Cooperative Extension Service Communications and Technology Department 3354 1000 E. University Ave. Laramie, WY 82071 (307) 766-6342 • fax (307) 766-3998 • www.uwyo.edu

 

For Immediate Release

 

Contact: Steven L. Miller, Senior Editor

Phone: (307) 766-6342

E-mail: slmiller@uwyo.edu

Archived News Site www.uwyo.edu/agadmin/news/news.htm

 

Date: July 26, 2006

Drought squeezes hay supply; UW Hay List Web site available

 

            Region-wide drought conditions have apparently moved Wyoming hay out of state sooner than usual, and a manager of the Wyoming Hay List is encouraging producers who have hay to sell to list it on the “Hay List” Web site.

            Scott Keith, livestock and forage program manager with the Agribusiness Division of the Wyoming Business Council, said he sees a potential hay shortage this fall.

            “Normally in dry years, we don’t see much of a crisis start until November or December when that year’s hay production is sold off and people who didn’t buy are short,” he said.

            This year, the drought extends beyond the Intermountain West into the Midwest, and producers there have already responded to their hay needs. “A lot of hay produced in Wyoming has already left the state,” he said. “Come November, producers might not be able to find any. It’s a fear I have. I see a lot of trucks with hay moving down the highway.”

            The Wyoming Hay List is a joint venture between the University of Wyoming Cooperative Extension Service (UW CES) and the Wyoming Business Council. The site http://www.uwyo.edu/ces/haylist/default.htm has been streamlined to be more user friendly, Keith said.

            Listings, which include silage and other feed, are now purged one month after being placed unless the seller renews the listing. In past years, sellers who listed hay in the fall did not contact list managers to have their hay removed. Producers looking for hay in mid-summer the next year and calling the sellers quickly became frustrated, Keith said.

            Sellers and buyers can now place their listing via the Internet or by calling Kathy Parsons, office associate at the UW Powell Research and Extension Center, at (307) 754-2223 with their information.

            The state has been divided into regions so those needing or selling hay can list locally. Buyers and sellers can also search listings of the entire state. Out-of-state links are also available.

            “In-state producers always have the first opportunity for listings,” said Keith. A link to the U.S. Department of Agriculture markets has been added to give producers an idea of hay prices across the country.

            A link for certified hay has also been added. “There is always a demand for certified hay for people running horses on the national forests and for other reasons,” he said. Trucking and pasture-needed links are also available on the site.

            “This year, the site might be more widely used,” he said.

            Keith plans on developing promotion materials to be distributed at the Wyoming State Fair.

            The hay industry has him stumped this year, he said.

             “I have a feeling we won’t see skyrocketing prices for lower quality hay,” he said. “Ranchers won’t spend excessive amounts for hay until there is outside influence, such as through disaster relief. They might pay a few dollars more. They pay attention to what they can afford. They will sell cows before they buy too high-priced hay.”

            Producers needing hay will look at every possible avenue and will buy as cheap as possible, he said. “It is possible to list ‘Hay Needed’ on the Web site, just like listing hay for sale. Just call with your information.”

            The ease and accessibility of putting their need for hay on the Internet is one of those avenues.

            “If producers have hay or are in need of hay, I’d encourage them to think about listing it on the Web,” said Keith. “Also, producers who have hay that might not be of the best quality should go ahead and list it.”

            Keith encourages sellers to test the quality of their hay and post it with their listing. Keith said forage quality testing to determine what the hay is can cost as little as $15 for individual lots of hay. He said CES educators can provide the service. A listing of CES offices is available online at https://www.uwyo.edu/UWCES/Counties.asp.

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