ALFALFA RESEARCH SURVEY in Collaboration with NAFA, ARS & NIFA

Please help establish research priorities for the alfalfa industry - your time is most appreciated!

The National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance is collaborating with ARS and NIFA to develop a Research Strategy for the alfalfa industry. Through funding opportunities including NAFA's Alfalfa Checkoff, USDA's Agricultural Research Service alfalfa research, and USDA's Alfalfa Seed & Alfalfa Forage Systems competitive research program, we have built a critical mass in available funding, making it desirable to have a focused research plan for the alfalfa industry. Direction is needed to ensure the most critical research needs are being met.

In an effort to identify those needs, NAFA wants your input to help focus future research programs and projects.

Please complete the survey no later than Monday, October 19 - by working together we can accomplish more!

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1. While not required, please provide your name and email so we can reach you for further comment if necessary (your contact information will not be given to any other entity for any purpose).

First Name

Last Name

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2. Please provide your zip code so we may identify regional differences in research needs.

Zip Code

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3. What best describes your position within the alfalfa community?

Dairy Farmer

Forage Farmer

Dairy and Forage Farmer

Alfalfa Seed Farmer

Alfalfa Seed and Forage Farmer

Industry Representative

Public Researcher

Other (please specify):

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4. Seed Production Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

Understand seed yield limitations.

Develop strategies to improve seed quality and promote seed viability.

Improve pollinator management.

Develop organic seed production management techniques.

Evaluate best management practices for when seed fields may also be managed for forage.

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5. Soil/Fertility Yield-Limiting Factors for Forage Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

Develop soil salinity management technologies.

Determine role of microbial communities in alfalfa production and develop strategies to beneficially manipulate those communities.

Refine alfalfa soil fertility recommendations, including re-evaluating needs for some secondary and micro-nutrients.

Optimize alfalfa value in the agro-ecosystem to produce alfalfa in a more sustainable way.

Develop a farmer-friendly tool that prescribes annually updated management methods needed to attain production goals, including impact estimates (positive/negative) on net return.

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6. Crop Management Yield-Limiting Factors for Forage Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

Assess fall growth management on winterkill prevalence and develop management recommendations.

Develop water use management technologies.

Develop heat stress management technologies.

Develop drought stress management technologies.

Develop applications and management strategies for remote sensing and other precision agriculture tools enabling site-specific management.

Assess and develop better strategies to manage insect pests.

Assess and develop better strategies to manage diseases.

Evaluate management and consequences of longer harvest interval for reduced-lignin alfalfa on yield.

Improve management strategies for mixtures of alfalfa and grasses for supporting livestock production.

Develop management practices and recommendations to deal with autotoxicity (existing stands prevent establishment of new plants from seed).

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7. Harvest/Storage Management Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

Improve harvest and storage strategies to reduce number of harvests per year to reduce costs of production while maintaining yield.

Improve harvest and storage strategies to reduce weather and storage related losses.

Improve harvest and storage strategies to reduce variation in alfalfa nutritive value as a result of numerous harvests per year.

Develop an efficient new harvesting system to separate leaves from stems to fractionate alfalfa components to improve crop value.

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8. Alfalfa Nutrition Research - please rank the following nutrition-related research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

As compared to other feeds, determine the impact of alfalfa inclusion level in ruminant diets (dairy, beef, and small ruminants) on animal performance, total tract feed digestibility, feed efficiency, and other measures of production.

Improve analytical determinations of nutritional composition.

Develop a national standard for forage nutritive value/analytical reports.

Develop dietary formulations and recommend strategies for building appropriate rations using alfalfa.

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9. Added-Value/New Uses Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

Assess the importance and value of alfalfa in and beyond current uses.

Add value, utility, and cost-effectiveness to alfalfa as a forage.

Develop new uses (e.g., new animal feeds, human nutrition, industrial feedstocks).

Assess and estimate the economic value of the agro-ecosystem services provided by alfalfa.

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10. Genomics Research - please rank the following genomics-related research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

Obtain complete and annotated alfalfa variety genomics contributing to the current alfalfa industry.

Develop genome-based alfalfa selection for industry useful traits.

Understand genetic basis of economically valuable alfalfa traits to develop practical methods to improve alfalfa.

Develop inbred lines, gene-editing, and other new methodologies to breed alfalfa for a variety of traits.

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11. Research Topics - please rank the importance of each of the following traits:

	Very Important	Fairly Important	Important	Slightly Important	Not Important at all
Forage yield	Forage yield Very Important	Forage yield Fairly Important	Forage yield Important	Forage yield Slightly Important	Forage yield Not Important at all
Forage quality testing recognized nationally	Forage quality testing recognized nationally Very Important	Forage quality testing recognized nationally Fairly Important	Forage quality testing recognized nationally Important	Forage quality testing recognized nationally Slightly Important	Forage quality testing recognized nationally Not Important at all
Post-harvest drying rates	Post-harvest drying rates Very Important	Post-harvest drying rates Fairly Important	Post-harvest drying rates Important	Post-harvest drying rates Slightly Important	Post-harvest drying rates Not Important at all
Ensiling characteristics	Ensiling characteristics Very Important	Ensiling characteristics Fairly Important	Ensiling characteristics Important	Ensiling characteristics Slightly Important	Ensiling characteristics Not Important at all
Rumen fermentability	Rumen fermentability Very Important	Rumen fermentability Fairly Important	Rumen fermentability Important	Rumen fermentability Slightly Important	Rumen fermentability Not Important at all
Reduced-lignin/enhanced fiber digestibility	Reduced-lignin/enhanced fiber digestibility Very Important	Reduced-lignin/enhanced fiber digestibility Fairly Important	Reduced-lignin/enhanced fiber digestibility Important	Reduced-lignin/enhanced fiber digestibility Slightly Important	Reduced-lignin/enhanced fiber digestibility Not Important at all
Energy content	Energy content Very Important	Energy content Fairly Important	Energy content Important	Energy content Slightly Important	Energy content Not Important at all
Persistence	Persistence Very Important	Persistence Fairly Important	Persistence Important	Persistence Slightly Important	Persistence Not Important at all
Reduced winterkill	Reduced winterkill Very Important	Reduced winterkill Fairly Important	Reduced winterkill Important	Reduced winterkill Slightly Important	Reduced winterkill Not Important at all
Insect resistance	Insect resistance Very Important	Insect resistance Fairly Important	Insect resistance Important	Insect resistance Slightly Important	Insect resistance Not Important at all
Disease resistance	Disease resistance Very Important	Disease resistance Fairly Important	Disease resistance Important	Disease resistance Slightly Important	Disease resistance Not Important at all
Weed resistance	Weed resistance Very Important	Weed resistance Fairly Important	Weed resistance Important	Weed resistance Slightly Important	Weed resistance Not Important at all
Drought tolerance	Drought tolerance Very Important	Drought tolerance Fairly Important	Drought tolerance Important	Drought tolerance Slightly Important	Drought tolerance Not Important at all
Water use efficiency	Water use efficiency Very Important	Water use efficiency Fairly Important	Water use efficiency Important	Water use efficiency Slightly Important	Water use efficiency Not Important at all
Root development system	Root development system Very Important	Root development system Fairly Important	Root development system Important	Root development system Slightly Important	Root development system Not Important at all
Aluminum tolerance	Aluminum tolerance Very Important	Aluminum tolerance Fairly Important	Aluminum tolerance Important	Aluminum tolerance Slightly Important	Aluminum tolerance Not Important at all
Wet soil tolerance	Wet soil tolerance Very Important	Wet soil tolerance Fairly Important	Wet soil tolerance Important	Wet soil tolerance Slightly Important	Wet soil tolerance Not Important at all
Salt tolerance	Salt tolerance Very Important	Salt tolerance Fairly Important	Salt tolerance Important	Salt tolerance Slightly Important	Salt tolerance Not Important at all
Lodging tolerance	Lodging tolerance Very Important	Lodging tolerance Fairly Important	Lodging tolerance Important	Lodging tolerance Slightly Important	Lodging tolerance Not Important at all
Shade tolerance	Shade tolerance Very Important	Shade tolerance Fairly Important	Shade tolerance Important	Shade tolerance Slightly Important	Shade tolerance Not Important at all
Seed yield	Seed yield Very Important	Seed yield Fairly Important	Seed yield Important	Seed yield Slightly Important	Seed yield Not Important at all
Longer bloom time for seed production	Longer bloom time for seed production Very Important	Longer bloom time for seed production Fairly Important	Longer bloom time for seed production Important	Longer bloom time for seed production Slightly Important	Longer bloom time for seed production Not Important at all
Maximizing nectar production	Maximizing nectar production Very Important	Maximizing nectar production Fairly Important	Maximizing nectar production Important	Maximizing nectar production Slightly Important	Maximizing nectar production Not Important at all
Greater/more favorable symbiotic microbial interactions	Greater/more favorable symbiotic microbial interactions Very Important	Greater/more favorable symbiotic microbial interactions Fairly Important	Greater/more favorable symbiotic microbial interactions Important	Greater/more favorable symbiotic microbial interactions Slightly Important	Greater/more favorable symbiotic microbial interactions Not Important at all
Enhanced nutrient/metal absorption for use in bioremediation	Enhanced nutrient/metal absorption for use in bioremediation Very Important	Enhanced nutrient/metal absorption for use in bioremediation Fairly Important	Enhanced nutrient/metal absorption for use in bioremediation Important	Enhanced nutrient/metal absorption for use in bioremediation Slightly Important	Enhanced nutrient/metal absorption for use in bioremediation Not Important at all

Other important traits not on the above list/comments:

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12. If you could have a scientist work on only three topics to benefit your farm, what would those topics be?

1st Priority

2nd Priority

3rd Priority

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13. Please list any other research topics important to you not covered above:

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14. What is the most recent year you grew alfalfa?

2020

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

Earlier

N/A

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15. How many total acres do you farm?

0-250 acres

251-500 acres

501-750 acres

751-1,000 acres

1,001+ acres

N/A

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16. Of the total number of acres you farm, roughly what percentage is in alfalfa production?

0-10%

11-20%

21-30%

31-40%

41-50%

51-60%

61-70%

71-80%

81-90%

91-100%

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17. How has your alfalfa production changed over the past 10 years?

My alfalfa production has increased significantly.

My alfalfa production has increased somewhat.

My alfalfa production has increased slightly.

My alfalfa production has not changed at all.

My alfalfa production has decreased slightly.

My alfalfa production has decreased somewhat.

My alfalfa production has decreased significantly.

Question Title

1. While not required, please provide your name and email so we can reach you for further comment if necessary (your contact information will not be given to any other entity for any purpose).

Question Title

2. Please provide your zip code so we may identify regional differences in research needs.

Question Title

3. What best describes your position within the alfalfa community?

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4. Seed Production Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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5. Soil/Fertility Yield-Limiting Factors for Forage Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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6. Crop Management Yield-Limiting Factors for Forage Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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7. Harvest/Storage Management Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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8. Alfalfa Nutrition Research - please rank the following nutrition-related research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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9. Added-Value/New Uses Research - please rank the following research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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10. Genomics Research - please rank the following genomics-related research topics from highest (1) to lowest priority (use each number only once):

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11. Research Topics - please rank the importance of each of the following traits:

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12. If you could have a scientist work on only three topics to benefit your farm, what would those topics be?

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13. Please list any other research topics important to you not covered above:

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14. What is the most recent year you grew alfalfa?

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15. How many total acres do you farm?

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16. Of the total number of acres you farm, roughly what percentage is in alfalfa production?

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17. How has your alfalfa production changed over the past 10 years?

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18. If your alfalfa production has changed over the past 10 years, please indicate why.