Farmer-to-farmer website provides buyer/seller linkage

As an electronic alternative to bulletin board postings, the University of Wisconsin Extension Service's farmer to farmer website provides a convenient way for farmers to sell or buy corn, wet forages, dry hay, and straw.

Free of charge to users, the website at http://farmertofarmer.uwex.edu allows potential buyers and sellers to search within a particular county or in several counties at once, according to Sheboygan County crops and soils agent Mike Ballweg.

High-moisture corn, grain corn, haylage, corn silage, dry hay, sorghum sudangrass, and straw have been the most popular commodities on the website.

Sellers could reduce grain drying and marketing costs if they make a direct sale to another farmer, Ballweg points out.

With the start of the 2012 harvest season for haylage and hay in the past month and with at least short-term shortages of moisture in most major agricultural areas of the state, owners of livestock also might want to identify potential sources of additional feed supplies.

A check of the website early in the second week of June revealed entries from Adams, Barron, Dane, Douglas, Milwaukee, Polk, Portage, and Rusk counties.

Except for one looking to buy round bale hay, all had commodities for sale such as small and large round bales of alfalfa or grass hay along with baled peas and oats.

For the website, which was developed and is supported by the Extension Service, county offices will be able to provide internet service to sellers and buyers who do not have their own access.

More information about the farmer to farmer website is also available by calling Ballweg at 920-459-5904.