FOR HAY PRODUCERS
Start growing more.
And worrying less.
We bring the experience and expertise needed to assess your farm, identify operational weaknesses, and build practical strategies that improve yield, quality, and overall farm profitability.
CONSULTING
Make better decisions, field by field.
We work with hay producers on the business and operating decisions that shape long-term performance. Together, we build five-year field operating plans, prepare budgets, review seasonal priorities, and evaluate equipment decisions.
The aim is to improve rolling average income per acre while paying attention to the small details that influence yield and hay quality. Crop and agronomy decisions remain with you and your crop adviser or agronomy partners.
Complete Farm Plan
$12.50 / acre
For farms that want an expert, field-by-field plan they can put into action with their own team.
- Complete assessment of the current operation
- Field-by-field production and improvement plan
- Yield, quality, cost, and profitability targets
- Prioritized written recommendations and action steps
Base Consulting
$25 / acre annually
For capable farms that know they can improve and want focused support to reach the next level.
- Complete Farm Plan included
- FW Farm Operating System access
- Operating-plan reviews
- Budget and seasonal-priority guidance
- Primarily remote consulting with agreed farm visits
Full-Service Oversight
$50 / acre annually
For farms that need dedicated management support. We fill the role of a ranch manager—planning the work, coordinating with your team, tracking performance, and holding everyone accountable for following through.
- Everything in Base Consulting
- Five-year field operating plans
- Weekly visits and additional visits as needed
- Hands-on business and operating oversight
COMPLETE FARM PLAN
A clear plan for every acre.
GB Hay evaluates the current operation, identifies the biggest opportunities, and delivers a practical planning document your team can use to improve yield, quality, efficiency, and profitability.
ABOUT MARTIN FIELDING
Built in the field.
Grounded in the numbers.
I’m Martin Fielding, a hay grower, farm owner, and the founder of GB Hay Consulting. My experience includes buying and selling farms, building a farm from the ground up, and growing Great Basin Ranching from a 100-acre operation into more than 750 acres. Over more than a decade, I’ve worked through both the hands-on challenges of producing quality hay and the business decisions that determine whether a farm succeeds.
Over time, I realized that my greatest contribution wasn’t in harvesting hay, but in growing it—and making the decisions that lead to a better crop and a stronger business. That realization led me to step back from harvesting and focus on crop management, planning, and improving farm performance. Through GB Hay Consulting, I’m bringing that same focus to other farms.
I know how difficult it can be to balance the daily work of farming with managing the business. When you’re irrigating, getting hay out of the field, and keeping cash flowing, it’s hard to find the time and perspective to evaluate performance and plan ahead. That’s where I come in.
I help farmers identify what’s holding their operations back, develop practical strategies, and put those plans into action. Through ongoing consulting and oversight, I follow up on commitments, hold the team accountable, and work with you to track progress and make timely adjustments—keeping the farm on course toward better yields, higher quality, and stronger profitability.
GB HAY MARKET REPORTS
Weekly perspective. Regional detail.
A concise GB Hay AI-assisted read of the latest public hay reports, followed by the underlying reports.
LATEST WESTERN FORAGE UPDATE Idaho stays steady while Nevada bale volume pulls backIdaho’s reported values were unchanged; Nevada demand stayed good as confirmed bale volume declined. Click for the written summary.
Idaho’s October 16 report repeated 3,825 confirmed hay tons and described moderate demand, steady alfalfa prices, and buyers favoring smaller loads. Reported trades were unchanged, including eastern Idaho Premium alfalfa at $220–$230 per ton FOB.
Nevada confirmed 4,950 tons again, while reported bale volume declined to 1,080 from 4,150. USDA still described good demand and steady movement, with some California dairies buying large alfalfa lots. These are reported transactions and GB Hay interpretations, not statewide forecasts.
Growing-region summaries
NEVADA Demand stays good as bale volume declinesConfirmed tonnage held steady while reported bales fell from the prior period.Read AI summary
Nevada’s October 16 report describes steady movement and good demand across hay types. Confirmed hay tonnage held at 4,950, while reported bale volume declined to 1,080 from 4,150. USDA again noted that some California dairies were buying large alfalfa lots and that small-bale demand remained good statewide.
Reported trades included Supreme eastern Nevada alfalfa at $210 per ton FOB to a dairy, Premium eastern alfalfa at $230 FOB to farm and ranch buyers, Central Premium alfalfa at $235–$250, and Premium three-tie alfalfa at $17 per bale. These are individual transactions, not statewide price ranges.
What to watch: Whether good stated demand produces renewed bale volume and whether California dairy buying continues. This is a GB Hay interpretation, not a USDA forecast.
IDAHO Prices steady as buyers favor smaller loadsModerate demand and high diesel costs continue to restrain movement.Read AI summary
Idaho’s October 16 report describes demand across hay types as moderate and alfalfa prices as steady. Confirmed hay volume held at 3,825 tons. USDA said movement remained slow, buyers mostly purchased small loads, and dairies and feedlots were waiting for lower prices before committing to larger lots.
Reported trades included Premium large-square alfalfa at $220–$230 per ton FOB in eastern Idaho, Premium at $225 FOB in southern Idaho, and Premium at $250 FOB to farm and ranch buyers in southeastern Idaho. Good southeastern alfalfa traded at $220. These are specific confirmed trades with different grades and terms, not statewide price ranges.
What to watch: Whether buyers continue to delay larger purchases and whether diesel costs keep delivered prices firm. This is a GB Hay interpretation, not a USDA forecast.
OREGON Confirmed volume rises while movement stays constrainedDemand is good, but fuel costs, stocked buyers, and rain damage weigh on movement.Read AI summary
Oregon’s October 9 report describes good demand across all hay qualities. Confirmed hay tonnage rose to 4,995 from 1,195, and reported bale volume increased to 6,144 from 1,024. USDA also said movement had decreased because of fuel prices and buyers being stocked for the time being.
Reported trades included Lake County Supreme alfalfa at $255 per ton FOB to a dairy, Northeast Supreme alfalfa at $245 delivered for export, Klamath Basin Premium orchardgrass at $17 per three-tie bale, and Lake County rain-damaged Good alfalfa at $200. These are specific transactions, not statewide quotes.
What to watch: Whether good demand translates into sustained movement once inventories turn, and how rain damage and freight widen quality and location spreads. This is a GB Hay interpretation, not a USDA forecast.
CALIFORNIA Retail alfalfa strengthens as supply tightensReported bale volume climbed even as confirmed tonnage declined.Read AI summary
California’s October 9 report describes good retail and dairy demand. Confirmed hay volume decreased to 7,300 tons from 25,550, while reported bale volume increased to 68,683 from 44,544.
In Southeast California, Retail #1 three-tie alfalfa sold $35–$40 per ton higher than two weeks earlier, which growers attributed to tightening supply. Reported North Intermountain trades included Premium/Supreme large-square alfalfa at $240–$260 per ton FOB and Premium retail alfalfa at $13–$16 per three-tie bale. These are specific trades, not statewide price ranges.
What to watch: Whether retail tightness persists and whether the shift toward reported bale activity continues. This is a GB Hay interpretation, not a USDA forecast.
The weekly overview reflects GB Hay’s Western Forage Market Brief. Regional AI summaries are based on the dated USDA Agricultural Marketing Service reports linked above. The USDA PDF links point to the current version; summary dates remain fixed until a new GB Hay update is published. Confirm grade, bale weight, terms, freight, and live bids before transacting.
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Start with a clear view of your business.
Tell us about your farm, your priorities, and what you want to improve. We’ll start the conversation from there.
Martin Fielding
GB Hay Consulting · Doyle, California