NAFA's U.S. Alfalfa Farmer Research Initiative (USAFRI), better known as the Alfalfa Checkoff, has funded 14 research projects in just its first year of existence. The program is energizing alfalfa research across the country, demonstrating the high demand for alfalfa-related research funding. Funded proposals cover a wide range of topics intended to drive innovation and profitability in the alfalfa industry, as well as a broad geographic area - from Georgia to Washington and from California to Michigan. Please click the following links for more information regarding funded projects.

Award amounts subject to change, dependent on actual checkoff received.

2022 2nd Round (funded February 2022)

• Herbicide Options for Weed Burndown in Alfalfa
  — Albert Adjesiwor, University of Idaho ($48,549)


• Alfalfa-Grass Mixtures: Evaluating Trade-Offs in Forage Quality, Productivity, and Field Carbon Balance
  — Joshua Gamble, USDA-ARS ($76,180)


• Alfalfa in the South Production Videos: Developing Digital Educational Resources to Improve Alfalfa Production Systems in the Southern US
  — Jennifer Tucker, University of Georgia ($14,000)


• Controlling Adult Alfalfa Weevils: A Multi-State University/Industry Collaboration
  — Kevin Wanner, Montana State University ($50,000)

2022 1st Round (funded August 2022)

• The Relationship Between Passage Rate and Degradation Rate of Alfalfa and Its Effect on Digestibility
  — Gonzalo Ferreira, Virginia Tech ($66,208)


• Alfalfa Value-Added Characteristics: Screening Cultivars for Beneficial Biochemical Compounds
  — Jo Heuschele, USDA-ARS ($93,215)


• Improving Alfalfa Forage System by Addressing Boron and Sulfur Deficiency
  — Bruno Pedreira, Kansas State University ($48,651)


• Carbon Footprint of High-Yielding Irrigated Alfalfa Production in California
  — Cameron Pittelkow, University of California-Davis ($98,200)


• Do Insect-Transmitted Viruses Affect Forage Alfalfa Yield and Quality?
  — Erik Wenninger, University of Idaho ($58,304)

2021 1st Round (funded July 2021)

• Identification of Rhizobium Inoculants Tailored for Performance with New Alfalfa Varieties and Diverse Soil Types
  — Barney Geddes, North Dakota State University ($74,325)


• Using Pesticide Fate Models to Guide Application Timing and Improve Alfalfa Seed Yields
  — Kelsey Graham, USDA-ARS ($55,107)


• Alfalfa Biomass, Nitrogen Accumulation, and Water Use-Efficiency in High-Yielding Irrigated Environments
  — Romulo Lollato, Kansas State University ($50,000)


• Producer and Consumer Survey: Increasing Alfalfa Hay Sales to Horse Owners
  — Ray Smith, University of Kentucky ($27,082)


• Development of an Open-Source Web-Based Tool for Alfalfa Yield and Quality Prediction
  — Zhou Zhang, University of Wisconsin-Madison ($24,686)

2020 2nd Round (funded February 2021)

• Efficacy of Residual Herbicides for Weed Control and Reducing Weed Impacts on Alfalfa Yield and Quality
  — Albert Adjesiwor, University of Idaho ($37,966)


• Developing a Soil Bioassay for Alfalfa Autotoxicity
  — Kim Cassida, Michigan State University ($92,662)


• Integrated Weed Management Impacts on Stand Establishment to Maximize Yield and Quality of Alfalfa
  — Jose Dias, University of California Cooperative Extension ($22,311)


• Request for Alfalfa Hay Purchase to Support Funded Project "Increasing Alfalfa Productivity and Inclusion in Dairy Diets to Improve Milk Fat and Protein Yield"
  — Rick Grant, Wm. H. Miner Ag Research Institute ($14,013)

2020 1st Round (funded August 2020)

• Evaluation of the Efficacy of Saflufenacil Tank-Mixes and Sequential Applications Applied in Early Fall for the Control of Plantain and Field Bindweed in Alfalfa Fields
  — Leslie Beck, New Mexico State University ($38,277)


• Inclusion of Alfalfa Hay in Diets for Non-Lactating Dairy Cows During the Prepartum Period
  — Gonzalo Ferreira, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ($91,721)


• Development of New Alfalfa Products in Combination with Almond Hulls for Emerging Domestic and International Markets
  — Dan Putnam, University of California-Davis ($48,358)


• Closing the Alfalfa Yield Gap While Improving Soil Fertility and Health
  — Nicole Tautges, Michael Fields Agricultural Institute ($98,002)


• Alfalfa Bermudagrass Management Guide and Additional Educational Resources
  — Jennifer Tucker, University of Georgia ($20,500)


• On-Farm Research to Support the Registration of New Insecticides for Alfalfa
  — Kevin Wanner, Montana State University ($99,960)

2019 2nd Round (funded January 2020)

• Imaging Alfalfa to Predict Yield and Quality and Impacts of Water Deficits Using Innovative Overhead Irrigation Systems
  — Dan Putnam, University of California-Davis ($78,922)


• Comparison of Cropland Emissions, Carbon Sequestration, and Soil Health Outcomes in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) and Corn (Zea mays L.) Production Fields in an Integrated Crop-Livestock Dairy System
  — Heathcliffe Riday, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center ($60,000)


• Improving Alfalfa Fiber Digestion Though Extreme Mechanical Processing
  — Kevin Shinners, Matt Digman, University of Wisconsin-Madison ($78,068)


• "Alfalfa for Beef Cows" Publication Update
  — Ray Smith, University of Kentucky ($9,464)


• Five Irrigation Approaches for Improving Alfalfa Yield and Quality
  — Matt Yost, Utah State University ($97,994)

2019 1st Round (funded July 2019)

• Maximizing Alfalfa's Yield Potential
  — E. Charles Brummer, University of California-Davis ($49,796)


• Forage Production of Alfalfa Established in Silage Corn vs. Conventional Production Systems
  — John Grabber, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center $75,000)


• Developing Practical Phosphorus & Potassium Tissue Test Recommendations & Utilizing Struvite in Modern Alfalfa Systems III
  — Steve Norberg, Washington State University ($50,000)


• Evaluating Approaches to High-Throughput Phenotyping & Genotyping for Genomic Selection in Alfalfa
  — Kelly Robbins, Cornell University ($36,811)


• New Approaches to Improve Alfalfa Round Bale Storage
  — Kevin Shinners, Matt Digman, University of Wisconsin-Madison ($41,512)


• "Grazing Alfalfa" Publication Update
  — Ray Smith, University of Kentucky ($4,714)


• Improving Our Understanding of Aphanomyces Root Rot of Alfalfa
  — Kiersten Wise, University of Kentucky ($24,928)

2018 2nd Round (funded January 2019)

• Potassium Fertilization and Its Impact on Yield, Quality, and Winter Hardiness of Alfalfa
  — Marisol Berti, North Dakota State University ($37,270)


• Evaluating Hand-Held NIRS Units for Measuring Forage Quality of Fresh-Chopped Alfalfa and Alfalfa Hay and Haylage
  — Jerry Cherney, Cornell University ($18,671)


• Side-by-Side Evaluation of Preservation Alternatives for Alfalfa Hays
  — Wayne Coblentz, USDA-ARS, U.S. Dairy Forage Research Center ($13,335)


• Regional Characterization of Alfalfa and Manure Legacy Impacts on Soil Quality in Crop Rotations
  — Joshua Gamble, USDA-ARS, St. Paul, MN ($32,621)


• Impacts of Winter Grazing on Alfalfa Production
  — Megan Van Emon, Montana State University ($17,221)


• Sustainable Management of Waterhemp in Established Alfalfa for Dairy Systems
  — Mark Renz, University of Wisconsin-Madison ($39,200)


• Plant Population and Stem Counts to Predict Yield of Modern Alfalfa Varieties
  — Craig Sheaffer, University of Minnesota ($22,342)


• Analysis of Root Carbohydrates in Alfalfa Treated with Four Harvest Intervals and Five Potassium Rates in the Southeast
  — Jennifer Tucker, University of Georgia ($15,500)

2018 1st Round (funded September 2018)

• Maximizing Alfalfa's Yield Potential
  — E. Charles Brummer, University of California-Davis ($49,988)


• Characterizing Benefits of Alfalfa in Rotation & Communicating Value of Environmental Services to the Public
  — Daniel Putnam, University of California-Davis ($45,833)


• Impact of Poultry Litter Application on Yield and Quality of Alfalfa Grown in Mississippi
  — J. Brett Rushing, Mississippi State University ($18,880)


• "Alfalfa, Wildlife, and the Environment" Publication Update
  — Craig Sheaffer, University of Minnesota ($38,450)


• Identifying Optimal Alfalfa Germplasm Types & Characteristic for Compatibility and Performance in Mixed Cropping Systems
  — Brandon Schlautman, The Land Institute ($48,557)


• Spring Black Stem & Stemphylium Leaf Spot Resistance Screening in the USDA-ARS National Plant Germplasm System's Medicago spp. Genetic Resources
  — Brian Irish, USDA-ARS PGITRU ($47,000)


• Developing Practical Phosphorus & Potassium Tissue Test Recommendations & Utilizing Struvite in Modern Alfalfa Systems
  — Steve Norberg, Washington State University ($50,000)


• Integrated Pest Management of Weevils 2019
  — Douglas Walsh, Washington State University ($17,095)


• Enzyme-Assisted Protein Isolation from Alfalfa Leaves
  — Youngmi Kim, University of Wisconsin-River Falls ($24,183)