The fourth Focus on Forage webinar in the 2025 series, Focus on the Alfalfa Toolbox, features tools, resources, and ongoing research to keep stands resilient and productive over time.
Presenters are Mike Bertram, superintendent, Arlington Ag Research Station, UW–Madison; Scott Newell, alfalfa outreach specialist, UW–Madison Extension; Dr. Mark Renz, professor and extension weed specialist, UW–Madison Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences; Dr. Silva Gaku, farm financial management outreach specialist, UW–Madison Extension.
Expand each section below for recordings of and resources related to each talk. To find more information about the Focus on Forage webinar series, visit the Focus on Forage website.
Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence Project Update
Presented by: Mike Bertram, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Featured in this talk is Mike Bertram, superintendent of the Arlington Agricultural Research Station, UW–Madison. Stanek recaps the results from the 2024 Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence Project, which tracks alfalfa yield and stand persistence data across hundreds of Wisconsin farms and accompanying management practices to see effects of specific practices on yield and persistence.
Forage Risk Management: Insurance Options
Presented by: Dr. Silva Gaku, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Featured in this talk is Dr. Silva Gaku, farm financial management outreach specialist, UW–Madison Extension. Dr. Gaku walks the audience through forage insurance options and then shares the 2024 performance of these insurance options. He then transitions to sharing tools that he’s developed for evaluating agricultural risk coverage and price loss coverage options for Wisconsin forage farmers.
How Much Weed Management Does Alfalfa Really Need?
Presented by: Dr. Mark Renz, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Featured in this talk is Dr. Mark Renz, professor and extension weed specialist, UW–Madison Department of Plant and Agroecosystem Sciences. Dr. Renz discusses if 100% weed control in alfalfa systems is truly ideal for animal feed quality, soil health and more.
UW Alfalfa Cutting Tool Applications
Presented by: Scott Newell, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Featured in this talk is Scott Newell, alfalfa outreach specialist, UW–Madison Extension. Scott showcases the newly created UW Alfalfa Cutting Tool that helps farmers apply growing-degree-day-based recommendations to their alfalfa fields across the upper Midwest.
▶ Watch: Focus on Alfalfa Companions
▶ Watch: Nitrogen Optimization Pilot Program Overview
Warm Days Aren’t Always Hay Days
Managing fall alfalfa cutting for persistence
