Arkansas AgCast

Gov. Asa Hutchinson proclaimed Nov. 24-30 as Turkey Week in Arkansas during a special ceremony on the steps of the capitol Nov. 26. Members of the poultry industry were on hand for the ceremony and to recognize the importance of turkey and poultry production to the state in advance of Thanksgiving. We spoke with Marvin Childers, president of the Poultry Federation and Wes Ward, Arkansas Secretary...

This week, we hear about the annual Thanksgiving Feast survey, which measures the cost of traditional Thanksgiving meal food items in Arkansas and around the country, and we get a complete update on this year’s cotton harvest from cotton agronomist Bill Robertson. We also hear from Col. Nate Todd, Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, about the recent Vets4Ag Summit, and we learn about...

This week, we talk to members of our Arkansas Farm Bureau team about important issues such as high-speed broadband access in rural areas and opportunities for veterans in the agriculture industry. We also learn all about the 85th annual Arkansas Farm Bureau convention, which will be held in Little Rock next month.

The week, we talk to Ashley County farmer James Meeks about issues facing specialty crop farmers and we hear from Dustin Cowell of Newton County about conservation and stewardship of land and water in his area. We also learn about a new “Farmer Apprenticeship Program” launching in January through the University of Arkansas.

The week, we talk to Jeremy Bemis of Bemis Honey Bee Farm and Supplies and Bemis Tree Farm about his family’s growing business in southern Pulaski County, and we hear from this year’s Arkansas Tree Farmer of the Year. We also talk to Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Jessica Clowser Burkham about new regulations for industrial hemp production just released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

This week, we talk to Natural Resource Commission Executive Director Bruce Holland about the work of the state’s Levee Task Force and we hear from Tommy Jumper, chief executive officer of Delta Peanut LLC, who discusses the latest on the peanut industry in Arkansas. We also visit with participants in this year’s livestock shows at the Arkansas State Fair.

On this week’s edition, we have an interview with Jackson County farmer Tommy Young about a successful effort to address road challenges that were hindering farmers transporting crops and equipment in his area. We also talk to an executive of Cotton Incorporated about a recent industry visit to Arkansas and we discuss Farm-to-School Month in the state.

On this week’s edition, we have interviews with State Senator Gary Stubblefield of District 6 and District 74 Representative Jon Eubanks about post-flood assessment of critical levees. We also talk to Poinsett County farmer Scott Matthews about his use of ag technology and we get an update from Jefferson County farmer Wes McNulty on how his season has turned out after flooding earlier this year.

On this week’s edition, we have interviews with the CEO of a new agricultural start-up in Northwest Arkansas, a rancher and poultry grower in Logan County, the new head of the National Pork Board and a representative of the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, who tells us about an organization for students from primarily rural communities.

On this week’s edition, we have an interview with Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach, who tells us about his trip to Europe for a major trade conference. We also have the latest on muscadine research, the University of Arkansas Monticello’s Collegiate Farm Bureau and an on-campus retail meat market being developed at Centerpoint High School.

On this week’s edition, we’ll be talking about a variety of topics, from the importance of women in agriculture to the business of agricultural lending and banking. We also talk to the coach of an award-winning rodeo team and discuss a major donation of rice to the Arkansas Food Bank.

On this week’s edition, we have some interesting and in-depth interviews about critical issues in Arkansas agriculture, including news from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff's agriculture program, the latest on efforts to combat feral hogs and a conversation with Arkansas’s 4th District Congressman Bruce Westerman.

In this week's Arkansas AgCast, we interview experts on pasture maintenance and spraying and talk about potential dangers in livestock drinking water. We also talk to Arkansas Farm Bureau Chief Economist Travis Justice about the cattle market and the fallout from a major beef processing plant fire.

On this week's Arkansas AgCast, we visit a large animal vet in Morrilton and talk with UA Extension Horticulture Specialist Amanda McWhirt about the possibility of growing hops in Arkansas to support the state's burgeoning craft beer industry.

This week’s AgCast focuses on soybeans. Arkansas soybean growers have faced a lot of challenges in 2019, from weather to trade wars, so we talked to some experts to see where things stand as we enter harvest season. First up, Keith Sutton talks to Derek Haigwood, a soybean farmer from Newport who is chairman of the U.S. Soybean Export Council and member of the United Soybean Board of Directors. De...

President Donald Trump recently authorized a second round of Market Facilitation Program payments to farmers and ranchers to offset economic losses due to the ongoing trade dispute with China and loss of that important market. In this edition of Arkansas Agcast, Matt King, Director of National Affairs for Arkansas Farm Bureau, encourages producers to sign up for the payments before the deadline in...

Solar arrays are beginning to become more visible on farms and ranches across Arkansas, especially on crop farms in the Delta as farmers are realizing the cost savings and benefits of solar energy. One of the leading firms helping farmers make the switch is Seal Solar, headquartered in North Little Rock. In this edition of Arkansas Agcast, Seal Solar co-founders Josh Davenport and Heather Nelson,...

Taylor Wiseman of Fayetteville, a graduate assistant majoring in agriculture economics at the University of Arkansas, won the Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet at this year's Arkansas Farm Bureau Officers & Leaders Conference. Hear what she had to say after the competition.

Conway County pecan grower Robert "Crash" Carruthers talks about the impact of the ongoing trade and tariff war with China on pecans, how weather affects pecan nut development, the increasing acreage of pecan groves in Conway County, and more.

The August Congressional recess has begun and First District Congressman Rick Crawford kicked off his annual farm tour by participating in a roundtable discussion of issues affecting the 2019 farm economy with farmers and ranchers in Lonoke. In this edition of Arkansas Agcast, Crawford shares his thoughts on the tariff war with China, how African Swine Fever in China is impacting the need for U.S....

We spoke to Matt HIll, fire chief for Dierks in Howard County, about flooding from Tropical Storm Barry in the southwest part of the state. HIll said the area received more than 17 inches of rain and he described the impact on local rachers and farmers and the timber business in the county.

In 2018, the University of Arkansas at Monticello upgraded its forestry and agriculture programs by combining them and creating the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources. And more changes are on the horizon. In this edition of Arkansas Agcast, Dr. Phil Tappe, dean of the college and director of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center explains how UAM has become the only university in...

By Memorial Day weekend, only half of Arkansas’ cotton acreage for 2019 had been planted, but as cotton extension agronomist Bill Robertson tells us, figures obtained by the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Program show planted cotton acres now exceed 580,000. That means this is the fourth year of increased cotton acreage and the highest planted acreage since 2012. Learn more in this edition of Ar...

Damage to property caused by wild or feral hogs in Arkansas is getting worse. Efforts to trap and kill the destructive swine the past 10 years has had modest success, but they continue to reproduce and move across the state. Fourth District Congressman Bruce Westerman led a roundtable discussion July 1 in Ashley County involving representatives of state agencies and Arkansas Farm Bureau to receive...

Listen as Joe Fox, Arkansas’ State Forester, and Seward Hamilton, a training specialist for the U.S. Forest Service, talk about The annual Wildands Fire Academy to train wildlands firefighters. The Arkansas Forestry Commission and U.S. Forest Service team up each year with other state and federal agencies to host a multi-state wildlands fire academy to provide continuing education and training to...