Around here, there is a big range of prices, but also a reason for it, as there is a big range in quality. Three different operators cut hay on three sides of me. All three brought in something north of $400,000 in equipment, yet only one or two seem to know much about making quality hay. One showed up at least a month after I was done cutting.......so it was over mature, stemmy junk.......the kind of stuff we used to say a cow would starve to death with a belly full of it. Two of them baled up POISONOUS weeds.
When I told one lady price was going to $10 a bale, she said OK. Would pay it. Prior to buying from me, all she could get was junk, and it was moldy to boot. Her horses almost died eating it. Have heard that story repeated more times than I can count. What passes for hay used to be part of what was once a growing plant, then eventually cut and put in bale form with a great deal of indifference, and passed off as "horse hay".
Mine is cut on a timely basis with mower conditioner to get it drying down fast, hit with a tedder if needed, which is almost always......rollabar rake to minimize dust and dirt in hay and baled at 15% moisture or less to avoid spoilage.......and bales are off the ground and in the barn within hours. 50 pound bales, packed tight like bricks (so smaller length), plus tractor slowed down so goal of 15 flakes per bale min for portion control when feeding it. Fertility is kept high, so mine makes about 3 ton per acre, first cutting. 50 pound bales as with 90% of buyers it is the lady or daughter what feeds the hay (by hand) and that is all they can physically handle.
Small, seemingly insignificant actions, but they all add up to allow me to sell for about double what the others are getting.