WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Indiana Forage Council (IFC), with assistance from Purdue Extension and SureTech Laboratories, is hosting a contest for Indiana producers who will harvest forage for hay or baleage for the 2022 hay season.
The Hoosier Hay Contest, sponsored by Huston Inc., seeks to promote forage production, inform hay producers on the nutritive value of their hay and encourage producers to sample and test their hay or baleage before feeding it to livestock. The event also creates a friendly competition among Indiana producers on who produces higher-quality hay.
SureTech Laboratories in Indianapolis will analyze all samples and release them to the contest organizer, producer and producer’s local Purdue Extension agriculture and natural resources educator. The Purdue Extension educator and producer can then work together to interpret the analysis and determine how best to use the forage in the producers’ operation.
The Hoosier Hay contest has two categories: hay or baleage. Prize money will go to first-, second- and third-place entries in both categories. First place will receive $250 and a one-year membership to IFC, second place $150 and third place $100.
Winners will be recognized at the annual IFC meeting and on the IFC website. The cost to participate is $10 per sample with the contest being limited to 100 samples. Entries must be received by SureTech Labs and the Indiana Forage Council by Sept. 30.
Rules and entry forms can be found at online. For more information, contact Nick Minton at 812-279-4330 or nminton@purdue.edu and Jason Tower at 812-678-4427 or towerj@purdue.edu.
Writer: Abby Leeds, 765-494-7817, mayer36@purdue.edu
Source: Keith Johnson, johnsonk@purdue.edu
Agricultural Communications: 765-494-8415;
Maureen Manier, Department Head, mmanier@purdue.edu
