Several farmers and ranchers across Arkansas have planted fields for pollinators and utilized USDA funding to create pollinator habitats. At Barnhill Orchards their Monarch waystations are full of propagated butterfly weed. Watch our latest video to learn more about their support of the Monarch butterfly population and the state pollinator program.
Evan Teague has been named Vice President of Environmental Issues at Arkansas Farm Bureau, where he will focus on the intersection of agricultural and environmental issues. He previously served the organization as Vice President of Commodity and Regulatory Affairs. John Bailey will assume responsibilities as Vice President of Commodity and Regulatory Affairs and will have management responsibility for the employees who direct the state’s commodity checkoff programs, Farm Bureau’s economic research, as well as state and federal regulatory analysis.
We spoke with Joe Fox from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture at the scene of a contained wildfire yesterday in Jefferson County. With dry conditions continuing throughout the state, it’s important to remember to follow burn bans and to be mindful of even day-to-day activities that could unintentionally spark a wildfire. Fox says more than 30,000 acres in Arkansas have been burned this year. Learn more about yesterday’s fire and wildfire dangers in our latest video.
The Mississippi River is near a record low level and it's causing major issues for shipping and, in turn, Arkansas farmers. We visited farmers and representatives of Riceland Foods to learn just how serious the problem is and the impacts it will have on the agriculture industry.
The roughly two-month dry period during the summer of 2022 has been the worst drought in 10 years. While it has had an impact on all Arkansans, the drought has hit livestock and hay producers across the state especially hard.
Heat and lack of rain has hit Arkansas ranchers hard in recent weeks. Anthony Giffin of Madison County shared his thoughts on the challenges of the dry summer, hay scarcity and feed costs and how it's all playing out at the local sale barn.
Theron and Jeanie Rowbotham named their Hagarville farm Infinity Ranch, because they believe that building a legacy means creating something sustainable and enduring that can be passed on again and again to future generations. The Rowbothams were recently honored with the Family Farm Environmental Excellence Award from the U.S. Poultry and Egg Association, so we visited them to learn more about why they incorporated solar power into their operation, and how it could help keep their farm sustainable for years to come.
Daniel Keisler, owner of Circle K Angus Farm near Ozark, explains how the use of rotational grazing and a diverse mix of cover crops allows him to maximize animal nutrition and produce beef without the use of pesticides or herbicides.
The Arkansas Farm Bureau has been in contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regarding revisions to the Beaver Dam Interim Risk Reduction. In those conversations the USACE has stated the goal is to reduce levels of the Beaver Lake Reservoir during the non-growing season in an effort to have minimal impact to agriculture. To help answer questions the USACE has released the following statement.
On June 23rd, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service hosted a “virtual field trip” focused on the Jeff and Marsha Marley poultry and beef farm in Elkins, part of the Arkansas Discovery Farm Program.
