Forage evaluation at the University of Florida/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center at Immokalee started more than 40 years ago. Successful forage grass varieties have been from Cynodon, Paspalum, Digitaria, Hemarthria, and Brachiaria (Syn. Urochloa). Seeding of field corn (Zea Mays L.) directly into plastic beds after vegetables spread the cost of land preparation and improved applied nutrient utilization. Sod-seeding of annual grasses [oats (Avena sativa L.), rye (Secale cereale L.), and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.)] into herbicide-treated established bahiagrass (P. notatum Flugge) pastures was not an economical way of extending grazing season on winter-dormant bahiagrass. Over-seeded annual grasses established slowly, required more nitrogen fertilizer, and produced lower yields. On clean-tilled soil, annual grasses could provide high quality forage for winter grazing. However, irrigation and high fertilizer application rates were required to achieve their full potential. Irrigation had no significant effect on winter forage production of perennial tropical grasses, even though moisture was limited, because the greater limitation on forage production from temperature that was below critical. Forage research at Immokalee has made substantial contributions to the economic viability of the cow-calf industry in southwest Florida.