Say hay - is it time for another look at this strategic crop?

“Haying season is underway for another year in Alberta,” says Chris Panter, competitiveness and market analysis director with Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation. ”The past few years have been challenging for hay crops with droughts in 2021 and 2023, which resulted in a production drop and an increase in hay prices to levels not seen before in the province.”Hay prices reached over $270/ton in the spring of 2024 and remain well above 5-year and 10-year averages of $195/ton