News — Hay

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.

“You might be giving up $10,000 in beef production to raise $5,000 worth of hay.” -Dr. Carson Roberts

Hay producers are the forgotten farmers. They bear the same droughts, the same markets, and the same financial pressures as everyone else, but with fewer tools to manage the risk.

When hot, dry summers reduce cool-season hay yields, warm-season grasses like millet, sorghum, and sorghum-Sudan hybrids can fill the gap.

As Jeffrey “Alfalfa” Jackson says: “If you like to haul manure, go ahead. If you want more efficient feed, think fiber digestibility.”

Neither option is ideal, but if you’re forced to choose between cutting hay and risking rain or letting it get overmature, the better choice usually depends on your end market: