What hay sold for this week in 20 US states, per bale and per ton
Hay prices in California this week: per bale and per ton
Source: USDA AMS California Direct Hay Report, published Fri 9 Oct 2026, for the week ending 9 Oct 2026 (PDF). 39 price lines, all confirmed trades, 15 of them priced per bale. Confirmed hay volume this week: 7,300 tons and 68,683 bales. The report splits the state into regions (Central San Joaquin Valley, North Inter-Mountains, North San Joaquin Valley, Sacramento Valley, South, Southeast); the region is in the Notes column. The report says the next California report is due Friday 23 October 2026. USDA market comment: "Compared to last report: Trade activity and demand good on retail hay and dairy hay. In southeast California, Retail #1 alfalfa 3-tie bales sold $35-40/per ton higher than two weeks ago. Growers are attributing the price jump due to a tightening supply. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, the week of 10/6/26 drought categories have 23.26% of the state in a D1 category, 48.86% of the state in a D0 category, and the rest of the state (27.88%) in no drought classification. The next available hay report will be Friday, October 23, 2026." For scale, USDA NASS's monthly state average for August 2026 was $226.00/ton for all hay (alfalfa $235.00, other hay $200.00; US all hay $190.00) (NASS Agricultural Prices, 29 Sep 2026). Qty is tons for per-ton rows and bales for per-bale rows. Trade and Contract rows are confirmed sales; Ask and Offer rows are quoted prices, not sales.
| Hay | Grade | Bale | Priced per | Basis | Qty | Price ($) | Wtd avg ($) | Freight / use | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa | Good | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 1024 | 12.00 | 12.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | Weedy; 5th Cut; Region: South |
| Alfalfa | Good | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 1024 | 14.00 | 14.00 | F.O.B.-Dealer/Mill/Processor | 5th Cut; Region: South |
| Alfalfa | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 544 | 14.50 | 14.50 | F.O.B.-Retail | Rain Damage; 1st Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 3072 | 16.00 | 16.00 | F.O.B.-Dealer/Mill/Processor | 4th Cut; Region: South |
| Alfalfa | Premium/Supreme | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 512 | 16.00 | 16.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | 3rd Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Premium/Supreme | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 2176 | 15.00 | 15.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | 1st Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Supreme | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 92 | 19.00 | 19.00 | F.O.B.-Farm/Ranch | New Crop; Region: South |
| Forage Mix-Three Way | Good | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 512 | 13.50 | 13.50 | F.O.B.-Dealer/Mill/Processor | New Crop; Region: South |
| Orchard Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 2176 | 18.00 | 18.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | 1st Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Orchard Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 2625 | 19.00 | 19.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | New Crop; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Prairie/Meadow Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Trade | 4987 | 14.00-16.00 | 15.37 | F.O.B.-Retail | 3rd Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Contract | 21052 | 13.00 | 13.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | Covered; 4th Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Mixed Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Contract | 4444 | 14.00 | 14.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | Covered; New Crop; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Orchard Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Contract | 19999 | 18.00-19.00 | 18.33 | F.O.B.-Retail | Covered; New Crop; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Prairie/Meadow Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Bale | Contract | 4444 | 12.00 | 12.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | New Crop; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Fair | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 80 | 160.00 | 160.00 | F.O.B.-Feedlot | New Crop; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Fair | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 400 | 210.00-220.00 | 215.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | New Crop; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Fair/Good | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 100 | 205.00 | 205.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | 5th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Good | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 200 | 250.00 | 250.00 | F.O.B. | > 5th Cut; Region: North San Joaquin Valley |
| Alfalfa | Good | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 25 | 235.00 | 235.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | 5th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Good | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 100 | 265.00 | 265.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | New Crop; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Good/Premium | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 300 | 220.00 | 220.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | 3rd Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 75 | 255.00 | 255.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | Covered; 5th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 225 | 280.00-300.00 | 288.89 | F.O.B.-Retail | New Crop; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 950 | 240.00-300.00 | 254.21 | F.O.B.-Retail | > 5th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa | Premium/Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 185 | 270.00 | 270.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | > 5th Cut; Region: Central San Joaquin Valley |
| Alfalfa | Premium/Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 1000 | 353.00 | 353.00 | Delivered-Dairy | 4th Cut; Region: Central San Joaquin Valley |
| Alfalfa | Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 550 | 240.00 | 240.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | 4th Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 200 | 265.00 | 265.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | > 5th Cut; Region: North San Joaquin Valley |
| Alfalfa | Utility/Fair | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 500 | 180.00 | 180.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | > 5th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Alfalfa/Grass Mix | Fair | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 125 | 210.00 | 210.00 | F.O.B.-Farm/Ranch | > 5th Cut; Region: North San Joaquin Valley |
| Alfalfa/Grass Mix | Good | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 100 | 175.00 | 175.00 | F.O.B.-Feedlot | New Crop; Region: Southeast |
| Giant Bermuda Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 25 | 270.00 | 270.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | 4th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Giant Bermuda Grass | Premium | Small Square 3 Tie | Ton | Trade | 150 | 275.00 | 275.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | > 5th Cut; Region: Southeast |
| Klein Grass | Fair/Good | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 140 | 123.00 | 123.00 | F.O.B.-Export | New Crop; Region: Southeast |
| Sudan | Utility/Fair | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Trade | 200 | 100.00 | 100.00 | F.O.B. | New Crop; Region: Sacramento Valley |
| Alfalfa | Premium/Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Contract | 300 | 240.00 | 240.00 | F.O.B.-Retail | Covered; 5th Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Premium/Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Contract | 870 | 260.00 | 260.00 | F.O.B.-Dairy | 4th Cut; Region: North Inter-Mountains |
| Alfalfa | Supreme | Large Square 3x4 | Ton | Contract | 500 | 340.00 | 340.00 | Delivered-Dairy | New Crop; Region: North San Joaquin Valley |