U Of A Cooperative Extension -Yell County

06/05/2026

The first detection of New World Screwworm (NWS) has occurred in Zavala County, Texas, on a 3-week-old calf in the umbilical area. This detection was confirmed yesterday by USDA-APHIS.

Want to learn more about the pest and the current response? Here are some links to some helpful links:

🔘Official APHIS announcement of NWS case: https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-confirms-presence-new-world-screwworm-united-states

🔘Unified Government website for most accurate and up to date NWS information: screwworm.gov

🔘USDA New World Screwworm Playbook and Supplemental materials: www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/nws-response-playbook.pdf

🔘U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Animal Drugs for New World Screwworm: https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/safety-health/new-world-screwworm-information-veterinarians

🔘USDA APHIS Pesticides for Control of New World Screwworm: www.aphis.usda.gov/sites/default/files/pesticides-for-nws.pdf

🔘NCBA resources including posters and handouts (will be updated in coming days): www.bqa.org/screwworm

🔘NCBA Cattlemen’s Webinar on “New World Screwworm - Regulations, Readiness & Response”: https://youtu.be/Xv6TfIoUEfM?si=iejH3ZmG9LUpCnL1

06/01/2026

🌾 Forage Friday 🌾
Some forages are dependable and tough, but they come with a watch-out sign. This week’s spotlight is on a grass that’s productive in Arkansas pastures but needs careful management at times.

📸 This week’s feature:
👉 Dallisgrass
🔍 Dallisgrass is a perennial forage with good drought tolerance
⚠️ Warning: It can produce ergot on the seedhead, which is toxic to livestock if consumed
📍 Found throughout the entire state of Arkansas
💬 For more information check out fact sheet:https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/fsa-2139.pdf

🌱 Strong and hardy, Dallisgrass can be a good option, just keep an eye out for seedhead issues. Have you seen it in your pastures?

05/26/2026

Great people!

🐄🌾 Richie Gray has faithfully served the Yell County Farm Bureau Board of Directors for decades, dedicating his time and leadership to supporting agriculture and local farm families. Richie has served on the Board since 1998 and currently serves as President, while Divella has faithfully served as Secretary for more than 15 years. Together, their passion for agriculture and community has made a lasting impact across Yell County. ❤️🚜

Richie and Divella own R & D Farms, located in Dardanelle, Arkansas, is a family-owned cow-calf operation built on generations of agricultural influence and hard work. Inspired by grandparents who farmed and Divella’s upbringing on a dairy farm, Richie and Divella turned their lifelong love for agriculture into a thriving operation in the Arkansas River Valley. 🌱🐮

In 1997, they purchased their first 46-acre farm in the Centerville area of Yell County. Through dedication and stewardship, the operation has expanded to nearly 200 acres today. R & D Farms consists of both commercial and registered Angus cattle, with every animal raised and developed directly on the farm. Their cattle are never given added growth hormones, reflecting their commitment to quality and care. 🐂🌾

R & D Farms proudly markets finished beef, bred heifers, and registered Angus bulls. Their mission is simple: provide the highest quality product possible—whether feeding a family, improving a customer’s herd, or supplying dependable replacement heifers. Beef products are USDA processed through Cypress Valley Meats in Pottsville, with quarters, halves, and whole beef options also available through Cypress Valley Meats or Miller Processing in Centerville. 🥩🇺🇸

The farm utilizes ratational grazing and carefully managed nutrition programs that include pasture, grain, and high-quality Bermuda hay from local producers. Their pastures feature fescue, Bermuda, crab grass, and winter rye to ensure healthy cattle year-round. 🌿☀️

Through their farm, leadership, and service, Richie and Divella continue to represent the heart of Arkansas agriculture—faith, family, hard work, and a commitment to serving others. 🚜❤️

04/14/2026

03/25/2026

03/25/2026

Brush Control Demonstration

We established a brush control demonstration today at the Crain Island Ranch in Carden Bottoms. With the help of our State Forestry Specialist, Jacob Hackman and our Forestry Instructor, Jaret Rushing, Pope County Ag Agent Brandon Yarbery, land owner Tim Crain, and myself, we set up four plots to compare brush control methods.
The demonstration includes basal bark spraying, hack-and-Squirt, and and girdling techniques. Looking forward to tracking results and sharing results on what methods work best in our area.

03/20/2026

We have had a great response to our field day. There is still time to sign up if interested. No charge and the lunch is free but I need you to call (479) 495-2216 for meal planning purposes. I hope to see you there.

Free lunch. What a great lineup of speakers at this field day. We have two Reps from Virtual Fence Companies(one to discuss virtual fencing for cattle and one to discuss virtual fencing for sheep and goats) along with our UADA Grazing specialist Kenny Simon and Cattle Producer, Stan Garner. We also have our local NRCS DC, Ritchie Lee there to give us a update on the latest NRCS news. I hope you can come out and join us. Please register by 3/23/2026 for lunch purposes and as always, give me a call if you have any questions. (479) 495-2216 or [email protected]

03/17/2026

Here is some great information from our Extension Economists on the impact of urea fertilizer price increases due to the conflict with Iran on the bottom line for hay production.

Fertilizer Impacts on Warm-Season Hay Budgets
James Mitchell and Ryan Loy, University of Arkansas

The United States-Israel conflict with Iran that began on Saturday, February 28, comes at a challenging time for U.S. agriculture, with implications for farm input markets ahead of spring planting and cool- and warm-season forage production. Now in its third week at the time of this writing, the conflict has already disrupted energy markets and shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz. More than 20% of global oil trade moves through the Strait of Hormuz, and Iran is a major exporter of urea fertilizer. These markets are global, and supply shocks of this scale can quickly affect the prices producers pay for key input such as fuel and fertilizer.

2026 Warm-Season Hay Budgets
The table below presents a 2026 planning budget for warm-season hay production in Arkansas, based on data from the 2025 Arkansas Hay Verification Program. Each item in the budget reflects the per-acre cost for individual inputs and the per-acre revenue from hay sales, assuming the 2025 national average hay price.

Urea costs rise from $112 per acre in the baseline to $123, $147, and $168 per acre when prices increase to $704, $832, and $960 per ton, respectively. Total operating costs increase from $397.97 per acre in the baseline to $408.47, $432.97, and $453.97 per acre under the higher price scenarios. As a result, returns above operating costs fall from $49.15 per acre in the baseline to $38.65, $14.15, and -$6.85 per acre as urea prices increase.

Most row crop producers likely already booked their inputs before the Iran war began. Hay producers do not forward contract fertilizer and instead purchase it on an as-needed basis. Cool-season forage producers were already applying fertilizer, but if higher prices persist into the fall, they could face significantly higher costs. For warm-season forage producers, it is recommended to contact your input supplier to discuss fertilizer pricing options.

Note the analysis only considers changes to fertilizer prices. The Iran war impacts fuel and fertilizer prices. For example, scenarios such as a 50% increase in fuel and 30% increase in fertilizer should be considered in hay budgets.

03/17/2026

Free lunch. What a great lineup of speakers at this field day. We have two Reps from Virtual Fence Companies(one to discuss virtual fencing for cattle and one to discuss virtual fencing for sheep and goats) along with our UADA Grazing specialist Kenny Simon and Cattle Producer, Stan Garner. We also have our local NRCS DC, Ritchie Lee there to give us a update on the latest NRCS news. I hope you can come out and join us. Please register by 3/23/2026 for lunch purposes and as always, give me a call if you have any questions. (479) 495-2216 or [email protected]