Our Food Supply at Risk: White Paper on the Importance of Alfalfa Production in the American West

You probably know that alfalfa is a foundational food chain crop, bringing us essentials such as beef and milk. But did you know it’s considered the “secret ingredient” for the dairy industry? That it’s good for the soil, with its deep roots and nitrogen-adding qualities—leading to less chemical fertilizer use? Or that it helps bees because of its prolific flowering, making it the #1 source of honey in the U.S.? Or that it’s home to abundant wildlife, including several protected species? Or that it’s an efficient water user compared to many other crops?

Did you know that California’s alfalfa acreage has decline by more than 50% over the past 50 years? And did you know that alfalfa production is being targeted by some in academic circles and the media as being “antiquated” and “no longer appropriate” in light of growing urban demand?

Check out this white paper on the importance of alfalfa, produced by Family Farm Alliance and California Farm Water Coalition. It is easy to read and is full of salient points and eye-opening facts in defense of alfalfa and farming in general.

“Finding solutions to complex problems…requires working together, not divisive attacks,” the paper concludes. “Fallowing productive farmland should be a last resort when it comes to America’s food supply and the foundational inputs it needs.”