The latest on forage equipment, biofuels, alfalfa management, forage-test accuracy and hay production. A roundtable discussion on Roundup Ready alfalfa — and a grower panel on hay marketing.

That's a nutshell of what the 2008 National Alfalfa Symposium will offer Feb. 4-5, at the Ramada Inn and Conference Center in Kearney, NE. The Symposium will be held in conjunction with the Nebraska Alfalfa Marketing Association's Mid-America Alfalfa Expo, Feb. 5-6, to be held at the nearby Buffalo County Fairgrounds.

The Symposium starts off Feb. 4 at 12:30 p.m. with experts from the universities of Nebraska, Wisconsin and Kentucky; USDA and the Noble Foundation. They will discuss hay swath manipulation to speed drying; alfalfa as a biofuel and as a grazing crop, alfalfa breeding and managing irrigation of alfalfa. The day ends with a discussion between proponents and opponents of Roundup Ready alfalfa.

The morning of Feb. 5, forage-test accuracy, alfalfa fertility and pest control management will be discussed. The Symposium ends with a panel of growers revealing how they successfully market their crops.

That same morning, the Mid-America Alfalfa Expo kicks off with 100-plus exhibits of forage-related machinery, seed, chemicals and services.

To register for the Symposium, call 800-722-5334 ext. 14695, before Dec. 31 to get the $100 early bird registration fee. There is no charge for attending the Expo. For more info, visit hay andforage.com, www.alfalfaexpo.com or www.alfalfasymposium.com.