09/23/2026
Doesn't bode well. Expect all feed and hay to be very expensive, the fuel prices are what will effect us the most.....and the weather as well. Pray for a mild winter!!!!!
Hay prices are up while inventory is down across the United States this year, as record drought, wild fires and sharply increasing fuel prices pack a punch to consumers.
Last week, Governor Abigail Spanberger in Virginia declared a state of emergency in effort to support struggling Virginia farmers and agricultural producers. Drought conditions have contributed to a 35% loss in hay yields statewide, but in some areas that deficit is as high as 70%, the Governor’s Office reported.
Meanwhile, Western state hay producers are struggling as well, after a severe snow drought this winter left neighboring states battling one another for access to clean water. A 2024 study found that crop production like alfalfa and other grass hays consume 46% of the water that is diverted from the Colorado River. That accounts for two-thirds of agriculture water use, the study found. One in 10 Americans rely on the Colorado River for clean water for drinking and bathing. But as it declines, the seven states who use it to provide water to residents are being forced to consider new measures.
The study also determined that agriculture production is the dominant user of the water coming from the Colorado River, roughly 74% of all water that is diverted. That’s about three times the combined usage of the cities that depend on the same river for clean water.
So what does this mean for horse owners in need of hay this fall and winter to feed their animals?
For one, higher prices and less supply. 💸
Those costs are compounded by the volatile oil market, with the unrest disrupting supply from war-torn parts of the world like Iran and Russia. Experts say fuel prices will continue to fluctuate through at least the end of the year, but stability in the future remains unknown.
2026 marks the fourth year in a row of a market downturn in the hay industry. In January, industry experts reported that alfalfa acreage in the U.S. has declined by 40% nationwide, mostly do to weather changes over the past 20 years.
So what are the options for horse owners? We asked veterinarians and nutritionists. Read the full story published on our Substack now. The link is in the comments.
