Sanders Signs an Executive Order Concerning Food Insecurity in Arkansas

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS: 

E.O. 24-18: EXECUTIVE ORDER CONCERNING FOOD INSECURITY IN ARKANSAS
 
WHEREAS: According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Arkansas has the highest level of food insecurity in the nation. In Arkansas, 567,110 people are facing hunger, and of that number, 168,430 are children. According to Feeding America, that is 1 in 5 Arkansans and 1 in 4 Arkansas children. It’s clear that our state is in critical need of comprehensive solutions to address these sobering statistics and ensure that all Arkansans have access to sufficient and nutritious food.
 
WHEREAS: It is the policy of my administration to increase the efficiency of state government to better serve the citizens of Arkansas. The State of Arkansas can help meet the current needs of Arkansans by identifying regulatory burdens that may hinder state agencies from contributing to the fight against hunger.
 
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas, do hereby order the following:

1. All department secretaries are directed to conduct a thorough review of the regulations, policies, and procedures of their agencies to identify any items that may be contributing to or exacerbating food insecurity in Arkansas. This includes, but is not limited to, regulations related to food distribution, eligibility criteria for food assistance programs, and interagency coordination.

2. Department secretaries shall submit a report to the Governor’s Office within 60 days of the issuance of this Executive Order. The report should detail any identified unnecessary regulatory burdens, their impacts on food insecurity, and recommendations for repeal or amendment.

3. Based on the reports submitted, the Governor’s Office will direct departments to develop a plan for repealing or amending regulations that impede efforts to reduce food insecurity.

4. The Governor’s Office will facilitate collaboration among the departments to ensure that regulatory changes are effectively implemented and that departments are aligned in their efforts to combat food insecurity.

5. This Executive Order shall become effective upon its signing and shall remain in full force and effect until the completion of the actions ordered herein.  

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 29th day of October, in the year of our Lord 2024.

Port strike would have impact on U.S. cotton, meat, poultry exports

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

JONESBORO, Ark. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Tuesday that consumers shouldn’t expect food shortages in the near term because of the port strike; however, economists say a long strike could prompt changes on grocery shelves and at the checkout.

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen’s Association went on strike Tuesday after it and the United States Maritime Alliance failed to reach a settlement by the  Sept. 30 deadline.

Nearly 50,000 members of the International Longshoremen's Association have walked off the job, halting port operations on the East and Gulf Coasts. The strike may have impacts on cotton, meat and poultry exports. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image by Scott Stiles.).

The strike has shut down ports along the East Coast and the Gulf of Mexico, key to the movement of U.S. cotton, meat and poultry exports. These commodities are important for Arkansas, which is No. 3 in the U.S. for broilers and cotton, No. 24 in cattle and calves, according to the 2024 Arkansas Agriculture Profile.

USDA said that “our analysis shows we should not expect significant changes to food prices or availability ... we do not expect shortages anytime in the near future for most items.”

USDA also said that bulk shipping of products such as grains would be unaffected by this strike. Bulk grain loading facilities typically operate with their own employees or with different labor unions.  

Cotton and shipping

“Cotton is entirely dependent on containerized shipment,” said Scott Stiles, an extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

According to the National Agricultural Statistics Service, 20 percent of the U.S. cotton crop has been harvested. 

“Eleven-point-eight million bales of the 2024 crop are projected to be exported,” Stiles said. “I would conservatively estimate that 55 percent of the 11.8 million bales would be shipped out of ports affected by this strike.”

Stiles said that some shipments bound for Asia can be diverted to the West Coast. 

“The East Coast has largely handled cotton shipments to markets such as Turkey,” he said. “If the strike is prolonged like the last one in 1977 that lasted six weeks, will Turkey switch its cotton purchases to Brazil or West Africa?”  

U.S. export sales of cotton are already off to the slowest start since 2015, Stiles said, and any “interruption in the U.S. ability to export only makes this situation worse." 

Eight-six percent of U.S. cotton demand is attributed to exports. 

“Producers have watched market prices slide from 85 cents in February to 66 cents in August,” Stiles said. “Prices have recovered recently to the 73- to 74-cent area but have stalled as it became apparent that the port labor dispute would not be resolved by the Sept. 30 deadline."

December cotton futures closed 52 points lower today to settle at 73.09 cents per pound.

Meat and poultry

Should the strike be prolonged, consumers could be seeing changes.

“Approximately 20 percent of broilers are destined for export markets,” said Jada Thompson, poultry economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. With the volume of ocean-bound freight that runs through East Coast ports, the strike “could have very real consequences either in spoiled products, lost revenues, or additional, unexpected storage costs.”

James Mitchell, a livestock economist with the Division of Agriculture, said, “this could have a significant impact on beef and pork trade flows. Beef trade to Mexico, Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, and Honduras, for example, is affected, accounting for approximately 12 percent of beef exports through July 2024. The Caribbean makes up 4 percent of pork exports through July 2024.”

The strike "doesn’t impact all beef and pork exports uniformly.  We export a wide variety of products to many different places. And those products are all valued differently," he said. "The dollar impact will depend on which types of products are affected, the quantities, and the value of those specific export products.”

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. 

Food desert elimination grant combats food insecurity in Arkansas

KUAR | By Sophia Nourani / KUAF

A new study conducted by the federal department of agriculture, or the USDA, has identified Arkansas as the most food insecure state in the country. With almost 20% of the state lacking resources to feed their household, Arkansas has a significantly higher rate of hunger than the national average of 12%.

There is a food desert in every county in Arkansas. What’s a food desert? According to the USDA, it’s a term used to describe a region with a large number of households facing low incomes, inadequate access to transportation and a limited number of food retailers providing fresh, affordable produce. In a rural state like Arkansas, these types of areas are common to find. And while residents may be growing food in these farming-driven communities, CEO of the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance’s Sylvia Blain said the food isn’t for the farmers.

"So, we're an agricultural state," Blain said. "We export a lot of our food, but we're not necessarily growing fresh fruits and vegetables for our communities. So that's one of the reasons you have this level of food insecurity and food deserts in an agricultural state. So that's two different things, the agricultural products and then having fresh fruits and vegetables for your community. But across the board, you know, Arkansas has a high poverty rate, and so along with that comes a lack of transportation, a lack of access to a lot of the resources that we might need, and the inability to gain those resources for yourself. So you know, the root causes are varied."

Food desert elimination grant combats food insecurity in Arkansas

Flickr Image

USDA’s latest farm income estimate a tale of black swans, record yields, tenant farmers

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s latest farm income forecast, showing a somewhat rosier picture than it forecast in February, is a tale of record yields, black swans and tenant farmers.

At left, Hunter Biram, at right, Ryan Loy, both extension economists with the U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.  The two chime in on the implications of the Sept. 5, 2024, farm income update from USDA. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image)

The report, released last Thursday, showed net farm income was expected to decline 4.4 percent, compared to the 22 percent USDA had forecast earlier in the year. The forecast is the result of a complex intertwining of factors including available stocks of commodities, predicted yields and “black swan” events such as the COVID pandemic and persistent drought.

USDA said net farm income was forecast at $140 billion, down 4.4 percent from the previous year.

Broad strokes

The overall farm income report is influenced by expectations for the sales of livestock and poultry and plant commodities. Cash receipts from commodity sales were expected to decrease by $9.8 billion, from $526.3 billion in 2023 to $516.5 billion in 2024.

“The expectations of animal receipts in February was much lower and that was putting downward pressure on everything else,” said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “But now, the USDA  thinks animal receipts are going to offset low crop receipts.”

USDA put the value of production of livestock at $19 billion and the value of crop production at minus $25.6 billion.

Loy said “On the crop receipt side of things — driven mostly by corn and soybeans, because they have the most acreage overall — corn is going to be down about $16 billion. Soybean is going to be down about $8.6 billion.

“What they’re predicting is just the crop receipts alone is going to be down about 10 percent to about $249 billion,” he said.

Record yields

Corn and soybean stocks from the previous growing year were high, and 2024 looks like another high-yield year. USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service was forecasting record corn and soybean yields for the United States, including Arkansas.

Slide from USDA presentation on farm income. ((mage courtesy USDA)

Following supply and demand, those high supplies mean “we don’t have any supply constraints on prices,” Loy said, a situation made worse by the lowering Mississippi River preventing shippers from moving full barges of commodities out to the Gulf of Mexico.

USDA also said the cost of crop production would decline by $4.4 billion, or 1 percent, due to lower costs of inputs such as fertilizer and fuel. Loy said the decline in production costs might have another cause: “They might be a function of leaner operations” that simply aren’t buying as many inputs as they have in previous years.

The forecast said farm sector assets would increase 5.2 percent while debt would increase 4.2 percent.

Farm equity is also a factor in how net farm income is calculated. USDA is forecasting a brighter picture with farm equity increasing 5.3 percent, although it’s unclear whether its equity forecast includes tenants that are non-farm owners — those who rent land to farm.

According to 2017 USDA figures, 6.7 percent of Arkansas farmers are tenants.

“The tenants are the ones who are really going to be impacted this year,” Loy said. “They don’t have as much of their equity in land. Land appreciates over time, whereas tenants typically have equity in depreciable assets, such as machinery.

“In a time where cash on hand is important, having equity in machinery versus land means you may only recover a portion of your debt obligation through sales of machinery,” Loy said.

Shifting from market-based to emergency-based

Government assistance to farmers was another significant shift under the report’s surface, said Hunter Biram, an extension economist with the Division of Agriculture. Biram is also associate director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center. This assistance is also included in the calculations for net farm income.

USDA said direct government payments were forecast to decline $1.8 billion, or 15.1 percent from 2023 to 2024.

There are several types of government assistance to agriculture: programs that provide a safety net from commodity market fluctuations, supplemental assistance in case of natural disaster, resource conservation incentive programs and ad hoc programs.

ARC, or Agriculture Risk Coverage, and PLC, or Price Loss Coverage, are market-based programs that financially protect farmers from substantial drops in crop prices or revenues. Both programs are legacies of the 2014 Farm Bill. Non-market-based assistance available to farmers includes ERP, or Emergency Relief Program, and ad hoc programs such as the Pandemic Assistance Revenue Program, Coronavirus Food Assistance Program and the Pandemic Market Volatility Assistance Program.

“What I find particularly interesting is that shift in proportion of assistance from majority ARC and PLC — market-based assistance — to majority supplemental assistance and ad hoc assistance,” he said.

“From 2015-18, the percentage of government assistance attributed to these market-based programs averaged about 48 percent,” Biram said. “Supplemental programs, that average was about 18 percent and conservation programs was about 31 percent.

“Now, if you look at 2019 through the 2024 report released on Sept. 5, the ARC-PLC percentage is 7 percent, the supplemental proportion is 69 percent, and conservation is 22 percent,” he said.

“The implication I see immediately is that the current market-based programs are potentially outdated,” he said. “They were written for the 2014 Farm Bill with no significant changes in the ’18 Farm Bill.”

Asked if the shift from market-based to ad-hoc was due to higher incidences of natural disasters or other events, Biram said, “it could possibly be from more frequent what people call ‘black swan’ events — these events that have very low probabilities of occurring like the pandemic, like the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

“It could be that supplemental assistance is more feasible to roll out versus changing the existing commodity programs,” he said. “But it doesn’t diminish the fact that the commodity program has not provided adequate risk protection in recent years. I think there is an implication for an improved safety net. And while these are low-probability events, I don’t think they explain the difference in 48 percent versus 7 percent.”

ERP on its own is another factor in the improved forecast for net farm income, Biram said.

“Most of the government assistance for the years 2022-2024 are the Emergency Relief Program and conservation programs,” Biram said. “ERP assistance for the 2020-2021 crop years was delivered in two phases in 2022 and 2023. In 2024, another round of phase one payments are projected to be released due to a rule which limited ERP assistance to producers who received federal crop insurance indemnities.”

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter 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 us on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.

Arkansas initiative advances organic farming, diversity

By Jenifer Fouch
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With U.S. organic food sales topping $63 billion last year, the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food wants to help Arkansas farmers grab a larger share of that market.

Arkansas has 107 certified organic farms, most of which are poultry or egg operations, with 19 fruit or vegetable farms, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  That’s an increase from 82 organic farms in 2021, as reported in the latest USDA Certified Organic Survey. However, Luke Freeman, program associate for CAFF, says there’s still room for growth to meet consumer demand, especially in specialty crops.

ORGANIC FARM TOUR -- Participants gather at Peebles Organic Farm on May 23, 2024, for a farm tour as part of CAFF's resources and training. (Photo Credit: Center for Arkansas Farms and Food)

CAFF is leading the Arkansas Organic Agriculture Project, a statewide effort to help producers transition to organic production and promote diversity within the agricultural industry.

“We’re importing a significant amount of organic products that Americans consume, whereas we could be producing those products right here in the U.S. and Arkansas especially,” Freeman said.

According to the Organic Trade Association, U.S. organic food sales have grown yearly since 2013, reaching $63.8 billion in 2023.

Since the Arkansas Organic Agriculture Project started in 2022, CAFF surveyed farmers in Arkansas about barriers to pursuing organic certification. They learned that weed and insect control was a key issue, as was the need to seek out-of-state organic certifiers since Arkansas doesn’t have an in-state option. CAFF is working on addressing these issues with the new project and helping farmers connect with certifiers.

The Arkansas Organic Agriculture Project is part of the Transition to Organic Partnership Program, also known as TOPP, a nationwide effort funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. TOPP’s primary goals are to increase certified organic acreage to meet growing consumer demand and to expand the participation of people from various racial, ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds in organic farming.

Diverse partners

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff plays a key role in this initiative, focusing on engaging these underserved producers.

“UAPB’s long-standing commitment and successful track record in serving small-scale and limited-resource clientele makes the institution uniquely positioned to engage these groups in the area of organic production practices,” said Shaun Francis, extension horticulture specialist at the School of Agriculture, Fisheries and Human Sciences at UAPB. “This type of initiative is very timely as it provides producers another avenue to remain competitive in the agriculture industry.”

Another partner in the project is Black Women in Agriculture, an advocacy group dedicated to increasing the representation of Black women in the industry. Founder and director Kesha Cobb says these efforts are essential because organic growth is a part of the foundation of conservation.  

“We want to usher in a better, more sustainable way of crop production for socially disadvantaged growers and make it plain and attainable so that we can look forward to a new day in agricultural production,” she said.

The Arkansas Organic Agriculture Project offers resources, events, and opportunities in four key priority areas: organic farmer mentorship, technical assistance, community building, and workforce development.

Through mentorship, farmers transitioning to organic practices are paired with experienced organic producers who provide one-on-one guidance on production methods, marketing strategies and the certification process. Experienced organic farmers who sign up to be mentors can receive a stipend.

COMMUNITY BUILDING -- Attendees gather at the Organic Farm Tour at Dripping Springs Garden in Huntsville on June 23, 2024. (Photo Credit: Center for Arkansas Farms and Food)

The project offers technical support through resources such as the Beginning Farmer classes, an online video library at CAFF, and the Arkansas Organic Network, a platform for farmers, agricultural support organizations, advisors, suppliers, and buyers to share resources and collaborate on solutions to common challenges. It includes a discussion board called the AR Farmer Exchange, where members can find work opportunities, buy and sell farm equipment and livestock, and coordinate bulk purchasing.

The workforce development component of the project includes training organic inspectors, developing practices among agriculture advisors, and providing additional training to increase the knowledge and resources available to current Arkansas organic farmers.

“Technical assistance and training in the area of organic production offers smaller producers the opportunity to utilize their existing small acreage and receive a premium price for their organic produce,” said Francis. “This initiative complements other diversification efforts such as high tunnel production, micro irrigation, and use of cover crops.”

Upcoming Event: Organic Farm Tour at PrairieWoods Farm

The Arkansas Organic Agriculture Project is holding an organic farm tour at PrairieWoods Farms on Aug. 25 in Sulphur Springs, Arkansas.

This free event will offer participants a firsthand look at practices and techniques used on a certified organic farm with a guided tour and discussions on managing mixed vegetables, using high tunnels and the organic certification process.

“The event provides an excellent opportunity for both current and aspiring organic farmers to learn more about organic farming practices and network with others in the field,” said Freeman.

A training workshop for agriculture professionals and extension agents will also be held on Oct. 2, focusing on techniques and practices for organic weed management in specialty crops.

CAFF director Heather Friedrich leads the Arkansas Organic Agriculture project. Other key leaders in the initiative include TOPP program manager Luke Freeman and CAFF instructor Joe Hannan. Other partners include Winrock International, the Arkansas Natural Soybean and Grain Alliance and the National Center for Appropriate Technology Southeast Office.

Stay up-to-date on the Arkansas Organic Agriculture Project by signing up for the newsletter and checking out the podcast Arkansas Organic Chronicles and other resources.

About the Center for Arkansas Farms and Food

The Center for Arkansas Farms and Food trains farmers and food entrepreneurs with production, business skills and resources to help them develop businesses that sustain ecosystems, land and communities. CAFF is a program of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System 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.

Governor Sanders supports USDA disaster assistance for Arkansas agriculture

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today submitted a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack in support of the request by the Arkansas USDA Farm Service Agency for a Secretarial Disaster Declaration and the Emergency Forest Restoration Program (EFRP).  The letter is linked here.

“My dad was fond of saying that if a country can’t feed itself, fuel itself, or fight for itself, then it cannot survive. Agriculture is Arkansas’ largest industry, contributing more than $20 billion to our economy each year and employing one in seven Arkansans. It is also an integral part of our way of life,” said Governor Sanders. “I am in full support of the recent request by the Arkansas USDA Farm Service Agency for a Secretarial Disaster Declaration and approval of the Emergency Forest Restoration Program.”

The letter is in response to several strong storms that passed through Arkansas in April and May of this year that negatively impacted Arkansas agricultural producers and forest landowners.  Multiple tornadoes from severe storms on May 25-26 caused significant forest damage in northern Arkansas.  The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division estimates that the storms impacted over 24,000 acres of forestland with an estimated loss of $18.4 million.  

Recent storms also caused negative impacts to the livestock and poultry industry through damage to pastureland, fences, and damaged or destroyed poultry houses.  Row crop and specialty crop producers in multiple counties have also experienced significant damage and loss to various crops including apples, grapes, berries, corn, soybeans, cotton, rice, and some grasses.  

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has worked in coordination with the Governor’s office to help the agriculture industry following the damaging storms, including providing more than 40 forestry personnel in cleanup efforts and storm evaluations in affected areas. This assistance has included debris removal and access to roadways and utilities, community assistance with planning for debris removal and tree replanting, and clearing trails and other damage at Hobbs State Park. 

Forest landowners seeking assistance with forest management decisions, individual damage assessments, and value of downed timber should contact a consulting forester.  The Arkansas Department of Agriculture may also be able to provide general education and direction to those impacted by the storms.  Additional information about the Arkansas Department of Agriculture can be found at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture website. 

A compilation of available assistance can be found at helparkansas.com.  

Additional information about USDA Disaster Assistance Programs can be found at the  USDA website.  Further, under A.C.A. 26-51-314, payments from an agricultural disaster program to a cattle farmer or rancher are exempt from state income tax.

UAMS First in Nation to Offer Groundbreaking Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

By Tim Taylor

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is the first medical facility in the United States to provide an innovative therapeutic treatment for major depressive disorder (MDD).

The SAINT® neuromodulation system, developed by Magnus Medical, Inc., has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat adults with depression who have not achieved improvement in their condition from the use of antidepressant medications. SAINT works by leveraging structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans to inform a proprietary algorithm that pinpoints the optimal anatomical target for precise neurostimulation in individuals with major depression.

The treatment is performed on an accelerated, five-day timeline, reducing the patient’s treatment time from weeks to days. In previous clinical trials, treatment with SAINT for MDD resulted in a significant reduction in depressive symptoms at four weeks post-treatment following the five-day treatment protocol. Currently, SAINT can only be provided to patients who are being treated as inpatients.

UAMS First in Nation to Offer Groundbreaking Therapy for Treatment-Resistant Depression

The SAINT neuromodulation system utilizes transcranial magnetic stimulation to treat major depressive disorder.

Biram named associate director of Southern Risk Management Education Center

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Hunter Biram has been named associate director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center, effective June 15.

LEADAER —Hunter Biram has been named associate director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center. (Division of Agriculture photo)

The new role is in addition to his current duties as assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas and as extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The Southern Risk Management Education Center, housed within the Division of Agriculture, is one of four centers nationwide whose mission is to educate farmers and ranchers to manage the unique risks of producing food. The center is funded by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, which is part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The center has served nearly 1 million individual farmers and ranchers in the southern region, empowering them with the skills and tools to effectively manage risk. The southern region encompasses Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“I am excited to have Dr. Biram join our leadership team,” said Ron Rainey, center director and assistant vice president for the Division of Agriculture. “His appointment allows the center to leverage Hunter’s expertise and experience in policy and crop insurance. SRMEC will be able to enhance the depths of our outreach programs.”

Biram brings plenty of experience to the job. He grew up in Floral, Arkansas, working on a diverse family farm operation consisting of a cow-calf herd, broiler chickens, a greenhouse nursery and peach orchard. His applied research and extension program focuses on agricultural production and price risk management using federal crop insurance and commodity programs in the farm bill.

"As associate center director, I plan to raise the profile of and elevate the need for extension risk management education across the Southeast region,” Biram said. “It has become quite clear the need exists for risk management education for producers managing risk with federal crop insurance, especially those who are historically underserved. Additionally, I plan to improve measuring extension scholarship for my colleagues across the region so we can better tell our story as extension specialists to the institutions we serve our states with."

Biram has a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness from Arkansas State University; a Master of Science in Agricultural Economics from Mississippi State University; and a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from Kansas State University.

Biram will work with Rainey and Erica Fields, an associate center director responsible for overseeing the center’s financial operations.

For more information about the Southern Risk Management Education Center, visit http://www.srmec.uada.edu

To learn about 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.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.

Boozman awarded for hunger action and modernizing summer meals program

WASHINGTON – The Congressional Hunger Center honored U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) for leading passage of legislation to ensure kids have access to healthy, nutritious meals during the summer with the organization’s prestigious Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award. 

As ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, Boozman worked with Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) to modernize U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) summer meal programs and permanently allow states flexibilities to reach more food-insecure children in need in addition to authorizing a national summer electronic benefit (EBT) program to eligible families. The pair’s measure was included in a funding package signed into law in December 2022.

“The struggle many families have putting food on the table continues beyond the school year. Senator Stabenow and I recognized USDA’s summer meal program was in desperate need of modernization and worked together to make meaningful updates so children have more opportunities to access healthy food during the summer,” Boozman said. “I’m pleased to accept this award and am committed to ensuring that our nutrition programs remain strong and accessible to Americans in their time of need.”

As a member of the Senate Hunger Caucus, Boozman is working to combat the global food security crisis. The senator is championing bipartisan legislation that creates an innovative approach to tackle the growing international challenge by leveraging private sector dollars to improve food systems.

The Congressional Hunger Center is a bipartisan, nonprofit organization that works to make domestic and international hunger issues a priority to government officials and educates future leaders on ways to fight against hunger.

The Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award is named after Congressional leaders who spent their careers fighting hunger and poverty. Honorees are chosen for their significant contributions to combating hunger in the United States and overseas. They exemplify the determination necessary to make hunger and poverty a focal point in the United States and within Congress.

Congressional Hunger Center Executive Director Shannon Maynard and Bryan Dierlam of Archer Daniels Midland Company present Senator Boozman with the Bill Emerson and Mickey Leland Hunger Leadership Award.

USDA National Appeals Division on the agenda for NALC’s 11th Annual Mid-South Conference

By Tru Joi Curtis
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — What happens next when a farmer is denied enrollment or benefits in a U.S. Department of Agriculture program?

Danielle Lake, deputy regional director of the USDA National Appeals Division, will discuss the best way to approach a USDA appeal at the 11th Annual Mid-South Ag & Environmental Law Conference. (Image courtesy Danielle Lake)

USDA offers an appeal process to farmers who receive a denial, known as an “adverse program decision,” through its National Appeals Division, or NAD. These appeals can arise from a variety of programs including farm loans, farm program payments, conservation programs and more. This process comes with specific rules and procedures that producers and attorneys will need to know about.

Danielle Lake, deputy regional director of the USDA National Appeals Division, will discuss what lawyers and their clients need to know when filing a USDA appeal during the National Agricultural Law Center’s 11th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference, which will be held June 6-7.

During her session, “USDA National Appeals Division 101: What You and Your Farm Client Need to Know,” Lake will share her inside knowledge of the best way to approach a USDA appeal and the process’ impacts.

“NAD is dedicated to conducting impartial appeal hearings of adverse decisions made by the USDA agencies under our jurisdiction,” Lake said. “This is a unique process with special rules, and I’ll address some recent changes and provide pointers that participants will want to know.”

The Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference will be held in Memphis, Tennessee at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphrey School of Law. The conference will also be available via livestream for those unable to participate in person. Registration, agenda and more information is available online.

“This session will be informative to those new to NAD as well as those who have considerable experience with the process,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “As a regional director for NAD, Danielle will provide very unique insight into this unique legal process. Danielle is a terrific presenter and we’re fortunate she’ll be joining us in Memphis this year.”

For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.

For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge to The Feed, the NALC’s twice-monthly newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing agriculture.

About the National Agricultural Law Center

The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.

The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.

New Census of Ag points out differences in risk protection

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Data in the new Census of Agriculture has pointed out some significant differences in risk management programs for farmers, said Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The Census of Agriculture, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, offers a very broad snapshot of the farming sector in its 757 pages. The latest version, 2022 Census of Agriculture, was released Feb. 13. The previous version was released in 2017.

The USDA Risk Management Agency’s “Crop Insurance appears to provide more risk protection than the Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage programs offered by the Farm Service Agency,” Biram said.

Hunter Biram: Census shows differences among risk protection options for farmers. (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo)/td>

Agriculture Risk Coverage and Price Loss Coverage, better known as ARC and PLC,  are offered by FSA to provide financial protection to farmers against drops in crop prices or revenues. On the other hand, Crop Insurance, provided by private companies and subsidized by USDA’s Risk Management Agency, provides coverage against production losses due to drought, hail, frost, hurricanes, excessive moisture, fire, insects, plant disease and other causes.

Biram said the differences between ARC/PLC and crop insurance are “indicated by nearly double the average payments per farm for crop and livestock insurance payments — increasing from $26,388 to $52,819 per farm” since the 2017 census.

Another category that saw increases were government payments from conservation programs, as well as loan deficiency and disaster payments.

“Government payments per farm averaged around 55 percent more between 2017 and 2022, increasing from $13,906 to $21,599 per farm,” Biram said.

“This is driven by myriad factors such as the fact that the most popular crop insurance programs offer a farm-level revenue trigger, compared to FSA programs which provide county-level revenue trigger, so you get more specific, more tailored protection from Crop Insurance relative to ARC or PLC,” he said. “Another driver is the fact that Price Loss Coverage payments have waned across all major program crops in recent years, even in rice.

“Soybeans have never received a PLC payment. Corn and Seed Cotton have received a few PLC payments. There is a chance rice and peanuts do not trigger a PLC payment for the third year in a row.,” he said.

PLC is administered by FSA under Title 1, the commodities portion of the Farm Bill, while federal crop insurance is administered by the Risk Management Agency. For a summary of this public-private partnership, see The Structure of the U.S. Crop Insurance Industry.

For a deeper dive, Biram also has a workbook called the Fundamentals of Federal Crop Insurance.

Census history

The first Census of Agriculture was conducted by the Census Bureau in 1840 across 26 states and the District of Columbia. In 1997, the task was transferred to the National Agricultural Statistics Service and now encompasses all 50 states plus Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Information in the census can be viewed by national, state and county levels, as well as congressional districts, watersheds and zip codes.

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.

Arkansas Department of Agriculture accepting applications for Specialty Crop Block grants

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

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the 2024 Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

These grants are funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to enhance the competitiveness of the Arkansas specialty crop industry. Specialty crops are defined by USDA as fruits, vegetables, horticulture, floriculture, and tree nuts.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture uses a two-phase application process for administering the grant funds. Project concept proposals outlining the project’s goals, tasks, and budget requirements must be submitted by March 1. After all concept proposals are reviewed by an advisory committee, selected projects will be invited to submit detailed project proposals.

Arkansas Department of Agriculture accepting applications for Specialty Crop Block grants

USDA grants $5.6 million for Arkansas food supply chain improvements

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is dedicating $5.6 million to help Arkansas farmers and food distributors access new markets.

$4.2 million of the funding from the USDA’s Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure program will go toward a grant program for producers and distributors in the state.

Jenny Lester Moffit, the USDA Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary, made the announcement at the Arkansas Foodbank in Little Rock on Tuesday. She said the grants will help Arkansas farmers access new markets, and hopefully help improve the rate of food insecurity in the state.

USDA grants $5.6 million for Arkansas food supply chain improvements

Daniel Breen/Little Rock Public Radio

Jenny Lester Moffit, Marketing and Regulatory Programs Under Secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, speaks at the Arkansas Foodbank headquarters in Little Rock on Jan. 9, 2024.

USDA grant supports study of melatonin use in pregnant cows grazing toxic fescue on calf growth

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — With support from a $300,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture grant, the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station is continuing research on the use of a common sleep aid for humans to improve weight gains of calves whose mothers grazed toxic fescue while pregnant.

ULTRASONOGRAPHY — Brittni Littlejohn, assistant professor of animal science, and her graduate student, Carter Culp, conduct Doppler ultrasonography on the uterine artery of a pregnant cow. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Benjamin Aaron)

Brittni Littlejohn, assistant professor of animal science for the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, and her collaborators were awarded the grant by the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture to continue evaluating the use of melatonin in pregnant cows to offset the long-term effects on calves when their mothers graze toxic fescue.

Tall fescue is the most common cool-season forage in the southeastern United States. However, it is often infected with an endophyte fungus that produces ergot alkaloids that are toxic to grazing animals and cause constriction of blood vessels. In a preliminary study for the experiment station, Littlejohn saw decreased uterine artery blood flow in pregnant heifers that consumed toxic fescue seed when compared to endophyte-free fescue seed.

A complex system

The preliminary study also showed calves born to heifers that consumed toxic fescue seed weighed an average of 90 pounds lighter at weaning than those born to heifers that consumed endophyte-free fescue seed during gestation. The effects of the toxic fescue to decrease weight gains continue through yearling age, and ongoing research is evaluating performance of these calves in the feedlot, she added.

Prior research by Littlejohn has shown the potential for melatonin administered to pregnant cattle to improve growth performance of calves. Specifically, melatonin tended to improve birth weights of calves, and significantly improved weaning and post-weaning weights of calves whose mothers consumed toxic fescue seed during gestation, she said.

Supporting evidence from her first study showed that pregnant heifers fed melatonin as a supplement led to recovery of more than 70 percent of the loss in weaning weights of calves whose mothers were fed fescue seed infected with the fungus-produced ergot alkaloid.

“We're working to understand and separate out the impacts on the calf that are directly due to changes in the prenatal environment, such as reduced blood flow to the uterus, versus effects on the mother’s physiology after birth, such as milk production, that may indirectly impact the calf,” Littlejohn said.

The current study began in May with a 70-day treatment period where mature pregnant cattle grazed either toxic fescue or endophyte-free fescue pastures and were supplemented with or without melatonin. Uterine and tail artery blood flow, as well as milk yield and composition, are being evaluated in cows from each treatment. Calves born to cattle from each treatment will be evaluated for differences in metabolic function, microbiome populations and feed efficiency to better understand factors influencing potential differences in calf growth.

The two-year experiment is being conducted at the Livestock and Forestry Research Station in Batesville.  

“The current study is still preliminary, but it is one step closer to the producer,” Littlejohn said. “This is more of a true field study, where those pregnant cows are consuming toxic fescue in a grazing scenario.”

The study will also look at melatonin's potential side effects on the calves.

"There are no known adverse effects, but to our knowledge this is the first time melatonin supplementation has been studied in pregnant cows consuming toxic fescue, and it's a very complex system, so we are closely monitoring animals for potential adverse effects," Littlejohn said.

Because melatonin and toxic fescue have been independently associated with changes to the microbiome, Littlejohn said fecal samples will be collected from pregnant cows and calves born to those cows at various intervals for microbiome analyses.

The melatonin will be given to the pregnant cows in their feed at a dose similar to naturally occurring nighttime levels. Although melatonin is known to help people go to sleep, Littlejohn said she has not observed the cows nodding off in the middle of the day.

The groundwork on this patent-pending protocol shows that melatonin supplementation in pregnant cattle grazing toxic fescue has the potential to improve offspring growth performance and increase producer return on investment.

"We hope to not only start filling a profound gap in the current literature, but also test the potential of melatonin as a cost-effective therapeutic," Littlejohn said.

Division of Agriculture co-investigators include Shane Gadberry, professor, extension livestock specialist, and director of the Batesville research station; Beth Kegley, professor of animal science; Jeremy Powell, professor of animal science; Jiangchao Zhao, professor of animal science. Ken Coffey, an animal science professor with the experiment station.

Co-investigators in the study include Mississippi State University's Rhonda Vann, research professor of cattle growth physiology, and Caleb Lemley, associate professor of reproductive physiology. The sub-award to Mississippi State University researchers is $15,000.

The study is supported by USDA-NIFA grant number 2023-67016-39661. The USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service ranks Arkansas 11th in the nation in beef cows that have calved and beef cow replacement heifers, according to the 2023 Arkansas Agricultural Profile published by the Division of Agriculture.

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

Federal grant to study automation, safety at chicken processing plants

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas is one of the top broiler (chicken) producers in the country and new challenges such as automation, efficiency and pathogen detection will be key issues as the decade continues to unfold. The federal government is poised to aid in the research into those efforts.

Researchers in Arkansas and two other states will use a $5 million grant to increase use of artificial intelligence and robotics in chicken processing to reduce waste in deboning and detect pathogens. The grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture will establish the Center for Scalable and Intelligent Automation in Poultry Processing. The center, led by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will join researchers from five institutions in three states in efforts to adapt robotic automation to chicken meat processing.

Project director Jeyam Subbiah said the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, will receive $2.2 million from the grant primarily to focus on food safety automation for poultry processing plants. The grant is for four years. Subbiah is a professor and head of the food science department for the Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/federal-grant-to-study-automation-safety-at-chicken-processing-plants/

Arkansas growers lay out the season ahead

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas growers expect to plant approximately 52,000 more acres of principal crops in 2023 than they did in 2022, according to a U.S. Department of Agriculture report published March 31. While this is only a small ripple amidst the state’s 7 million acres of farmland, it reflects the encouragement of rallying markets in 2022, tempered by high input costs and unpredictable weather.

HISTORIC PATTERN — These graphs show prospective planting numbers reported by NASS and the actual number of acres planted for four crops across the United States. The prospective numbers reflect survey data from growers across the country; many factors, including weather and market shifts, can affect the actual number of acres planted in the end. (USDA graphic.)

USDA’s annual Prospective Plantings report reflects growers’ intentions and often provides context for global markets. According to last Friday’s report, Arkansas growers intend to plant more than 7 million acres of soybean, rice, cotton and other major crops this year. Nationally, America’s farmers intend to plant more than 318 million acres.

The most notable shift in this year’s intentions is the fall in Arkansas cotton acres, which fell by 25 percent to 480,000 acres. Vic Ford, associate vice president for agriculture and natural resources for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said a combination of high input costs and low market prices likely made the choice a necessary one for many producers.

“High input costs, such as seeds, fertilizer, chemicals, fuel and equipment combined with low crop prices have made cotton less profitable,” Ford said. “Other crops are being favored because of this.”

Cotton acres fell steeply across the entire country as well, with overall acreage falling 18 percent to less than 11.3 million acres.

The acreage isn’t going fallow, however. Hunter Biram, extension economist for the Division of Agriculture, said growers will simply shift those acres to more profitable crops.

The report, based on survey data gathered by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, noted that the drought conditions that deeply affected agriculture throughout the country for much of 2022 began to lessen in the fall and winter months. The country experienced a “record-setting streak with at least 40 percent drought coverage” of 126 weeks, finally ending in February of this year, the report said.

Pasture area was particularly affected by the drought, the report stated.

On a brighter note, although most input prices remain high relative to pre-pandemic markets, many have fallen significantly from their 2022 peak.

“Key nutrient prices are down year-over-year,” Biram said. “According to Bloomberg Green Markets, urea is down 60 percent, DAP is down 33 percent and potash is down 45 percent compared to this time last year. Given this, I think expected harvest time crop prices are driving prospective plantings,” in addition to annual crop rotations.

DAP, or diammonium phosphate, is one of the most commonly used fertilizers in the world.

Writing for Southern Ag Today, Biram noted in an April 3 article that the NASS projections for planted acreage are generally reliable across both Southern agricultural states and the United States more broadly, especially for corn and soybeans.

Winter wheat and feed grains

Arkansas growers expanded wheat acreage by about 5 percent, from 220,000 in 2022 to 230,000 acres. Nationally, winter wheat acres grew by 13 percent.

Jason Kelley, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said that cost-benefit analysis played a strong hand in the shift of acreage toward wheat.

“Winter wheat seedings increased slightly during the fall of 2022, partially due to the reduction in fertilizer costs and attractive grain prices,” Kelley said. “The dry fall was helpful for farmers to get their summer crops harvested ahead of wheat planting, but wet weather in late October and November limited wheat acres in some areas of the state.”

Arkansas hay production appears likely to increase marginally, rising 3 percent to more than 1.1 million acres. Nationally, hay acreage looks to expand by about 2 percent to more than 50.6 million acres.

The state’s corn growers appear optimistic about the crop’s future, increasing acreage 14 percent to 810,000 acres. By comparison, the prediction for all U.S. corn acreage increased by only 4 percent.

There were “no real surprises on the corn side,” Kelley said. “We expected corn acres to be up in 2023 compared to last year’s 750,000 acres. The drop in fertilizer prices along with still relatively high grain prices helped increase interest in corn planting intentions in Arkansas and across the United States as well.

“Last year, corn acres were down in some areas of the state due to wet conditions in April that prevented planting, so this year’s increase is also a reflection of producers trying to get back to their normal crop rotation,” he said.

Rice

Arkansas rice acreage looks to increase by 18 percent over 2022 intentions, to more than 1.3 million acres, accounting for long-, medium- and short-grain varieties. Nationally, growers expect to expand their acreage by 16 percent to nearly 2.6 million acres.

Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said the 2023 numbers were unsurprising.

“Prospective plantings report intentions were right in line with expectations at this point,” Hardke said. “We’ve been predicting about 1.3 million acres of rice total. The question mark has been more around the breakdown of long grain versus medium grain. 

“Two straight lower acreage years for rice in Arkansas — 2021-2022 — have had growers geared up for more rice acres in 2023,” he said. “There was better land preparation last fall than we have seen in some time; however, the winter turned and remained wet once again so there’s still a lot of ground waiting to be prepared for planting. 

“Whether we meet or exceed the 1.3 million acres of rice intended will once again depend on favorable weather in April, which is not off to a great start,” Hardke said. “However, there was a nice start to rice planting up and down the state over the past week where ground could be found dry enough to plant.”

Soybeans

Arkansas soybean growers appear to be planting slightly fewer acres of the crop in 2023, with intended acreage falling 4 percent to just over 3 million acres. Nationally, acreage for the crop remains steady from 2022 at 87.5 million acres.

Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said that final acreage for the state’s largest crop is largely weather-dependent.

“The final numbers are going to be dictated by the weather over the next three months,” Ross said. “If we stay in this pattern that we’ve been in, we may see more soybean acres.

There’s been quite a bit of beans planted in the last five or six days.”

Peanuts

Arkansas remains a small-but-mighty peanut-producing state, with intended acres growing 6 percent to 35,000 acres. Nationally, intended peanut acres grew 7 percent to more than 1.5 million acres.

Travis Faske, extension plant pathologist and acting peanut agronomist for the Division of Agriculture, said the modest increase in peanut acres was another factor related to the significant drop in cotton acreage.

To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter 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 Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. 

USDA accepting applications for $1 billion in renewable energy REAP grants

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

U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Friday (March 31) that USDA is accepting applications for $1 billion in grants to help agricultural producers and rural small businesses invest in renewable energy systems and make energy-efficiency improvements.

USDA is making the $1 billion in grants available under the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP), with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

“Supporting renewable energy and energy-saving systems helps the people of rural America create thriving, livable communities,” Vilsack said. “When we invest in rural communities, we are supporting hard work that sends a ripple effect across our country. Clean energy is critical to the future of our economy, and the Inflation Reduction Act provides the Biden-Harris Administration with the resources to build a more prosperous rural America while tackling the climate crisis and lowering energy costs.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/04/usda-accepting-applications-for-1-billion-in-renewable-energy-reap-grants/

USDA to send $250 million in aid to rice farmers, Sen. Boozman recognized for effortsa

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Rice acres and yields were down across the board during the 2022 growing season. Farmers had to battle wild weather fluctuations, disease and skyrocketing input costs. But federal aid is on the way.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced Tuesday (Feb. 28) plans to provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers and what steps they can take to be prepared to sign up when the program is released later this spring. USDA is sharing information early so producers can prepare for program sign up, which will include a pre-filled application in an effort to simplify and streamline the application process.

“USDA intends to use the streamlined approach it has utilized on other disaster programs to speed program implementation,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “By leveraging Farm Service Agency and Risk Management Agency data for the Emergency Relief Program, USDA saved farmers and staff significant time, and we think this approach will help us provide an initial payment more quickly with a final payment after the application period has closed. I appreciate Senate Agriculture Committee Ranking member Sen. John Boozman’s assistance bringing together rice farmers from across the country to provide input on how to expedite and simplify the process.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/03/usda-to-send-250-million-in-aid-to-rice-farmers-sen-boozman-recognized-for-efforts/

Beef cattle inventories drop to lowest levels in more than half century

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Beef cattle inventories across the United States are at their lowest level in more than six decades, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Rising demand will mean long-term price hikes for consumers.

In its biannual cattle report, USDA reported a total of 89.3 million head as of Jan. 1, about 3% lower than the total reported a year ago, and the lowest since 2015. Beef cattle, bred specifically for slaughter and meat sales, declined 3.6%, to 28.9 million head, the lowest total recorded by the agency since 1962.

In “Cattle Market Notes Weekly,” a newsletter focused on the cattle industry, University of Kentucky’s Kenny Burdine and James Mitchell, extension livestock economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the decline came as no surprise.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/02/beef-cattle-inventories-drop-to-lowest-levels-in-more-than-half-century/

Arkansas to receive more than $137 million in loans to modernize electrical grids

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

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack announced Monday (Jan. 30) the department is investing $2.7 billion to help 64 electric cooperatives and utilities expand and modernize the nation’s rural electric grid and increase grid security.

Three of those projects will be in Arkansas. USDA will allocate $137.235 million for those projects. A timetable for completing the projects was not released.

“These critical investments will benefit rural people and businesses in many ways for decades to come,” Vilsack said. “This funding will help rural cooperatives and utilities invest in changes that make our energy more efficient, more reliable, and more affordable. Investing in infrastructure – roads, bridges, broadband and energy – supports good-paying jobs and keeps the United States poised to lead the global economy.”

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/01/arkansas-to-receive-more-than-137-million-in-loans-to-modernize-electrical-grids/