date:Sep 17, 2013
re than 17 million U.S. acres in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Exports of hay, including alfalfa, have been rising, hitting a record $1.25 billion in 2012, according to the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service. Washington state is one of the largest producers of alfalfa for export.
Steve Norberg, regional forage specialist at Washington State University, said he is warning farmers that they should test every bag of alfalfa seed for purity before they plant it.
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