The USDA says there is “virtually no hay available in Missouri.” As a result, Brent Haden, head of the Missouri Cattlemen’s Association, says the price of hay has increased drastically. He says there is no cheap hay to be found anywhere in Missouri, or anywhere nearby.

Haden says the shortage is aggravated by drought conditions that cut pasture output. That reduced the amount of hay baled in Missouri, and poor pastures forced livestock producers, horse owners, and others to feed hay much longer than normal. The increased demand puts additional pressure on already-reduced supplies. The shortage is forcing some producers to send their cattle to market early. Hay shortages are reported from Texas to as far north as Ontario, Canada.