Land-grant faculty, staff earn honors at annual Ag Awards

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Outstanding land-grant faculty and staff were honored Friday during the annual Agriculture Awards, held at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences.

AG AWARDS — Amanda McWhirt, associate professor and extension specialist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture,  spoke on behalf of the Expanding the Fresh-Market Blackberry Industry Team, which won the John W. White Outstanding Team Award. (U of A System Division of Ag photo.)

The event recognizes the achievements of those from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, representing the extension, research and teaching missions of the nation’s land-grant system in Arkansas.

“These awards do more than recognize the excellence in our ranks. Since our winners are nominated by their colleagues, these awards are an acknowledgement of the esteem in which their peers hold them,” said Deacue Fields, vice president-agriculture for the University of Arkansas System. “Nothing could be more gratifying for our professionals and our organization.” 

The following were honored with John W. White Awards, which commemorate the first head of the Division of Agriculture.

• John W. White Outstanding Research Award – Kristen Gibson, professor of food safety and microbiology, who joined the Division of Agriculture in 2010 as a postdoctoral research associate in the Center for Food Safety.

• John W. White Outstanding Teaching Award – Nathan Kemper, an associate professor of community and rural economic development and the director of undergraduate and online programs in the department of agricultural economics and agribusiness.

• John W. White Outstanding Extension State Faculty Award – Laura Hendrix, professor, department of family and consumer sciences.

• John W. White Outstanding County Extension Educator Award – Brad McGinley, Grant County extension staff chair.

• John W. White Outstanding Team Award – Expanding the Fresh-Market Blackberry Industry Team: Aaron Cato, extension specialist-horticulture integrated pest management; Amanda McWhirt, extension specialist-horticulture crops, Jackie Lee, director of the Fruit Research Station, and Margaret Worthington, fruit breeder, all of the department of horticulture; and Renee Threlfall, associate professor, department of food science.

The following were honored with Outstanding Support Personnel Awards.

Program Area Awards

• Daniel McCarty – Rice breeding program associate based at the Rice Research and Extension Center.

• Julian Abram – Program technician in the biological and agricultural engineering department.

 Support Function Awards

• Dwain Ober – Farm foreman, Fruit Research Station.

• Karen DiCicco – Assistant director of information technology, Cooperative Extension Service.

Support Staff Awards 

• Genean Butler – Associate for administration for agriculture and natural resources.

• Tonya Foster – Administrative manager for the department of agricultural economics and agribusiness

EXTENSION — John Anderson, director of the Cooperative Extension Service and senior associate vice president-extension for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, speaks at the 2024 Agriculture Awards. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

John Anderson, head of the Cooperative Extension Service, said that “our Agriculture Awards give us an annual reminder of the exceptional work being done in the Division of Agriculture and in Bumpers College across all or our land-grant mission areas. 

“This year’s awardees are all highly deserving of recognition for the quality and the impact of their work. Our Extension winners – both individually and in their contribution to interdisciplinary teams – have clearly earned the respect of their colleagues,” he said. “Their work in linking the UA System directly to our stakeholders with practical, relevant, and impactful programming deserves to be recognized and celebrated. These awards give us an opportunity to do just that.”

“The faculty and staff we recognize this year are a testament to the level of achievement we aim for as an institution. They reflect our values and our mission to innovate and improve people’s lives,” said Jean-François Meullenet, director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. “I am grateful for how these awardees set the standard for excellence with their impactful work.”

The following were honored with Bumpers College Awards:

• Outstanding Honors Thesis Mentor Award – Gisela Erf, an immunologist and holder of the Tyson Endowed Professorship in Avian Immunology in the department of poultry science and with the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science.

• Alumni Society Outstanding Advising – Stephanie Hubert, a senior instructor of apparel merchandising and product development in Bumpers College’s School of Human Environmental Sciences.

• Jack G. Justus Teaching – Christopher Estepp, associate professor in the department of agricultural education, communications and technology.

• Dean’s Award of Excellence for Professional Staff – Kristin Seals, associate director of facilities and special events with the Bumpers College dean’s office.

• Spitze Land Grant University Faculty Award for Excellence – Walter Bottje, professor in the department of poultry science.

BUMPERS COLLEGE — Jeff Edwards, dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, speaks at the 2024 Agriculture Awards. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

Jeff Edwards, dean of Bumpers College, offered his “congratulations to everyone who is receiving an award. It gives me great pleasure to acknowledge members of the college faculty and staff who are being honored.

“We have the best faculty and staff on campus and these awards are a small way of recognizing all that they do,” Edwards said. “Their dedication to serving students, and others, stands out and I’m proud to have them representing Bumpers College as recipients of their respective awards.”

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. 

Extension financial expert offers filing tips for 2023 tax season

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — With the start of tax season on Jan. 29, the Internal Revenue Service has begun accepting and processing 2023 tax year returns. The standard deduction, which is adjusted annually for inflation, increased for tax year 2023 and will also increase for tax year 2024.

TAX TIPS — Laura Hendrix, extension associate professor of personal finance and consumer economics for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said it's important for taxpayers to gather and organize necessary documents and information before filing for the 2023 tax year. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

Laura Hendrix, extension associate professor of personal finance and consumer economics for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said a taxpayer may choose to take the standard deduction or to itemize their deductions.

“There are several factors that can influence a taxpayer’s choice, including changes to their tax situation, any changes to the standard deduction amount and recent tax law changes,” Hendrix said. “Generally, most taxpayers use the option that gives them the lowest overall tax, and most people take the standard deduction, which changes each year for inflation.”

Hendrix said deductions are subtracted from a taxpayer’s income to determine adjusted gross income, or AGI, which is the amount on which an individual pays taxes.

“The more deductions you have, the lower your AGI and the less you will pay in taxes,” Hendrix said. “Deductions can reduce the amount of a taxpayer’s income before they calculate the tax they owe.”

Itemized deductions that taxpayers may claim include state and local income or sales tax, real estate and personal property taxes, home mortgage interest, personal casualty and theft losses from a federally declared disaster, gifts to a qualified charity and unreimbursed medical and dental expenses that exceed 7.5 percent of AGI.

Hendrix said the amount of one’s standard deduction depends on a taxpayer’s filing status, age, whether they are blind and whether the taxpayer is claimed as a dependent by someone else.

“Generally, if a taxpayer’s itemized deductions are larger than their standard deduction, it makes sense for them to itemize,” she said. “Taxpayers who choose to itemize deductions should read the instructions for Schedule A and complete Form 1040, Itemized Deductions.”

Standard deduction amounts for tax year 2023, filing in 2024:

• For married couples filing jointly: $27,000, up $1,800 from 2022

• For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately: $13,850, up $900 from 2022

• For heads of households: $20,800, up $1,400 from 2022

Standard deduction amounts for tax year 2024, filing in 2025:

• For married couples filing jointly: $29,200, up $1,500 from 2023

• For single taxpayers and married individuals filing separately: $14,600, up $750 from 2023

• For heads of households: $21,900, up $1,100 from 2023

Preparation is key

The IRS expects more than 128 million individual tax returns to be filed by the April 15, 2024, tax deadline. Hendrix said it’s important for individuals and families to keep organized records for tax filing.

“It’s like getting all your ingredients ready before preparing a meal, though not as fun,” Hendrix said.

To do things “quickly and the right way,” Hendrix said taxpayers should have the following information ready before sitting down to file:

• Social security numbers for yourself, your spouse and any dependents

• Last year’s tax returns — federal and state

• All of your W-2 forms if you were paid as an employee

• All of your 1099 forms if you were paid, for example, as an independent contractor

• Forms received from bank and investment accounts detailing interest earned, capital gains and losses and retirement account contributions

• If you run your own business, a list of business expenses to see if they are deductible

• Mortgage and property tax statements

• Charitable contributions

• Unreimbursed medical expenses

• Education expenses

• Child or dependent care expenses

Tax credits

Hendrix said the Earned Income Tax Credit is a refundable credit. “If you have worked and earned income under $59,187 in 2023, you may qualify,” she said. “Even if you know you won’t owe any taxes, you should still file for EITC. The credit will be sent to you as a refund.”

• Child Tax Credit (CTC) and Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC) are tax credits for filers with qualifying dependents. The Child Tax Credit is worth a maximum of $2,000 per qualifying child. Up to $1,600 is refundable as the Additional Child Tax Credit. CTC is applied to the tax bill, and ACTC is refundable. Children must be under the age of 17 and must have lived with the taxpayer for more than half the year.

• Child and Dependent Care Credit: Tax filers may claim between 20 and 35 percent of care expenses, up to $3,000 for one qualifying individual or $6,000 for two or more qualifying individuals. Expenses paid for the care of a qualifying individual are eligible expenses if the primary reason for paying the expense is to assure the individual's well-being and protection. The percentage claim allowed (20-35 percent) is based on income, with lower-income filers receiving a higher percentage allowed for the credit.

The IRS Tax Assistant at  www.irs.gov/help/ita is an online tool and calculator that can help filers determine qualification and estimate amounts.

Filing resources

The IRS encourages taxpayers to file electronically with direct deposit, as this is the fastest and easiest way to receive a refund.

“Avoid advanced refund options offered by tax preparers that charge high fees,” Hendrix added.

IRS Free File

• If your income is $79,000 or less, you qualify for a free federal tax return. Access free online tax preparation and filing at an IRS partner site through IRS Free File.

• If your income is more than $79,000, you can access fillable forms to prepare your own return without assistance.

• irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free

MyFreeTaxes

• United Way provides MyFreeTaxes in partnership with the IRS’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program to help filers prepare their tax returns on their own or have their return prepared for them for free. Consumers making less than $60,000 qualify for free tax prep.

• myfreetaxes.com

In-person tax prep

• VITA and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) do free tax prep in person. For locations, visit treasury.gov/freetaxprepv or on the AARP Tax Aid at www.aarp.org/money/taxes/aarp_taxaide/locations.html

Tax filing assistance for Military

• MilTax e-filing software is free for service members, eligible family members and survivors.

• mil/financial-legal/taxes/miltax-military-tax-services/

For more information, visit IRS.gov. For extension resources on personal finance, visit uaex.uada.edu/money.

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.