USDA Announces Hay Quality Designations for Nationwide Market News Reporting

USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has adopted hay quality designations for use in the nationwide Market News reporting program. These revised guidelines issued November 1998 establish specific objective measurements of value attributes for each quality category of alfalfa and grass hay.

Nationwide uniformity of price information is the goal of establishing these new quality designations. It is important for hay buyers in California reading Market News price reports about alfalfa in Kansas to know what the quality is of the hay described in that report issued half a continent away.

Market News reporters from five states formed the task force that collected information and input from hay and forage industry representatives that went into the revised quality designation descriptions. USDA and State Department of Agriculture MARKET NEWS reporters are now using the revised guidelines in market reporting across the country.

Following are the revised national hay test guidelines on Alfalfa, Alfalfa/Mix Hay, and Grass Hay. Reporters use the test measurement most prominent in their trade area, along with visual characteristics to determine hay quality.

Table 1: Alfalfa - Alfalfa guidelines (for domestic livestock use and not more than 10% grass)

* RFV calculated using the Wis/Minn formula. ** TDN calculated using the western formula. Quantitative factors are approximate, and many factors can affect feeding value. Values based on 100% dry matter (TDN showing both 100% & 90%). Guidelines are to be used with visual appearance and intent of sale (usage).

Table 2: Grass Hay guidelines

Quantitative factors are approximate, and many factors can affect feeding value. Values based on 100% dry matter. End usage may influence hay price or value more than testing results.

Hay Quality Designation’s physical descriptions:

Supreme: Very early maturity, pre-bloom, soft fine stemmed, extra leafy. Factors indicative of very high nutritive content. Hay is excellent color and free of damage.

Premium: Early maturity, i.e., pre-bloom in legumes and pre-head in grass hays, extra leafy and fine stemmed-factors indicative of a high nutritive content. Hay is green and free of damage.

Good: Early to average maturity, i.e., early to mid-bloom in legumes and early head in grass hays, leafy, fine to medium stemmed, free of damage other than slight discoloration.

Fair: Late maturity, i.e., mid to late-bloom in legumes, head-in grass hays, moderate or below leaf content, and generally coarse stemmed. Hay may show light damage.

Utility: Hay in very late maturity, such as mature seed pods in legumes or mature head in grass hays, coarse stemmed. This category could include hay discounted due to excessive damage and heavy weed content or mold. Defects will be identified in market reports when using this category.

Forage Quality: The Importance of Testing

Testing forage accurately can provide a good estimation of forage quality. Test results can be used for: marketing and pricing forages; evaluating, growing, cutting, and storage; formulating nutritionally balanced rations; and developing and allocating forage inventories.

Recommended tests for determining forage quality include:

    1. Dry Matter (DM)

    2. Crude Protein (CP)

    3. Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF)

    4. Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF)

    5. Calcium (Ca)

    6. Phosphorus (P)

Feed values (Total Digestable Nutrients-TDN, Relative Feed Value-RFV, and Relative Forage Quality-RFQ) can be calculated from these core analyses.

Listed below are certified Kansas laboratories which conduct hay and other forage analyses. No endorsement is implied, nor discrimination intended. Individuals should contact the laboratory for a listing of analysis offered, a fee schedule, and specific instructions for sampling and handling. In general, samples should be submitted to the laboratory in the following manner:

Sample at random

Take enough core subsamples

Use the proper technique

Handle samples correctly

Split samples correctly

--To test the performance of a particular laboratory (or the sampling technique), a fully ground and thoroughly mixed sample should be split and submitted. Unground samples should not be split.

Labs Testing Forages in Kansas

http://www.foragetesting.org/index.php?page=certified_labs

Alfalfa Analytical Lab (NIR)

Shannon McCormick

Phone: (620) 355-6792

Fax: (620) 355-4292

PO Box 963

Lakin, KS 67860

SDK Laboratories, Inc. (NIR, Chemistry)

Matt Hogan

Phone: (620) 665-5661

Fax: (620) 665-0559

PO Box 886, 1000 Corey Rd.

Hutchinson, KS 67504-0886

Internet: www.SDKlabs.com

Servi-Tech Laboratories (Chemistry)

Randy Royle

Phone: (620) 227-7123

Fax: (620) 227-2047

1816 East Wyatt Earp Blvd.

Dodge City, KS 67801

Internet: www.servi-techinc.com/

Kansas Hay Market News:

Up-to-date Market Information

The Kansas Hay Market News provides market information on alfalfa, prairie, brome, fescue, pellets, and other forages on a bi-weekly basis. Kansas reports are released on Tuesdays and Fridays and cover all areas of the State. The Kansas Hay Report is published by major farm publications and aired on several radio stations statewide. The report is released throughout the USDA wire service and is available to all other wire services. The Kansas Hay Market News is a cooperative service of the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

For further information, contact:

             Steve Hessman

             Federal/State Market News Reporter

             100 Military, Ste. 217

             Dodge City, KS 67801-4945

             (620) 227-8881

Email: shessman2@kda.state.ks.us

             FAX: (620) 225-6942

            Market News Reports: www.ams.usda.gov/marketnews.htm

Hay or Forage Associations

Hay and forage associations are listed below. For further information on membership and services provided, please contact the numbers given.

Alfalfa Processors Council

8810 Craig Drive

Overland Park, KS 66212

Phone (913) 648-6800

FAX: (913) 648-2648 

E-mail: aapa@cysource.com

Internet: www.aapausa.org/

Kansas Forage and Grassland Council

308 W 14th Street

Chanute, KS 66720

Phone: (620) 431-1530

FAX: (620) 431-2108

E-mail: gkilgore@oznet.ksu.edu

The National Hay Association

102 Treasure Island Causeway

St. Petersburg, FL 33706

Phone: (800) 707-0014

E-mail: haynha@aol.com

Internet: nationalhay.org/

Hay & Pasture Exchange

The Hay and Pasture Exchange is a joint effort of Kansas Farm Bureau and K-State Research and Extension developed to better connect those who have hay and pasture with those who do not. It is a user friendly service for both buyers and sellers.

Through the Hay and Pasture Exchange, if you have hay or pasture available, you can either formally list it or view a listing of producer hay and/or pasture if needed. Likewise, if you need hay or pasture you can formally list those needs on the exchange or view a listing of producer hay and/or pasture that is available.

The Hay and Pasture Exchange is not a broker. It is up to the individual parties to make contact and negotiate acceptable hay prices or pasture rentals.

You can:           List hay or pasture needs

                         List hay or pasture available (Certified Weed Free listing available)

                         View the hay and pasture list (Certified Weed Free listings are included)

                         View the hay and pasture needs list

The Hay and Pasture Exchange is intended as a free service to farmers and ranchers and while accurate to the best of our knowledge, should not be construed as a marketing or brokerage service. Neither Kansas Farm Bureau nor Kansas State University will guarantee the accuracy of any statements or the quality of any hay or pasture offered on the Hay and Pasture Exchange.

All listings will be posted within 24 hours on weekdays and remain for 60 days, unless previous discontinuation is authorized.

To use this service: Go the Website: http://www.kfb.org/hayandpasture.htm; or Contact your county Farm Bureau office to list information; or Contact your County Agent to list information.

The USDA’s Farm Service Agency has a hay buyer/seller service called Haynet at: http://www.fsa.usda.gov/haynet/

These are free services offered to connect buyers and sellers of hay or straw anywhere in the nation.

Certified Weed-Free Forage and Mulch Program

In 1996, the North American Weed Management Association (NAWMA) brought together representatives from federal land management agencies, state agencies, counties and forage producer to develop a uniform standard for certifying forage and mulch free of noxious weed seeds. The standards are designed to:

            Assure all participants that forage and mulch certified through this program meet a minimum acceptable standard;

            Provide consistency between states;

            Limit the spread of noxious weeds.

Weed-free forage is required on many U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, in national parks, military locations, tribal lands, and National Fish and Wildlife refuges. Certifiable forage products include straw, alfalfa hay, grass hay, grain hay, and forage pellets and cubes. Recreational horse riders using federal property may need weed-free forage to feed their horses, and state and federal agencies may require weed-free mulch for right-of-way projects. Also, weed-free forage may be required on state and federal land when mulch is needed on seeded areas following forest fires.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture signed a memorandum of understanding with NAWMA to follow the standards set forth in the North American Weed Free Forage Program. Kansas Department of Agriculture staff also are qualified to certify forage and mulch products to meet any additional requirements set forth by any receiving entity, and we are the only recognized certifying authority in Kansas.

When is certification necessary?

Certification to the North American Weed Free Forage Standard is necessary only when the end user or purchaser requires certification. Currently, all forage or mulch brought onto federal property must be certified to this standard. Many state departments of transportation require mulch to be certified to this standard. Some receiving entities even have standards more stringent than those set out by the North American Weed Management Association.

Does this mean no weeds can be present?

The 54 species identified as noxious weeds by the participating states are a concern, and then only if they have, or will have, viable seed present when the crop is harvested. Portions of a field may be certified if the weeds are in patches. Also, weeds can be treated and the field reinspected. Some receiving entities may have more stringent standards, and we can carry out our inspection and certification to meet their requirements.

When do I need to have my field inspected?

Within 10 days before harvest. When wheat straw is the certified product, the inspection must be done within 10 days before harvest and the straw must be baled during the same 10-day period.

Does certification mean there is a guarantee that no noxious weed seed is present?

No. The inspector certifies that he or she followed required procedures and that the field has passed a reasonable, prudent visual inspection.

Is certified forage the highest quality forage?

No. Quality and nutritive value are not a factor when certifying the product. However, if we find excessive weeds of any species, or poisonous weeds, the field may not be certified.

What do I need to do to have forage certified weed-free?

Contact:

Kansas Department of Agriculture

Plant Protection and Weed Control

Attention: Tom Sim

(785) 862-2180

www.accesskansas.org/kda/Plantpest/plant-main.htm

for an application for a weed-free forage inspection. Complete the application and return it to us as early in the season as possible.

            A qualified inspector will contact you to schedule a time for the inspection.

            Afterward, you will be given an inspection report.

When the field is harvested, you need to return a copy of the report identifying the number of bales harvested on the certified site.

            If you plan to ship or sell small lots, you may want to tag each bale.

            If you are selling large lots, you may need only one certification for each load.

            Always ask the purchaser if bale tags are required.

An inspection costs $30 an hour plus travel for each inspector. Bale tags are $0.15 and state certificates are $20.

Which weeds are inspectors looking for?

Inspectors will look for as many as 54 weed species, and more if the receiving entity requires it. The 54 weeds are:

Websites where useful information may be found:

Weed-Free Forage and Mulch Program

http://www.accesskansas.org/kda/Plantpest/Export/weedfree.html

North American Weed Management Association

http://www.nawma.org/

Bureau of Land Management Policy on Weed-Free Hay, Straw and Mulch

http://www.blm.gov/nhp/efoia/wo/fy99/im99-076.html

National Plant Board

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/npb/