The economy is taking its toll on a lot of things including hay trade statewide and in the Emporia area.
Statewide, the hay trade has been slow and demand moderate to strong, according to the Department of Agriculture Market News. The same scenario is playing out in Lyon County, said John Waechter, of Waechter Hay & Grain. Waechter said the hay from Waechter is sent all over the country, including Georgia, Ohio, the Oklahoma panhandle, Texas, Nebraska and Iowa.
Waechter said the demand for hay is “terrible” this year.
“I think it’s got to do with the economy and rainfall with the economy,” he said.
Waechter said prairie and brome hay is going to be tough to sell unless the winter is bad.
“I think we’re seeing the effects of the whole economy,” he said. “The livestock industry, the hay market, about every phase of business in the United States. We’re seeing it everywhere.”
Part of the demand problem is the time of year as well as the economy, Waechter said.
“Later in the fall and wintertime is when the needs will be better,” he said.
Waechter said the yield of brome has been good and tonnage has been good. The prairie hay and tonnage is a little off, he said.
“In places, the yield isn’t as much as it normally is,” he said.
Across the state, movement of hay is slow to moderate, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture. Production of hay is steady. The rain isn’t helping either.
“Scattered showers have pestered prairie hay and alfalfa producers with hay curing and bailing over the last week...” a report by the Kansas Department of Agriculture stated. “Prairie hay producers hope 2009 is not like 2008, dragging out the bailing all summer long.”