Hay Testing and New Marketing Program

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture (Hay & Grain Branch) Hay testing program is now entering its 13th year of testing hay for Kentucky producers. The Department continues to use NIR forage analysis equipment. The program has made many improvements and much information has been gained. We continue to strive for quality control and producing accurate results. Recently, many new updates have occurred. New hardware and software have been added, along with the recent purchase of a second hay testing van. By placing a toll free call (1-800- 248-4628) to the Department of Agriculture in Frankfort, we will find a convenient time to meet you at your farm to collect your hay samples. At the same time, you may have your hay visually appraised by the KDA sampler for characteristics such as maturity, color, odor, leafiness etc. The samples will then be added to the KDA database of hay for sale. It will also be included on the Department of Agriculture Internet web-site. Approximately 70% of all hay tested by the Department is not listed for sale, but will be used by the producer for feeding purposes. One new dimension that has been added is a joint effort between Kentucky Department of Agriculture and the University of Kentucky Extension Service to provide a beef ration-balancing program. Following receipt of the testing results, we can then calculate a least cost ration for your beef enterprises. All this can be obtained for a low fee of $10.00 per sample or lot. I believe that qualifies as one of the bargains of the 21st century

Sampling and Testing for Quality

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture is preparing to implement a unique and far-reaching program to provide forage producers with a detailed analysis of the quality of hay. This program was mandated by the Kentucky legislature in 1988 as a means to enhance the marketing of Kentucky hay. A statewide hay testing and marketing program was recommended by a special legislative task force report issued in 1987 and has the endorsement of a number of agricultural organizations, including the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture and Kentucky Farm Bureau

Marketing Quality Alfalfa Hay

Alfalfa hay is a potentially marketable-profitable product if--if quality is satisfactory to meet buyer\u27s needs, if it is packaged such that it meets buyer\u27s feeding program and can be transported efficiently, if in sufficient quantity, if storage site is accessible by truck or trailer, and if it is competitively priced. Meeting these minimum criteria only means the hay is potentially marketable; only after it has been sold does it become potentially profitable

Marketing Kentucky Hay

The production of hay and pasture crops is essential to a profitable future for Kentucky agriculture. The Commonwealth ranked seventh in the nation in hay production in the year 2000 with 6.2 million tons. These forages provide the bulk of the feed supply for our livestock industry. In addition, a significant portion of our hay crop is marketed, both to in-state and out-of-state buyers

Small Farm Quarterly - Fall 2012

Small Farm Quarterly is for farmers and farm families — including spouses and children - who value the quality of life that smaller farms provide.CONTENTS: SMALL FARM PROGRAM UPDATE -Cornell Small Farms Program Update, Page 3; BOOK NOOK -The Business of Growing Green Ideas: The small farm book business grows organically, by Jill Swenson, Page 5; BUSINESS MANAGEMENT -Legal Risks of Direct Marketing Your Product, by Jason Foscolo, Page 4; COMMUNITY AND WORLD -The Cheney Letters, by Stewart Cheney, Page 7; FARM TECH -Water Saving Strategies for Your Farm & Garden, by Patricia Brhel, Page 16; Vegetable Equipment Considerations for New Farmers, by Sara Runkel and Tianna DuPont, Page 16; FARM ENERGY -Compost Power! by Sam Gorton, Page 6; HORTICULTURE -Chyrsanthemum White Rust: Good Management Prevents Major Losses, by Elizabeth Lamb, Margery Daughtrey and Margaret Kelly, Page 19; Cucumber Downy Mildew, by Michael Mazourek, Page 19; LOCAL FOODS & MARKETING -What Makes Vermont’s Award-Winning Cheese Engine Run?, by Martha Herbert Izzi, Page 9; Faces of our Food System: Red Rabbit, by Becca Jablonski, Page 8; NEW FARMERS -Loan Opportunities for New Farmers, by Kristie Schmitt, Page 13; Holistic Training Helps Women Farmers Thrive, by Ann Adams, Page 14; New farm, Old Farmland, by Michael Chameides, Page 13; NORTHEAST SARE SPOTLIGHT -Taking Tourism as High as a Hot Air Ballon, by Rachel Whiteheart, Page 18; PHOTO ESSAY -Dairy Delight, Page 12; RESOURCE SPOTLIGHTS -Marketing Help for Sheep & Goat Farmers, by tatiana Stanton, Page 12; STEWARDSHIP & NATURE -Happy Cows, Healthy Fish, by Carley Stei, Page 5; YOUTH PAGES -The Next Generation of Small Farmers, Page 10Cornell Small Farms Program, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, USDA NRCS, NYS 4-H Team Progra

AICPA Testing Program Market Survey

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_comm/1254/thumbnail.jp

Hay Quality Evaluation

During the last few years there have been several developments related to hay quality evaluation and marketing. In this presentation I shall briefly review these and indicate some of the implications for producers, vendors, purchasers and users of alfalfa hay

Beef Cattle Production and Management Practices and Implications for Educators

Beef producers need to continually incorporate new information and adopt new technology to effectively manage production costs. Oklahoma State University began a Master Cattleman program with this need in mind. Understanding technology adoption by producers requires identifying current management practices. Data from a survey developed as part of the Master Cattleman program document current practices. Management practices were examined for two groups; producers with smaller herds who are less dependent on the beef enterprise for family income, and producers with larger herds who are more dependent on beef. Results clearly show that size and dependence on the beef enterprise matters when considering a broad spectrum of beef management practices.Livestock Production/Industries,

Small Farm Quarterly - Spring 2007

Small Farm Quarterly is for farmers and farm families — including spouses and children - who value the quality of life that smaller farms provide.CONTENTS: SMALL FARM PROGRAM UPDATE: Cornell Small Farms Program Update, Page 3; COWS AND CROPS: Forage Focus Cuts Feed-Cost Risks, Page 8; Farmer-to-Farmer, Page 19; FOREST AND WOODLOT: Marketing Biodiversity in the Sugarbush, Page 17; GRAZING: Graze or Die, Page 15; MANAGING RISK: Make New Ventures Less Risky-Part 1, Page 4; STEWARDSHIP & NATURE: Global Warming: It’s happening. How will it affect your farm?, Page 3; Agricultural Environmental Management, Page 23; MARKETING: Grow Your Farm With Agritourism, Page 5; High Touch, High Tech, Page 7; Not Ready to Build Your Own Website?, Page 10; NEW FARMERS: Big Bucks from Small Spaces: Half Pint Farm, Page 11; Making It in Farming, Page 19; NON-DAIRY LIVESTOCK: Natural Hogs: To Certify or not to Certify?, Page 16; FARM FOLLIES: A Tale of Two Forks, Page 18; BUSINESS MANAGEMENT: When Disaster Strikes, Page 14; COMMUNITY/WORLD: Vermont Agritourism Sampler, Page 6; Farming the Internet, Page 18; READERS WRITE: Page 7 RESOURCE SPOTLIGHTS: Getting Started With Agritourism, Page 5; Small Farm Expo 2007, Page 10; FSA Emergency Loan Funds, Page 14; “Outdoorpig” - A New email discussion group for pig producers, Page 16; Woodland Biodiversity Resources, Page 17; NCAT Opens New ATTRA Office for Northeast, Page 22; YOUTH PAGES: Respect: The Most Important Factor in Horse Management, Page 20; Some Friends, Some Horses, and a Lot of Mud, Page 21; My Life as a Horseless Horse Lover, Page 21; FOOD FOR THOUGHT: A Model for Sustainable Farming, Page 9Cornell Small Farms Program, Cornell University Cooperative Extension, PRO-DAIRY/CCE-NWNY, NY Farm Viability Institute, NYS 4-H Team Program, Watershed Agricultural Counci

PB1638 Marketing Hay in Tennessee

Hay has been an important crop in Tennessee for many years. Acreage devoted to hay has been trending upward over the last two decades, as shown in Figure 1. Acreage of all types of hay harvested in 1998 was 1,785,000, 51 percent larger than acreage harvested in 1980. Hay is the leading crop in Tennessee in terms of acreage harvested mechanically. In 1997, the value of hay produced on Tennessee farms reached $207 million, ranking the crop third in value among all crops. Cash receipts have averaged about 15-20 percent of the total value of hay produced over the last few years. The remainder is reflected in the substantial cash receipts to Tennessee’s livestock and milk producers. Increasing interest in cash hay production has been noted, as more farmers search for alternatives to traditional grain crops and tobacco. The conservation provisions of recent farm bills are calling farmers’ attention to the need to adopt approved conservation practices, including crop rotation and strip cropping on more highly erodible fields. This legislative emphasis has resulted in increased acreage of soilconserving crops such as hay. There are indications that farmers are devoting larger acreages to hay on traditional crop farms with either a small or no livestock base. This addition to the crop enterprise mix may be designed to achieve greater diversification or to provide better use of existing farm resources. Regardless, producers adding a cash hay enterprise are likely to be willing to devote the necessary time to develop a sound hay productionmanagement- marketing program. Hay cost-return budgets, developed by The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service and available at county Extension offices, indicate that cash hay production is only marginally profitable for farmers achieving average yields, quality and prices. Therefore, it is imperative that hay producers do their “marketing homework” if the hay enterprise is to make a net addition to farm income