The National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance is out with its 2021 alfalfa variety ratings. NAFA President Beth Nelson said this year's edition is a useful tool for alfalfa producers, hay and dairy farmers, extension specialists, and agri-business personnel.

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"If they've had an insect problem and they are looking for varieties that maybe have a little more resistance to a particular insect or to a particular disease or something like that, they can go in and review all 178 varieties and help them determine which would be the best variety for their particular growing conditions."

Nelson said NAFA solicited 16 different marketers from across the country for its 2021 ratings. All varieties listed in the Alfalfa Variety Ratings publication can be purchased in the United States for the upcoming production year. Nelson added that all varieties have been verified with the Association of Official Seed Certifying Agencies [AOSCA] and the National Alfalfa Variety Review Board [NAVRB].

"The publication reviews the varieties over 23 different parameters for things like fall dormancy, winter survival, disease resistance, insect resistance, there's a trade column. There's just a whole variety of different parameters that are compared against each other."

NAFA's Alfalfa Variety Ratings is available on-line. Click Here to learn more.

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