Forages
Forage production is also a vital part of Iowa’s agricultural landscape. Forages in Iowa include alfalfa, forage grasses, hay, pasture, and annual forages. Find more information on the agronomics of forage production in Iowa and best management practices to boost forage productivity.
Resources, tools, and information specific to forage production and management.
Timely Insights on Forages
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May 13, 2025Content Author
The week of May 4 saw a bustling of field activity across the state. Planting is winding down in many areas across the state, and the farthest along corn is between V2 to V3 and the farthest along soybeans are VC. Stand concerns due to soil crusting and anhydrous ammonia burn emerged this last week, particuarlly in parts of central and NC Iowa. As well as did concerns for weed control either due to weeds coming through PRE herbicides already applied or lack of moisture to activate PREs recently applied or that are going on now. ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists share more specific updates about what is happening in the regions they cover below.
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May 6, 2025Content Author
Fieldwork and planting were limited in some areas of the state over the past week due to wet weather and unsuitable field conditions. Nearly 50% of the corn and about 40% of the soybean crop have been planted statewide. Earlier-planted corn and soybean fields have emerged. So far, aside from weeds, minimal pest pressure or other major issues have been noted in fields across the state. ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists provide more specific updates about conditions in the regions they cover below.
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May 6, 2025Authors
Alfalfa growth and development is influenced by factors including temperature, soil moisture, stand age, and variety. With a mild winter leading into spring this year, many areas are seeing earlier green-up and more rapid growth. As such, relying solely on the calendar to determine the timing of the first alfalfa cutting may not be the most accurate approach. To stay ahead of forage quality, producers should base harvest on plant development, not just the calendar date. To better estimate the optimal harvest window, the University of Wisconsin developed the Predictive Equations for Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) method, which uses the height and maturity stage of the tallest alfalfa stem to estimate relative feed value.
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April 29, 2025Content Author
Generally speaking, a lot of field activity was brought to halt across much of Iowa this last week due to wet field conditions except for parts of western Iowa that missed the rains the rest of the state saw. ISU Extension and Outreach field agronomists share more specific updates about what is happening in the regions they cover below.
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April 28, 2025Content Author
Are you a crop scout, or interested in honing in on your crop scouting skills? Join us for our Crop Scout School on May 22, 2025 at the ISU Southeast Research and Demonstration Farm near Crawfordsville (3115 Louisa-Washington Rd). Check-in begins at 8:30 a.m., and the program runs from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
