Achievements of the alfalfa industry in last decade and priorities in next decade in China

The development of alfalfa industry over the past 60 years in China could be divided into five stages. In the recent decade, the technology driver of alfalfa began to be promoted, the industrial structure became more clear, the planting area of alfalfa continue to expand, production and processing enterprises emerged constantly with continuous improvement of social status and role of alfalfa. At the same time, the contradiction between supply and demand of alfalfa continued to exacerbate and with increasing pressure on the lack of technological innovation, resource constraints, ecological safety and interface coupled of alfalfa. In the year ahead, the strategic position of sustainable development, scientific and technological innovation, cultivation of new varieties and seed industry of alfalfa should be strengthened for the promotion of the modernization of alfalfa industry and enhancing the development level of alfalfa, cow's integration, biotechnology and bioeconomy of alfalfa.