University of Arkansas Extension agents are offering a July 10 seminar to provide the state’s producers tools to manage their operations through drought.
The drought is hitting cattle producers in the Arkansas River Valley hard, where the dry areas were rated as “extreme” in the June 26 U.S. Drought Monitor.
“We are in crisis mode,” adds Phil Sims, Pope County extension staff chair for the university’s Division of Agriculture. “Cattle producers are calling Extension offices all through the western counties daily with questions on byproduct feeds, asking where they can buy hay and ‘how do I ship hay in from out of state?’ ”
That’s how the River Valley Drought Management Seminar originated. It will be held 6:30-9 p.m. July 10 at Arkansas Tech University’s Doc Bryan Auditorium in Russellville.
Agenda topics will include: tax implications of selling your cowherd; forage management: making your farm resilient to drought; stretching your hay with crop residues and byproduct feeds; winter annuals for fall and winter grazing; and dealing with insect pests during drought.
For more information, contact a local county Extension office. The seminar is sponsored by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Arkansas Tech and Farm Credit of Western Arkansas.