Despite recent rains, the severe drought in Lincoln County this season has brought with it reduced pasture growth and forage availability, leading to increased feed costs for livestock. The prolonged dryness is going to continue to affect hay accessibility through the Spring.

To aid growers and farmers in selling and purchasing hay, NC State Extension developed the NC Hay Finder tool with support from NC Farm Bureau and the North Carolina Cattlemen's Association. Hay Finder is a free tool that provides an online marketplace for sellers and buyers to connect across the state by searching for hay by ZIP code and filtering for distance, hay type, and price. Sellers can create a free profile to post listings.

This tool can help alleviate the stress of finding hay for your livestock and allow you to connect with new growers.

Additionally, if you are interested in having a hay or silage analysis done, call the Lincoln County Extension Office at (704)-736-8461. Each sample is $10.