“The Alfalfa Checkoff gains momentum with each new round of funding and continues to be a valuable asset to the industry,” said Beth Nelson, National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) president. “The checkoff is funding important alfalfa research that we believe will have the greatest impact within the alfalfa community.”
The Alfalfa Checkoff attracted proposals covering a wide range of topics intended to drive innovation and profitability in the alfalfa industry, as well as a broad geographic area. Research projects in Georgia, Minnesota, Montana, New York and Wisconsin were approved for funding and include (project objectives can be viewed on the NAFA website):
• Evaluating Hand-Held NIRS Units for Measuring Forage Quality of Fresh-Chopped Alfalfa & Alfalfa Hay & Haylage
—Jerry Cherney, Cornell University
• Analysis of Root Carbohydrates in Alfalfa Treated with Four Harvest Intervals & Five Potassium Rates in the Southeast
—Jennifer Tucker, University of Georgia
• Plant Population & Stem Counts to Predict Yield of Modern Alfalfa Varieties
—Craig Sheaffer, University of Minnesota
• Impacts of Winter Grazing on Alfalfa Production
—Emily Meccage, Montana State University
• Potassium Fertilization & Its Impact on Yield, Quality, & Winter Hardiness of Alfalfa
—Marisol Berti, North Dakota State University
• Regional Characterization of Alfalfa Manure Legacy Impacts on Soil Quality in Crop Rotations
—Joshua Gamble, USDA Agricultural Research Service
• Side-by-Side Evaluation of Preservation Alternatives for Alfalfa Hays
—Wayne Coblentz, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center
• Sustainable Management of Waterhemp in Established Alfalfa for Dairy Systems
—Mark Renz, University of Wisconsin
Funding was determined by a NAFA review committee, which selected projects that best met established research priorities, including: new and updated NAFA publications; agronomic management; feed value consistency; forage quality improvements; new uses and market development; fertility, soil management, soil health, macro/micronutrients; and yield improvements. Proposals were scored on methodology and analytical approaches; industry need; cost effectiveness, budget and matching funds; partnerships; and outreach.
Final reports from the first round of Alfalfa Checkoff-funded projects, made in early 2017, continue to roll in as the data and results from those one-year projects are revealing important results. They are available at the NAFA website. 
—From National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance news release
