# Hay cost per ton in Alaska

> Alaska hay typically runs $280-$380 per ton for large round grass or mixed bales delivered in Matanuska-Susitna and Interior regions, with premium alfalfa (mostly imported from the Lower 48) pushing $450-$600 per ton due to barge and trucking costs.

**Headline:** $280-$380 per ton delivered, large round bales (grass/mixed)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Premium alfalfa (imported, small square) | $450-$600 per ton |
| Supreme alfalfa (imported, tested >185 RFV) | $500-$650 per ton |
| Grass hay (local, Mat-Su/Delta) | $240-$340 per ton |
| Mixed grass/legume hay (local) | $260-$360 per ton |
| Large round bale (local grass, ~1,200 lb) | $160-$230 per bale ($265-$380/ton) |

## Detail

Alaska's commercial hay supply comes almost entirely from two pockets: the Matanuska-Susitna Valley north of Anchorage and the Delta Junction area southeast of Fairbanks. UAF Cooperative Extension notes that the state's 90-110 day frost-free season typically allows only a single cutting per year, with bromegrass, timothy, and reed canarygrass dominating because alfalfa rarely survives Interior winters. That single-cut constraint is the structural reason local grass hay rarely drops below $240 per ton even at harvest.

Rainfall and cutting timing swing prices hard. The Mat-Su averages roughly 16-18 inches of precipitation annually, much of it concentrated in August right when producers need dry windows to cure first-cutting hay. Wet-year discounts on mold-damaged bales can be 30% below the USDA AMS grass-hay benchmarks published in the weekly Hay, Feed & Seed report, while clean dry years let Delta producers push large rounds toward $380 per ton delivered to Fairbanks.

For a 1,200 lb beef cow eating roughly 25 lb of hay per day through a 180-day Alaska winter (October through late April), total consumption works out to about 4,500 lb, or 2.25 tons per cow. At a mid-range local grass price of $320 per ton, that is a winter hay bill of roughly $720 per head - and closer to $1,100 per head if a rancher has to buy imported alfalfa-grass mix at $500 per ton to hit protein targets for bred cows, per the Alaska Division of Agriculture crop report pricing.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why is hay so expensive in Alaska compared to the Lower 48?

Alaska's short growing season usually yields only one cutting per year, and alfalfa rarely overwinters, so most high-protein hay is barged or trucked up the AlCan Highway, adding $120-$200 per ton in freight.

### Where do most Alaska ranchers buy hay locally?

The Matanuska-Susitna Valley and Delta Junction are the two main production areas, supplying grass and brome/timothy mixes to cow-calf operations across Southcentral and the Interior.

### Does hay price spike in winter in Alaska?

Yes. Local supply typically sells out by February, and late-winter buyers often pay 20-35% more than at harvest in August-September, especially in years with wet cuttings or early snow.

## Sources

1. USDA AMS National Hay, Feed & Seed Weekly Summary (2024) — https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/hay-reports
2. University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension - Forage and Hay Production in Alaska (2023) — https://www.uaf.edu/ces/publications/database/catalog/agriculture/FGV-00241.php
3. Alaska Division of Agriculture Annual Crop Report (2023) — https://plants.alaska.gov/

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Source: Vellum — https://vellum.app/hay-cost-per-ton/alaska