Crittenden County Extension District Board voted years ago to pay for up to 12 samples for each landowner. This program had been utilized by many in the past, however in recent years the amount of soil samples had declined. The cost of fertilizer has risen and producers are seeing a decline in production due to various issues including low soil fertility. Crittenden County ANR agent Dee Heimgartner has pushed for several to get soil test, just to know where the fertility levels are. Hay producers especially have been taking advantage of the free samples. She has been working with several to improve hay yield by increasing their soil fertility while not breaking the bank to continue farming. From July 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023 Crittenden County Extension has ran 221 samples, an increase of 84 from the previous year.