Compared To Other Commodities Pandemic Did Not Hurt Idaho Hay Growers

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the farming community varies location to location and commodity to commodity. One Northwest commodity that didn’t report as many problems because of the pandemic was the hay industry in Idaho. Will Ricks, President of the Idaho Hay and Forage Association, said while many struggled with a dip in exports last year, growers across the Gem State did not see that drop in 2020.

“I think it actually helped our domestic market because we were able to ship a lot of hay out of Idaho, and so if anything I think that’s helped.  But as far as the pandemic, I haven’t seen a real affect from it in this area.”

Ricks noted growers are feeling optimistic about 2021. He said one of the things he’s watching in the year head is corn prices. He said as corn prices move higher, that pushes hay prices higher, allowing Northwest producers the more opportunities to enjoy a profit.

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