CGCustomGrazing

California grazing rates

California pasture rent runs $30.00/pair/mo per cow-calf pair and $26.00/AUM (USDA NASS, 2024 survey). Pastureland cash rent averages $16.00/acre (USDA NASS, 2025). Grass hay is $146/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $2.47 per pair per day.

USSouthern PlainsNorthern PlainsMidwestWestSoutheast

West · California

This week

Feeder Cattle Index
$359.19/​cwt
national
Grass hay
$146/​ton
CA
Hay feed cost
$2.47
per pair per day

Source: USDA AMS via LivestockValue and HayValue, week of Jul 31, 2026

What grass rents for

NASS pastureland rent
$26.00/​AUM
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Cow-calf pair rent
$30.00/​pair/​mo
USDA NASS, 2024 survey
State cash rent
$16.00/​acre
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Top counties by pastureland cash rent (34 of California’s counties reporting)
County$/acreYear
Marin County$34.00/acre2025
Glenn County$31.00/acre2025
Solano County$29.00/acre2025
Sonoma County$28.50/acre2025
Placer County$26.50/acre2025
Stanislaus County$25.50/acre2025
Napa County$25.00/acre2025
Nevada County$24.50/acre2025
Sacramento County$24.00/acre2025
Amador County$24.00/acre2025
Butte County$21.50/acre2025
Contra Costa County$21.50/acre2025
Tuolumne County$21.00/acre2025
Yuba County$20.00/acre2025
Yolo County$20.00/acre2025
$/AUM by year, CA
$26.5$16.42010: $16.42012: $19.42013: $19.52014: $202015: $19.12016: $232017: $20.62018: $22.42019: $21.42020: $23.52021: $222022: $22.82023: $24.52024: $26.52025: $26201020142017202020232025

Source: USDA NASS Cash Rents, USDA NASS, 2025 survey.

Hay feed cost

Hay feed cost
$2.47
per pair per day, this week
Grass hay, winter average by year, CA
$301.96/ton$144.1/ton2022: $239.13/ton2023: $301.96/ton2024: $147.55/ton2025: $177.44/ton2026: $144.1/ton20222023202420252026

34 lb hay per pair per day (1.3 AU at 26 lb per AU). feeding waste not included.

Published benchmarks

Some figures are published rates, not CustomGrazing listing data. Each one names its source.

FigureValueSource
US average pastureland cash rent$15.50/acreUSDA NASS Cash Rents, 2025
Kansas Flint Hills summer lease occupancy97.2% of bluestem pasture under contract, 2024–25K-State Bluestem Pasture Report, 2025
Observed asking prices, full care$30–50/AUMasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026
Observed asking prices, Texas pair rate$30–40/pair/monthasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026
Observed asking prices, custom care$1.25–2.50/head/dayasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026

Common questions

What does pasture rent cost in California?

California pasture rent runs $30.00/pair/mo per cow-calf pair and $26.00/AUM (USDA NASS, 2024 survey).

What does it cost to feed hay instead of grazing in California?

Grass hay is $146/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $2.47 per pair per day.

What do California pastureland cash rents run per acre?

Pastureland cash rent averages $16.00/acre (USDA NASS, 2025).