The purpose of this lesson is to help students comprehend the role of forages in the United States. The role of forages in agriculture's framework, nationally and locally, is not well understood for two main reasons. Forages are often produced and consumed on individual farms and ranches and never enter the marketplace as most commodities do. Forages also include a variety of plant species and are harvested as different products including pasture, hay, silage, and greenchop. This module will present the impact of forages both historically and currently.