THE 30-SECOND VERSION
Midwest alfalfa is holding steady — Good rounds trading $105–$140/ton from MN to IA. But here's what stood out this week: the spread between the cheapest and most expensive markets in the country hit $425/ton. Iowa utility hay at $50/ton. Pennsylvania orchard grass at $457/ton. Same crop, same country, completely different world.
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🌽 MIDWEST AUCTION PRICES
What hay actually sold for at auction this week:
Pipestone, MN
• Alfalfa Good — Large Round: $105/ton
• Alfalfa Good — Large Square 3x4: $130/ton
• Alfalfa Fair — Large Round: $65–$95/ton (avg $81/ton)
• Alfalfa/Grass Mix Fair — Large Round: $70–$75/ton (avg $72/ton)
Rock Valley, IA
• Alfalfa Good/Premium — Large Round: $140/ton
• Alfalfa Fair/Good — Large Round: $118–$138/ton (avg $125/ton)
• Grass Fair/Good — Large Round: $115–$134/ton (avg $124/ton)
• Alfalfa Utility — Large Round: $75–$90/ton (avg $85/ton)
Dakota, SD
• Alfalfa Good — Large Round: $108–$142/ton (avg $120/ton)
• Alfalfa Fair — Large Round: $90–$100/ton (avg $94/ton)
• Grass Good — Large Round: $95–$125/ton (avg $112/ton)
HPL Auction, IA
• Alfalfa Fair/Good — Large Round: $100–$105/ton (avg $102/ton)
• Alfalfa Utility — Large Round: $45–$60/ton (avg $50/ton)
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📊 ALFALFA GOOD — LARGE ROUND BENCHMARK
The most comparable data point across all markets. Where does your region stand?
Region | Avg $/Ton |
|---|---|
Madison County, IL | $32 |
Iowa (state avg) | $55 |
Nebraska – Central | $74 |
Nebraska – East | $80 |
Nebraska – Platte Valley | $85 |
Kansas (state avg) | $87 |
HPL Auction, IA | $102 |
Pipestone, MN | $108 |
Dakota, SD | $119 |
Rock Valley, IA | $126 |
Kansas – Southwest | $142 |
Montana | $150 |
Missouri | $162 |
Oklahoma – Northeast | $187 |
Shipshewana, IN | $228 |
Topeka, IN | $229 |
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🗺️ NATIONAL SNAPSHOT
Highest prices recorded this week:
Region | Type | Quality | $/Ton |
|---|---|---|---|
Wolgemuth, PA | Alfalfa/Grass Mix | Supreme | $457 |
Wolgemuth, PA | Grass | Premium | $430 |
Wolgemuth, PA | Orchard Grass | Premium | $410 |
Wolgemuth, PA | Alfalfa | Supreme | $400 |
Pennsylvania is a different market entirely — dense horse country, small farms, no room to grow hay. They pay whatever it takes. Midwest farmers are on the other end of that equation.
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💡 THIS WEEK'S INSIGHT
The $425 spread — and what it means for Midwest producers
The cheapest Good alfalfa in the country this week: $32/ton in Madison County, IL. The most expensive: $457/ton in Pennsylvania. That's a $425 gap on the same quality hay.
That spread exists because hay is heavy, perishable-ish, and expensive to ship. Markets stay local. Which means your price is almost entirely determined by geography — not quality, not effort.
For Midwest producers, that's actually good news right now. Rock Valley at $140/ton for premium rounds is competitive. If you're buying, you're in one of the better-priced regions in the country. If you're selling, you're not leaving money on the table — yet.
Watch Missouri. At $162/ton for Good rounds, it's quietly becoming the bridge market between Midwest and Eastern prices. If that number keeps climbing, it'll pull Iowa and SD prices up with it.
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If this was useful, forward it to one person who buys or sells hay.
It's free and always will be: haywireag.com (https://haywireag.com/)
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HayWire — USDA auction data, made readable. 1,674 records from 69 regions this week.
P.S. — Quick question: are you buying hay, selling it, or just tracking prices? Hit reply and tell me — would love to hear feedback on the weekly newsletters as well. Helps me make this more useful for you.