SPRINGFIELD, Illinois - The cooler weather has certainly put a stop to rapid progress of the hay crop.
The Illinois Beef Association says farmers still expect a good hay crop and, combined with a big harvest last year in the state, hay prices should moderate this year. The warm weather in March gave a jump-start to the crop but the drier and cooler days since have slowed the growing.
One central Illinois farmer says he thinks the crop is about average right now.
Prices ranged from $260 to $280 per ton for premium alfalfa in northern Illinois to $120 to $160 for fair alfalfa in southern Illinois. Good grass hay across the state averaged between $160 to $180 per ton.