Let's celebrate national forage week! There are many benefits of forages, even beyond being feedstuff for livestock.

• According to the USDA Climate Change Resource Center ".....the global potential for carbon sequestration from restoring degraded grasslands is significant, with the possibility to sequester approximately 3 gross tonnes C per year—equivalent to reducing atmospheric CO₂ by 50 ppm over 50 years" Properly managed grasslands already sequester carbon!
• Grasslands cover approximately 25% of the earth's surface--the ocean covers around 70%.
• Forages are a large source of nectar and pollen for honey bees.
• Just like other plants, there are different species of forages that grow during specific seasons. There are also perennial and annual forage species.
• Diverse mixtures of forage species promote biodiversity in the soil.
• Forages can provide wildlife habitat for species such as birds and small mammals