Forage and Food Crops | Extension | University of Nevada, Reno

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Practical forage and food crops advice you can trust

Providing the latest science-based information, programs and training about forage and food crop production in Nevada.

Featured Programs

Alternative Crops

Grow Your Own, Nevada!

Beginning Farmer and Rancher - Herds & Harvest Program

Featured Informational Publication

Monarch butterfly perched on a plant stem

Pollinator Protection

Learn three easy ways to help protect and promote pollinators, like bees and butterflies, in your home landscapes and gardens.

Read more about this Informational Publication

All Forage & Food Crop Programs

cattle feeding at UNR's Main Station Ranch

Agricultural Outlook (Nevada)

Provide agricultural stakeholders with a concise evaluation of current market conditions, expected trends in crop and livestock income potential and management implications.

Alternative Crops

The alternative crop program is evaluating the potential new crops for the state of Nevada.

Beginning Farmer and Rancher - Herds & Harvest Program

Developing educational courses, workshops, technical assistance, business advice and mentoring support network for Nevada agricultural producers who are beginning or diversify a farm or ranch operation.

Cattlemen's Update

Cattlemen’s Update is Extension’s annual educational program offered for beef cattle producers to learn about issues affecting profitability and product quality in the Great Basin region.

Coffee Shop email helps ranchers make money

Extension’s coffee shop is a national subscription email designed to provide a two-way communication network for livestock producers. The question-and-answer service provides answers to livestock production and marketing questions.

Experimental Opuntia Plot

Prickly pear cactus (Optunia) could be used for food for animals and humans and for biofuel. To learn more, Nevada Agricultural Experiment Station and Extension are partnering to test three different species of prickly pear cactus under three different irrigation regimes. The research is being conducted in a large experimental cactus garden located at Extension, Clark County's Logandale Office. The garden is always open for self-guided tours.

Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program

The purpose of Nevada’s Federally Recognized Tribal Extension Program (FRTEP) is to improve the ability of Native American farmers and ranchers to manage their agricultural enterprises effectively, efficiently and profitably.

Green Industry Training

A workforce development program to train green industry professionals, who receive continuing education units for pesticide applicator, ISA-certified arborist and Qualified Water Efficient Landscaper

Grow Your Own, Nevada!

Learn the secrets of high desert gardening

Improving Farmer/Rancher Profitability and Efficiency (On Farm Research)

Helping Pershing County agricultural producers improve the profitability and efficiency of their agricultural operations.

ladybug larva eating aphids on a pepper plant

Integrated Pest Management

Integrated Pest Management program is a long-term management strategy that uses a combination of tactics to reduce pests to tolerable levels with potentially lower costs for the pest manager and minimal effect on the environment.

Living with Drought

The program connects stakeholders with drought status information, essential research, and tools that can be used to help address and assess the impacts of drought in Nevada.

Master Gardener Native Plants Demonstration Garden

Members of the Master Gardeners of Washoe County's Native Plants Committee maintain a small demonstration garden on the west side of Extension, Washoe County Office.

Pesticide Safety Education Program

Extension’s Pesticide Safety Education Program provides web-based training for pesticide applicators seeking to apply restricted and general use pesticides safely, properly and according to the law. Pesticide licensure and certification is administered by the Nevada Department of Agriculture.

Master Gardener taking grape inspection notes on a clipboard

Research Center & Demonstration Orchard

Researching new varieties of fruit producing trees, vines and other plant materials in sustainable ways for the Mojave Desert climate.

Risk Management Education

Extension develops and delivers a comprehensive risk management education program to livestock and forage producers in Nevada.

Soybean Production in Nevada

Extension research shows that soybeans may have potential as a low-water-use alternative crop in alfalfa in Nevada. Alfalfa is one of the most grown crops in Nevada. Since Nevada is the driest state in the country, it is critical to identify profitable low-water-use crops, like the soybean.

Sustainable Agricultural Practices Program

Extension conducts several sustainable agriculture programs including researching alternative crops, introducing sustainable biodiversity/multiple use of rangelands, and increasing the number of pest control materials labeled in and increasing the knowledge and implementation rate of Integrated Pest Management practices in Nevada.

Teff Crop Production

The purpose of this program is to introduce Nevada farmers to and help train them in the cultivation of teff, a small-seeded grain and forage crop that requires less water than alfalfa and can be more profitable.

The Greenhouse Project

The Greenhouse Project serves as a teaching facility for hands on programs at the Carson City High School. Students help to cultivate and distribute vegetables and herbs for culinary classes and community food ban.

Weed Prevention & Management

Integrated weed management is based on economically viable and environmentally friendly weed management tactics that combine use of herbicides with other control tactics, such as mowing, burning, tillage, grazing and re-vegetation. By taking steps to prevent weed invasion, land owners/managers and other stakeholders can avoid the economic and environmental impacts of noxious and invasive weeds.

Weed Warriors Invasive Weed Training

The Weed Warriors program tackles the growing problem of weeds on public and private land.

Western Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (WSARE)

SARE is a program of the U.S. Department of Agriculture that functions through competitive grants conducted cooperatively by farmers, ranchers, researchers and ag professionals to advance farm and ranch systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for communities.

Youth Horticulture Education Program

Youth Horticulture Education Program is the premier program of horticulture projects that involve youth, families and educators.

Books, News Articles, Fact Sheets, Reports, Videos...


*A Compilation of Good Plant Choices for Nevada’s High Fire Hazard Areas* This special publication shows Nevada's climate zones and contains sever tables that display plants that can flourish in Nevada's high fire hazard areas. Smith, E. amd Sistare, S. 2005, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, SP-05-16
*A Homeowner's Guide to Planting Crested Wheatgrass* The following description for planting crested wheatgrass applies to homeowners seeding relatively small areas (less than two acres) and who do not have access to specialized rangeland seeding equipment. For larger planting efforts, contact your local University of Nevada Cooperative Extension office for suggestions. Smith, E., Davison, J., Carlos, B. 1999, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-99-96
*A Northern Nevada Homeowner's Guide to Identifying and Managing Prickly Lettuce* This fact sheet provides identification and management methods for the nuisance weed prickly lettuce. Donaldson, S. and Hanson Mazet, W. 2010, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, FS-10-28
*A Northern Nevada Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying and Managing Hare Barley* Guide to identifying and managing Hare barley. Donaldson, S., Hanson Mazet, W. 2010, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno FS-10-26
*A Northern Nevada Homeowner’s Guide to Identifying and Managing Kochia* Guide to identifying and managing Kochia that when mature, grows into a Christmas tree -shaped plant 1 to 6 feet tall. Donaldson, S., Hanson Mazet, W. 2010, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno FS-10-27
*A Precision Agriculture Fertilization Program for Alfalfa Hay Production: Will it Pay for Itself?* For purposes of this paper, PA involves a global positioning system, site-specific soil testing at regular grid locations and variable-rate technology for fertilizer application. Breazeale, D. 2007, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*Agriculture is a Good Fit in Floodplains* The floodplain plays a vital role in the safety of our community and downstream communities when large rain-on-snow floods occur, about every 15 or 20 years. Learn more about agricultural land use and communities mistakes involving floodplain in this factsheet. Cobourn J. and Lewis S. 2011, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-11-69
*Agriculture Production & Producer Needs in Nevada, 2005* This fact sheet provides an overview of a recent study of agricultural producers in Nevada which sought to determine the types of crops and livestock currently under production, the production and marketing methods in use, and the types of educational programming Nevada's agricultural producers. Cowee, M., Curtis, K., and Havercamp, M. 2005, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*Agritourism: Opportunity for Farm Diversification in Nevada* The majority of farmers choose agritourism enterprises to develop an additional source of income to their traditional agricultural practices. In turn, many small-scale farmers, due to economies of scale have been forced out of the industry completely or have found alternative sources of revenue. Curtis, K. and Monson, J. 2005, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*Alfalfa for Beef Cows* Optimizing a ranch’s feed resources often requires strategic supplementation of standing forage with a processed protein, energy or mineral product. However, protein and energy supplements do not necessarily have to come out of a sack. Foster, S. McCuin, G., Nelson, D., Schultz, B., and Torell, R. 2009, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*Alfalfa Variety Trial in Western Nevada, Initial Results* Alfalfa is the most extensive crop in Nevada. The majority of alfalfa fields in western Nevada are harvested three to four times annually. This production system is dependent on dormant alfalfa varieties that cease growth during the winter months. These types of alfalfa varieties can be classified according to fall dormancy and winter survival ratings. In western Nevada the most commonly planted alfalfa varieties have a fall dormancy rating of 4 to 5 with an occasional 6. Yet, these varieties are normally very winter hardy, with ratings of 1 to 2. The alfalfa varieties evaluated in this study included one fall dormancy rating 3, eight with a fall dormancy rating of 4, six with a fall dormancy rating of 5 and one with a fall dormancy rating of 6. All of the tested alfalfa varieties produced heavy yields in this evaluation. Producers reviewing these results should look at relative yields of each variety in combination with other factors. Davison, J., Solomon, J. and Lawry, T. 2016, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*An Integration of GIS and Simulation Models for Irrigation Development* Ghimire, Monika; Stoecker, Arthur; Boyer, Tracy; Bhavsar, Hiren; Vitale, Jeffrey; Choi, Jongsan 2016, Sustainable Agriculture Research

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