Overall, producing and preserving alfalfa in cold climates requires technical planning and strategic decisions at every stage, from cutting to feedout.

Reducing the exposure of hay to the rain, snow and hot sun certainly aids in protecting the visual integrity of the baled forage. However, what does the weather, elements and time do to the nutritional integrity of these same bales?

To be economically viable, alfalfa varieties need to have some level of genetic resistance to major diseases and pests. Without resistance, the cost of production increases substantially, as the producer must rely on chemical controls to maintain stands or protect forage yield and quality.

Idaho has a new top ag commodity: beef cattle. Livestock sector gains led Idaho farmgate cash receipts to a second consecutive all-time high in 2025. Net farm income is forecast to see a small year-over-year increase, with livestock sector gains outweighing losses in the crop sector.

Alfalfa producers are always striving to make a profit in both good and bad years. To achieve this goal, producers often utilize improved genetics and/or optimize the use of inputs to improve quality and yield. However, there is one production factor that trumps all the others, an adequate supply of irrigation water for forage production.

With the potentially high costs of fertilizer application, accurately diagnosing and addressing sulfur deficiencies is critical for profitable crop production.

Now that the terminal has been in operation for about four years, this article aims to describe why such an infrastructural investment can help increase international trade opportunities and to analyze whether the expected impact of increased hay exports from Idaho are observable in publicly available data.

Voles have become a significant threat to Idaho agriculture, particularly to alfalfa crops. With some farmers reporting losses of up to 60% or more, understanding the vole life cycle, their resilience and innovative control methods has become critical.

Drought stress is one of the most significant limiting factors in crop production worldwide, and alfalfa is no exception. Dealing with droughts and water shortages can be challenging. However, there are some new tools available to alfalfa producers to help mitigate yield and profit losses.