Federal judge puts Arkansas foreign ownership restrictions on hold

By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A federal judge in Arkansas has halted enforcement of the state’s foreign ownership restrictions for plaintiffs owning a crypto-mining business.

Jones Eagle LLC, which operates near DeWitt, Arkansas, and mines digital assets like cryptocurrency, came under investigation by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture and Arkansas Attorney General following the state enacting Act 636 and 174 during the 2023 legislative session. Both acts involve restriction of foreign ownership of U.S. land, and Act 174 specifically prohibits foreign-owned entities from acquiring or holding any interest in a digital mining business in the state. Qimin “Jimmy” Chen, who was born in China and is a naturalized American citizen, exercises control over Jones Eagle as sole owner of Eagle Asset Holding, Inc.

Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, testifies to the Senate Ag Committee on Sept. 27, 2023. The committee held a hearing on foreign ownership of U.S. farmland. (Image courtesy U.S. Senate)

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a press release in December 2023 stating that Jones Eagle was under investigation for potentially violating state foreign ownership restrictions, as the entity “may have significant ties to China.”

Jones Eagle filed a lawsuit against the state of Arkansas in November 2024, claiming the investigation was unconstitutional and requesting a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction. Judge Kristine Baker of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas issued a temporary restraining order for 14 days on Nov. 25, and on Dec. 9 issued a preliminary injunction. The decision renders Acts 636 and 174 unenforceable against Jones Eagle until further notice from the court.

The preliminary injunction order is sealed — which means it is not accessible to the public — to protect Jones Eagle’s confidential business details. However, the Notice of Preliminary Injunction Order can be viewed online.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a dramatic increase in national interest and activity regarding the topic of foreign ownership of U.S. land, and particularly agricultural land,” said Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center. “It’s an extremely active issue at both state and federal levels, although there are currently no federal laws restricting foreign persons, entities, or governments from acquiring or holding private U.S. agricultural land.”

Almost half of all U.S. states have some kind of law limiting foreign ownership. In 2023, Arkansas became the first state to enforce a foreign ownership law when it ordered a subsidiary of Syngenta Seeds, another Chinese-owned company, to divest itself of farmland in Arkansas.

What’s next?

“The injunction is limited to Jones Eagle and does not apply to others who may be subject to Acts 636 and 174,” Pittman said. “Arkansas can continue to enforce foreign ownership restrictions under these acts.”

A redacted version of the preliminary injunction is expected to be released in the coming weeks.

More details regarding the case are available online on the NALC website.

For the latest in agricultural law and policy developments, including foreign ownership, subscribe at no cost to The Feed, a twice-monthly newsletter from the NALC. The NALC is also on X, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Womack Supports FY25 National Defense Authorization Act

Washington, D.C.—December 11, 2024…Today, Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) voted to pass H.R. 5009, the Servicemember Quality of Life Improvement and National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025. The annual legislation authorizes $895.2 billion for our national security, including resources to enhance military preparedness, improve quality of life for our troops and their families, deter foreign adversaries, and focus the Department of Defense on its core mission. Congressman Womack secured Arkansas’ Third District priorities within the legislation, including authorizing funding for construction of the Ebbing Air National Guard Base Academic Training Center.

President Trump NDAA Signing 2020-Flickr Image

Congressman Womack said, “Passing the NDAA is vital to the safety and security of our homeland and strength of America’s armed forces. This year’s legislation aims to deter adversarial threats abroad and bolster defense capabilities nationwide—including in Arkansas—while improving the quality of life for servicemembers and their families. Although I’m strongly opposed to the decision to circumvent state’s rights regarding the forced federalization of National Guard formations, opposing this legislation is not the right way to address the issue. We can’t deprive our military of the resources needed to protect our nation. Today is a step in the right direction. However, the mission is not complete until we put resources toward these priorities in full-year defense appropriations.”

Provisions in the bill Womack strongly supports:

• Encourages Department of Defense (DOD) to continue investing in expanding Iron Dome system production capacity in the United States, namely at the Camden, Arkansas facility.

• Authorizes funding for Ebbing Air National Guard Base Academic Training Center in support of the F-35 FMS mission.

• Authorizes a 14.5% pay raise for junior enlisted servicemembers, along with a 4.5% pay increase for all other servicemembers.

• Expands access to childcare and employment opportunities for military families.

• Refocuses the DOD on military readiness instead of domestic social policy by gutting DEI programs and prohibiting CRT.

• Extends the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI) and increases a funding authorization for new military technology to deter Chinese aggression in the Indo-Pacific region.

• Reaffirms U.S. support to Israel against Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.

• Reaffirms U.S. support to the defense of Taiwan against CCP threats.

• Authorizes full funding for the deployment of National Guard troops at the southwest border and increases authorized funding by $20 million for DOD counternarcotics activities.

• Blocks the Biden Administration’s plan to reduce the number of U.S. Special Forces, warfighting aircraft, and defense missiles.

Additional Provisions Congressman Womack Helped Secure:

• Hot Springs, AR Army-Navy Hospital: Provides Arkansas three years to request permanent ownership of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, AR, and in the event of this request, would extinguish any reversionary interest in the property by the United States.

• National Digital Reserve Corps: Creates a National Digital Reserve Corps to help federal agencies address cyber-attacks and critical workforce gaps as needed.

• Expansion of National Guard State Partnership Program: Directs the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy, in consultation with the Secretary of State and the Chief of the National Guard Bureau, to assess and report on the feasibility and benefits of expanding the National Guard State Partnership Program in the Pacific Islands.

• Assessment of U.S. Coast Guard Involvement in State Partnership Program: Directs the DOD to conduct a study on how to more actively consider and support the U.S. Coast Guard’s involvement in the State Partnership Program in the Pacific.

The FY25 NDAA will now advance to the Senate for consideration. 

Polish F-35 jets expected to soon arrive in Fort Smith

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

The first two F-35 fighter jets built for Poland will soon roll off the Lockheed production line in Fort Worth, Texas, and Col. Nicholas Ihde is ready to fly one of the fifth-generation jets to Fort Smith and “bring to fruition” the U.S. Air Force foreign pilot training center.

Ihde, commander of the 85th Fighter Group at Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith, told Talk Business & Politics on Thursday that the jets expected to arrive in September could arrive in Fort Smith as early as Dec. 20. He said the noisy arrival of the first two jets should put to rest any concerns about the reality of the high-profile training center.

“There’s been some naysayers around that think this is never going to come to fruition because it was so far out in the future. What I would tell you is we are right around the corner. In the next week or two I’m going down to Fort Worth to fly the first Poland jet here to Ebbing,” said Ihde, who officially took command of the 85th in early July.

Polish F-35 jets expected to soon arrive in Fort Smith

F-35 jet built for Poland (photo from Lockheed)

Representative French Hill statement on House Financial Services Committee Chairmanship

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. French Hill (AR-02) released the following statement after the Steering Committee elected him to be the next Chairman of the House Financial Services Committee.

"I am humbled that my colleagues have placed their trust in me to lead the House Financial Services Committee as their next Chairman. It was a privilege to join my exceptional colleagues, Representatives Andy Barr, Bill Huizenga, and Frank Lucas, in sharing our visions for this committee.

"I look forward to working alongside Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain, and our whole leadership team as we work in tandem with President Trump and Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott to bring common-sense economic policies that will produce a new era of American prosperity shared by all our citizens across our land."

ICYMI: Rep. Westerman Featured on "Why America is struggling with EVs" Documentary

WASHINGTON - Rep. Bruce Westerman (AR-04) was recently featured in the MotorTrend documentary, "Why America is Struggling with EVs" to discuss unnecessary government subsidies and mandates regarding EVs which ultimately harm, not help Americans. 

Watch the full documentary at the link HERE.

Topline quotes:

“When the internal combustion engine came along, you didn’t need a government subsidy to build gas stations. The market demanded filling stations along the roadways and people built them – they’re still building them today. Why does it take a government subsidy to build a charging station? It’s because they’re trying to force something in the market where government has no place forcing it in the market. Pushing EVs through government subsidies and regulations, I think, is bad policy.”

"[EVs are] being billed as the solution to a climate issue and they’re not [the solution]. 13.49% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from the United States. 29% of that comes from Transportation. Then you look at all of Transportation which includes planes, trains, and automobiles. Only 57% of the emissions come from light duty trucks and passenger vehicles. So now you’re down at 2.2% of global greenhouse gas emissions come from U.S. light duty trucks and passenger vehicles. If we were totally serious about reducing carbon emissions, there would be a much greater focus on nuclear power."

"We’re doubling down on wind and solar and we’re doubling down on EVs when there’s a lot bigger piece of the pie that could be captured by building nuclear power plants and either keeping the hydro that we have or expanding the hydro that we have.”

"[China] doesn’t have a free market system, but they use their government-controlled system to unfairly compete in our free market system."

Boozman Earns Salvation Army’s “Fight for Good” Award

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) was recognized with the “Fight for Good” award by the Salvation Army for his advocacy of policy priorities that support vulnerable populations during the 118th Congress.

The Salvation Army presented its “Fight for Good” award to lawmakers who demonstrate exceptional leadership and champion policies in support of its mission to alleviate poverty and prevent homelessness throughout the United States.

“I greatly appreciate the tireless work of the Salvation Army and its members to better the lives of Arkansans and Americans. It is an honor to receive this recognition from such a storied and admirable organization whose values we all share. I look forward to continuing my efforts to support those in need,” Boozman said.

Approximately 2,700 Arkansans experienced homelessness in 2019, marking a 33 percent decline since 2007.

The Salvation Army provides food, shelter, eviction prevention assistance, emergency disaster relief, rehabilitation, after-school and summer youth programs, spiritual enrichment and more at over 6,400 centers of operation around the country.

Salvation Army National Commander Kenneth Hodder, Commissioner Jolene Hodder, National Advisory Board Chairman Marc Belton, and Special Representative to Capitol Hill Captain Trey Jones present Sen. John Boozman with the Fight for Good award.

2023 GDP in Arkansas’ 10 largest counties was almost 67% of state total

Of the top 10 largest Arkansas counties by GDP, only Washington County posted a GDP (gross domestic product) decline – down 0.6% – between 2022 and 2023, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA).

The BEA county and metro area GDP numbers were posted Wednesday (Dec. 4), and are the most recent metro and county GDP numbers available.

Arkansas’ GDP ended 2023 at $142.86 billion, up 2.4% compared with $139.56 billion in 2022. Of Arkansas’s top 10 counties by GDP, only Craighead and Washington counties had percentage changes below that of the state. Following are the top 10 counties by GDP, with percentage increase from 2022.
• Pulaski: $31.61 billion, up 3.2%
• Benton: $19.712 billion, up 3.1%
• Washington: $13.24 billion, down 0.6%
• Sebastian: $7.271 billion, up 3%
• Craighead: $5.482 billion, up 1.1%
• Faulkner: $4.414 billion, up 4.4%
• Mississippi: $3.823 billion, up 8.6%
• Garland: $3.654 billion, up 2.7%
• Pope: $3.165 billion, up 7.6%
• Saline: $3.072 billion, up 5.3%

2023 GDP in Arkansas’ 10 largest counties was almost 67% of state total

Warren Stephens to be nominated as U.S. Ambassador to United Kingdom

KUAR | By Roby Brock / Talk Business & Politics

President-elect Donald Trump announced Monday (Dec. 2) that he will nominate Warren Stephens, chair, president and CEO of Little Rock-based Stephens Inc., as the U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom.

Stephens Inc. is a privately held, independent financial services firm headquartered in Little Rock. Stephens has 28 offices worldwide and employs more than 1,200 people. It has offices in London, England and Frankfurt, Germany, two of the largest financial centers in Europe.

In a statement on his Truth Social account, Trump said:

“I am pleased to announce that Warren A. Stephens, one of the most successful businessmen in the Country, has been nominated to serve as the United States Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s, a role in which he will act as our Representative to the United Kingdom. Over the last 38 years, while serving as the President, Chairman, and CEO of his company, Stephens Inc., Warren has built a wonderful financial services firm, while selflessly giving back to his community as a philanthropist.

Warren Stephens to be nominated as U.S. Ambassador to United Kingdom

Talk Business & Politics

New probiotic shown to improve digestion in poultry and swine

By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A novel probiotic has been developed as a direct-fed microbial in both poultry and swine feed to improve gut health and weight-gain efficiency. Additionally, feed cost savings may be realized through greater utilization of soybean meal in diets.

NEW PROBIOTIC — A probiotic made from a Bacillus strain isolated by poultry science researchers was found to also be beneficial for swine gut health. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

The probiotic, which is a beneficial bacterium, is made from a Bacillus-strain isolated by poultry science researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and is being co-developed by KENT Nutrition Group.

KENT licensed the patented technology from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and is currently making probiotic-infused poultry and swine feed with the Bacillus strain. The experiment station is the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

“We are grateful for our second novel technology collaboration with UADA,” said Kale Causemaker, senior director of sales and business development for Innovative Solutions, a division of KENT. “These discoveries help improve animal agriculture sustainability and welfare. We are excited and optimistic to have this probiotic commercially available for producers in 2025.”  

Bacillus-strain advantages

Advantages of a Bacillus-strain probiotic, compared to common probiotic microorganism of the Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, include its ability to survive higher temperatures and lower pH environments.

The non-genetically modified Bacillus bacterium also eliminates the need for multiple genetically modified enzymes that are added to animal feeds to help the animal break down ingredients in protein sources such as soybean meal.

Being heat- and pH-stable improves survivability rate in the animal’s gastrointestinal tract and feed processing such as the manufacture of pelleted feed. The strain was originally found to work well in poultry diets and preliminary data suggest the probiotic may also work well in swine.

Overcoming a problem

Billy Hargis, distinguished professor of poultry science, said experiment station studies on the Bacillus strain showed it increased the animals’ ability to digest non-starch polysaccharides in protein sources such as soybean meal. Hargis is also director of the John Kirkpatrick Skeels Poultry Health Laboratory for the experiment station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

Non-starch polysaccharides are difficult-to-digest carbohydrates found in soybean meal, which serves as the primary source of protein for both layer and broiler chickens, as well as turkeys and swine, Hargis explained.

“The problem with these non-starch polysaccharides is that they cannot be digested and utilized by the animal, but rather they feed detrimental populations of microbes within the gut, adding to intestinal inflammation and susceptibility to other causes of enteric disease,” Hargis said.

The strain of Bacillus by KENT was isolated by former post-doctoral researcher Kyle Teague under the co-advisement of Hargis and Samuel Rochell. Teague is now the director of poultry nutrition at Life Products, Inc., in Nebraska, and Rochell is now an associate professor of poultry nutrition at Auburn University.

From lab to market

The Division of Agriculture’s Technology Commercialization Office, or TCO, shepherded the Bacillus-strain’s patent-pending status and commercial licensing to KENT.

“Translating research to commercial products is the name of the game,” said Parker Cole, associate director of TCO. “We always enjoy working with industry and have enjoyed working with KENT. They’ve been a great partner to work with and collaborate with, so we’re excited to see these products go into the marketplace.”

Earlier this year, Innovative Solutions also released EFFICOR, an L. plantarum probiotic for swine that was developed in conjunction with Division of Agriculture researchers. Research trials showed EFFICOR helped improve body weight gain and feed efficiency in growing and finishing pigs, with nearly $2 per pig cost savings because of improved efficiencies at the time of the trials, Cole said. The foundational research for EFFICOR came from Jiangchao Zhao, former professor of animal science for the Division of Agriculture.

“Our office sits at the interface of academic innovation and commercialization,” said Cole. “Being able to take a technology that was developed here, work with industry, confirm that it works in a particular product or formulation, and have that company excited about it to where they want to license it and implement it in their portfolio, I think that speaks to the research quality and to the inventors that we have within the Division of Agriculture.”

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

Tyson Foods to shutter two more plants, cut 229 jobs

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Two small Tyson Foods’ plants in Philadelphia are slated to close over the next two months. The Original Philly cook beef plant and the Original Philly raw plant acquired by Tyson Foods in 2017 will close by Jan. 31.

The news came from a federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN notice) filed with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania this past week.

The plants employ 229 workers who prepare Philly steak products for Tyson’s prepared food business. Tyson has not yet said if the production will be shifted to another facility. Tyson Foods said it is working with state and local officials to provide additional resources to those who are impacted by the plant closures.

“After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to close our two Prepared Foods facilities in Philadelphia to increase the efficiency of our operations. We understand the decision’s impact on our team members and the local community,” Tyson Foods said in an email to Talk Business & Politics.

Tyson Foods to shutter two more plants, cut 229 jobs

Healthgrades Awards UAMS Five Stars for Cardiac, Critical Care

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) has received five-star ratings for its treatment of heart failure and sepsis from Healthgrades, the leading resource used by consumers to find a health care provider.

The 2025 ratings for clinical excellence are based on data collected from about 4,500 hospitals nationwide on all Medicare patients who used hospital in-patient services in 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Paul Mounsey, M.D., professor and chair of the UAMS Division of Cardiology in the Department of Internal Medicine, said he appreciated the recognition — for the second consecutive year — of UAMS’ treatment of heart failure.

Healthgrades Awards UAMS Five Stars for Cardiac, Critical Care

Boozman, Welch Lead Push to Protect Access to Medicare Services

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Peter Welch (D-VT), along with 39 of their colleagues, are calling on Senate leaders to protect access to Medicare services by ensuring health care providers who treat Medicare patients are adequately compensated for the care they deliver.

The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is proposing a rule to cut payments to Medicare-serving physicians by 2.8 percent in 2025. This would represent the fifth consecutive year that reimbursement rates were reduced.

“Persistent instability in the health care sector––due, in part, to consistent payment cuts––impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care,” the senators wrote to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell. “These continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices––especially in rural and underserved areas––to care for their communities. Some practices have limited the number of Medicare patients they see, or the types of services offered.”

Text of the letter can be found below and here.

Dear Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell:

We write to request that you urgently address the 2.8 percent cut to Medicare payments that will go into effect on January 1, 2025. Failure to address these cuts will threaten the continued ability of physicians and other healthcare providers to care for their patients.

On November 1, 2024, the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released the Calendar Year 2025 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) Final Rule, which includes provisions subjecting all physicians and other clinicians treating Medicare patients in the outpatient setting to a 2.8 percent payment cut. The scheduled cut represents the fifth consecutive year that CMS has issued a fee schedule lowering payments to physicians and other clinicians.

Persistent instability in the health care sector–due, in part, to consistent payment cuts–impacts the ability of physicians and clinicians to provide the highest quality of care. These continued payment cuts undermine the ability of independent clinical practices–especially in rural and underserved areas–to care for their communities. Some practices have limited the number of Medicare patients they see, or the types of services offered.

In addition to addressing the looming 2.8 percent payment cut, Congress must develop long-term legislative solutions to reform the Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act (MACRA), such as enacting targeted reforms to statutory budget neutrality requirements and payment updates reflective of inflationary pressures. These efforts are critical to supporting patient access to high-quality Medicare-covered services and bolstering our healthcare workforce.

On behalf of patients and healthcare providers, we look forward to working together to address the 2.8 percent payment cut and create stability in the Medicare program for our nation’s seniors.

We appreciate your attention to this critical matter.

Sincerely,

Traditional Thanksgiving meal cost down 5% from 2023

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Families celebrating Thanksgiving with a traditional turkey dinner could pay about 5% less than a year ago, with the cost averaging $58.50 for a group of 10. The 2024 estimated cost is below the $61.17 in 2023, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

A Thanksgiving meal is still 19% more expensive than in 2019 as food inflation has remained sticky since the pandemic. Turkey prices are cheaper this year with supply outpacing demand. The average price for a 16-pound turkey is $25.67, about 6% cheaper than a year ago. Several retailers discounted turkey prices since the survey was completed the first week of November.

“The turkey is traditionally the main attraction on the Thanksgiving table and is typically the most expensive part of the meal,” said AFBF Economist Bernt Nelson. “The American turkey flock is the smallest it’s been since 1985 because of avian influenza, but overall demand has also fallen, resulting in lower prices at the grocery store for families planning a holiday meal.”

Traditional Thanksgiving meal cost down 5% from 2023

Second Arkansas Graveler bike event set for early June

by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)

The Ozark Foundation’s second annual Arkansas Graveler, a five-day bike journey across county and forest backroads from the Ouachita National Forest in western Arkansas to scenic Greers Ferry Lake in north central Arkansas, will take place June 3-8, 2025.

The event will begin in Mena on June 3 and finish in Heber Springs on June 8. The course is known as The Bigfoot Route.

Approximately 400 touring and recreational cyclists from across the country are expected to participate in the ride which will include four stops in host communities along the route.

Second Arkansas Graveler bike event set for early June

UAM Forestry Club shines at Texas Timbersports Competition

By Traci Rushing
U of A System Division of Agriculture – UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources

MONTICELLO, Ark. — The UAM Forestry Club demonstrated exceptional skill and teamwork at the Lake Striker Axe Days competition in Texas on Nov. 2, securing a 2nd place overall finish.

Forestry colleges across the West Gulf gathered to compete in both physical and technical events hosted by the Sylvans, the forestry club and timber sports team at Stephen F. Austin University. For participating teams, the competition serves as an opportunity to bond as a club, network with other clubs across the region and practice for the Association of Southern Forestry Clubs Annual Conclave.

SAWING AWAY — Competitors in the log sawing competition. (UAM photo)

Nine UAM Forestry Club students, led by Laura Sims, traveled to the competition to compete in both technical and physical events. Technical events are designed to test the competitor’s knowledge and expertise in the field of forestry, while the physical events date back to the 19th century when lumberjacks would have friendly competitions outside of working hours to pass the time on a job site.

The UAM team’s impressive performance with technical events highlights the strength of the UAM forestry program and the hard work and discipline of its students. Team members Evan Beaver and Corbin Armon excelled in the wood identification and DBH estimation competitions leading the club to tie for 1st place in the technical events category.

“This group of students demonstrated a great attitude and showed enthusiasm in every event. Their success is a testament to the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources’ commitment to forestry education and its dedication to training students in both the technical and practical aspects of the discipline,” said Sims.

“I’m proud of our forestry club; they have a great dynamic together and with their peers at other forestry programs around the Southeast,” said Michael Blazier, dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and director of the Arkansas Forest Resource Center. “Their strong showing at this event is a testament to their work ethic and the guidance they get from their advisors and volunteers who help them. I’m also happy that Dr. Sims, who is director of our new Arkansas Forest Health Research Center, is as passionate about student success as she is her research program.”

Lake Striker Axe Days is held in preparation for the Association of Southern Forestry Clubs’ 66th Annual Conclave which will be hosted by Alabama A&M University in March of 2025 at Huntsville, Alabama. The 67th Annual Conclave will be hosted in Monticello by the UAM Forestry Club in March of 2026. 

The mission of the UAM Forestry Club is to educate others about natural resources, support the community, and provide students in natural resources with a welcoming group for assistance and friendship. For more information on the UAM Forestry Club and the forestry program, visit the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources’ website.

Little Rock hosts PGA Champions Tour

KUAR | By Brock Sheets

The Simmons Bank Championship, the second of three Charles Schwab Cup tournaments, concluded last month and crowned a winner in Little Rock. The tournament had several legends from the Professional Golfers Association in attendance. There were 54 golfers in total competing, including World of Golf Hall of Famers Ernie Els and Padraig “Paddy” Harrington.

Their long drives, straight chips, and calculated putts reflected their dedication to the game. Tracy West, Pro Links Sports’ executive vice president of PGA Tour tournaments, spoke on the impact of these golfing pros at a press conference last September.

“The beautiful thing about the PGA Champions Tour is these guys have made their mark. They’re legends of the game,” she said. “When you literally go, and see them drive off the first tee, and see what they can do, it’s gonna thrill you, excite you, and make you feel incredibly inadequate in your golf game all at the same time.”

Little Rock hosts PGA Champions Tour

Cherokee Nation Entertainment sues Arkansas over passage of anti-casino amendment

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate, Mary Hennigan / Arkansas Advocate

From the Arkansas Advocate:

The Pope County casino license holder sued the state of Arkansas Friday after voters approved a statewide ballot initiative that repealed the license and requires countywide elections for future casinos in the state.

Plaintiffs have asked a federal judge to declare the amendment unconstitutional and issue a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to prevent the amendment from taking effect on Nov. 13.

Arkansans supported the constitutional amendment, known as Issue 2, on Tuesday 637,110 to 505,038, according to complete but unofficial results from the secretary of state’s office. The majority of voters in seven counties, including Pope County, rejected the proposed amendment.

Cherokee Nation Entertainment sues Arkansas over passage of anti-casino amendment

Legends Resort & Casino

A rendering of Legends Resort & Casino in Pope County.

Osage Ramen fusion dish wins Mathis new Top Chef NWA award

By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A recipe that paid homage to the Osage Nation won Chef Roni Mathis the title of 2024 Top Chef NWA.

TOP CHEF NWA — Roni Mathis of the Arkansas Food Innovation Centers at the Market Center of the Ozarks won the Top Chef NWA competition on Oct. 25. The event is a fundraiser for the Rogers Public Library Foundation. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Mathis, a chef with the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks (AFIC@MCO), bested three other competitors in the event sponsored by the Rogers Public Library Foundation in Lowell with her Osage Ramen, which combines flavors that she said “tells the story of the local landscape and honors the traditions of the Osage people.”

“It’s an honor to create a dish that not only celebrates the unique flavors of our local ingredients but also honors the legacy of the Osage people,” said Mathis, the center’s commissary and research and development manager. “At AFIC@MCO, we’re passionate about showcasing the richness of our region in every dish, while supporting the next generation of food entrepreneurs.”

Mathis’s Osage Ramen used locally foraged ingredients and a fusion of traditional and modern techniques. The ingredients included sassafras, pine, lotus, Asian carp narutomaki, sumac-pickled daikon radish, hickory-smoked mushroom and bacon.

“We are incredibly proud of Chef Mathis for this well-deserved recognition,” Darryl Holliday, executive director of AFIC@MCO, said. “Her culinary expertise and commitment to our mission — fostering the innovation and prosperity of northwest Arkansas’ small food businesses — are invaluable assets to AFIC@MCO.”

Holliday went on to say the Top Chef NWA award reflects the center’s commitment to regional excellence, the community’s potential to lead the future of food, and is “a testament to Chef Mathis’s dedication to highlighting local food culture and providing a platform for regional food entrepreneurs to thrive.”

AFIC@MCO — Darryl Holliday is the director of the Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks, a unit of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Chef Casey Coverdell, the Walmart AMP executive artist catering chef, won the Crowd Favorite Award with his main dish of Pastrami Short Rib and pumpkin risotto. The event, a fundraiser for the Rogers Public Library, was held at Metro Appliances and More in Lowell on Oct. 25.

The Arkansas Food Innovation Center at the Market Center of the Ozarks is a unit of the of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The original Arkansas Food Innovation Center is based at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville.

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.

Results: 2024 Arkansas General Election

KUAR | By Daniel Breen, Josie Lenora, Maggie Ryan

Several national, state and local races were decided on Election Day in Arkansas. Here’s a roundup of some of the most prominent races statewide, and here in central Arkansas.

U.S. House of Representatives

All four Republican incumbent members of Arkansas’ delegation to the U.S. House of Representatives won re-election Tuesday. In the 2nd Congressional District, which encompasses most of Little Rock, Rep. French Hill beat his Democratic challenger, Col. Marcus Jones.

Jones said he’s proud of the campaign he ran to unseat the longtime incumbent. He called Hill to concede the race Tuesday night. In his concession speech, he thanked voters and spoke about reproductive rights.

Results: 2024 Arkansas General Election

John Sykes /Arkansas Advocate

The Arkansas State Capitol building in Little Rock.

Attorney General Griffin and 30-state coalition announce opioid settlement with Kroger

Griffin: ‘I am grateful to the bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general who worked together on behalf of their citizens to hold Kroger accountable’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing that Arkansas will receive up to $13,535,086.30 as its share of a $1.37 billion settlement with Arkansas, 29 other states, and Kroger over its role in the opioid crisis:

“Opioid addiction continues to be a scourge in Arkansas and our nation. I am pleased with this settlement as the funds will go to opioid abatement. I am grateful to the bipartisan coalition of state attorneys general who worked together on behalf of their citizens to hold Kroger accountable.”

Arkansas’s share will be paid over 11 payments through 2034. Kroger has agreed to injunctive relief that requires its pharmacies to monitor, report, and share data about suspicious activity related to opioid prescriptions.

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Between 2006 and 2014, Arkansas was flooded with almost 1.5 billion units of addictive opioids. By 2016, Arkansas had the second-highest opioid prescription rate in the nation, with 114.6 opioids being dispersed for every 100 Arkansans.

In November 2023, Griffin announced a grant of $50 million of the state’s opioid settlement funds to help establish the National Center for Opioid Research & Clinical Effectiveness (NCOR) at Arkansas Children’s Hospital.

To read the settlement, click here.