The Cooperative Extension Service’s livestock and forage production meetings will take place in-person in winter and spring 2022. Kevin Lawson, director of extension’s Ozark District, said county agents and producers are excited to gather face to face again.   

“These meetings will be open to all producers who want to come and learn about what happened this past year and what we’ve got coming up new,” Lawson said. “We have some hot topics right now. One of them, of course, is fertilizer prices. A lot of these meetings are going to cover fertility issues with forages, like alternatives to putting out fertilizer, including chicken litter.”   

Lawson said the meetings will encourage producers to be aware of “things that don’t work” and avoid salespeople who take advantage of high fertilizer prices to sell misleading products. He added that “a lot of our beef producers are looking at ways to get more bang for their buck,” so the meetings will also cover how producers can add value to their livestock.   

“The meetings are mainly on the western side of the state, and our agents set this up every year to help producers learn more and get more value for their product,” Lawson said. “That’s what we’re here for.”   

Lawson said producers are excited to hear about the “economics side” of the industry from James Mitchell, extension livestock economist and assistant professor for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. He said producers are also interested in learning more about small ruminates, which includes sheep, goats and specialty animals such as llamas.   

All meeting venues will have space for social distancing, and attendees will be asked to wear masks. Winter production meetings begin in January. Dates and locations for individual meetings may be subject to change due to weather, COVID or other factors. For specific production meeting details, contact your county extension office.  

January  

Jan. 26 – Forage Fertility Meeting – Ozark County 
Jan. 27 – 300 Days of Grazing Meeting – Sevier County 
Jan. 31 – Clark and Hot Spring County Forage Clinic – Clark County Fairgrounds 

February  

Feb. TBD – Van Buren, White, Cleburne, Stone & Searcy County Forage Production Meeting – Heber Springs  

Feb. 8, 10, 15 & 17 – Forage Short Course – Polk County Extension Education Building 
Feb. 12 – Tri-County Forage Conference (Conway, Perry, Faulkner) - TBD 
Feb. 15 – Pulaski, Lonoke and Prairie Forage Meeting – Lonoke County Extension Office 
Feb. 15 – River Valley Beef Conference – Morrilton Fairgrounds 
Feb. – Carroll County Livestock and Forage Production Meeting – Carroll County Cattleman’s Building 
Feb. 22 – Yell County Ag Producers Meeting – TBD 
Feb. 24 – Boone County Livestock and Forage Production Meeting – Boone County Farm Bureau  

March  

March 1 – Tri-County Forage Meeting (Franklin, Logan, Johnson) – Paris 
March 2 – Twin Lakes Beef and Forage Conference (Marion and Baxter County) – Cotter High School 
March 4 – Crawford County Beef and Forage Meeting – Crawford County Extension Office 
March 8 – Grant County Beef and Forage Workshop – TBD 
March 10 – Faulkner County Beef and Forage College – TBD 
March 15 – Sebastian County Beef and Forage Meeting – TBD 
March 17 – Madison and Benton County Forage Meeting – Huntsville 
March 18 – Beef Meeting – Ozark  

April  

April 7 – Cleburne, Faulkner and White Small Ruminant Workshop - TBD  

Find the meetings list https://bit.ly/2022-ARK-Winter-Meetings, and on the Division of Agriculture events calendar.  

Source:University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.