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Central Kansas | I can't vouch for other places....but in central Kansas, they are just about right on the reduction of production this season. This is a periodical report by the USDA but generally is based in some pretty sound data. Sound about right for your region?
USDA Forecasts 6% Less Alfalfa
Last week's USDA Crop Production report forecasts this year's alfalfa production at 71.2 million tons, down 6% from 2005 production. Yields are expected to average 3.18 tons/acre, 0.2 ton below last year's average yield. The total harvested acreage -- 22.4 million -- is up fractionally from the 2005 number.
Yields are expected to be down across the Great Plains states, California, Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia and Washington. Extremely hot and dry weather has persisted throughout the Great Plains, severely hurting yield expectations for alfalfa hay. Compared with 2005, the largest declines are expected in Oklahoma and Kansas, down 1.1 tons and 1.0 ton from last year, respectively. Meanwhile, yields are forecast higher across the northern and eastern Corn Belt, Arizona, Idaho, New York and Pennsylvania. The largest yield increases are expected in Illinois and Pennsylvania, up 0.9 ton and 0.6 ton, respectively.
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USDA Hay Report
