Auction prices across the Upper Midwest this week ran pretty wide depending on quality. Supreme hay brought $175 to $237.50 per ton, Premium came in at $160 to $195, and Good quality ranged from $145 to $170. Fair hay sold at $147.50 and Utility at $100 per ton. As usual, quality is doing a lot of the work in determining where your load lands in that range, so test your hay if you have not already.
We do not have any marketplace sales to report from the past 30 days, so if you have hay to move or are looking to buy, now is a good time to get a listing posted or reach out directly.
On the crop side, Wisconsin first-crop harvest is sitting at about 32% complete as of the week ending July 26, according to USDA. That is worth watching, because a slow or short first crop in one part of the region can bring buyers looking to source hay from neighboring areas. No active drought flags to note right now, but keep an eye on conditions as the season moves along and second crop gets going.