Michael Brooks has been hired as director of finance for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation, bringing more than a decade of experience and expertise to the Finance department. Brooks will manage the daily work of the department, including directing personnel involved in accounting, financial statements and overseeing the county records program.
Justin and Laycee Story of Cauthron (Scott County) and Hannah Walker of Henderson (Baxter County) earned the top Young Farmers & Ranchers awards Thursday during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s annual Officers & Leaders Conference at the Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro. The awards honor young farmers and ranchers ages 18-35 for the general excellence of their operations and their hard work and innovation.
Henry Witcher, 15, and Shannon Bateman, 13, won in their respective categories in the 2024 Arkansas Farm Bureau Dairy Foods Cooking Contest on July 18 at the state fairgrounds in Little Rock.
Jase Sheppard, 11, and Caitlin Cooper, 16, won in their respective categories in the 2024 Arkansas Farm Bureau Rice is Nice Cooking Contest on July 18 at the state fairgrounds in Little Rock.
LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas Farm Bureau’s (ArFB) 76th annual Officers and Leaders Conference is set for July 25 - 26 at the Red Wolf Convention Center in Jonesboro. Themed Breaking New Boundaries, the event will feature professional development sessions, commodity division meetings, recognition of outstanding Young Farmer & Rancher families and wrap up with a keynote from Dr. Cliff E. Jones, deputy director of the Arkansas State University Delta Center for Economic Development. More than 500 Farm Bureau leaders are expected to attend.
The 77th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program has announced its eight district farm families, representing a wide variety of Arkansas agriculture, the state’s largest industry.
Judges will visit farms to determine the Arkansas Farm Family of the Year, who will be announced Dec. 13.
Stephanie Benton, an English Language Arts teacher at Harrison Middle School in Boone County, is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2024 Ag in the Classroom Outstanding Teacher of the Year. Benton was recognized April 11 during a special presentation at the school.
Lindsey Rucker will take on a new role as Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) programs coordinator at Arkansas Farm Bureau. Jennifer Craig, previous YF&R coordinator, will shift her focus to the organization’s leadership development programs at Arkansas Farm Bureau.