Officials with the Idaho Department of Agriculture say that hay thefts and illegal hay purchases are on the rise as the price of hay continues to climb.

According to the USDA market report, hay prices are dramatically higher than last year, with supreme-grade alfalfa selling for roughly $235 a ton in Idaho last week, compared to about $160 a ton in 2006.

Idaho officials have received 20 complaints involving unlicensed dealers in the first six months of 2008 after receiving a total of 25 complaints all of last year – complaints about nonpayment or theft have also increased from ten in 2007 to seven or eight so far this year. Officials say those numbers don’t represent all hay thefts, as outright thefts are often reported directly to law enforcement agencies, bypassing the department regulators.

This year, the Agriculture Department is also getting complaints from licensed dealers who say they’ve been wronged by farmers. The department is trying to remind farmers across the state to deal only with licensed and bonded dealers, and remind dealers to make sure that the contracts are dated and signed by everyone involved. (AP)