Alfalfa Harvest Alert for May 22nd, 2026

Second-year alfalfa. Photo: University of Minnesota

By Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator- Sustainable Agriculture, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties, and Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator- Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties

There continues to be a bit of variation in alfalfa progress across the region. We have one cooperator in the south that’s started cutting, while some cooperators in the north are taking their first sample. 15 of the 16 cooperators have submitted samples so far this year. Alfalfa growth among the sampled fields has been modest with most gaining about 2 inches since Monday’s sample. There have not been any reports of insect feeding yet. Moisture over the weekend and warm temperatures next week should encourage good growth during the last full week of May.

Please remember to take a moment to fill out the alfalfa pest needs assessment survey at z.umn.edu/alfalfapestsurvey. This online survey lets you voice what issues you are seeing in the field first-hand for alfalfa pests. Participating in the survey will help determine what areas of Minnesota and surrounding states have had increased issues with insect outbreaks and direct future alfalfa educational programming and research.

The goal of the Alfalfa Harvest Alert program is to alert growers to start the first cut of alfalfa when the crop is at a level of quality and yield potential that meets their specific needs. As a reminder, the goal is not to try and name the exact day of harvest. Rather the goal is to encourage growers who are busy with management of other crops to be more strategic with hay crop harvest as it relates to their needs.

How to get harvest alert data

The May 22nd Alfalfa Harvest Alert data is available as a pdf. However, there is also a tool that contains this year’s data and all the data from every county and farm that has participated in the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program since 1997. As an added bonus, this year we are also including data from University of Wisconsin Madison Extension! Go to z.umn.edu/AlfalfaHarvestAlert to view the data. You can also get the most recent information through email by signing up at z.umn.edu/QuadCountySignup and clicking the "Alfalfa Scissor-Cut and Harvest Alert" box.

Contact information

If you have any questions, please contact Jackie Estrem, UMN Extension Educator- Sustainable Agriculture, Stearns, Benton, Morrison, & Sherburne Counties at estre060@umn.edu, (763)-515-1023, or Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension Educator- Crops, Wright, McLeod, & Meeker Counties at therbert@umn.edu, (612)-394-5229.