Abstract: A scientific approach to fertilizer management is important to ensure optimal plant growth, high fertilizer use efficiency and to resolve the contradictions surrounding production and environmental issues. In order to understand fertilizer management in alfalfa production, a survey was conducted to investigate alfalfa yield at first cut, as well as soil nutrients and plant nutrient content in 49 alfalfa fields in northern China over two years (2012 and 2013). Simultaneously, a survey (questionnaire) was conducted to determine how alfalfa growers (including farmers and corporate growers) managed fertilizer application. Alfalfa was mostly planted in relatively barren sandy soils. Among 49 fields, 35 fields were sandy soil (71.4%), mainly in Inner Mongolia, Gansu and Xinjiang. Soil available nitrogen (N) was high in most fields and deficient in only 10% of fields, mainly due to extremely low organic matter content. Available phosphorus (P) was low in 24.5% of fields and very low in 10.2% of fields. Available potassium (K) was low in 10.2% of fields. Calcium and magnesium were plentiful in all soils. Analysis of micronutrients revealed that 32.2% fields had low available iron (mainly Gansu and Inner Mongolia); 7.1% of fields low available manganese (Gansu and Inner Mongolia); 14.3% of fields had low available copper (1 field Gansu, 3 Inner Mongolia); 50% of fields had low available zinc; 10.7% of fields had low available molybdenum (Mo) (mainly Inner Mongolia); conversely all fields were high in available boron. The alfalfa stands generally had good N nutrition but were low P and K. Among 49 fields 49% of fields had low Mo. Correlation analysis showed that soil total and available P were significantly positively correlated (P<0.05) with alfalfa dry matter yield, suggesting that P fertilizer would significantly increase alfalfa yield. Growers of 18 fields, mostly farmers, didn't apply any fertilizer. 57.1% of growers applied N to increase yields, mostly corporate growers. Phosphate was applied to 41% of fields K to 26.5%. Organic fertilizer was only applied in 8 fields. Micronutrients were not applied to any crops. It was concluded that application of N to alfalfa was relatively common, contradicting the ability of the crop to biologically fix N. Soil P and K levels in soils were low, especially K in China, suggesting that many alfalfa crops would benefit from application of these nutrients. Molybdenum may be limiting in some alfalfa crops.