r/LeopardsAteMyFarm

Last week I posted about how hay buyers and sellers were frozen, waiting for each other to move first. Here's an update....

Well, the freeze is cracking. Here's what I'm seeing across 60 markets this week - literally pulled this data 15 minutes ago, sharing this data early with you guys before my newsletter drops tomorrow.

Western buyers stopped waiting: Colorado timothy: $483/ton!!! California premium: $429/ton Colorado brome: $425/ton (INSANE)

Midwest buyers still hesitating: Rock Valley IA: $135-224/ton Shipshewana IN: $150-380/ton

Drought doesn't care about psychology. When you need feed, you need feed.

Every year people wait for first cutting numbers. This year, waiting is costing $200+ per ton if you're west of Kansas.

The data from my weekly tracking is clear...buy now, not because prices are cheap, but because they're going up.

First cutting started where you are yet?

Edit: For those wondering, I track this weekly in my newsletter. ( haywireag.com ) to share the fresh numbers here first since you guys actually seem to understand what's happening.

The move comes after the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved up to $9 million in federal relief funding to help California farmers remove about 3,000 acres of peach orchards ahead of the 2026 harvest season, according to a release from Adam Schiff and California lawmakers.

The emergency aid comes after the closure of Del Monte processing facilities in two California towns, Modesto and Hughson, a fallout following the food giant’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing last year.