The Kentucky Derby is the most exciting two minutes in sports, bar none. Last year, roughly $194 million was wagered on the race. While the derby will be concluded by the time you read this, alfalfa seed companies and growers are just now coming to the starting gate of a new enterprise.

On May 4, National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance (NAFA) announced the creation of the first-ever U.S. Alfalfa Farmer Research Initiative (aka Alfalfa Checkoff Program). As the nation’s third-most valuable field crop, alfalfa has historically not kept pace with research funding.

As a cash crop, the value of all dry hay harvested in 2015 was estimated at $16.84 billion, trailing only corn ($49.04 billion) and soybeans ($34.54 billion).

Wade Hill is a forage producer in Danville, Alabama. His main hay marketing focus is for the horse industry, although he also sells hay to cattle producers on a limited basis. In addition to off-farm sales, Hill produces forages for his own livestock – horses, cattle and swine.

Remember the days when humor didn’t include four-letter words or bodily functions? Those were the good old days. Red Skelton was a favorite comedian of the times. His humor was clean, lighthearted and not offensive. Here are some of his tongue-in-cheek quips for the perfect marriage:

While ChemChina’s move to take over Syngenta Ag is still pending and has garnered much of the attention this winter and late spring, it is only one of many buyouts and takeovers in the agricultural community.

For years, Chris Penrose, a producer living in the Appalachian foothills on a “hilly” farm, used his resources from the farm to manage other financial priorities (debt, college, etc.).

Washington Post writer Thomas Heath says community banks are tired of unfair competition and the Farm Credit System (FCS) needs to be reined in, citing loans to Cracker Barrel, restaurants, car washes, casinos, Verizon Wireless and even for vacation homes. This creates unfair tax advantages and low interest rates that unfairly squeeze community bank competition.

Two letters went to Congress on April 11 supported by agricultural groups to urge the passing of the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) this year.