With 25 years of the East Kentucky Hay Contest complete, the need remains great to educate producers. Two Johnson County farms, one a fairly new operation and the other with several years of experience, were first-time participants in the program this year. Their sample results provided much-needed information about how the farms should supplement their respective forages with concentrates and supplements, helping to optimize animal production. Both farmers reported a history of estimating hay quality based on visual appearance and other unreliable methods, and they acknowledged the importance of the forage samples in determining their feed needs during a time when soaring costs make it more important than ever to economize inputs of all kinds.