Holmes County Extension seeks local hay and straw producers

Holmes County Extension was recruiting local hay and straw producers for a directory meant to connect nearby growers with farmers, livestock owners and small agricultural operations that need feed and bedding. The effort put a local market on the map for material that often has to move quickly and at a manageable cost.

The office, part of Ohio State University Extension Holmes County and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences, is based at 111 East Jackson Street in Millersburg. Its listed phone number is 330-674-3015, giving producers a direct way to ask about being included.

The local push fits into a broader state system already built for hay buyers and sellers. The Ohio Department of Agriculture maintains an Ohio Hay Directory, which gives producers another place to connect with potential buyers beyond the county line. For Holmes County sellers, that means a local listing can work alongside a statewide directory rather than replacing it.

Extension also had been promoting hay testing as part of the same agricultural effort. In a separate Holmes County Extension notice, the office offered a first hay analysis at no cost through July 30, a reminder that bale quality can be as important as bale availability when buyers are comparing options for cattle, horses and other livestock.

Holmes County has the farm base to support that kind of market work. The USDA 2017 Census of Agriculture county profile counted 1,673 farms, 173,925 acres in farms, an average farm size of 104 acres and total market value of products sold of $182,088,000. Those numbers point to a county where hay and straw are not niche commodities but regular inputs for a wide mix of farm operations.

A stronger local directory can help keep those transactions closer to home. When buyers can find hay or straw in Holmes County instead of hauling it in from farther away, they can cut transport time and freight costs, a practical advantage for livestock producers, equine facilities and smaller operations that buy in smaller lots. For growers who have inventory to move, the directory creates a clearer path to customers already looking for local supply.