Putting Some Pop Back in Your Crop: Alfalfa in Crop Rotations

While alfalfa is often recognized as the “Queen of the Forages”, corn may be considered “King of the Crops” and currently ranks as the nation’s largest acreage crop with over 87 million acres. The corn acreage U.S. has continued to increase in recent years for various reasons including greater market demand, a shift towards larger farms that focus on a fewer number of crops, and the development of improved varieties and management practices. According to the U.S. Census of Agriculture, the acreage devoted to corn and soybeans has risen by 64 and 255%, respectively, over the last 30 years, while the land use for alfalfa and pasture has declined by 15 and 28% over the same period. The loss of forages is particular evident in the Midwestern states where acreages of alfalfa and pasture has averaged 67 & 53%, respectively. Despite a shift to “corncentric” agriculture, the use of perennial forage species, such as alfalfa or tall fescue, in crop rotations are vital to the long-term success of grain crop operations.