Arkansas AgCast

On this week’s Arkansas AgCast, we cover USDA’s Stage Two disaster relief. We also look at Thanksgiving meal costs, nearly 20% lower than last year in Arkansas. Then we break down the Trump administration’s proposed WOTUS rule aimed at clarifying federal water jurisdiction after the Sackett decision. Finally, we share important animal health alerts: heightened HPAI risk for poultry growers and reg...

On this Deep Dive edition of the Arkansas AgCast, we sit down with Dr. Calvin White Jr., provost and executive vice chancellor at Arkansas State University, on location during the Catalyst event in Jonesboro. We discuss how Arkansas agriculture is evolving, its impact on rural communities and how collaboration can strengthen the industry for all Arkansans. Dr. White shares insights on the universi...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we’re in Hot Springs for ArFB’s 2025 Resolutions Committee meeting. We sit down with Monroe County farmer Bo Mason to discuss the policy-making process and the important role the meeting plays in our process.

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we discuss why row crop farmers in the state are weathering one of their most challenging years in decades. In 2025, falling commodity prices, stubbornly high input costs and tightening credit are pushing farm income deep into the red for a third straight season. Listen as Dr. Hunter Biram breaks down the numbers behind the row crop economy and what’s drivin...

On this week’s Arkansas AgCast, we take a closer look at Brazil’s fast-moving 2025–26 planting season, where record soybean and corn acreage could reshape global markets. We have the details on a new University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture two-part webinar series to help row crop farmers improve their cost-management strategies for the coming season. Finally, we break down the reacti...

We’re coming to you from the Arkansas State Fair this week. A new report from University of Arkansas economists paints a tough picture for row crop farmers, with high input costs and low commodity prices are creating some of the tightest margins in decades. We also discuss the ongoing federal shutdown, which is holding up potential emergency farm aid meant to help struggling farms across the count...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, timber landowners across the South face new hurdles as buyers tighten contract terms to comply with Europe’s deforestation rules. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Labor has finalized sweeping changes to the H-2A farmworker wage system, a move that could lower labor costs for farmers. We also take a closer look at the specialty crop industry, where rising in...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we cover a packed slate of agriculture news out of Washington and abroad. We break down USDA and the Department of Justice’s new antitrust agreement aimed at curbing rising input costs and take a closer look at U.S. beef’s shrinking market share in China. Also, shifting soybean demand shaped by tariffs and policy in Beijing, and the latest on New World screw...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we spotlight the return of the Arkansas Farm Trail passport program for its second season. We share how to apply, who’s eligible, and what benefits come with joining the trail. We also discuss the growing concern for drought and how the U.S. Drought Monitor can be a helpful tool with local input from farmers and ranchers. We have the details on the Federal R...

On this episode of Arkansas AgCast, we break down major changes to farm bill commodity programs under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including how reference price increases might pencil out. We also dive into the newly released “Make America Healthy Again” report, revising controversial health and agriculture recommendations. Finally, we look at how late the Arkansas soybean harvest will be, and...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we’re putting a spotlight on the Arkansas Farm Trail, ArFB’s passport program designed to connect Arkansans with local farms and food. Host John McMinn sits down with Margie Raimondo of Urbana Farmstead, one of the farmers participating in the program, to get her “boots on the ground” perspective. Margie shares her unique journey into agriculture, the story...

On this week’s Arkansas AgCast, we cover challenges facing Mid-South farmers. We start with the Mississippi River, where current low water levels could again disrupt barge traffic, raising transportation costs, and widening basis levels that cut into farm income. Next, we look at how extreme weather last spring is impacting yields during harvest, with rice producers facing some of the steepest dec...

On this week’s Arkansas AgCast, we take a closer look at the economic pressures weighing on the ag industry. John Deere is scaling back production with layoffs as farmers cut back on equipment purchases, while Arkansas’s timber industry continues to struggle under collapsing pulpwood prices and mill closures. We also cover the latest initiative to stop the destructive New World screwworm spread wi...

In this episode, we cover new EPA guidance aimed at preventing sudden diesel power losses that could save farmers millions and USDA’s August WASDE report with record corn projections and tight margins ahead. We also take a look at USDA reorganization proposal that would move key offices into regional hubs and how Brazil’s surging sorghum production is reshaping global markets. To register for the...

House Ag Committee Chair G.T. Thompson says “farm bill 2.0” is in motion, even with Congress on recess. We break down the latest reporting from AgriPulse and what it means for funding priorities like conservation, SNAP and rural broadband. We also highlight how the Arkansas Department of Agriculture is supporting wildfire response across the state with 75 new wildfire suppression kits available fo...

On this Deep Dive episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we shift our focus to the state’s livestock industry and sit down with Dr. James Mitchell, assistant professor and livestock economist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. We discuss current cattle inventory levels in Arkansas, ongoing challenges with hay quality and supply, and the economic pressures from rising producti...

This week’s Arkansas AgCast comes to you live from the 77th Annual Arkansas Farm Bureau Officers and Leaders Conference in Rogers. In today’s episode, we have updates on the New World screwworm fly issues in Central America and Mexico. We also take a look at Arkansas’s investment in local fairs and livestock shows, with more than $1.4 million awarded through the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we break down the USDA’s new National Farm Security Action Plan, which is an effort to limit foreign ownership of U.S. farmland and protect national food security. We also highlight major agriculture wins in the newly signed “One Big Beautiful Bill,” including stronger safety nets for farmers, expanded crop insurance and the creation of a first-ever poultry...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we cover key USDA reports impacting producers and consumers alike. We start with the latest Cattle on Feed report, which shows declines in marketings and placements, pointing to tighter beef supplies and continued high prices. We also break down the cost of a Fourth of July cookout, with Arkansas shoppers projected to spend just under $70 to feed 10 people t...

On this episode of the AgCast Deep Dive series, UA Extension rice agronomist Dr. Jarrod Hardke offers an in-depth look at the 2025 rice crop. Hardke explains how persistent rains this year have disrupted planting and application schedules, and what that means for total acreage. He also talks about what growers should expect with yield and milling quality and provides advice to help farmers navigat...

On this episode of Arkansas AgCast, we break down new USDA relief for livestock producers through the Emergency Livestock Relief Program for 2023 and 2024. If you received assistance through the Livestock Forage Disaster Program, you may be eligible for additional funds. We have the latest data from the June WASDE report and take a closer look at how federal budget reconciliation could shape ag sp...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we explore how Brazil’s record corn crop might benefit U.S. farmers, highlight the eight district winners in the 78th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year program and break down new federal legislation impacting SNAP and farm safety net programs. We also cover the closure of Cargill’s Springdale turkey plant and the local response to support affected work...

On this episode of Arkansas AgCast, we break down the Trump administration’s proposed USDA budget for fiscal year 2026, which includes significant funding cuts across conservation, nutrition and rural development programs. We also highlight a bipartisan effort led by Rep. Rick Crawford to freeze wages for H-2A guest workers, citing concerns over rising costs for American farmers. Arkansas specialt...

On this episode of the AgCast Deep Dive series, we sit down with Jay Robbins and Mark Lambert from Arkansas Farm Bureau’s public affairs and government relations team to break down the 2025 legislative session. They discuss key achievements from the 95th General Assembly, including improvements to sales tax ID processes, protections for poultry growers and expanded veterinary telehealth access. Ca...

On this episode of the Arkansas AgCast, we break down Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins’ new “Farmers First” policy agenda aimed at revitalizing small family farms. We also look at how wet weather is disrupting Arkansas’ rice planting season and what it means for crop insurance. Plus, we unpack President Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” that just passed the House, covering tax cuts, farm pro...