haystack farm

What haystack farm does

Haystack Farm and Feeds, Inc. is a privately held, family-owned animal feed manufacturer headquartered in Culver, Oregon, in Central Oregon's High Desert region. Founded in 1989 as an alfalfa pellet mill and acquired in spring 2003 by co-owners Kerry Backsen and Trish Kentner Backsen, DVM, the company produces steam-bound pelleted forages (alfalfa, timothy grass, orchard grass, teff hay), hay chop products, and species-specific complete feeds for horses, poultry, hogs, goats, and rabbits, with a cattle line marked "coming soon." All products are manufactured using a steam-only pellet binding process that avoids bentonite or other clay binders, and ingredient sourcing emphasizes local Pacific Northwest farms and recognizable, name-able inputs rather than generic by-products.

The company sells primarily through an independent dealer network of more than 100 farm and ranch retail locations across Oregon, Washington, Alaska, California, Idaho, and Montana — including multi-location chains such as Coastal Farm & Ranch, Grange Co-op Supply, and Oregon Feed & Irrigation — with dealer pricing managed through a password-protected portal. A small direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel exists for Haystack Wildberry Horse Treats, the only product line with publicly disclosed retail pricing ($16.95 for a 5 lb bag, $21.95 for a 10 lb bag, both with free shipping). Brand positioning rests on locally sourced ingredients, veterinarian-formulated feeds (DVM co-owner Trish Kentner Backsen authors "Vet Notes" educational content), and consistent bag-to-bag quality.

Haystack operates from a single production site that was expanded in 2022 to three lines via the installation of additional robotics, supporting both current demand and incremental capacity for new SKUs and geographies. The business is self-funded with no external institutional investors, no app or software product surface, and no disclosed headcount, and it has not filed any public funding, acquisition, or M&A signals. Marketing is conducted primarily through a Facebook page, a content-marketing blog, dealer co-marketing, and the e-commerce storefront.

Name

haystack farm

Legal name

Haystack Farm & Feeds, Inc.

Website

https://haystackfeeds.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Haystack Farm and Feeds is a family-owned Central Oregon feed mill that manufactures steam-bound pelleted forages and complete feeds for horses, poultry, hogs, goats, and rabbits, distributed through a 100+ dealer network across the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, California, Idaho, and Montana.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Feed Manufacturing

NAICS

Other Animal Food Manufacturing (311119), Hay Farming (11194)

SIC

Grain Mill Products (2040)

akta.pro primary industry

Complete Equine Feeds (Pelleted/Extruded/Textured) (AFADAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Equine Forage Products (Hay Cubes, Chaff, Alfalfa Pellets) (AFADAEAC), Livestock Complete Feed Milling & Blending (Cattle/Swine/Poultry) (AFADAIAA), Bagged Retail Commodity Feeds (Small Pack Formats) (AFADAIAJ), Hay Products (Baled, Chopped, Cubes) (AFADAHAA), Equine Concentrates & Balancers (Ration Balancers, Fortified Concentrates) (AFADAEAB), Equine Treats & Reward Products (AFADAEAH), Equine Senior & Special-Needs Feeds (Easy-Keeper, Metabolic/Low-NSC) (AFADAEAE), Equine Performance & Conditioning Feeds (High-Energy/Sport Horse) (AFADAEAD)

Keywords

• Animal feed manufacturing
• Pelleted forage products
• Equine nutrition feeds
• Livestock feed products
• Poultry and hog feeds

Headquarters

HQ city

Culver

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Animal feed product sales: The company generates revenue through the sale of animal feed products including hay pellets, formulated feeds for horses, poultry, hogs, goats, and rabbits, as well as horse treats. Products are sold through a dealer network and direct online sales.
2. Dealer/wholesale distribution: Products are sold to independent farm and ranch dealers who then resell to end consumers. Dealers have access to a login portal for pricing.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Haystack Farm and Feeds manufactures and distributes pelleted forage supplements and complete feeds for horses, poultry, hogs, goats, and rabbits from its mill in Culver, Oregon. The company produces hay pellets (alfalfa, timothy grass, orchard grass, teff hay), hay chop products, veterinarian-formulated horse feeds including low-carb options, and Wildberry Horse Treats using a steam-only pellet binding process. Products are sold through an independent dealer network across the Pacific Northwest, Alaska, California, Idaho, and Montana, plus a direct-to-consumer online shop for horse treats.

Product overview

Haystack Farm and Feeds is an animal feed company offering a diversified portfolio of pelleted forages, complete feeds, and grain supplements. The core product line centers on hay pellets (Alfalfa, Timothy Grass, Orchard Grass, Teff Hay) and hay chop products (Special Select Chop, Alfalfa Hay Chop/Alfa-Glo). Horse-specific feeds include Special Blend Pellets, Beet Pulp Pellets, Special Lite Low Carb/Low Fat Pellets, and Wildberry Horse Treats. Poultry feeds consist of Layer Plus Pellets 17% and Broiler 20%. Hog feeds include Hog Grower 19% and Hog Finisher 14%. Additional products target Goat (Goat 18%), Rabbit (Rabbit 16%), and general grain needs (Whole Barley, Whole Corn). All products are formulated using steam-processed natural ingredients sourced from Pacific Northwest suppliers, with the company positioning itself on quality, consistency, and ingredient transparency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Haystack Naturals: Premium animal feed brand producing feeds for horses, livestock, poultry, rabbits, goats, and hogs. Known for quality ingredients sourced locally from the northwest.

Products and services

• Haystack Wildberry Horse Treats Horse treats made with Sun Cured Alfalfa Hay, Cranberries, and berry flavoring; low sugar formula with maximum 12% NSC (WSC + Starch), available in 5 lb and 10 lb bags with free shipping.
• Alfalfa Pellets Pelleted forage supplement made from Sun Cured Central Oregon Alfalfa, bound together with steam, available in 5/32 Inch, 1/4 Inch, and 3/4 Inch options for horses, cattle, and other livestock.
• Timothy Grass Pellets Pelleted forage supplement made from Sun Cured Timothy Grass Hay, bound together using only steam to provide an all-natural forage supplement for horses and livestock.
• Orchard Grass Pellets Pelleted forage supplement made from Sun Cured Orchard Grass Hay, bound together with a steam process to provide an all-natural forage supplement for horses and livestock.
• Teff Hay Pellets 1/4" Pelleted forage supplement made from Sun Cured Teff Grass Hay for horses, cattle, and other livestock.
• Special Select Chop Forage supplement made from chopped Sun Cured Alfalfa Hay, Sun Cured Grass Hay, and Cane Molasses for horses.
• Alfalfa Hay Chop (Alfa-Glo) Forage supplement made from Sun Cured Alfalfa Hay and Cane Molasses for horses.
• Special Blend Pellets Veterinarian-formulated premium horse feed intended for horses of all ages that benefit from a lower carbohydrate, high fat diet; made with Timothy Hay, Alfalfa Hay, Beet Pulp, Flax Seed Meal, Canola Meal, Canola Oil, and Heat Stabilized Rice Bran, with no molasses added.
• Beet Pulp Pellets Beet pulp pellets bound together with a steam process to provide an all-natural forage supplement; should be soaked in warm water before use for horses, cattle, and other ruminants.
• Special Lite (Low Carb/Low Fat) Horse Pellets Lower carbohydrate diet feed for horses that are overweight or 'Easy Keepers'; made with Timothy Hay, Alfalfa Hay, Plain Dried Beet Pulp, Heat Stabilized Rice Bran, and Flax Seed Meal, with no molasses or binders used.
• Layer Plus Pellets 17% Nutritionally packed feed for laying hens containing Wheat, corn, canola meal, field peas, ground alfalfa hay, oats, sunflower meal, flaxseed, canola oil, and oyster shell.
• Broiler 20% Complete feed formulated to meet all nutrition needs of meat birds; contains Wheat, Sun Cured Alfalfa Hay, Corn, Soybean Meal, Canola Meal, Feed Peas, Oats, Heat Stabilized Rice Bran, L-Lysine, Flax Seed, and Canola Oil.
• Haystack Naturals Hog Grower 19% Complete free choice feed designed for growing and finishing pigs; contains Corn, Wheat, Soybean Meal, Canola Meal, L-Lysine, and essential vitamins and minerals.
• Haystack Hog Finisher 14% Complete free choice feed for growing and finishing pigs; contains Corn, Soybean Meal, L-Lysine, and essential minerals with added Zinc at 85 PPM minimum.
• Haystack Goat 18% Complete feed for goats made from Wheat, Corn, Sun Cured Alfalfa Hay, Soybean Meal, Heat Stabilized Rice Bran, and Dried Molasses; contains added Copper which may be toxic to sheep.
• Haystack Rabbit 16% Complete feed for rabbits made from Sun Cured Alfalfa Hay and other high quality ingredients including Wheat, Canola Meal, Calcium Carbonate, and essential vitamins and minerals.
• Whole Barley Whole barley grain supplement for poultry, livestock, and horses; net weight 40 lbs.
• Whole Corn Whole corn grain supplement for poultry, livestock, and horses; net weight 50 lbs.

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Oregon Feed & IrrigationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent feed dealer located in Redmond, Oregon. Sells Haystack Farm and Feeds products including hay pellets and formulated feeds.
• Coastal Farm & RanchcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-location farm and ranch retail chain selling Haystack products across Oregon and Washington locations including Redmond, Eugene, Gresham, Oregon City, Bend, Roseburg, Salem, The Dalles, Tillamook, Woodburn, East Wenatchee, Mapleton, Mt. Vernon, Sequim, Vancouver, and more.
• Grange Co-op SupplycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAgricultural cooperative supplying Haystack feeds at multiple locations including Ashland, Central Point, Grants Pass, Klamath Falls, Medford, White City (Oregon), and Yuba City (California).
• High Lakes FeedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeed dealer in La Pine, Oregon selling Haystack Farm and Feeds products.
• Diess Feed & SeedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIndependent feed store in Eugene, Oregon selling Haystack feeds.
• McKenzie Feed & Pet SupplyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFeed dealer in Springfield, Oregon selling Haystack Farm and Feeds products.
• Countryside Equine Clinic, PCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterinary practice whose DVM (Trish Kentner) writes Vet Notes educational content for Haystack Farm and Feeds website, providing expert horse care and nutrition guidance.
• Kenai Feed & SupplyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlaska-based feed dealer in Kenai selling Haystack Farm and Feeds products.
• M Bar D FeedminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAlaska-based feed dealer in Anchorage selling Haystack Farm and Feeds products.
• Country StoreminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMulti-location dealer with stores in Coeur d'Alene (ID), Colville (WA), and Stevensville (MT) selling Haystack feeds.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Standlee Premium Western Forage: Standlee is a Pacific Northwest-based manufacturer of premium Western forage products including hay pellets, chopped hay, and timothy/alfalfa-based feeds. It is the most direct regional competitor to Haystack's pelleted forage line.
• Triple Crown Nutrition: Triple Crown is an equine-focused feed manufacturer selling pelleted and textured complete feeds through dealer and direct channels. It directly competes with Haystack's Special Blend and Special Lite horse pellets in the specialty equine segment.
• Poulin Grain: Poulin Grain is a regional Northeast U.S. feed mill producing complete feeds for equine, dairy, poultry, swine, and small ruminants. It is comparable to Haystack as a multi-species independent regional feed manufacturer with a similar dealer-led GTM.
• Modesto Milling: Modesto Milling manufactures organic and conventional pelleted feeds for horses, poultry, and livestock from a California mill. Comparable to Haystack in species breadth, pelleting process, and clean-label positioning.
• Tribute Equine Nutrition: Tribute is an equine-specialty feed brand producing fixed-formula pelleted feeds. It competes directly with Haystack's Special Blend and low-carb horse feeds in the premium equine category.

Broad incumbents

• Nutrena (Cargill): Nutrena is Cargill's national animal feed brand covering equine, livestock, poultry, and pet. It is a broad incumbent competing with Haystack across multiple species and dealer channels.
• Purina Animal Nutrition (Land O'Lakes): Purina Mills is a national leader in equine and livestock feed with deep dealer relationships and a broad product portfolio. It is the dominant broad incumbent against which Haystack positions its premium, locally-sourced messaging.
• ADM Animal Nutrition: ADM Animal Nutrition is a large global feed manufacturer offering equine, livestock, and aquaculture feeds through dealer and direct channels. It is a broad incumbent comparable in species breadth, though at far larger scale.

Emerging players

• LMF Feeds: LMF Feeds is a Pacific Northwest-based equine feed brand with a comparable 'low-carb' and senior-horse specialty product line. It is an emerging regional player competing with Haystack in specialty equine nutrition.
• Manna Pro Products: Manna Pro produces treats, supplements, and complete feeds across equine, poultry, goat, rabbit, and other small animals. It is comparable to Haystack in multi-species coverage and treats product line, though with a wider national distribution footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Haystack-Farm-Feeds-514528522019573

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about haystack farm