Missouri Hay, Oats Production Improve

Hay production by Missouri farmers last year improved slightly from the previous year.  USDA’s Annual Crop Production Report showed the state’s forage producers cutting 6.53 million tons of hay, up 1.5 percent from a year ago.  An additional 70,000 acres were harvested over the year, at 3.14 million, while yield slid again to 2.08 tons per acre.  240,000 of those acres were dedicated to alfalfa production, up 20,000 from a year ago.  With yield surpassing three tons per acre, production improved 23 percent to 732,000 tons.

Missouri’s oat production more than doubled in 2021.  About 900,000 bushels were harvested, compared to 430,000 in 2020 and just 282,000 in 2019.  Yield jumped to 60 bushels per acre, while harvested acreage increased to 15,000 acres.  Missouri was one of the few bright spots for oats, as drought in the Upper Midwest caused production to plummet nationwide by 39 percent to 39.8 million bushels.  Yield fell to 61.3 bushels per acre, with just 650,000 acres harvested.  No state had more than 100,000 acres harvested, compared to four in 2020.