Alfalfa is rich in protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and has historically been raised on farms and harvested for dairy and beef cattle feed. However, as cattle breeders have moved toward feeds with more grain and less forage, there has been a steady decline in the amount of alfalfa grown the past 25 years. Concurrently, more land is being turned over to continuous row cropping of annuals like corn and soybeans with little or no rotation with perennial plants. This is troublesome because in addition to its nutritional attributes, alfalfa�as well as other perennial forages�is known for its environmental benefits.