Drought Resources

Contact

Questions can be directed to mdaresponds@state.mn.us.

Minnesota Department of Natural Resources

University of Minnesota Extension

U of M Extension Drought Resources

USDA

Grazing

A note about noxious weeds when grazing and haying: With the increased need for forage due to the drought in Minnesota, producers should be aware that noxious weed seeds such as Palmer amaranth can spread by contaminated equipment, forages, manure and livestock. Although it is imperative to have quality forage to sustain healthy livestock production, long-term problems can result from importing weed seeds into farming operations. We have information on how to identify Palmer and who to contact. The University of Minnesota Extension’s Palmer Prevention Webpage and their Crop News Blog also has information.

In addition to concerns with weed seed movement in forages, the drought and increased demand for forages has forced some producers to cut and bale vegetation from ditches, meadows and other areas that are normally not hayed. This can be a problem if scouting for undesirable species is not conducted before those areas are harvested. Harmful and poisonous plants that livestock would normally avoid are not detectable to them when baled and can cause serious problems that require veterinary interventions that can be costly. The University of Minnesota Extension has a useful webpage on plants poisonous to livestock.

Hay Sales

Minnesota

U of M Extension
Hay Map
Minnesota Hay and Straw for Sale
Twin Cities Hay Exchange
Central Minnesota Hay Connection
Hay Auctions in Minnesota (Please note – this link goes to a Google search page. If you get an error message, click the magnifying glass in the search bar.)

North Dakota

North Dakota Hay Map

Drought Resources

Contact