Stearns County was Minnesota’s largest alfalfa hay producing county in 2015 with 232,200 tons, according to the Minnesota Field Office of USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Four other counties also topped 100,000 tons: Fillmore (152,300), Otter Tail (130,100), Morrison (123,500) and Winona (104,400).

Statewide, alfalfa yields were down 0.20 ton to 2.70 tons per acre.

Fillmore County had the highest average yield at 3.95 tons per acre.

Rounding out the top five are Faribault (3.80), Waseca (3.65), Jackson (3.55), and Wabasha (3.40).

Lake of the Woods had the lowest published yield at 1.30 tons per acre.

Statewide, alfalfa yields were down 0.20 ton to 2.70 tons per acre in 2015.

Morrison County was the state’s largest producer of other hay excluding alfalfa in 2015 with 87,200 tons.

Aitkin (70,200 tons), Pine (65,600 tons), and St. Louis (61,500 tons) also topped 60,000 tons.

Other hay yields averaged 2.20 tons per acre across the state in 2015, up 0.60 tons per acre from 2014. Rice County recorded the highest average yield, at 4.45 tons per acre. Also recording high yields were Mahnomen (3.25), Lac Qui Parle (3.15), Blue Earth (3.15), as well as Murray and Pennington tied for 5th best yield at 2.95.

Lake of the Woods had the lowest published yield at 1.20 tons per acre. Sherburne had the second lowest yield at 1.40 tons per acre.