Wyoming Forage Field Day July 10 at Farson

Alfalfa establishment, weed management and marketing options will be among topics examined during morning sessions at the Wyoming Forage Field Day Thursday, July 10, at Farson.

Activities are at the Eden Valley Community Center, 4039 Hwy. 191.

Forage contributed $379 million to Wyoming’s agricultural economy in 2012, says Anowar Islam, University of Wyoming Extension forage specialist.

“That far exceeds sugar beets ($67 million) and corn, dry beans, barley and wheat,” says Islam, drawing from the 2013 Wyoming Agriculture Statistics publication. “There are some issues that affect that contribution. They include low productivity, poor stand establishment and poor persistence.”

Islam will facilitate the forage production and management sessions, and Donn Randall, Wyoming Business Council Agribusiness Division program manager, will facilitate marketing sessions. Local machinery dealers will display and demonstrate equipment.

The workshops are free. The schedule is:

8:30 a.m. -- Registration, welcome, program overview.

9 a.m. -- “Forage Establishment,” Islam.

9:30 a.m. -- “Forage Fertility: Improving Your Bottom Line,” Joe Brummer, Colorado State University Extension forage specialist.

10 a.m. -- “Weed Management in Hay Fields,” Andrew Kniss, UW associate professor specializing in weed science.

10:30 a.m. -- “Lander Alfalfa, Laramie Annual Medic, and WyoWinter Feed Pea for the Intermountain West and the Central Great Plains,” Robin Groose, UW professor of agroecology and plant breeding.

11 a.m. -- “Economics for Hay Production,” Bridger Feuz, UW Extension educator.

11:30 a.m. -- “Hay Marketing,” Randall.

Noon -- Cream can lunch.

1 p.m. -- Machinery equipment demonstrations, forage demonstrations and forage product reviews by participating companies.