University of Nevada Cooperative Extension is offering workshops Aug. 5 - 7 in Elko, Winnemucca and Fallon for Nevada livestock producers to help them cope with drought. "Livestock: Dealing With Drought," will give livestock producers information on how to maintain quality of their product during the drought, as well as how to minimize their risk and access opportunities for drought assistance.

"This educational program brings agencies together to offer assistance for Nevada cattle producers impacted by the drought, and is working with private industry to give producers the opportunity to participate in a national Beef Quality Assurance Program," said Mineral County Extension Educator Staci Emm, who, with Ray Reed of Ray Reed's Insurance Services, will discuss the U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency's livestock programs that offer producers options to insure vegetation on rangeland, cattle prices and their farms as a whole.

The national Beef Quality Assurance Program is a voluntary certification process that producers can participate in to improve product quality, and thus increase product value. The workshop is sponsored by the Risk Management Agency and Boehringer-Ingelheim, a company specializing in pharmaceuticals and animal health. Boehringer-Ingelheim Veterinarian Joe Campbell will discuss the Beef Quality Assurance program and offer a stipend for producers attending to cover one year of Beef Quality Assurance certification.

Clint Koble, state executive director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Farm Service Agency, will offer additional information on how producers can participate in drought assistance programs, including the livestock feed assistance program. Bruce Peterson, state conservationist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Resources Conservation Service, will discuss drought assistance available through the National Resources Conservation Service.

The workshops will be held:

- 6 p.m., Aug. 5, in Elko, at Great Basin College, 1500 College Parkway, in the Health Science Building, Room 108. 

- 6 p.m., Aug. 6, in Winnemucca, at the Humboldt County Extension Office, 1085 Fairgrounds Road. 

- 6 p.m., Aug. 7, in Fallon, at the Churchill County Extension Office, 111 Sheckler Road. 

Cost is $10 and includes all materials and a catered dinner at every location. For more information, contact Jennifer Kintz at kintzj@unce.unr.edu or 775-945-3444, ext. 12. Persons in need of special accommodations or assistance should call at least three days prior to the scheduled event.

For more information on responding to various drought-related challenges, go to Cooperative Extension's Living With Drought website, http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/drought/, containing information for homeowners, gardeners, farmers, ranchers, natural resource managers and others.