Tennessee farmers and ranchers facing unusually hot and dry weather, withering crops and pastures and short feed supplies this fall can get help through a 24-hour Web site called Drought and Extreme Heat Resources.
Livestock, plant and pest specialists, veterinarians, family science experts, environmental engineers and other experts from across the state will provide information, says Justin Rhinehart, the University of Tennessee (UT) Extension beef cattle specialist coordinating the effort.
“The majority of the listed publications have been developed by UT Institute of Agriculture faculty and staff specifically to help Tennessee farmers and families cope with the immediate negative consequences of drought and high temperature.” Additional links to resources available from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture include a hay directory for livestock producers.
UT Extension is also coordinating a series of meetings for livestock producers dealing with drought-stressed forages. They will be held:
In middle Tennessee – July 17, 5:30-9 p.m., Tennessee Farm Bureau Building, Columbia, and July 19, 5:30-9 p.m., Wilson County Fairgrounds, Lebanon.
In western Tennessee – July 27, 5:30-9 p.m., UT Extension Western Region Office, Jackson, and July 28, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Brehm Hall, UT Martin.
In eastern Tennessee – Aug, 2, 5:30-9 p.m., East Tennessee Research & Education Center, Greeneville, and Aug. 3, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., UT Extension Eastern Region Office, Knoxville.
For more information, contact Rhinehart at 931-486-2129 or jrhineh3@utk.edu or Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications, at 615-835-4570 or pmcdaniels@tennessee.edu.