CGCustomGrazing

Minnesota grazing rates

Pastureland cash rent averages $34.50/acre (USDA NASS, 2025). Grass hay is $111/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $1.88 per pair per day.

Midwest · Minnesota

This week

Feeder Cattle Index
$359.19/​cwt
national
Grass hay
$111/​ton
MN
Hay feed cost
$1.88
per pair per day

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

What grass rents for

State cash rent
$34.50/​acre
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Top counties by pastureland cash rent (44 of Minnesota’s counties reporting)
County$/acreYear
Rock County$76.50/acre2025
Nobles County$70.00/acre2025
Winona County$67.50/acre2025
Pipestone County$67.00/acre2025
Lincoln County$66.50/acre2025
Jackson County$64.00/acre2025
Fillmore County$63.50/acre2025
Murray County$57.50/acre2025
Lyon County$52.50/acre2025
Le Sueur County$50.00/acre2025
Freeborn County$49.50/acre2025
Meeker County$48.50/acre2025
Cottonwood County$48.00/acre2025
Olmsted County$47.50/acre2025
Houston County$45.50/acre2025

Source: USDA NASS Cash Rents.

Hay feed cost

Hay feed cost
$1.88
per pair per day, this week
Grass hay, winter average by year, MN
$161.48/ton$66.7/ton2022: $143.51/ton2023: $161.48/ton2024: $143.95/ton2025: $66.7/ton2026: $69.56/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 it cost to feed hay instead of grazing in Minnesota?

Grass hay is $111/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $1.88 per pair per day.

What do Minnesota pastureland cash rents run per acre?

Pastureland cash rent averages $34.50/acre (USDA NASS, 2025).