Howard News

UADA tallies crop-related flood damage at ‘conservative’ $78.9 million

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture on Tuesday estimated crop-related flood damage in Arkansas to be a “conservative” $78.9 million; and agronomists and economists warn additional acres may be flooded as water moves downstream.  

The estimate said that of the 839,798 acres reported planted as of April 7, 31 percent was reported as flooded.

Map showing percentage of crop acres flooded in each county compared to acres planted as of April 7, 2025. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image)

Rice accounted for most of the flooded acreage at 46 percent; soybeans were next at 30 percent, followed closely by corn at 23 percent and winter wheat at 1 percent of the crop.

The assessment did not include peanuts and cotton, since those crops have later planting dates.

The analysis estimated the total replanting expenses from flooded acres for corn, rice and soybeans to be $42.04 million. The estimated replanting cost per commodity is:

  • Corn — $11.44 million

  • Rice — $20.91 million

  • Soybeans — $9.68 million.

Winter wheat damaged by flooding won’t be replanted, and with fertilizer and other inputs already invested in the crop, wheat growers will still face production losses and sunk cost of production. This places the loss for wheat at around $18 million, the analysis said.

The value of federal crop insurance indemnities — the amount insurance would pay back to farmers — is estimated at $18.69 million.

The Division of Agriculture released a fact sheet on Tuesday outlining these preliminary damage calculations. Agricultural economists and agronomists from the Division of Agriculture made their calculations based on observations from county Cooperative Extension Service agents.

“We recognize that this is likely a conservative estimate as we have not accounted for yield loss resulting from late planting, damage to farm structures such as grain bins, and unreported acreage that is flooded,” said Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “We note that these losses are one-third of the projected economic assistance to be received by Arkansas crop producers highlighting the significance of this flood event in the face of multi-year declines in net farm income and heightened market volatility.”

When calculating the total damage costs, planting expenses are estimated using operating costs from the 2025 University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture crop enterprise budgets, said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the Division of Agriculture. “Only cost items such as seed, fertilizer, herbicides, labor and diesel are incurred when replanting a crop, while the remaining operating expenses — including crop insurance, interest and cash rent — are only incurred in the initial planting.”

Pie chart showing the proportion of four commodities affected by flooding rains that fell in the first week of April. (U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture image)

Deacue Fields, head of the Division of Agriculture who is also an agricultural economist, said the damage assessment is critical to help obtain aid for affected farmers.

“We created this assessment to help our farmers and are sharing our findings with Gov. Sanders and the U.S. Department of Agriculture,” he said, “Both are in a position to help the people of Arkansas agriculture through this very difficult time.

“We truly appreciate the speed at which our agents and faculty collected and processed this information under very difficult conditions,” Fields said.

The Division of Agriculture will conduct additional surveys to further refine the damage estimate.

Agriculture is the state’s largest industry, valued at more than $24 billion.

Pie chart showing acres impacted by flooding compared to acres planted as of April 7, 2025, and the total historical acres planted in Arkansas. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image)

From April 2-6, Arkansas and parts of the Mid-South endured a series of storms culminating in what the National Weather Service labeled “generational” flooding. With more than a foot of rain falling in some locations, moderate and major flooding occurred along the Cache, Black, White and Ouachita Rivers. Water levels along those rivers were not expected to decline significantly through April 18.

Along the lower White River, the National Weather Service posted flood warnings until further notice.

Last week, Craighead County rice farmer Joe Christian posted an aerial photo of his farm on X, which showed the vast scale of the flooding. In it, the white roof of a storage shed surrounded by acres of brown water, with a few trees and outlines of fields visible.  

Satellite analysis

Jason Davis, assistant professor remote sensing and pesticides application and extension specialist, was analyzing satellite imagery of the flooding to be paired and validated against ground observations made by extension agents.

“We’re one of the very few organizations that can do this,” Davis said. “With our direct connection to producers through both specialists and the county extension agents we are one of the very few organizations in the state that have the network to do this kind of validation with such a quick turnaround.”

For his analysis, Davis has downloaded imagery of 11 million acres in Arkansas’ Delta. The images are multispectral, so in addition to visible light, he has near-infrared images which can be used to “show very clearly where the water is.”

Using the visible and near-infrared images to create false color imagery, all water — “even the really turbid water that may look similar to soil in visible spectrum imagery, pops as fluorescent blue so it can be differentiated as flooded.”

Davis said he will also produce a “quantified map of where the water is pixel by pixel, so we can calculate the number of flooded acres by that. I use those two methods to calculate and validate where the water is.”

Davis said he overlays the satellite imagery with maps from the National Agricultural Statistics Service showing “where crop fields are and what commodity that field was planted in each year.”  While the NASS data is from 2024, agronomists and economists can use these numbers as a baseline to adjust estimates based on what was planted and crop rotations.

Rice

The problem plaguing all farmers right now is uncertainty as water drains southward.

“We are still so much in the middle of this insanity,” said Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. In the next few days,  “there is ground where the water is coming off and ground that is just now going under.”

The rising water won’t be dramatic like the original flood event, but farmers “will just start to see water getting deeper every day,” he said.

In the Payneway community, “they started sandbagging it last Wednesday, expecting it to flood this coming Wednesday,” Hardke said Monday. “They’re having to read the tea leaves about when and how this is all going to play out.”

Complicating the predictions are the different rates at which the rivers — all tributaries of the Mississippi River — drain.

“There’s the expectation that when the Mississippi River crest gets to Helena, that they’re going to need to protect the Mississippi River levees. They’ll be turning off their pumps and that means a lot of the water we’re draining out of the St. Francis and other rivers is going to start to back up.”

As for a rice redo, “we know we have a ton of levy damage and impacts. Tearing down and rebuilding damaged levees — that’s a substantial investment of time and money,” Hardke said.

“There is actually a little bit of replant seed available — seed that was deliberately held back for that purpose,” Hardke said. “But it’s going to be hit or miss depending on the type of rice they need.”

Soybeans

Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said the high moisture levels left by the flooding are causing seedling diseases in stands that have emerged.

However, “we are still in the heart of the optimum planting window,” he said. “With less than 15 percent of the crop planted, there’s still time to maximize yield.”

Growers looking for seed to replant their soybeans may “not get the same variety you had, but you can still get the herbicide technology you’re looking for.

“The way I look at it is the best scenario is cotton and peanuts because nothing has been planted,” Ross said. “Second best is going to be soybeans, just because seed supply is really good.”

Ross cited the case of a grower in east central Arkansas who planted 2,700 acres of soybeans and 300 acres of corn.

“They’re going to have to replant the whole farm because of drowned soybeans and being hit pretty hard with seedling diseases,” Ross said. “But while it’s a bad situation, it could be worse. It’ll be a little more cost to recondition the beds, run the planter and then make an additional herbicide application, but they still have an opportunity to maximize their soybean yield.”

Corn

When it comes to corn, growers are also still within a good planting window, said Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist for the Division of Agriculture. He said there should be seed available for replanting, but “it’s probably not going to be the grower’s first choice. They might get their second, third or fourth choices.”

Kelley said the late planting date for full crop insurance is April 25 in southern Arkansas and May 1 for northeast Arkansas, so most people are going to be able to get back in the field and replant corn before yields start dropping from late planting.”

Some growers that had corn emerging and plan to replant will have an unusual task: killing the rain-damaged first stand before planting again, since the partial initial stand will act like a weed for the replanted corn.

“A lot of people are probably just going to use tillage to get rid of the first stand as many of the raised beds are eroded down that irrigation later in the season may not be as effective,” Kelley said.

Raised bed erosion is a real issue “Producers may have planted the seed 2 inches deep,” he said. However, when the heavy rains came, “those beds ‘melted down,’ so now that seed isn’t 2 inches deep and it’s not nearly deep enough for proper root development, which can lead to plants falling over and plant loss.

"The silver lining is that if this rain happened a month from now, it would have been even more devasting since now, at least, we have an opportunity to replant corn,” he said. 

Wheat

Kelley said, “Unfortunately for the wheat crop, we’ve got almost all the expenses in it already —seed, fertilizer, herbicides — so we’re basically waiting on harvest,” he said. 

“Wheat can handle some water for a couple days like other crops, but the quicker the water recedes, the better,” Kelley said. “If the wheat is heading or in the flowering stage and the flood water is deep enough to go over the heads that would most likely result in blank heads with no grain.”

Authors

The fact sheet was authored by Hunter Biram, extension agricultural economist; Ryan M. Loy, extension agricultural economist; Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist; Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist; and Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Sanders Signs Executive Order to Provide Relief for Severe Storms, Tornadoes, and Flooding on or About April 2, 2025

Scene of flooding in Arkansas, April 6-7, 2025. (Division of Agriculture image.)

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS:    
     
                 
EO 25-08: EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PROVIDE RELIEF PURSUANT TO THE EMERGENCY DECLARED IN EXECUTIVE ORDER 25-07. 

WHEREAS:​ On April 2, 2025, severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes began in Arkansas, and continue to cause danger, hardship, and suffering throughout the state; 

WHEREAS: Adverse circumstances have been brought to bear upon citizens and public properties within the State of Arkansas and certain political subdivisions require assistance from the state to recover from these losses;

WHEREAS: On April 2, 2025, by Executive Order 25-07, a state of emergency was declared in Arkansas as a result of the severe weather outbreak, pursuant to the Emergency Services Act, codified at Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-75-101, et seq.

WHEREAS: Ark. Code Ann. § 12-75-114(e)(1) authorizes the Governor to suspend any regulatory statutes if compliance with those statutes would delay action in coping with the declared emergency;

WHEREAS: Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505 authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration to grant a reasonable extension of time to file any return required under any state tax law upon written request for good cause shown. Good cause includes when any taxpayer is affected by a disaster emergency declared by the Governor; and

WHEREAS: Strict compliance with certain statutes would hinder necessary action in coping with the emergency in the following affected counties:

Arkansas CountyAshley CountyBaxter CountyCalhoun CountyChicot CountyClark CountyClay CountyCleveland CountyColumbia CountyConway CountyCraighead CountyCrawford CountyCrittenden CountyCross CountyDallas CountyDesha CountyDrew CountyFaulkner CountyFranklin CountyFulton CountyGarland CountyGrant CountyGreene CountyHempstead CountyHot Spring CountyIndependence CountyIzard CountyJackson CountyJefferson CountyLafayette CountyLawrence CountyLee CountyLincoln CountyLittle River CountyLonoke CountyMarion CountyMiller CountyMississippi CountyMontgomery CountyNevada CountyNewton CountyOuachita CountyPerry CountyPhillips CountyPike CountyPoinsett CountyPolk CountyPope CountyPrairie CountyPulaski CountyRandolph CountySaline CountyScott CountySearcy CountySebastian CountySevier CountySharp CountySt Francis CountyStone CountyUnion CountyVan Buren CountyWhite CountyWoodruff County

NOW THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas and pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-75-101, et seq., and the state of emergency declared in Executive Order 25-07, do hereby order the following:

  1. The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration is hereby ordered to extend the 2024 income tax filing date and income tax payment date and 2024 pass through entity tax filing date and pass-through entity tax payment date from April 15, 2025, to July 31, 2025, for those citizens who reside or whose businesses are located in the affected counties. This extension includes 2024 returns of Individuals, Subchapter S Corporations, C Corporations, Pass-Through Entities, Fiduciaries and Estates, Partnerships, and Composite returns.

  2. Individuals and entities in the affected counties will have until July 31, 2025, to file income tax and pass-through entity returns and pay income and pass-through entity taxes that were originally due between April 2, 2025, and July 31, 2025.

  3. This relief includes return and extension payments due between April 2, 2025, and July 31, 2025.

  4. The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration is hereby ordered to extend the deadline under Ark. Code Ann. § 26-51-913(a)(2) to make a quarterly estimated income tax payment between April 2, 2025, and June 30, 2025, for those citizens and businesses located in the affected counties to July 31, 2025.

  5. The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration is hereby ordered to extend the deadline under Ark. Code Ann. § 26-65-107(b)(1) to make a quarterly estimated pass-through entity tax payment between April 2, 2025, and June 30, 2025, for those citizens and businesses located in the affected counties to July 31, 2025.

  6. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505(a)(1) requiring a written request for an extension to file an individual income tax return are hereby waived through July 31, 2025, for citizens who reside or whose businesses are located in the affected counties.

  7. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505(a)(4) requiring the promulgation of rules to waive the requirement for a written request for an extension are hereby waived through July 31, 2025. 

  8. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 27-16-805 and § 27-16-806 requiring payment of a fee for a duplicate driver’s license, instruction permit, or identification card are hereby waived for citizens who reside in the affected counties from the date of this order through July 31, 2025.

  9. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 27-14-705(e) requiring payment of a $10.00 fee for expedited title processing service are hereby waived for affected citizens who reside in the affected counties from the date of this order through July 31, 2025.

  10. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-508 and § 26-52-510(a)(4) assessing interest and penalty for failure to timely register a vehicle are hereby waived for citizens who reside in the affected counties from the date of this order through July 31, 2025.

  11. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 27-14-1004(a) assessing penalty for failure to timely register a vehicle or renew a vehicle registration are hereby waived for citizens who reside in the affected counties from the date of this order through July 31, 2025.

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed on this 11th day of April, in the year of our Lord 2025.

Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

This week, the Arkansas House of Representatives passed several significant pieces of legislation focused on maternal health, breast cancer treatment, and state employee compensation. 

HB1004 aims to extend Medicaid coverage to postpartum mothers for one year after childbirth, while HB1826 ensures that insurance covers births at licensed birthing centers, helping to expand access to care in rural areas. Additionally, HB1333 requires insurance to cover breastfeeding and lactation consultant services. 

In another important development, SB392 adjusts the classification and compensation of state employees to bring their salaries in line with labor market rates, ensuring fairness in pay. 

The House also passed SB83, a health-related bill that mandates health benefit plans in the state to provide coverage for all types of breast reconstruction surgery starting January 1, 2026. This legislation guarantees that any surgery considered the best treatment by a healthcare professional and in consultation with the patient will be covered, whether following trauma, the loss of breast tissue due to disease, or a mastectomy. Moreover, HB1859 was approved to amend current laws on mastectomies by requiring health plans to cover the use of artificial or biological mesh and nerve grafts in reconstruction surgeries. 

The Arkansas House Revenue and Taxation Committee moved forward with HB1685, which proposes eliminating the state's 0.125% sales tax on groceries starting January 1, 2026. In addition, HB1631, which seeks to phase out the state's soft drink tax, also advanced through the committee. 

Furthermore, the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee advanced HJR1018, a proposed Constitutional Amendment known as the Citizens Only Voting Amendment, which is expected to be considered on the House floor next week. 

The House will reconvene on Monday, with plans to complete its business for the 2025 Regular Session by April 16. You can watch all House meetings at arkansashouse.org.

Severe weather (4/4) and continued heavy rainfall expected for much of Arkansas Friday - NWS/NOAA

The threat for severe weather continues for this Friday into Friday night. All modes of severe weather will be possible including very large hail, damaging winds and even a few tornadoes.

Specifics About Hazards (If Any): A warm front will lift northward into Arkansas today, eventually stalling out once again across the north-central and west-central sections of the state. Conditions along and south of the front will become very unstable by this afternoon as temperatures warm into the 80s. All modes of severe weather will be possible, including damaging winds, large hail and tornadoes. A few long- track tornadoes cannot be ruled out.

There is a high risk for excessive rainfall today into tonight for a large portion of the state. Several inches of rainfall are possible, which may lead to flash and river flooding.

Thunderstorms will remain likely on Saturday into Saturday night, with strong to severe weather potential remaining. All modes of severe weather will be possible Saturday afternoon and evening, including large hail, damaging winds, and a few tornadoes. The highest threat for severe weather on Saturday will be across the southeastern two-thirds of the area.

Areas of heavy rainfall will continue on Saturday into Saturday night as well, with the threat for flash and river flooding continuing to remain a very significant hazard.

Expect the threat for heavy rainfall and severe weather to exit the region by Sunday afternoon. Some areas could see temperatures dropping into the low and mid 30s Sunday and Monday mornings. This may result in some frost or freeze conditions for some areas over northwestern portions of the state. Otherwise, the threat for hazardous weather will become low into the middle of next week.

Several inches of additional rainfall are expected through Sunday morning. Most areas could see an additional 4 to 6 inches, with some areas seeing potentially over 8 inches.

Spotter Activation (Day 1 - Friday/Friday Night): (More Widespread Severe Weather). Scattered to numerous severe storms are expected. The focus area includes much of Arkansas. You can help by monitoring and forwarding severe weather information. If there are strong to severe storms (i.e. wind damage, quarter size hail or larger, etc.) at your location, please consider submitting a report via an online form found here. Thank you for your assistance!

Western Arkansas targeted for Severe Weather Friday

...THERE IS A MODERATE RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THE ARKLATEX INTO WESTERN ARKANSAS...

...SUMMARY...

Several clusters of strong to severe storms are possible from central Texas across the ArkLaTex and into the lower Ohio Valley Friday and Friday night. The greatest threat for tornadoes, large hail and damaging winds will be from the ArkLaTex across western Arkansas, including potential for strong to potentially intense tornadoes.

...Synopsis...

A mid-level trough, centered across the Southwest and northern New Mexico, will start to shift east on Friday. As this occurs a broad, strong low-level jet will develop across eastern Texas and into Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi. This strengthening lower tropospheric flow will aid in the northward advancement of a warm front, located from central Texas to the Mid-Mississippi Valley at the beginning of the period, to eastern Oklahoma an near the MO/AR border by 00Z Sat. This reorientation of the frontal boundary should be favorable for supercells with the potential for large hail (some 2+ inch), damaging wind gusts, and tornadoes (some potentially EF3+).

...ArkLatex to Western Arkansas...

As a warm front lifts north across Arkansas through the day, a very unstable environment (2500-4000 J/kg MLCAPE) will develop from the ArkLaTex into western Arkansas as temperatures warm into the mid 80s with dewpoints in the low 70s. Some weak convection may maintain along the frontal zone in eastern Oklahoma during the morning and early afternoon. However, more robust convective development is not anticipated until mid-afternoon when height falls start to overspread the region, and the influence of the entrance region of the upper-level jet increases ascent. In addition, most high resolution guidance indicates a local area of low pressure may traverse the frontal zone to near northwest Arkansas by 21Z. The combination of these factors, which have decent agreement among 12Z guidance, points toward multiple supercells along the frontal zone during the mid to late afternoon and into the evening. These supercells, in an environment featuring 2500-3500 J/kg MLCAPE and 0-1km SRH ~400 m2/s2, will support the potential for strong to intense tornadoes. Messy storm mode could limit the longevity of any of these supercells/tornadoes, but even with limited duration, the environment supports a tornado threat. A more conditional long-track tornado threat, which would also bring greater opportunity for EF3+ tornadoes, exists east of the frontal boundary. Synoptic forcing ahead of the boundary is relatively weak, but very strong instability (3000-4000 J/kg MLCAPE) is forecast with minimal inhibition across the warm sector. Therefore, more discrete, open warm-sector supercell development is possible, but will be more dependent on mesoscale details which will become more clear in the Day 1 timeframe.

Severe weather late Tuesday night for Arkansas; heavy rainfall and flash flooding through the remainder of the week

  • [WHAT] Severe weather and heavy rainfall

  • [WHEN] Late Tuesday night through Saturday night. ○ Severe weather threat late Tuesday night through Thursday. ○ Heavy rainfall and resulting flash/river flooding threat Wednesday through Saturday.

  • [WHERE] Most of the state will be at risk for severe weather as well as the heavy rainfall.

Strong to severe thunderstorms possible in Arkansas this weekend

  • The chances of strong to severe thunderstorms remain Sunday afternoon into Sunday night.

  • Multiple medium to long range models continue to show agreement in the possibility of severe weather, with the greatest confidence across the central and eastern sections of Arkansas.

  • However, it should be noted that this possible severe weather event is still several days out and changes to the forecast are likely heading into the weekend.

  • Monitor the latest briefings regarding the expected timing, severe weather impacts, along with the general location(s) potentially affected.

Four States Ag Expo offers growers, producers latest research-based information

(Division of Agriculture photo)

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

TEXARKANA, Ark. – The Four States Agricultural Expo returns Feb. 13, bringing together growers and producers from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma area to learn about the latest research and resources available for commercial horticulture, livestock and forages, integrated pest management, home gardening, lawn, pond management, and more.

The expo is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Four States Fairgrounds, 3700 E. 50th Street in Texarkana. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. All growers and producers from the four-state region are invited. The expo is free, open to the public, and includes lunch. No registration is required. Lunch will be provided by Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and Texas Farm Bureau - Bowie County. Sponsors and donors include Cavender’s Texarkana and Simmons Bank-Jonathan Shumate.

The event is a joint project of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, with experts from both agencies presenting workshops throughout the day.

“We usually have around 350 people attend,” said Jennifer Caraway, Miller County extension agent. “Every year we offer a variety of agricultural sessions about livestock and forages, row crops, horticulture, commercial horticulture, timber and wildlife management, and pond management."

Continuing education units — CEUs — are available for licensed pesticide applicators. Texas pesticide applicators pay $10 for up to five hours of CEU credits. Arkansas pesticide applicator training will be available at the expo. The cost is $65, with $20 paid to Miller County Cooperative Extension and $45 paid to Arkansas State Plant Board to obtain a five-year license.

Concurrent programs will begin at 8:30 a.m. and include the following topics and speakers: 

8:30 a.m.

  • Managing Vegetation in Farm Ponds – Tyson Keese, pond management program specialist, Texas A&M.

  • Vaccination Protocols for Beef Cattle – Meg Harrington, NAH Livestock Consulting.

  • Production & Management of Blueberries – Tim Hartman, assistant professor, extension specialist, integrated pest management Texas A&M 

9:45 a.m.

  • Alternative Forages for Livestock – Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist, Division of Agriculture.

  • The Fate of Dicamba and Rice Weed Control – Bob Scott, extension weed scientist, Division of Agriculture.

  • Production and Management of Tomatoes – John Gavin, Bradley County extension agent, Division of Agriculture.

  • Beekeeping 101 – Garrett Slater, assistant professor and apiculture extension entomologist, Texas A&M.

11 a.m.

  • Managing Fish Populations in Farm Ponds – Tyson Keese, Texas A&M.

  • Treating Common Diseases in Beef Cattle – Robert Bonner, DVM, Nashville Animal Hospital.

  • Production and Management of Peaches – Tim Hartmann, Texas A&M.

Noon-1 p.m.: Lunch 

1 p.m.

  • Safe Use of Pesticides Around the Farm – Bob Scott, extension weed scientist, Division of Agriculture.

  • Grassy Weed Control in Pastures and Hay – Chad Cummings, Texas A&M county extension agent-agriculture and natural resources.

  • Pests, Pathogens, Pesticides, and Poor Nutrition and Their Impact on Bee Hives – Garrett Slater, Texas A&M.

2:15 p.m.

  • Broadleaf Weed Control in Pasture and Hay – Chad Cummings, Texas A&M.

  • Arkansas Pesticide Applicator Training – Jennifer Caraway, Miller County agricultural extension agent, Division of Agriculture.

  • Texas Auxin Training – Brian Triplett, county agent-agriculture and natural resources, Texas A&M.

For more information about the expo, contact the Miller County Extension office at 870-779-3609. To learn more about Division of Agriculture extension programs, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on X and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uark.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

With committees ready to hear bills and legislative priorities taking shape, the 2025 Regular Session is off to a productive start.

Several House committees held their organizational meetings this week. These committees are now prepared to begin reviewing and debating the over 170 bills that have been filed in the House so far.  

Among the early legislative actions, the House passed HB1056, a bill to establish a Joint Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs. This new committee will consist of 12 House members and 8 Senate members from the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. It will focus on ongoing studies related to military and veterans' issues, a critical area currently handled by the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee. A resolution is expected soon to rename that committee to reflect its shifting responsibilities. 

Earlier in the week, the Governor addressed the 95th General Assembly and outlined her legislative agenda. A centerpiece of her plan is the Arkansas ACCESS initiative, which aims to expand access to higher education and non-degree credentials for Arkansans. She also proposed eliminating the state grocery tax, using revenue from medical marijuana sales to fund free school breakfasts for all Arkansas students, and enacting legislation to ban cell phone use in schools. In addition, the Governor announced plans to update the Social Media Safety Act to ensure its enforceability and expand the Communist China Defense Act, which would involve divesting state resources from China and banning adversaries from purchasing land near critical infrastructure like military bases and electric substations. 

The week began with House members sworn into office on Monday and the election of Representative Brian S. Evans of Cabot as Speaker of the House for the 95th General Assembly. Following his election, Speaker Evans announced his committee chairmanships and leadership appointments, which are now available on the House website at arkansashouse.org.

 As the first week concludes, the House looks ahead to a busy session. The House will reconvene on Tuesday, January 21, at 1:30 p.m., after observing Martin Luther King Jr. Day. 

Weekly update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

The Arkansas General Assembly will convene for the 2025 Regular Session on Monday, January 13. 

The first day of the session will include the swearing-in of all members and the formal election of the Speaker of the House. While the Speaker is officially elected at the start of the session, the 94th General Assembly previously selected Rep. Brian Evans of Cabot as Speaker-designate. 

On January 14, the second day of the session, House and Senate members will convene jointly in the House Chamber to hear an address from Governor Sanders. This address will outline the Governor’s legislative priorities and provide key recommendations on the pressing issues facing Arkansas. 

Several important deadlines will shape the legislative process this session. Members must file legislation affecting publicly supported retirement or pension plans, the licensure of health care providers, or state/public school health insurance by January 27. Legislation regarding lottery-funded scholarships or constitutional amendments must be filed by February 12, and all appropriation bills must be filed by March 3. 

The Speaker will announce committee chair assignments on the first day of the session, and those assignments will be available at arkansashouse.org. Committee meetings and House floor proceedings are open to the public, providing Arkansans with an opportunity to see and participate in the legislative process. Those who wish to voice their support or opposition to a bill can sign in to speak during committee meetings, ensuring their perspectives are heard.

House committee meetings and floor proceedings are live-streamed and recorded, ensuring Arkansans can follow the legislative process in real-time from anywhere. Agendas and links to live-streams can be accessed at arkansashouse.org

As your state representatives work to address issues ranging from education to health care to economic development, we invite all Arkansans to engage with the legislative process. Whether you reach out to your representative, attend a committee meeting, or follow our live streams, your input helps shape the future of our state.

Winter weather headed for Arkansas; briefing attached

Winter Storm Warnings continue across the vast majority of Arkansas through the Thursday-Friday (January 9-10) timeframe. A Winter Weather Advisory is posted in the far southeast. The Winter Storm Warning area currently encompasses where the highest confidence for impactful conditions exist.

NWS issues a Winter Storm Warning for southern and central Arkansas

Portions of the Winter Storm Watch have been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning, valid through the Thursday-Friday (January 9-10) timeframe. The Winter Storm Warning area currently encompasses where the highest confidence for impactful conditions exist. Changes and expansions to the watch and warning areas are still possible and should be expected!

  • WHAT HAS CHANGED: Portions of the Winter Storm Watch have been upgraded to a Winter Storm Warning, mainly including the southern half of the state (south of I-40). This largely includes where confidence of impactful snowfall is currently highest. Expansions of the warning are still possible!

  • WHAT WE KNOW: A strong storm system is forecast to impact Arkansas Thursday morning through Friday evening bringing heavy snow across much of the state. Greatest confidence for impacts will be across west-central to central Arkansas.

  • WHAT WE DON’T KNOW: Exact placement of greatest snow amounts, and where locally greater totals could occur due to banding. Where snow may change over to sleet, freezing rain, or just rain near the Louisiana border. Expect changes and refinement to the forecast!

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue on pace to set new record

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas’ 2% tourism tax revenue between January and August was $18.392 million, up 5.2% compared with the $17.482 million in the same period of 2023. The August revenue of $2.254 million set a new record for the month. A record for monthly 2% collections was set in June with $2.839 million.

Of the top five counties in terms of 2% tax collections, Pulaski and Garland counties posted declines of 0.83% and 2.68%, respectively. Benton County posted the largest percentage increase among the top five counties at 14.76%.

The 2% tourism tax revenue in 2023 was $25.446 million, up 5.8% compared with the $24.049 million in 2023. Revenue in each month of 2023 set a new record, with those gains compared to record numbers in 2023.

Arkansas Tourism Ticker: 2% tourism tax revenue on pace to set new record

Weekly update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

The Arkansas House Committee for Aging, Children and Youth, and Legislative and Military Affairs met this week and reviewed the annual report from the Department of Human Services' Division of Children and Family Services. The report provided significant insights into the state's foster care system during State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2024.

At the conclusion of SFY 2024, Arkansas had 3,553 children in foster care, representing a notable decrease of 12 percent from the previous fiscal year's count of 4,023. This decline indicates progress in addressing the needs of children in the state's care.

One key highlight from the report was the observation that more children exited foster care during SFY 2024 than entered the system, demonstrating positive strides in achieving permanency for these vulnerable children. Neglect and substance abuse emerged as the predominant reasons for children entering foster care throughout the year.

Of the children who left foster care in SFY 2024, 42 percent were reunified with their families, 30 percent were adopted, and 9 percent were discharged to relative custody. Notably, a significant 92 percent of children exiting care in Arkansas achieved permanency through avenues such as returning home, placement with relatives, adoption, or other permanent arrangements.

The division’s goal is to have at least one foster home bed available for each child in foster care. The ratio of licensed foster home beds to children in foster care was 0.75 at the end of the year, identical to the previous year.

Foster parents help support families during a difficult time. They work as a team with the child’s case worker to ensure the well-being of the child in their care. A foster parent’s impact reaches far as they provide a positive influence across the community. If you’re interested in becoming a foster parent, we’ve posted a link on our website with information about the process. Visit arkansashouse.org.

Butterball closing Jonesboro plant, 180 workers affected

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Butterball will shutter its Jonesboro turkey processing facility next year impacting about 180 workers. The tentative plan is to close the plant by Feb. 3, 2025, according to a release from the company.

A reason for the closure was not released. Production at the Jonesboro plant, which produced cooked, ready-to-eat deli breasts, will be moved to other Butterball facilities.

Workers at the plant were informed during a meeting Wednesday (Dec. 4). Those who stay will be paid in compliance with the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notifications Act. It wasn’t immediately known if some of the displaced workers will be moved to other facilities within the company’s system.

Butterball closing Jonesboro plant, 180 workers affected

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

As the holiday season approaches, many of us are starting to think about our shopping lists and where we want to spend our hard-earned money. Now is the perfect time to consider supporting small businesses in Arkansas.

First and foremost, shopping at small businesses is a direct way to support your local community. With over 280,000 small businesses across the state, they represent 99.3% of all Arkansas businesses. By choosing to shop locally, you’re not just supporting the owners and employees of these establishments; you’re contributing to the economic health of your neighborhood. Small businesses are often the backbone of communities, providing jobs and a unique sense of identity. In fact, 47.5% of all Arkansas employees work for small businesses, underscoring their importance in our local economy.

Many small retailers curate products made locally or sourced from independent artisans, allowing you to give truly one-of-a-kind gifts to your loved ones. By supporting these businesses, you are investing in the creativity and talent of artists and craftsmen within your community.

Moreover, when you spend your dollars at small businesses, you ensure that a significant portion stays within the local economy. Research indicates that 68 cents of every dollar spent at a small business remains in the community, creating a ripple effect that helps to create jobs and contribute to the overall economic well-being of your area. This reinvestment is crucial, especially during the holiday season when many businesses are counting on the influx of seasonal shoppers to sustain them through the year.

Additionally, small businesses play a critical role in job creation, accounting for two-thirds of net new jobs in our country. They drive innovation and competition, which ultimately benefits consumers by providing more choices and better services. 

This holiday season, let’s celebrate local businesses and the vital role they play in making Arkansas a vibrant place to live and work.

Severe Weather Outlook for Arkansas from the National Weather Service in Little Rock

A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across western Arkansas Wednesday evening and Wednesday night.

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will be possible today across the region into this evening. Late tonight, strong to severe thunderstorms will be possible mainly northwest of the region. Look for strong south winds today outside thunderstorms with wind gusts upwards of 30 mph possible. There will continue to be an elevated fire threat due to very dry conditions with those conditions continuing until rainfall materializes later today into Thursday.

A few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across eastern and southern Arkansas Thursday.

In SW AR, rain chances will continue through the end of the work week, into the upcoming weekend and into early next week as well. At this time, strong to severe thunderstorms do not appear likely through early next week. Temperatures will remain mostly above normal through the extended period as well.

The forecast for Halloween evening calls for rain chances across the southeast with dry conditions elsewhere. Temperatures will largely be in the 50s and 60s.

UAMS Establishes Proteomics Center of Excellence in Little Rock with Thermo Fisher Scientific

By Marty Trieschmann

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) announced the launch of the Thermo Fisher Scientific Center of Excellence for Proteomics at UAMS — the first and only academic-industry partnership of its kind in the United States.

The world leader in serving science, Thermo Fisher Scientific, entered into a formal agreement with the IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics, which was founded in 2020 with a $11 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) as the only NIH-funded proteomics service provider in the United States, providing the most cost-effective access to proteomics for any researcher in the U.S. performing biomedical research.

Proteomics allows researchers and clinicians to rapidly identify novel disease biomarkers, new drug targets and unique mechanisms driving human diseases. IDeA National Resource for Quantitative Proteomics is equipped with multiple Thermo Fisher advanced Thermo Scientific™ Orbitrap™ mass spectrometers, including the most recent installed state-of-the-art mass spectrometry technology, Thermo Scientific™ Orbitrap™ Astral™ mass spectrometer, to provide premium quantitative proteomics services to researchers.

UAMS Establishes Proteomics Center of Excellence in Little Rock with Thermo Fisher Scientific

Wildfire threats loom across state as drought conditions worsen

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Nearly three-quarters of the state of Arkansas is under some type of drought designation, and wildfires are becoming an increasing danger as dry weather continues to loom across the Natural State.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, drought conditions exist throughout most of the state except for the extreme northeast corner. Most of the state is in stage 1 (moderate) or stage 2 (severe) drought. A pocket of counties in Northwest Arkansas is under the extreme designation, while parts of the Arkansas Delta are under the abnormally dry designation.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture noted that burn bans have been issued for 51 counties. The increased threat is primarily due to strong winds from a cold front combined with low humidity and dry conditions. To help residents understand the wildfire threat, the Department maintains a county-by-county wildfire danger map.

Wildfire threats loom across state as drought conditions worsen