Good quality pasture can support 40 to 50 pounds of milk production. Since feeds are a big cost of production and organic producers will be required to graze animals during a prescribed period, abundant high-quality grass is critical to efficient production. Grass breeders have begun selecting improved pasture species like the cool season grass varieties known to have higher content of non-structural carbohydrates (starch and sugar). We are currently finishing an experiment which compared cow performance when fed high sugar grass vs. a standard ryegrass green chop. We also looked at differences in quality of silages made from 3 high sugar varieties. Assuming a favorable difference in animal and pasture performance the outcome would be more acres of quality grass planted in support of milk production, potentially resulting in less reliance on outside feed sources to produce organic meat and milk. These cool season grasses can be produced in Oregon and organic seed production locally would benefit both livestock and seed industries. Protein supplements for organic milk production are extremely expensive and must be shipped long distances to West Coast animal producers. Many farmers in the Pacific Northwest are looking for alternative crops to substitute for traditional winter wheat and vegetable production. This is especially true in areas like Klamath County and the Columbia Basin where irrigation cutbacks are happening. A high protein crop suitable for Oregon organic production would reduce the cost of producing organic milk and livestock. It would reduce the import of nutrients from the Midwest to the West. Crops for use as protein supplements would provide an alternative to farmers seeking replacement crops for traditional crops and production methods.