Crittenden County has 15% of total farmland being used for pasture and 30% of market value of products sold is from livestock sales according to 2017 Census Of Agriculture. The need for educational programming for beef producers spurred Crittenden County ANR Agent to host several meetings geared to the livestock industry.

Small meeting with neighbors and fellow cattle producers can result in partnerships and knowledge sharing. That is what Crittenden County ANR Agent Dee Heimgartner planned on when she scheduled a series of short beef production classes. There were a total of four classes ranging from topics on forage production to heifer development. Heimgartner researched the topics and presented the information to producers who attended and allowed them to interact with each other and share their individual experiences during the classes.

The producers enjoyed learning about the information presented and said that it will help in their production practices. It was also helpful for them to share their ideas with peers and many learned from other producer tips and tricks that can help on their own operations. This networking is valuable especially in small communities. All producers were interested in pursuing the same format of programs in the next year.