Aug. 14 workshop to cover native warm season grasses for forage, wildlife
“This workshop is an opportunity to discuss how our farms can support both production and wildlife.” — Jonathan Kubesch
By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
July 30, 2025
Fast facts:
- Event to be held at UA Hope-Texarkana
- No cost to attend, register online for meal head count
(502 words)
(Newsrooms: with filer of Kubesch)
LITTLE ROCK — Growing native warm-season grasses can be a boon for both cattle and quail, and an Aug. 14 workshop at the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana campus will offer a how-to for ranchers and those seeking to improve wildlife habitat.
The workshop, held from 6 p.m.-8 p.m. is being presented by the Cooperative Extension Service and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. There’s no cost to attend, but participants are asked to register online for meal head count.
“This workshop is an opportunity to discuss how our farms can support both production and wildlife,” said Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “I’m excited to see how our perspectives will help farmers decide if these native grasses fit their farms.”
For ranchers, “these productive forages could build drought resilience on farms and really help with raising the nutritional plane of summer pasture,” he said, noting the potential opportunities for native warm-season grasses to thrive in southwest Arkansas.
The speakers include Kubesch, as well as:
- Clint Johnson, quail program coordinator for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Johnson is responsible for restoration and management of grasslands to benefit grassland species, as well as quail population monitoring and management statewide. This includes serving as the agency’s subject matter expert on grassland management.
- Jeremy Huff, state grazing lands specialist for the Arkansas Natural Resource Conservation Service. Huff and his family live in western Arkansas and have a cow-calf operation. He offers education on grazing and forage management and provides leadership for Arkansas NRCS Farm Bill programs involving pasture practices.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.
About the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact Kubesch, jkubesch@uada.edu, as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact: Mary Hightower
mhightower@uada.edu