The most recent Ag Census lists Madison County as the 3rd largest hay producing county in the state of Kentucky with approximately 43,600 acres of hay. In an effort to help market local hay, the Madison County Extension ANR agent and the Madison County Fair Board partnered to coordinate a regional hay auction at the county fairgrounds.

On Saturday January 9th, 2021 our 13th annual hay auction took place with 104 different lots of hay and straw offered for sale. This year featured the most hay and straw offerings of any previous. The Madison County ANR agent coordinated hay testing services, some deliveries, some load out, collected all hay samples, and provided radio, newsletter and social media advertisements. Hay was tested on site by the Kentucky Department of Agriculture mobile testing program personnel. Fair board members weighed bales and calculated an average weight for each lot of hay. As each lot of hay was sold, forage analysis and weight was displayed and announced to buyers by the ANR agent.

Approximately $29,000 dollars of hay was sold in the auction from eight different producers from 6 Kentucky counties and from Tennessee. This years attendance was significantly lower than in the past due to COVID-19 restrictions. Per bale prices were roughly half of last year due to a very good hay producing year, fewer cattle and fewer buyers present.

This annual hay auction serves many purposes but most importantly allows an opportunity to educate producers about the need for hay testing while bringing buyers and sellers together in the market place for local price discovery. Many farmers in the region reference our auction sale prices when placing a value on their own hay. Our auction supplies much needed feed for livestock in Madison and surrounding counties.