2017 Western Alfalfa & Forage Symposium
Producing Quality Forages in the West
November 28th - November 30th, 2017 | Reno, NV
Sponsors
The organizers of the 2017 California Alfalfa & Grains Conference wish to express their heartfelt thanks to the many sponsors of this year's conference.
- HarvXtra Alfalfa
- Bowles Farming Company
- San Joaquin Valley Hay Growers
- Western Ag Enterprises Inc.
- America’s Alfalfa
- Anderson Hay & Grain Co., Inc.
- Audubon California
- Farm Credit
- Hay & Forage Grower
- Penergetic Solutions
- Progressive Forage Grower
- Reinke
- Sierra Testing Service
- Toro Ag
2017 Western Alfalfa & Forage Symposium, sponsored by the The UC California Alfalfa & Forage Systems Workgroup & Cooperative Extension Services of AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, UT, WA, WY.
Now in its 47th year, the symposium is planned each year by the California Alfalfa & Forage Systems Workgroup, made up of University of California Farm Advisors and Scientists in UC Cooperative Extension, along with grower and industry liaison members. The comprehensive conference covered many aspects of alfalfa, forage & grains management from economics to pest management, irrigation and utilization. Videos, papers, and slidesets related to the presentations have been posted below.
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Schedule of Events
DAY ONE - Tuesday, November 28th
6:30am-7:00pm
Symposium and Exhibitor Registration
8:00am-5:00pm
ALFALFA HAY QUALITY WORKSHOP
(Workshop Chairs Shannon Mueller, University of California Cooperative Extension, Fresno, CA and Glenn Shewmaker, University of Idaho, Kimberly, ID)
View Workshop Papers (PDF) & Videos
5:30pm-7:30pm
SYMPOSIUM WELCOME RECEPTION WITH EXHIBITORS
Cocktails and Hors D'oevures. Exhibits open.
Day Two - Wednesday, November 29th
8:00am
Welcome and Introduction
William Payne, Dean, College of Agriculture, University of Nevada, Reno
Economics and Markets
Moderator: Brandon Fawaz, Fawaz Farms, Etna, CA
8:35am
Important Market Trends with California and US Dairy Markets
Tiffany LaMendola, Blimling Associates, Jamestown, CA
Slides (PDF)
9:00am
Demographics and Long Term Outlook for Western Beef, Sheep, and Horses and their Importance for the Forage Industry
Tim DelCurto, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
9:25am
The Emerging Farm Bill and its Implications for Western Dairy and Forage
Dan Sumner, Ag. Issues Center, University of California, Davis, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
Alfalfa Yield and Quality, Yield Gap, and Genetic Innovations
Moderator: Mark Marsalis, New Mexico State University, Los Lunas, NM
10:30am
Genetics for Drought Tolerance in Alfalfa
Ian Ray, NM State Univ., Las Cruces, NM
Video
Slides (PDF)
10:55am
Alfalfa Yield Gap – How big is it and what is its economic significance?
Michael Russelle, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
11:20
Alfalfa Yield Gap ‐ What is holding us back?
Charlie Brummer, University of California, Davis, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
12:10pm
SYMPOSIUM LUNCH - Jim Kunh Award
1:30pm-5:00pm
SYMPOSIUM MAIN SESSION
Alfalfa Production and Pest Management I
Moderator: Anowar Islam, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY
1:30pm
Fertilizing Alfalfa for High Yields
Nick Clark, University of California Cooperative Extension, Hanford, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
1:50pm
Strategies for Aphid Management in Alfalfa
Ayman Mostafa, Univ. of Arizona Cooperative Extension, Phoenix, AZ
Video
Paper (PDF)
2:10pm
Controlling Alfalfa Weevils—Efficacy, Thresholds and Future Needs
Rachael Long, University of California Cooperative Extension, Woodland, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
2:30pm
Using Zinc Phosphide‐Coated Cabbage to Manage Belding’s Ground Squirrels in Hay Crops
Roger Baldwin, University of California, Davis, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
2:50pm
DISCUSSION
Alfalfa Production and Pest Management II
Moderator: Rachael Long, University of California Cooperative Extension, Woodland, CA
3:30pm
Poisonous Weeds And Toxic Factors In Hay Crops: Why You Should Worry
Birgit Puschner University of California, Davis, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
3:50pm
An IPM Approach To Managing Annual Grasses In Grass Hay And Pasture
Tim Prather, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
4:10pm
New Herbicides for Winter Annual Weed Control in Alfalfa
Earl Creech, Utah State University, Logan, UT
Video
Slides (PDF)
4:30pm
DISCUSSION
Moderated by Tim Hays, Moderator, Lancaster, CA/span>
Video
5:30pm-7:00pm
EXHIBITOR RECEPTION AND AUCTION BENEFITING CA ALFALFA & FORAGE RESEARCH FOUNDATION
DAY 3 - Thursday, November 30th
8:00am-12:30pm
SYMPOSIUM MAIN SESSION
Exports, Quality, & Irrigation
Moderator: Steve Norberg, Washington State University, Pasco, WA
8:05am
Reduced Lignin Alfalfa: Research Update and Implications to Harvest Management
Mark Sulc, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
8:30am
Hay Export Dynamics in the West Coast USA
Bill Matthews, Ag Issues Center, University of California, Davis, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
8:55am
Demographics and Long Term Outlook for Western Beef, Sheep, and Horses and their Importance for the Forage Industry
Alan Hallman, USDA ‐ Foreign Agricultural Service, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Video
9:20am
Benefits and Impacts of Partial Season Irrigation on Alfalfa Production
Perry Cabot, Joe Brummer, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO and Neil Hansen, Brigham Young University, Provo, UT
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
10:30am
Deficit Irrigation with Alfalfa: What Are the Economics?
Mike Ottman, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ & Dan Putnam, University of California, Davis, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
11:15am
What I’ve Learned from Implementing Drip Irrigation on my Farm
Nate Ray, DeJager Farms, Chowchilla, CA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
11:35am
Innovations in Center Pivot Irrigation with Hay Crops
Troy Peters, Washington State University, Prosser, WA
Video
Slides (PDF)
Paper (PDF)
11:55am
Implementing Advances in Pivot Irrigation on my Farm
Drex Gauntt, Gauntt Farms, Kennewick, WA
Video
Slides (PDF)
CONTINUING EDUCATIONThe following CE credits have been approved. Please sign in/out of each session you attend to be
eligible for credits. Sign in sheets will be provided in the meeting rooms of each qualifying session.
Certified Crop Advisor
- 4.5 hours Soil & Water Management
- 3.0 hours Integrated Pest Management
- 8.5 hours Crop Management
- 3.0 hours Professional Development
Pesticide CE Credits
- Arizona: 2.5 hours
- California: 4 hours
- Oregon: 3 hours
- Nevada: 4.5 hours
- Montana: 4 hours
- Idaho: 3 hours
- Utah: 4.5 hours
- Washington: 3.5 hours