News
Do Not Let Grazing Volume Cost Hay Producers Their Insurance
PRF’s enormous combined acreage total does not demonstrate that commercial hay production receives equal protection.
USDA Introduces More Crop Insurance Options for Forage Producers
(Washington, D.C., July 8, 2026) – The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is expanding coverage options to add revenue protection for forage producers in 12 states, part of the Department’s efforts to put Farmers First through improved crop insurance.
Hay Growers Got the Worst of Both Worlds
Hay producers sit in the gap between commodity and specialty agriculture — and somehow carry the burdens of both.
Washington Hay Production Decline: Drought, Strong Dollar, and Shifting Markets (2000–2024)
Washington hay production has fallen nearly 25% since the early 2000s, a decline driven by both drought and economics. This chart traces that shift, showing how repeated years of severe drought and a strong U.S. dollar since 2022 have squeezed growers from two sides—reducing yields at home and pricing out key export buyers abroad. As traditional export markets weaken, Washington’s hay industry is steadily pivoting toward higher-value domestic markets, where resilience, efficiency, and quality matter more than sheer tonnage.
10 Reasons Not to Make Hay: Rethinking Tradition in Beef and Forage Production
“You might be giving up $10,000 in beef production to raise $5,000 worth of hay.” -Dr. Carson Roberts