Forage crops in the Upper Colorado River Basin face mounting stress from aridification and shifting runoff. Evapotranspiration modeling and in‑field sensor measurements are helping producers adapt forage systems to limited water supplies.

Perennial forages improve soil structure, reduce compaction and help leach salts from the root zone. For producers committed to stewardship, perennials are more than cover – they’re a strategy for resilience.

Farmers in different western U.S. regions grow different types of alfalfa seeds to meet the needs of those regions and climates.

Nationwide, 14.6 million acres are cultivated for alfalfa. Critics argue this is too much for regions with limited water, yet they fail to compare these numbers to other staple crops. 

As an alfalfa stand ages and thins, the primary question becomes: Is this stand good enough to keep? Now is a good time to evaluate stands as more time is allowed for planning crop rotations than when stands are evaluated in the spring and determined to be uneconomic.

Here is a five-step system for managing hidden costs. While this example focuses on weed control, the system can be applied across many farming and business management areas.

The NRCS, the USDA’s primary private lands conservation agency, supports producers by providing one-on-one, personalized assistance to help them address the specific needs of their operations through financial and free technical assistance.

Poisonous plants cost the livestock industry upward of $500 million annually due to animal losses and increased management costs. It is your responsibility as an animal owner and operator to protect your livestock from toxic plants.

Tall fescue is a hearty deep-rooted perennial that grows widely across 15 states in the southeastern U.S. and covers more than 35 million acres.