Drought Costs Wyoming County its No. 1 Hay Spot

April 22, 2013

Fremont County has lost its spot as Wyoming’s No. 1 alfalfa-producing county, growing only two-thirds of the hay in 2012 than it did in 2011.

The Riverton Ranger reported local farmers produced 157,000 tons of the crop, topped only by Goshen County’s 202,000 tons. Fremont County had been the top alfalfa-producing county since 1962, when Park County grew 109,900 tons to local farmers’ 104,500 tons.

Last year’s production marked a 38 percent drop from 2011.

University of Wyoming Extension educator Ron Cunningham says drought caused the low production.

Fremont County placed 10th out of 16 in terms of yield, with 2.7 tons of alfalfa produced per acre. Platte and Goshen counties topped that list, both with 4.45 tons per acre.

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