Learn about forage rye, livestock feed at Northern Plains Forage Association annual meeting

BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension encourages producers to attend the Northern Plains Forage Association annual meeting and seminars, which will feature forage-related education and research.
The event is from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST on Dec. 6, 2024, at the Holiday Inn Express in Brandon. Registration is preferred by Nov. 25 and is free for Northern Plains Forage Association members, or $10 for non-members. Lunch is included in the registration fee. To register and see the complete event schedule, visit extension.sdstate.edu/events and search “forage”. 
Pete Sexton, associate professor, SDSU Extension Sustainable Cropping Systems Specialist and Southeast Research Farm Supervisor, will present on forage rye and double cropping. 
Keynote speaker Dan Putnam, Emeritus professor and Statewide Alfalfa and Forage Extension Specialist at the University of California Davis, will present on how producers can interpret feed test results. 
Other speakers will discuss the role of annual forages as livestock feed and cover crops, farm transition planning and capturing the nutrients in manure for crops. Continuing education credits are available for Certified Crop Advisors who attend. 
Sara Bauder, SDSU Extension Forage Field Specialist, said producers and forage industry professionals deserve a regional opportunity to stay current on emerging technologies and techniques, and this event provides that access.
“South Dakota and many surrounding states are the heart of forage production in the United States,” Bauder said. “In an effort to offer high-quality forage education programming and networking opportunities, the Northern Plains Forage Association has put together an excellent educational seminar program this year that includes multiple forage and farm business topics.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reports South Dakota is one of the top forage-producing states in the nation, yielding more than 6.1 million tons of alfalfa, grass and other hay in 2023.
For more information, contact Sara Bauder, SDSU Extension Forage Field Specialist, at Sara.Bauder@sdstate.edu or 605-995-7378. 

–SDSU Extension