Top-End Hay Prices Up At Colorado Auction

May 09, 2014

Compared to those of a month earlier, prices for higher-end grass and alfalfa hay were steady to stronger at the Centennial Livestock Auctions’ April 26 hay sale in Fort Collins, CO. Prices for lower-quality hay fell off sharply.

A load of grass hay in small square bales topped the market at $400/ton. “It was exceptional hay,” says auction owner Wayne Kruse. For the most part, better-quality small squares sold in the $300-350/ton range. One load of 3 x 3 x 8’ bales of grass hay brought $350/ton.

Lower-quality hay at that sale brought $70-130/ton, down $20-40/ton from prices reported at the March sale. “It’s that time of year when people are getting ready to turn their livestock onto grass,” says Kruse. “They don’t really need hay. They’re just buying to have a little on hand. We had a lot of buyers at the sale, but there weren’t a lot of volume buyers.”

He expects prices for the lower-quality hay to continue drifting downward in coming weeks. “There are always surprises in the auction business, but I can’t see anything right now that would take prices for that kind of hay any higher.”

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Video: Agriculture Secretary Rollins Speaks at American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim

One of the highlights at the 2026 American Farm Bureau Federation Convention in Anaheim, California, was an address by U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. During her remarks, she thanked America’s farmers and ranchers and said the Trump Administration is fully aware that food security is national security.

She also acknowledged the challenging times in Farm Country with low commodity prices and high input costs and said that’s why the President stepped in to help with the recent Bridge Assistance Program.

Montana Farm Bureau Federation Executive Vice President Scott Kulbeck says that Farm Bureau members are appreciative of the help and looks forward to working with the American Farm Bureau Federation and its presence in Washington, DC to keep farmers and ranchers in business.

Secretary Rollins said the Trump Administration is also committed to helping ranchers build back America’s cattle herd while also providing more high-quality U.S. beef at the meat case for consumers.

And she also announced more assistance for specialty crop producers who only received a fraction of the $12 billion Farmer Bridge Assistance (FBA).

It’s important to note that producers who qualify for Farmer Bridge Assistance can expect the Farm Service Agency to start issuing payments in late February. For more information, farmers and ranchers are encouraged to contact their local USDA Service Center.