Oklahoma State University Stillwater, OK
Oklahoma Alfalfa Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station

Alfalfa Hay Markets
This is the third of several brief articles containing information from a study partially funded by AMSUSDA to examine potential markets for alfalfa hay. The specific topic covered in this article is alfalfa hay surplus-deficits states. Years chosen to examine were those of the largest and smallest production of alfalfa in the U.S. since 1980, 1986 and 1988, and a more recent year, 1995.  Alfalfa Surplus-Deficit States  The difference between alfalfa production and estimated consumption in each state was used as an indicator of alfalfa surplus or deficit in each respective state. Data for 1995 are mapped in Figure 1 with the leading surplus and deficit states identified. The smallest estimated deficit occurred as expected in 1988, the year in which alfalfa production was the lowest since 1980. The largest surplus occurred two years earlier, 1986, the year alfalfa production was the highest since 1980. Surplus-deficit conditions varied in some states, depending largely on rainfall patterns from year-to-year. Table 1 lists the leading surplus and deficit states. Major deficit states are most consistently in the southern and eastern regions of the U.S. Texas is by far the largest deficit state. Alfalfa surplus states tend to be in the northern and western states. As expected due to year-to-year rainfall changes, both the leading states and ranking among the leading surplus states changed considerably. Note that Oklahoma was one of the ten leading alfalfa deficit states in the last two years reported.  Information from:. "Domestic and International Markets for Alfalfa Hay." Oklahoma State University, Department of Agricultural Economics, Final report to AMSUSDA, January 1998.  Table 1. Ten Largest Alfalfa Surplus and Ten Largest Alfalfa Deficit States, 1986, 1988, and 1995. 1986 1988 1995 State 1,000 Tons State 1,000 Tons State 1,000 Tons Surplus States Wisconsin 4,982 California 3,762 South Dakota 4,730 Minnesota 4,971 Iowa 3,620 Idaho 3,345 South Dakota 4,532 Idaho 2,545 Michigan 3,199 Iowa 3,933 Michigan 2,301 Minnesota 2,951 Michigan 3,875 Minnesota 2,205 Iowa 2,847 California 3,532 Nebraska 1,342 California 2,688 Idaho 3,183 Utah 1,328 Montana 2,666 North Dakota 2,304 Illinois 1,234 North Dakota 2,175 Nebraska 1,962 Colorado 1,190 Wisconsin 2,000 Montana 1,785 Washington 1,149 Nebraska 1,969 Deficit States Texas 5,723 Texas 6,154 Texas 6,675 Florida 1,265 Florida 1,193 Florida 1,229 Tennessee 901 Tennessee 931 Tennessee 939 Georgia 812 Missouri 930 Arkansas 788 Alabama 735 Arkansas 758 Georgia 773 Arkansas 689 Georgia 742 Missouri 744 Mississippi 679 Alabama 731 Alabama 728 Louisiana 665 Mississippi 663 Mississippi 631 Missouri 651 Louisiana 651 Louisiana 623 Virginia 609 Oklahoma 621 Oklahoma 542
Clement E. Ward, Extension Economist  Department of Agricultural Economics Solomon Kariuki, and Ray Huhnke  Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering  Oklahoma State University

 

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