What Can I Afford to Pay to Rent Hay Ground?

Apr 28, 2022

By Andrew Griffith

A few of weeks ago, a question concerning hay ground rent was asked. In essence, the question was what is the appropriate way to value such ground from either the owner’s or renter’s perspective?

A good place to start is with the USDA Cash Rents survey information. Depending on the specific piece of land, an owner can lease the ground for row crops, hay, or pasture or choose to do nothing with it. Ground that can be row cropped generally has a higher value than hay and pasture, but if an owner does not want the land to be cropped then they should expect a lower lease rate.

From the standpoint of a person renting the land, it is important to have a grasp on cost of production and compare that to what it would cost to purchase hay of similar quality. After accounting for input costs including fertilizer, herbicides, and actual hay harvest expenses, what is the difference in purchasing hay and producing it on the rented ground? That difference provides the maximum that could be paid.

Source : osu.edu

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.