Ag Department hosts “Free Tree Fridays” in recognition of Arbor Day

Ag Department hosts “Free Tree Fridays” in recognition of Arbor Day

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In recognition of National Arbor Day, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division  will be hosting giveaways of bare root seedlings at various locations across the state each Friday from March  17 through April 28. “Adding trees to your yard or to a community forest is beneficial to all Arkansans, and…

Farm Bill listening session draws interest from Southeast Arkansas Farmers and Businesses

Farm Bill listening session draws interest from Southeast Arkansas Farmers and Businesses

MONTICELLO, Arkansas — The University of Arkansas at Monticello’s Agriculture auditorium was near capacity on February 21 as farmers, businessmen, bankers, educators, and other stakeholders gathered for a listening session on the 2023 Farm Bill. The session was aimed at giving the public an opportunity to air their views and provide input on what should…

Arkansas ag researchers seek climate-resilient rice as part of USDA grant

Arkansas ag researchers seek climate-resilient rice as part of USDA grant

STUTTGART, Ark. — Scientists at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Rice Research and Extension Center seek to develop rice that is more resilient in the face of climate change and usable water depletion. Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station scientists Nick Bateman, associate professor and extension entomologist, and Stan De Guzman, assistant professor and…

UAM: Insights on economics and soil health

UAM: Insights on economics and soil health

MONTICELLO, Arkansas -Renovation, and rejuvenation of UAM Agriculture continues! The University of Arkansas at Monticello will be hosting a Row Crop Symposium on January 21, 2023, from 8:30 am-12 pm at the newly renovated Agriculture Building on Scogin Road. The symposium will include guest speakers Dr. Brian Deaton from UAM, Dr. Hunter Biram from the…

Successful UAM Ag Alumni Society Dinner continues growth

Successful UAM Ag Alumni Society Dinner continues growth

MONTICELLO, Arkansas — Last year, the UAM Ag Alumni Society planted the seeds for annual get-togethers of UAM’s agriculture alums with the Inaugural Aggie Comeback weekend. The special homecoming for UAM Ag Alumni and friends has grown like wild weeds. The UAM Aggie Comeback weekend was so successful that the UAM Ag Alumni Society is…

UAM lambing season arrives like a storm

UAM lambing season arrives like a storm

MONTICELLO, Arkansas -The UAM sheep fields are experiencing what Associate Professor of Animal Science and Veterinarian Dr. Rocky Lindsey calls a “Lambing Storm.” “Seems like whenever one drops they all start dropping day after day. We’ve had two born overnight, that’s been the case. One or two have been born each day for the last…

As Mississippi River rises, so do commodity prices

As Mississippi River rises, so do commodity prices

LITTLE ROCK — As rain feeds the Mississippi, the rising river is also buoying the commodity prices farmers are receiving at the elevators. Months of drought throughout the Mississippi River basin dropped the river to record low levels in October; bottlenecking — and at one point halting — barge traffic between Osceola, Arkansas, and Greenville, Mississippi.…

New animal science professor brings global perspective to UAM

New animal science professor brings global perspective to UAM

MONTICELLO, Ark. — A missionary group may have drawn away one of UA-Monticello’s veterinarians, but it also had a hand in bringing in his replacement. UAM’s College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources has welcomed Dr. Maribel Nelson, a veterinarian who comes aboard as an assistant professor teaching animal science courses.  Nelson is taking up…

Arkansas Department of Agriculture kicks off Arkansas Farmer’s Market Week

Arkansas Department of Agriculture kicks off Arkansas Farmer’s Market Week

As summer begins in the Natural State, many Arkansans will turn to farmer’s markets for fresh produce and other farm products to feed their families nutritious meals. To recognize the efforts of local growers and markets, Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward delivered Governor Asa Hutchinson’s proclamation of June 12-18 as Arkansas Farmer’s Market Week.…

Boozman Announces Arkansas Farm Bill Field Hearing

Boozman Announces Arkansas Farm Bill Field Hearing

WASHINGTON— U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman, will hold a field hearing in Arkansas to gain input from Natural State agricultural producers as the process of writing the 2023 Farm Bill begins. “Arkansas agricultural producers help feed and clothe the world. As…

Arkansas Department of Agriculture announces scholarship opportunity for students majoring in Agriculture

Arkansas Department of Agriculture announces scholarship opportunity for students majoring in Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting scholarship applications from students majoring in agriculture or an agriculture-related field at one of the following universities: Arkansas State University, Southern Arkansas University, the University of Arkansas System, and Arkansas Tech University. Applications will be accepted through June 1, 2022 and can be found…

Arkansas growers go in strong for cotton and soybean, pull back from corn

Arkansas growers go in strong for cotton and soybean, pull back from corn

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas growers intend to plant significantly more cotton and soybean acres in 2022, while greatly reducing corn acreage, according to the 2022 Prospective Plantings report released Thursday by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The estimates in the report are based primarily on surveys conducted during the first two weeks of March. The…

Andrew Wargo speaks to Warren Rotary after Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame induction

Andrew Wargo speaks to Warren Rotary after Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame induction

WARREN, Ark. – The Rotary Club of Warren held their weekly meeting Tuesday, March 29 at First United Methodist Church. Hermitage Junior Rotarians Emily Esquivel and Andy Lewis spoke to the crowd before Warren Junior Rotarians Ella Garner, Arrington Browning, and Harley Latta spoke. Rotarian Mark Wargo then presented his program, which was his father…

Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame inducts Joe Don Greenwood of Hermitage(+Video)

Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame inducts Joe Don Greenwood of Hermitage(+Video)

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame inducted six individuals today for their leadership and service to the state’s largest business sector.  The newest class represents agriculture education, the seed industry, agri-business, row-crop production, agricultural/political advocacy, timber management and agricultural research and outreach. The newest inductees include:  retired Cooperative Extension Service Director Rick Cartwright of Fayetteville; …

Governor Hutchinson declares March 20-26 as Arkansas Agriculture Week and March as Arkansas Peanut Month

Governor Hutchinson declares March 20-26 as Arkansas Agriculture Week and March as Arkansas Peanut Month

LITTLE ROCK, AR – During a ceremony today at the State Capitol, Governor Hutchinson joined agriculture leaders and industry partners in declaring March 20 – 26 as Arkansas Agriculture Week and March as Peanut Month in Arkansas. The proclamations highlight the agriculture industry as a whole, the state’s peanut industry, and the value both contribute…

Rep. Wardlaw tours Agriculture Building renovations at UAM

Rep. Wardlaw tours Agriculture Building renovations at UAM

MONTICELLO, Ark. – On Friday, March 18, Rep. Jeff Wardlaw, R-Hermitage, visited the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) campus to view progress on renovations to the Agriculture Building, which began in February 2022. Wardlaw was instrumental in gathering supplemental funding to renovate the Agriculture Building, helping to secure $250,000 from Gov. Asa Hutchinson. “With…

Foresters for the Future Scholarship application period open through June 15, 2022

Foresters for the Future Scholarship application period open through June 15, 2022

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division and the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) are pleased to announce that applications for the Foresters for the Future scholarship are now being accepted. The scholarship will provide $4,000 per semester, for four years, to an incoming freshman pursuing a forestry degree at UAM’s…

Division of Agriculture honors outstanding faculty, staff at annual awards ceremony

Division of Agriculture honors outstanding faculty, staff at annual awards ceremony

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Faculty and staff who exemplified the best work within the land grant mission of extension, research and teaching in Arkansas were honored Friday during the annual Agriculture Awards presented jointly by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. This year,…

Boozman celebrates National FFA Week

Boozman celebrates National FFA Week

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) applauded the positive impact of FFA on future agricultural leaders in commemoration of National FFA Week. “FFA is sparking an interest in the field of agriculture. This is a program that provides students with the tools and knowledge to grow into the next generation of agriculture leaders. I…

Kendall Rawls sworn in as new investigator for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture

Kendall Rawls sworn in as new investigator for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture

Local law enforcement officer Kendell Rawls, formerly with the Bradley County Sheriff’s Department, was sworn in recently as a new investigator for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. Billy Black, Law Enforcement Chief of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, swore in Rawls. Rawls is a Warren native, a 2005 graduate of Warren High School, and has…