Focus on Forage is a free, four-part webinar series highlighting research-based information and farmer strategies to optimize forage yield, quality, and profitability in Wisconsin. This series continues in 2025 starting on February 5.

Join forage industry experts, UW–Madison specialists, and Extension educators from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. on the following dates for discussions on alfalfa, corn silage and forage cover crops.

This webinar is of interest to farmers (field crop and dairy), crop advisors, animal science professionals and students interested in forage management and research. Certified Crop Advisor CEUs and ARPAS credits (where applicable) will be available for each webinar.

Scott Newell, Alfalfa Outreach Specialist with the UW–Madison Division of Extension Crops and Soils Program, noted, “These webinars focus on actionable information for the farmer or consultant looking to improve forage production, better understand the risks inherent in agriculture and to make informed management decisions.”

Feb. 5: Focus on Alfalfa Companions

Josh Kamps, UW–Madison; Shelby Gruss, Iowa State University; and Marta Kohmann, UW–Madison, will lead the first free alfalfa webinar at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 5. Josh Kamps will discuss planting alfalfa green into a cereal rye cover crop, Dr. Gruss will present on the integration of warm season annuals grasses into alfalfa, and Dr. Kohmann will present on alfalfa nutrient credits.

Feb. 12: Focus on Corn Silage

Damon Smith, UW–Madison; John Goeser, Rock River Laboratory; and Harkirat Kaur, UW–Madison will lead a free corn silage webinar at 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 12. Dr. Smith will cover mycotoxin accumulation in corn and silage, Dr. Goeser will cover trends in forage quality energy & hygiene, and Dr. Kaur will present on the potential for new short corn hybrids for silage use.

Feb. 26: Focus on Forage Cover Crops

Ken Kalscheur, Lizzy French and Barbara Dittrich, USDA Dairy Forage Research Center; and Dan Marzu, UW–Madison will lead a free webinar focused on forage cover crops at 12:30 on Feb. 26. Dr. Kalscheur will present on the use of cover crops as alternative forage in the dairy ration, Dr. French and Barbara Dittrich will discuss precision feeding of alternative forages to dairy cows during early lactation, and Dan Marzu will present on preliminary trends in forage quality from the Wisconsin Cover Crop Citizen Science Survey.

March 5: Focus on the Alfalfa Toolbox

Mike Bertram, Scott Newell and Mark Renz of UW–Madison and Mike Stanek, WI NRCS will lead the second free alfalfa webinar at 12:30 on March 5. Bertram will showcase the 2024 results of the Wisconsin Alfalfa Yield and Persistence project, Newell will showcase the UW–Madison Alfalfa Cutting Tool, Dr. Renz asks “How much weed management does alfalfa REALLY need?”, and Stanek will discuss the new Short Term Perennial NRCS scenario with money available to establish alfalfa.

If you have questions or are in need of accommodations, please contact Scott Newell. Registration, recordings of past webinars, and more are available at go.wisc.edu/FoF25.