Value of round bail

[Nova]

Does anyone know what the going rate for a round bail of alfalfa is in MN this year? We rent out 55 acres of our farm and the farmer grows alfalfa on it. I get a decent idea of how many bails he gets from trail cams, but I have no idea what a bail is worth.

 

[4wanderingeyes]

So many variables. Size, percentage of alfalfa, how fresh, stored in doors, etc..

But typically current year, with mostly alfalfa is about $40-50

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Alfalfa uses a lot of fertilizer and requires a lot of equipment to harvest, so the costs are high as well.

 

[scott44]

We get $35-55 for a 5' round bail depending on supply.

 

[cavey]

Alfalfa uses a lot of fertilizer and requires a lot of equipment to harvest, so the costs are high as well.

Their inputs are very high (as long as they are investing back into the land)... this is a very outdated spreadsheet and doesnt include land rent... I was looking for something closer to 2018 but it still paints a grim picture on how profitable hay ground is when rented.

https://uknowledge.uky.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1065&context=ky_alfalfa

 

[Nova]

Thanks gentlemen! I am not looking to raise rent or anything, just more curious than anything.

 

[S.T.Fanatic]

The bale prices were strong this spring because of the late winter. Farmers that left wrapped bales out in the fields were willing to go out and tear the living shit out of their wet fields to get them on a trailer to sell.