Early yields give the first clear read on new‑crop performance, showing strong quality in some areas and lighter‑than‑expected tonnage in others.

Organic certification requires that land be free of prohibited substances for three years (36 months) before the harvest of an organic crop. A common strategy among agricultural producers in Idaho and other semiarid agricultural regions is to plant an alfalfa hay stand and keep it in production for three or more years after establishment.

Beyond having resistance to root diseases, most of the criteria in variety selection has been based on the aboveground attributes such as forage yield and quality, leaf to stem ratio, fiber digestibility and resistance to foliar diseases and pests. Very seldom do alfalfa producers ask the question: what type of root system does the variety have below-ground?

Early cuttings hint at new‑crop promise, but drought and wide quality spreads keep hay markets cautious heading into summer.