“Until now, alfalfa was the only major crop without a farmer-funded checkoff program,” said Beth Nelson, NAFA president. “That needed to change in order for alfalfa to remain competitive with other cropping choices.”

The NAFA board of directors voted unanimously to begin a national checkoff program to facilitate a farmer-funded research program to advance industry research. The U.S. Alfalfa Farmer Research Initiative, implemented voluntarily by seed brand, will be assessed at the rate of $1 per bag of alfalfa seed. One hundred percent of the checkoff funds will be used to support public research into alfalfa and alfalfa forage systems.

  • The alfalfa checkoff program will be assessed at a rate of $1 per bag, implemented voluntarily by seed brand.
  • The alfalfa checkoff program has broad grassroots support from state and regional hay associations and farmer members.
  • Unlike other commodities, alfalfa does not have a common “first purchaser.” Seed marketers are the common industry partners helping to facilitate the checkoff program.
  • Farmers and industry members will assist in developing research priorities. A request for proposals will be circulated to all known public U.S. alfalfa researchers.
  • NAFA will not assess any administrative costs, investing 100 percent of the checkoff funds in alfalfa research.

Alfalfa is key to sustainable agricultural systems and is an economic engine in rural communities – its value for soil conservation, nitrogen fixation, energy savings, crop rotation and wildlife habitat is unsurpassed. However, alfalfa must offer competitive value for farmers in order to provide these benefits and maintain or expand acreage base. Research is a key component to remaining competitive.

While NAFA has been successful in securing federal research funding for the Alfalfa and Forage Research Program and the Alfalfa Pollinator Research Initiative, the USDA’s public research portfolio needs to be better balanced to provide needed research to the nation’s third most valuable field crop.

“We’ve been making the case to lawmakers of the need for parity among the major crops in public research funding,” Nelson added. “This checkoff clearly demonstrates how serious alfalfa farmers are about their commitment to fund alfalfa research. It is imperative we come to the table with our own funding.”

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The checkoff will support research into the improvement of yields, water conservation, development of new storage and harvest systems, creation of new uses and other research areas holding the potential to advance the alfalfa industry.

Seed marketers who have committed to facilitating the checkoff, helping farmers invest in the future of the alfalfa industry, include:

  • Alforex Seeds
  • America's Alfalfa
  • Browning Seed
  • Channel
  • CROPLAN
  • DEKALB
  • Dyna-Gro
  • Fontanelle Hybrids
  • Forage First
  • Gold Country Seed
  • Hubner Seed
  • Jung Seed Genetics
  • Kruger Seeds
  • Latham Hi-Tech Seeds
  • Legacy Seeds
  • Lewis Hybrids
  • NEXGROW
  • Prairie Creek Seed
  • Rea Hybrids
  • S&W Seed Company
  • Simplot Grower Solutions
  • Specialty
  • Stewart
  • Stone Seed
  • W-L Research

View the checkoff’s frequently asked questions here (PDF, 467KB).  end mark

—From National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance news release