarmCalc.com — these are real reported sales/offers with their report and date, not official state averages. Prices are as-reported (auction or direct, mostly FOB); quality names follow each report. Click a report for the current edition.

StateClassQualityReported priceReport (date)
TX (Panhandle)AlfalfaPremium$175/ton lg rdTX Direct (7/10/26)
TX (North)BermudaPremium$165/ton lg rdTX Direct (7/10/26)
OKAlfalfaSupreme–Premium$180–210/tonOK Direct (7/17/26)
OKBermudaGood–Premium$50–80/rd baleOK Direct (7/17/26)
KSAlfalfaPremium/Supreme$185–375/ton by regionKS Direct (7/7/26)
KSGrass (bluestem/brome)as reported$40–160/tonKS Direct (7/7/26)
NEAlfalfaGood–Premium$135–300/tonNE Direct (7/16/26)
NEPrairie/meadow grassPremium$165–190/tonNE Direct (7/16/26)
MOAlfalfaFair→Supreme$125–300/tonMO Direct (7/9/26)
MOMixed grassFair→Premium$50–200/tonMO Direct (7/9/26)
IAAlfalfa/grassPremium$240–280/ton del.IA Direct (7/14/26)
SDAlfalfaPremium–Supreme$200–220/tonSD Direct (7/17/26)
MN (Pipestone auction)AlfalfaFair–Good$105–170/tonPipestone Auction (7/14/26)
WI / Upper Midwest†AlfalfaGrade 1→Prime$113–234/tonUW-Ext. Upper Midwest (7/7/26)
IDAlfalfaFair→Supreme$200–275/tonID Direct (7/9/26)
MTAlfalfaUtility→Good$180–250/tonMT Direct (7/10/26)
COOrchard & mixesPremium$300–450/ton (stables)CO Direct (7/16/26)
KYGrass (orchard/timothy)Standard$5.50–8.00/sm sqKY Direct (wk 7/10/26)
TNMixed grassGood$50–65/rd baleTN Direct (6/22/26)
PA (New Holland auction)Alfalfa & mixesGood→Supreme$255–450/tonWolgemuth Auction (7/13/26)
ORAlfalfaGood→Supreme$180–345/tonOR Direct (7/17/26)
WA (Columbia Basin)TimothyGood–Premium$224–274/tonWA-OR Direct (wk 7/10/26)
CAAlfalfaGood→Supreme$165–353/tonCA Direct (7/17/26)
ALBermudaGood–Premium$100–200/ton rdAL Direct (7/9/26)

† Upper Midwest figures are UW-Madison Extension's compiled quality-tested sales, not a USDA AMS report. No AMS hay report exists for NY — the New Holland, PA auction is the nearest reported market. Ranges compress many lots — open the report for bale sizes, regions, and full quality breakdowns.

Reading hay prices like a buyer

Three things move these numbers more than anything: quality grade (Supreme dairy alfalfa and fair cow hay are different products), bale package (small squares carry a handling premium per ton — Kentucky's $6.75 small squares are $270/ton hay if they weigh 50 lb), and who pays freight (FOB the field vs delivered can be $20–40/ton apart). When you compare a local quote against the table, match all three before deciding it's high or low. Auction prices are as-fed — if hay is unusually wet, you're buying water; our hay needs calculator covers the dry-matter side.

Converter math: $/bale = $/ton × bale lb ÷ 2,000. A $180/ton price on true 700-lb rounds is $63/bale — and the same $63 bale is $210/ton if it actually weighs 600. This is why weighing a few bales pays for a scale ticket many times over.

Table refreshed quarterly (next: October 2026). Report links always open the newest edition — between our refreshes, the linked PDFs are the current word.