USDA announces $10 billion for farmers amidst economic hardship, uncertainty

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – As farmers face high input costs, low commodity prices and a postponed farm bill, the USDA is issuing up to $10 billion in direct economic assistance to agricultural producers.

PRODUCERS STRUGGLING – With low commodity prices and high input costs, Scott Stiles said the recent funding issued by the USDA is much needed assistance for Arkansas producers. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, authorized by the American Relief Act of 2025, will provide payments to growers based on planted and prevented planted crop acres for eligible commodities for the 2024 crop year. Major Arkansas row crops that qualify include corn, soybeans, cotton, rice, peanuts and wheat.

“This assistance is greatly appreciated by growers and no doubt, they need all the help they can get,” said Scott Stiles, an extension economics program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The last few years have resulted in the most difficult economic situation that we’ve seen in the state since the mid-1980’s.

“In the background, we have now reached the third year without an updated farm bill,” Stiles said. “Arguably, you could say we’ve been operating under the same farm program provisions for the past 10 years. Persistently high input costs and a deep correction in commodity prices has producers in the state struggling. This is evidenced by the sheer number of operations that have gone out of business in the past two years.”

In order to streamline and simplify the delivery of ECAP funding, USDA’s Farm Service Agency will begin sending out pre-filled applications to producers who submitted acreage reports for 2024 eligible ECAP commodities soon after the signup period opens on March 19. Producers do not have to wait for their pre-filled ECAP application to apply, but can visit the FSA website. Stiles provides more information on eligibility, payment amounts and the application process in his most recent blog post.

“The assistance from ECAP will help, but a much improved and modernized farm policy safety net is needed for producers,” Stiles said. “Hopefully we will see some progress on that front in 2025.”

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.

April 14 workshop aims to help Arkansans plan to keep the farm in the family

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

SEARCY, Ark. — Keeping the family farm in the family can be more complicated than many realize. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is working to help farm families and other interested Arkansans plan for the inevitable with a second succession planning meeting on April 14.

MAKE A PLAN — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is working to help farm families and other interested Arkansans plan for the inevitable with a second succession planning meeting on April 14. (Division of Agriculture graphic.)

Sherri Sanders, White County agriculture extension agent for the Division of Agriculture, said reaction to the first session, held Feb. 25, helped shape the upcoming meeting agenda.

“Our first session got the conversation started,” Sanders said. “It’s emotional, it’s hard. You’re coming to terms with your death or retirement from your farm that’s been in the family for generations. Most people just don’t talk about it, and they think they’re OK because they’ve got a will — but a will isn’t a succession plan. It doesn’t lay out who gets what, or how the farm will be run.

“This second session is still for farmers and ranchers, but the information can really apply to anybody who wants to plan for their estate,” she said. “Because estate taxes, power of attorney and living wills affect everybody.”

Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas, will be the meeting’s featured speaker.

“People know they need to find an attorney, but they don’t know what to be prepared for at that first meeting,” Sanders said, noting that attorneys typically charge by the hour. “Rusty will help them understand how to prepare to meet with that attorney.”

The session will take place at 6 p.m. at the White County Extension Office, located at 2400 Old Searcy Landing Road in Searcy, Arkansas. The cost to attend is $25 per person, which includes dinner.

The deadline to register online is April 7.

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. 

Economists tackle estimating consumer effects following the loss of billions of birds and eggs lost to avian influenza

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Fewer and more expensive eggs in 2024 put estimated $1.41 billion burden on consumers in 2024, according to study by a trio of researchers examining the impact of highly pathogenic avian influenza — HPAI — on the economy.

Expectations are for the price burden to continue through 2025 as producers work to repopulate laying hens lost to HPAI.

The study, “The Economic Impact of HPAI on U.S. Egg Consumers: Estimating a $1.41 Billion Loss in Consumer Surplus” was published last month by the Fryar Price Risk Management Center. It was conducted as an extension to an earlier paper, “Biological lags and market dynamics in vertically coordinated food supply chains: HPAI impacts on U.S. egg prices,” published in the journal Food Policy in 2024.

PRICE OF EGGS — Clocks in at more than $9 for 18 eggs on March 10, 2025, in Little Rock. (U of A System Division of Agriculture File photo)

The Fryar Center is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

James Mitchell, assistant professor and extension economist for the Division of Agriculture, was the lead author on both papers, which were written with Jada Thompson, associate professor and Division of Agriculture economist and Trey Malone, an economist formerly at the University of Arkansas, but now at Purdue University.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, HPAI affected 38.4 million commercial egg laying birds and 29 flocks in 2024.

“As a result, we estimate an average week-to-week increase of 9 percent in retail egg prices, independent of other sources of egg price inflation,” the authors said. Using own-price elasticities — a measure of demand responsiveness to price changes — they estimated that price increases lowered demand for eggs by 2 percent on average.

“This reduction in consumption, coupled with higher prices, led to an estimated consumer surplus loss of $1.41 billion,” the researchers said. “This estimate reflects the economic burden on consumers due to reduced availability and affordability of eggs following HPAI outbreaks.

“The magnitude of these losses underscores the importance of understanding how disease outbreaks in the egg supply chain influence consumer welfare and market dynamics,” the three authors said.

The cost of eggs

While the cost of eggs may seem to be a simple supply vs. demand equation, determining the size of the economic loss is quite a bit more complex, say the economists.

“Someone not familiar with broiler or turkey or egg production might say, ‘oh, a bird died today because of bird flu and egg prices today are impacted by that’,” Mitchell said.

HPAI has been hitting broilers, egg layers and turkey production in the U.S. and globally hard since 2022, resulting in the loss of billions of commercial birds, not to mention birds and other animals in the wild.

“Our main thesis is that you have to consider a longer timeframe,” Mitchell said. “What’s happening today is a function of what happened six months ago.”

Because of the fierceness of the current strain of HPAI, which has a mortality rate of higher than 75 percent, whole flocks are destroyed once the disease is detected. Mitchell said if a flock has to be depopulated because of avian influenza or another cause, “you’re losing egg production from that flock.

“But you don’t just replace that flock tomorrow. It takes about six months for the new birds to reach maturity and start laying eggs,” he said.

Mitchell said that when they started their initial analysis looking at 2022 data, the challenge was “how much consideration had to be given to disentangling the impacts of bird flu from other things that were happening in 2022.”

Economic aftershocks from the COVID pandemic and the Ukraine war and resulting higher grain prices “were something we had to be careful about,” he said.

Price rollercoaster

When egg prices rise, so do the number of media interview requests for Thompson.

“The questions that are asked right now are, ‘Why are prices are high?’ And ‘when are they coming back down?’” Thompson said. She noted that in 2022, HPAI led to some 43 million laying hens being taken out of egg production” in the U.S.

That was possibly the largest loss of layers in one quarter, at least until 2024-25.

“In the fourth quarter of 2024, there was a loss of 20 million birds,” Thompson said. “And in the first two months of this year, some 30 million birds. That’s an astronomical number of birds being affected by HPAI.”

Much of the nation’s commercial egg production is concentrated in a fairly small area, including Minnesota and Iowa, Mitchell said.

There have been proposals within the industry to bring broiler eggs to the market, but both Thompson and Mitchell say that’s not an easy fix because the broiler and egg production systems don’t interact.

“It’s not the first time we’ve had this conversation,” Thompson said. “There are limitations on what can be done when dealing with a different system. How do we collect these eggs? How are we going to store and clean them? This will mean additional transportation costs.

“And egg prices are really high already,” she said. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics retail egg prices reached $4.95 per dozen in January 2025, an increase of 96 percent compared to January 2024.

The research comes with a few important caveats. First, the estimate assumes that consumer preferences and purchasing behavior remained stable, meaning that consumers responded to price increases in the same way as they have in the past.

Second, the analysis focuses on the direct impact of HPAI on egg prices and consumer surplus, meaning it does not account for any indirect effects, such as potential changes in producer behavior or government policy responses.

“Despite these considerations, this estimate provides a clear and useful benchmark for understanding how HPAI affected egg prices and consumer spending in 2024,” the authors said.

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. 

Growth rates of broilers contribute to behavior differences, shed light on welfare impacts

By Maddie Johnson
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As poultry companies weigh cost and efficiency with higher animal welfare standards, research comparing conventional and slow-growing broiler breeds showed that the slow-growing chickens displayed behaviors more closely associated with positive welfare.

Broilers — chickens specifically bred for meat production — are typically raised for six to eight weeks, while slow-growing broilers need up to 12 weeks to reach maturity.

AN EYE FOR WELFARE — Rosie Whittle, a poultry science postdoctoral fellow with the Center for Animal Food Wellbeing and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Life, and Food Sciences, worked on a study examining conventional and slow-growing broilers by tracking their behaviors to see how they exhibit positive welfare. (Image courtesy of Rosie Whittle)

Though gaining popularity in some European markets, slow-growing broilers have not seen the same market expansion in the United States, as they take longer to reach market weight than conventional broilers.

“The economic impact to the broiler industry raises the question: 'Why would you want to use a broiler that is going to eat more food, grow slower, and cost more to produce?'” said Rosie Whittle, poultry science postdoctoral fellow with the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing and the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas.

Whittle, alongside Shawna Weimer, assistant professor of poultry science and director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing, set out to explore this question facing industry leaders who are weighing the choice of conventional versus slow-growing broilers.

Weimer conducts research for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The Center for Food Animal Wellbeing is a unit of the Division of Agriculture.

Their work explored the impacts of genetic strain, stocking density, and, most importantly, the comparison of physiological versus chronological age between the two genetic strains on broiler behavior. Genetic strain, or the specific breed of chicken, defines whether broilers are conventional or slow growing. Stocking density represents the number of birds in a specific area.

Researchers reviewed video recordings of the birds at specified intervals to track behaviors, such as walking, standing, and preening, which are signs of positive animal welfare. Preening is when a bird uses its beak to clean its feathers.

Their study, “Effects of genetic strain, stocking density, and age on broiler behavior,” was published in Poultry Science, an official journal of the Poultry Science Association.

Results of the study revealed that a larger percentage of slow-growing broilers were observed standing, walking, and preening, while more conventional broilers sat in a lateral posture. The effects of stocking density were minimal, so the number of birds in an area did not have a significant impact on broiler behavior.

Detailing bird behavior

LOOKING FORWARD — Shawna Weimer, assistant professor of poultry science and director of the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing, served as corresponding author of the study and said she would like to see further research on a larger scale to examine what other factors could affect animal welfare. (University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture photo)

Weimer pointed out that “animal welfare is quite dynamic” and emphasized that further investigations of broiler behavior should be undertaken. Whittle also stressed that their research was focused on understanding the effects of growth rate on broiler behavior, not necessarily what is best for companies or consumers.

Whittle also noted that the study focused on two types of broilers, but “all genetics companies have a different recipe for chickens.” Therefore, in tracking behavior, it is important to be aware of the possibility that “one genetic strain of broiler behaves completely different to the other,” she said.

Whittle said further research is required because “it’s always important to expand so we’re not just generalizing based on two specific genotypes.”

Co-authors of the work included Darrin Karcher and Marisa Erasmus, both associate professors of animal sciences at Purdue University. Weimer serves as corresponding author, meaning she is responsible for communication and questions about the publication.

The project was supported by Purdue University’s Department of Animal Sciences and the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing. The animal care staff at Purdue University’s Poultry Unit, Olivia Walton, Heidi Rinehart, and Nathan Griffith also contributed to the work.

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.

Master Gardeners accepting applications for Janet B. Carson scholarship

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — For Arkansas Master Gardeners, it’s important to support the next generation of leaders in plant science. As part of this effort, the program funds the Janet B. Carson High School Senior Scholarship, which is now accepting applications from Arkansas students.

PLANTING THE FUTURE — Arkansas Master Gardeners are accepting applications for the Janet B. Carson High School Senior Scholarship, which is available for Arkansas students who plan to attend a state college or university and pursue a plant science-related degree. (Division of Agriculture graphic.)

The $2,000 scholarship is available to Arkansas high school seniors who plan to attend an Arkansas college or university. The student must be planning to pursue a degree in a plant science-related field, including horticulture, botany, agronomy, forestry and landscape architecture and design.

Randy Forst, extension consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener program coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the scholarship is a fitting tribute to its namesake.

“Janet Carson spent 38 years sharing her knowledge and passion for gardening with thousands of people around the state as a horticulturist for the Cooperative Extension Service,” Forst said. “The Janet B. Carson Scholarship was set up in 2014 in honor of her significant contributions to the field of horticulture in Arkansas.

“As Master Gardeners, we hope that this opportunity will encourage more young people to pursue a career involving plants,” Forst said. “Investing in the future of the plant industry is fundamental to our mission.”

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is March 14. The application is available at uada.formstack.com/forms/jbc_high_school_scholarship. Scholarship applicants must submit a statement about their interest in plant science and their career goals, two letters of recommendation, and their high school transcript and ACT scores. All applications must be submitted online.

For any questions about the Janet B. Carson Scholarship, contact c76scholarships@gmail.com

To learn about Master Gardeners, visit uaex.uada.edu/master-gardeners. To learn about other 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. 

‘Beyond the Fence’ Lunch and Learn to highlight herd rebuilding, cattle markets

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – With the national beef cow herd at its lowest level since the 1960s, an upcoming lunch and learn session will focus on herd rebuilding strategies and current cattle markets.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Arvest Bank are working in partnership to host a series of lunch and learn sessions covering timely topics and production strategies for cattle producers in Arkansas. The first installment of the “Beyond the Fence” sessions will be held March 18 at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center in Fayetteville, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Online streaming via Zoom will begin at noon. 

REBUILDING THE HERD – The national beef cow herd is at its lowest level since the 1960s. James Mitchell will discuss herd rebuilding strategies at the March 18 "Beyond the Fence" lunch and learn sessions hosted by the Division of Agriculture and Arvest Bank. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

“We’re thrilled to partner with Arvest in delivering the Beyond the Fence Lunch and Learn sessions,” said Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist for the Division of Agriculture.  “We are hoping to provide producers across the state with valuable insights and support as we work together to address the challenges they continue to face.”

The March 18 lunch and learn will feature James Mitchell, assistant professor and extension economist for the Division of Agriculture, who will discuss the benefits and costs of alternative cow herd rebuilding strategies and the current lending conditions.

The session is free to attend and lunch will be provided to those attending in person. Those interested can register online or email mjustice@uada.edu. Times and locations of future sessions will be released in the coming weeks.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact mjustice@uada.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

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.

Cold plasma-treated seeds show potential to protect plants, reduce pesticide use

By Maddie Johnson
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The same substance that paints the sky with the Northern Lights also appears to enhance plant growth and insect defense, according to a new study.

FOURTH STATE OF MATTER — Cold plasma is applied to rice seeds to investigate its effects on plant growth and defense against the fall armyworm. (Image courtesy of Rupesh Kariyat)

Food science and entomology researchers from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station teamed up to harness plasma and measure its effects on rice seed. The project began after Mahfuzur Rahman, assistant professor of food science, acquired a machine that produces cold plasma.

Known as the fourth state of matter, plasma is an electrically charged gas that has fluid-like behavior. Rahman points to the Northern Lights as the most familiar example of cold plasma, which means it is considered low temperature compared to the much higher temperatures of plasma in stars. Other examples of cold plasma like that generated in Rahman’s lab include fluorescent lights and neon signs.

Rupesh Kariyat, associate professor of crop entomology, became interested in investigating cold plasma’s effects from an insect perspective — an area he said had not been studied adequately.

“I thought it would be a good idea that we expose our seeds to cold plasma and then grow those seeds out into plants and ask the question of whether the plants are doing better,” Kariyat said.

“If this works, then we can come up with a method to expand at a scale where we can add cold plasma to complement existing seed treatments to boost their growth and defense against insect herbivores,” Kariyat said, noting the potential to reduce insecticide use.

One of Kariyat’s graduate students, Deepak Dilip, led the project in collaboration with Nikitha Modupalli, a postdoctoral fellow in food science and member of Rahman’s lab. Their study, "Atmospheric cold plasma alters plant traits and negatively affects the growth and development of fall armyworm in rice," was published in Nature's Scientific Reports in January.

Dilip served as the lead author, with Modupalli, Rahman and Kariyat serving as co-authors. Both Rahman and Kariyat are researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Tracking seed germination and plant growth

The study specifically investigated rice plant defense against fall armyworm. Seeds were treated with cold plasma and then irrigated with cold plasma-activated water, which is water that has been treated with cold plasma and has some antimicrobial properties. The plasma interacts with water molecules to generate highly reactive molecules containing oxygen and nitrogen, which effectively kill bacteria.

The results revealed that rice seeds treated with cold plasma could negatively impact fall armyworms’ growth and development.

MEASURING GROWTH AND DEFENSE — Deepak Dilip, a graduate research assistant pursuing a master's degree in entomology, led the experiments with strong support from Nikitha Modupalli, food science postdoctoral fellow. (Image courtesy of Rupesh Kariyat)

Researchers also observed signs of improved plant growth such as more leaf growth. They also saw a faster germination rate in cold plasma-treated plants, though this was not statistically significant. It has been found that cold plasma can increase germination by eroding a seed’s surface.

Additionally, though germination rates were quicker, control plants eventually caught up with treated ones in terms of growth, making final germination counts similar between untreated and cold plasma-treated seeds. Researchers point out that this suggests cold plasma applications, though they can benefit initial plant growth, would not be as beneficial in later stages of the plant’s growth cycle.

As for the study’s impacts on the future, Kariyat and Rahman hope to apply cold plasma to the field of organic food production.

Rahman explained that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is evaluating cold plasma as an organic technology, potentially paving the way to alternatives for pesticides.

“In the future, if we can optimize this technology for organic production, it will create a very new avenue for organic food growth,” Rahman said.

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.

Greer remembered for mentorship, love of science, and good insect memes

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

HOPE, Ark. — Amanda Greer is being remembered for her love of family, science and a good insect meme. By Mary Hightower. 780 words. With portrait of Greer, file photo

Greer, born in Warren, passed away Feb. 19 following a battle with cancer.

Agriculture was her life. She farmed and worked as a cotton scout and crop consultant in the 1990s. In 2006, she joined the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture as a Chicot County extension agent, moving later to Lafayette County, first as an agent, then as staff chair. Between her time in Chicot and Lafayette counties, Greer also worked as a program technician at the former Southeast Research and Extension Center in Monticello.

Amanda Greer is being remembered as a teacher at heart who loved science and a good insect meme. (U of Arkansas file photo)

In 2018, she started as lab manager for the Arkansas Nematode Diagnostic Lab, based at the Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope.

Kim Rowe, Hempstead County extension agent, knew Greer for two decades and said she looked to Greer for her expertise in weed identification, plant diseases, and insect and nematode problems.

“She was always patient with me busting up in her lab,” Rowe said. “She would confidently solve any mystery, no matter how much time it took.

“While I will certainly miss her mentorship and assistance professionally, mostly I will miss my friend who loved quality insect memes, photos of lichens, and trying exotic foods,” Rowe said.

Daniel Rivera, director of the Southwest Research and Extension Center, said Greer was a private person, but could be gregarious once she got to know someone.

“She was warm, witty, funny, generous with her time, and thoroughly enjoyed working in the nematode lab,” Rivera said. “She always took time to educate me about nematodes, and she was that way with anyone who came to visit the lab. From kids to state senators, all were taught equally! Her eyes would light up when they would find out something new or neat. She just loved the science.

“She felt a responsibility to ag producers, the Division of Agriculture, and the lab, and took great pride in the work the lab put out,” Rivera added. “Amanda was the living embodiment of our core values.” 

Rivera said Greer would also light up when she spoke of her daughter, and “Amanda loved talking about Dakota's accomplishments.”

Greer was also a diehard Razorback fan who loved to go to the games with her husband, William, and daughter Dakota.

“From my friend Amanda, we can take one final lesson: to be strong, steadfast in your tasks, and ensure that you spend time and enjoy the ones you love as much as you can,” Rivera said.

Terry Kirkpatrick, who oversaw the nematode lab before retiring and recommended Greer for the job, having been her adviser through her master’s studies and had seen her at work as an extension agent.

Her success as an extension educator was because “she was a teacher at heart,” Kirkpatrick said. “It took her about 15 minutes to win over the farmers in Lafayette County, because she was out there with them.

“She might show up at suppertime on a Friday night at a farmer’s house and say, ‘I just walked through your rice field and you’ve got blast and you probably need to think about spraying that first of next week’,” Kirkpatrick said. “She was just Johnny-on-the-spot and she’d take them out there to look for blast or root knot nematodes, or whatever the disease of the week was.”

“Quietly and not in the headlines, she had a significant impact through all the things she did,” Kirkpatrick said.

Ken Korth, head of the entomology and plant pathology department for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences and the Division of Agriculture, said “we were so fortunate that Amanda was able to take on the leadership position at the nematode diagnostic lab. 

“Her expertise and approach made her an outstanding diagnostician. I think her strong performance truly benefited from a broad background in agriculture, having served as a county agent and working on the family farm,” Korth said. “Amanda earned her master’s degree in our department working under the direction of Dr. Terry Kirkpatrick. It was especially enjoyable to have one of our alumni back working as a colleague.” 

Jerri Dew, Lafayette County extension staff chair, said that Greer was highly respected in the row crop community.

“Many Lafayette County farmers still had close ties to her and consulted with her regularly,” Dew said. “When I came to work in Lafayette County, Amanda helped me more than any other person in extension. She is going to be sorely missed by a lot of people.”

Greer is survived by her husband of 22 years, William "Shotgun” Greer, and daughter, Dakota Greer.

A visitation and funeral service were held in Lake Village.

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. 

Cooperative Extension Service University Center launches new Labor Market Observatory tool

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The Cooperative Extension Service has released a new data tool providing access to workforce indicators across the state.

The Labor Market Observatory provides data from each of the state’s eight economic development districts. The new tool is a product of extension’s Community, Professional and Economic Development department. In the fall of 2023, the department received funding from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s University Center Program to create the Center for Rural Resilience and Workforce Development. The center worked in partnership with Heartland Forward to develop the LMO.

“The Labor Market Observatory is a visual representation of workforce and demographic metrics for the state of Arkansas,” said Brandon L. Mathews, extension program associate for economic development for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT — A new data tool, created in partnership by the Cooperative Extension Service and Heartland Forward, provides access to workforce indicators from each of Arkansas' eight economic development districts, which are funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

Mathews said the tool is designed to help development professionals, community organizations and individuals access workforce indicators from state and federal sources. These indicators include demographic information — such as the share of Hispanic, Marshallese, and rural and urban populations — as well as housing, income and employment statistics at the county, development district and state level.

Arkansas is divided into eight economic development districts that are funded in part by the U.S. Economic Development Administration. These districts offer a range of services for their communities, including grant writing, planning, and community and economic development.

“Economic development districts were the primary audience in developing the LMO tool,” Mathews said. “However, economic developers, city and county officials, chambers of commerce and the general public will be able to access the LMO. The goal of this tool is to provide workforce information to help communities make informed decisions based on key data, while also making the information easier to understand.”

Mathews said that when a development professional from one of the districts wants to calculate housing costs and income for a region and compare it to the whole state, for example, the LMO tool will retrieve the relevant data and calculate totals, rather than the individual having to compile data from several sources.

“All of that work is done for them through the LMO, automatically saving them time and resources,” he said.

Mathews said the LMO is intended to help the state’s economic and workforce practitioners make smart choices that “support workforce and human capital projects that are good for Arkansans.”

Help for Arkansans

Each economic development district is required to develop a data-driven plan that is specific to the needs and opportunities of their community. Mathews said the LMO can help these regions measure success in reaching their strategic goals.

“As LMO data and features are added over time,” Mathews said, “the hope is that the Cooperative Extension Service will become a trusted and reliable source for workforce data.”

Hunter Goodman, assistant professor and extension director of the Center for Rural Resilience and Workforce Development, said the LMO is key to the center’s mission.

“The data dashboards are an important component of our mission to equip Arkansans with sustainable, accessible, research-based practices and expertise to create vibrant, self-reliant communities where businesses, organizations and families thrive,” Goodman said.

The LMO was developed in partnership with Heartland Forward, a Bentonville-based organization dedicated to advancing economic success in the middle of the country, with three core impact areas: regional competitiveness, talent pipeline and health and wellness. Heartland Forward led the creation of the visualization dashboard.

“We’re excited to roll out the dashboards and honored to serve as a trusted resource for this project,” said Rodrigo Ramirez-Perez, a research analyst at Heartland Forward. “By making data more accessible and approachable for development professionals, community organizations and individuals alike, we believe they can strengthen their communities through strategies informed by data-driven insights.”

Mathews said more workforce data will be added to the LMO in the coming months, with plans to provide data at the city or zip code level where available. The University Center plans to host a series of trainings on how to use the LMO, which will soon be added to the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture calendar. Event postings will also be shared on the Division of Agriculture’s Community and Economic Development Facebook page.  

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. 

Machine learning maps animal feeding operations to improve sustainability

By Maddie Johnson
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Understanding where farm animals are raised is crucial for managing their environmental impacts and developing technological solutions, but gaps in data often make it challenging to get the full picture.

Becca Muenich, biological and agricultural engineering researcher, set out to fill the gap with a new technique for mapping animal feeding operations.

MAPPING IT OUT — Becca Muenich, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering and a researcher with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, used machine learning tools to model the locations of animal feeding operations in the U.S. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson)

Without proper control strategies, the waste generated by these operations can pose significant ecological harm, Muenich said, such as surface water contamination with excess phosphorus and nitrogen. Animal feeding operations are defined as facilities that feed animals for at least 45 days per year in a confined area that does not grow grass or forage. For Muenich, a water quality engineer who focuses on how water moves through landscapes and how it can pollute areas by picking up and moving toxic materials, this issue piqued her interest.

“We can’t really address something if we don’t know where the problem is,” said Muenich, an associate professor with the College of Engineering at the University of Arkansas and researcher for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“We don’t have a good nationwide — even at many state levels — understanding of where livestock are in the landscape, which really hinders our ability to do some of the studies that I was interested in,” she said.

Muenich said there has been a rise in these feeding operations in response to increasing population size and global demand for livestock products.

Considering key predictors of feeding operation presence such as surface temperature, phosphorus levels and surrounding vegetation, Muenich’s team built a machine learning model that can predict the location of feeding operation locations without using aerial images. Machine learning models are a type of computer program that can use algorithms to make predictions based on data patterns.

The model was developed using data encompassing 18 U.S. states. The data was broken up into individual parcels based on ownership. Testing against a dataset of known animal feeding operations, the model predicted their location with 87 percent accuracy.

The study, “Machine learning-based identification of animal feeding operations in the United States on a parcel-scale,” was published in Science of the Total Environment in January.

Filling in the gaps

Previous attempts at identifying animal feeding operations have often relied on aerial images, Muenich said, but livestock facilities often look different between states and by animal, so she and her team aimed to employ further strategies.

MACHINE LEARNING — Muenich and her collaborators published their study in the Total Environment journal, outlining the development and results of their machine learning-based modeling. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Paden Johnson)

She explained the lack of understanding surrounding livestock locations often comes from differences in how states interpret the Clean Water Act, which requires farms classified as “concentrated animal feeding operations” to get permits through the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System. These facilities are a type of animal feeding operation with more than 1,000 animal units.

Despite the national regulation, states administer this permitting differently, leading to differences in available data.

For example, Muenich built a watershed model in an area with of Michigan and Ohio that included multiple feeding operations. Data was readily available through the pollutant elimination system for Michigan due to the state’s permitting requirements. The same data, however, wasn’t available for the same operations in Ohio, which set Muenich down this path of investigation.

Advancing towards a better accounting of livestock can help with developing strategies that can improve environmental outcomes of livestock management while creating economic opportunities for farmers through the scaling up of technologies aimed at combating animal waste, Muenich said. Scaling these technologies in economically feasible ways requires knowledge of where livestock are most prevalent and spatially connected, she explained.

Co-authors of the study included Arghajeet Saha, formerly a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Arkansas and currently an assistant scientist with the Kansas Geological Survey; Barira Rashid, Ph.D. student at the University of Arkansas; Ting Liu, a research associate with the University of Arkansas biological and agricultural engineering department; and Lorrayne Miralha, an assistant professor with The Ohio State University’s department of food, agricultural and biological engineering.

The research was supported by the Science and Technologies for Phosphorus Sustainability Center under National Science Foundation award number CBET-2019435. The Data with Purpose program from Regrid, a source for nationwide land parcel data, provided data used in the research.

​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.

Back to the basics soil fertility training March 11 in Marianna

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Whether you’re new to soil science or been at it for years, there’s never a bad time to review the basics, and that’s what the March 11 soil fertility training workshop at Marianna is all about.

The workshop will be facilitated by Trent Roberts, professor of soil fertility, soil testing, and Bronc Finch, assistant professor and extension soil fertility specialist, and Chandler Arel, extension crop, soils and environmental sciences, all of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

The March 11 soil workshop will include a tour of the state's soil test lab (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo).

The event will be held at the Lon Mann Cotton Research Station, 3121 Highway 1 South, Marianna, and opens with on-site check-in at 8 a.m.

Lunch will be provided to participants who register by March 4. Participants may register online.

“This is the first soil fertility workshop that we have hosted in several years,” Roberts said. “We are going to get back to basics and cover some introductory topics so that we can build on them going forward.”

Finch called the workshop “an opportunity to refresh or gain new knowledge about some of the basics principles of soil fertility.” 

“We hope that this workshop will lay the groundwork for future educational activities,” Roberts said.

The event will include sessions on:

• Plant essential nutrients.

• Soil basics.

• Soil and water conservation.

• Soil testing philosophy/interpretation.

Additionally, the workshop will include a tour of the Division of Agriculture’s Soil Testing and Research Lab, located at the cotton station. Since it opened in 1976, the lab has tested an estimated 5.7 million soil samples. In 2023 alone, the lab tested a record 220,032 soil samples.

The workshop is being presented by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, the Arkansas Plant Food Association and the Arkansas Soil Testing Board.

For more information on personal finance, visit uaex.uada.edu/money. To learn more 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.uark.edu. Follow on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Registration opens Feb. 24 for spring edition of Walk Across Arkansas

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — For Arkansans looking to achieve their fitness goals or develop new healthy habits this spring, Walk Across Arkansas offers an eight-week, group-based exercise program that helps get people moving.

HEALTHY MOVEMENT — Walk Across Arkansas, supported by the Cooperative Extension Service, is a free, eight-week, group-based exercise program where participants work as teams to log daily minutes of physical activity. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

The free program is offered each spring and fall by the Cooperative Extension Service, the outreach arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Participants can sign up in teams of up to 30 people, and they log their total number of minutes spent being physically active each day.

“We encourage participants to get creative with the types of exercise they engaged in, not just walking,” said Heather Wingo, extension health program associate for the Division of Agriculture. “If you’ve been curious about yoga, strength training, or taking a Zumba class, this is a great time to try that out. Any moderate to vigorous physical activity counts, as long as you get your heart rate up.”

Individuals can participate in the program alone, but Wingo encourages Arkansans to participate alongside their peers.

“This program is free and encourages friendly competition between groups of friends, family members, co-workers or church members,” she said. “Anyone who wants to work together towards their physical activity goals would benefit from Walk Across Arkansas.”

Registration for the spring 2025 session opens Feb. 24. Participants can register and log exercise minutes at walk.uada.edu/walk/. The competition starts March 10 and ends May 4.

Health benefits

During the fall 2024 Walk Across Arkansas session, 160 teams of 1,757 individuals from 39 counties reported more than 1.9 million minutes of physical activity.

Wingo said past participants have reported that through Walk Across Arkansas, they had more energy, slept better, strengthened their relationships and lost weight or inches. They also reported lower stress levels and improved their blood pressure and blood panels.

Anyone can participate in Walk Across Arkansas. Division of Agriculture employees must use a personal email address, not their work email address, to register. Visit walk.uada.edu/walk/ to learn more and register or contact your local county extension agent.

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 expert offers spring pruning tips

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Timing is key when it comes to pruning flowering and fruiting plants. Randy Forst, extension educator for consumer horticulture for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said late February is an optimal time to prune plants that bloom in the summer.

PRUNING HELP — Pruning helps encourage new growth, and for many plants that bloom in the summer, late February is the optimal time to prune. Randy Forst, extension educator for consumer horticulture for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said using the correct — and sharp — pruning tool for the job is essential. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

“In general, plants that bloom in the spring should be pruned immediately following blooming, and plants that bloom in the summer should be pruned before growth begins in late February,” Forst said. “Pruning encourages new wood growth and more flower buds, and roses and cane-producing plants especially benefit from pruning.”

Some plants, including big leaf hydrangeas, oak leaf hydrangeas and gardenias don’t follow this rule.

“These plants all bloom in the summer, but they set their flower buds at the end of the summer into early fall,” Forst said. “If you prune them before growth begins, you will not have flowers this summer. The time to prune them is when the flowers begin to fade.”

Forst, who also coordinates the extension Master Gardener program, said gardeners should research specific information about the plant they want to prune, as some plants do not need pruning at all.

“Some of the most common mistakes people make is pruning too intensely, especially when it comes to crape myrtles,” Forst said. “Instead of dehorning — or entirely removing the top branches of a crape myrtle — gardeners should instead selectively remove branches so that the tree maintains its height.”

Forst said the following plants need to be pruned at the end of February and in early March:

• Ornamental grasses

• Roses

• Fruit trees

• Blueberries

• Blackberries, by removing old dead canes

• Buddleia, also known as butterfly bush

• Summer blooming spiraeas

In addition to timely pruning, Forst said pruning with the correct tool is important to a plant’s success.

“The size of material to be pruned reflects the best tool for the job,” he said. “Most of the time, it would be a bypass blade hand pruning shear. On larger branches, it might take lopping shears. On tree branches, it might require a bow saw. On any pruning device, it is very important that the blades are sharp, and you are getting a clean cut.”

Visit Arkansas Yard and Garden Pruning Resources, Spring Pruning Tips and Crape Myrtle Pruning for more information, or contact Randy Forst at rforst@uada.edu.

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. 

Learning in the Wild: 4-H members gain hands-on experience with Arkansas waterfowl

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

AUGUSTA, Ark. — Learning is better in the wild, and for Arkansas 4-H members the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge provided the perfect outdoor classroom.

Under the guidance of the state’s leading waterfowl and extension experts, participants in the Wonders of Waterfowl workshop engaged in an immersive learning experience focused on the ecology and management of Arkansas’ diverse duck populations.

Youth at the Wonder of Wildfowl event launch banded ducks back into the wild. (UA-Monticello image)

A favorite among the attendees was wading through a moist-soil unit to collect and examine aquatic invertebrates – a key food source for waterfowl.

With the help of University of Arkansas at Monticello waterfowl students and professors, participants analyzed their findings under microscopes, gaining firsthand insight into waterfowl feeding habits.

Other workshop highlights included discussions led by UAM waterfowl graduate students that covered waterfowl identification, habitat characteristics, and migratory hazards and patterns. These stops served as a perfect opportunity for Lily Barber, Grant County 4-H member, who attended because she wanted to learn how to identify waterfowl. At the close of the event, Barber shared her excitement in learning how to identify common ducks in Arkansas by their wings.

“We learned about ducks, what they eat, what their wing spans looks like and all the different types of ducks,” said Jayden Rushing, Calhoun County 4-H member.

Immersed in Research

As part of the Mississippi Flyway, Arkansas is a vital wintering ground for waterfowl, making it a hotspot for waterfowl research. Among the leading studies is the satellite tracking research led by Douglas Osborne, PhD, a renowned waterfowl professor and researcher at UAM.  Participants had the unique opportunity to learn about the banding and tracking practices used by the lab’s researchers and view live tracking data from ducks fitted with transmitter technology.

Drew County 4-H member, Jack Wagner, was amazed to learn the impressive distances and speeds at which ducks travel during their migration to Arkansas. In the workshop, he learned ducks can reach flight speeds of more than 80 mph and sometimes cover more than 1,700 miles during their migrations.

The event concluded with researchers from the Osborne Lab and personnel from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service gathering ducks that had been trapped on the Cache River. They then demonstrated to youth how to tell the birds’ ages and band the birds. Participants were then each able to hold a duck and release it back on the refuge.

A Lasting Impact

The Wonders of Waterfowl program was started three years ago by Tiffany Osborne, UAM wildlife instructor, wildlife extension specialist for University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and workshop coordinator. Throughout the event, Osborne shared her passion for nature and extensive knowledge with the 4-H members.

“I started this program to connect youth across the state with nature and to teach them to respect the land,” said Tiffany Osborne. “It’s important that we create opportunities for the next generation to carry on the work of conservation.”

Through workshops like this, Arkansas 4-H continues to foster environmental education and stewardship, ensuring young people develop a deeper appreciation for wildlife, conservation, and agriculture practices. For more information on joining 4-H or upcoming events, contact your county’s Cooperative Extension Service Office.  

Chicken ‘woody breast’ detection improved with advanced machine learning model

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — It’s called “woody breast” and for consumers it can mean a chewier chicken sandwich, but for the industry it can mean up to $200 million annual yield loss.

IMPROVED METHOD — Chaitanya Pallerla, a food science graduate student, has worked to improve the accuracy of detecting the "woody breast" defect on chicken by developing a new machine learning model and hyperspectral imaging. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

Work done by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station is not only making woody breast easier to detect in chicken meat but is accurate up to 95 percent of the time.

The development could help improve quality assurance and customer confidence in one of the state’s most economically important agricultural products. What allows researchers to see inside the meat is a combination of a hyperspectral camera, which examines the meat through various energy wavelengths, and machine learning to interpret what the camera sees.

“We’ve been able to improve accuracy of detection of woody breast by utilizing machine learning to analyze complex data from images with a hyperspectral camera,” said Dongyi Wang, an assistant professor in the biological and agricultural engineering department for the experiment station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

“The next step will be trying to integrate the system online and make this beneficial for stakeholders,” Wang said, noting this specific application of image analysis had not been done before.

Loss in premium meat

“Woody breast” meat is harder and chewier than normal chicken breast, but it is still safe to eat, according to Casey Owens, professor of poultry processing and products for the experiment station and a co-author of the study. When detected by processers, either by humans or computer-assisted imaging technology, she said the meat is diverted from whole-breast packaging for further processing into products including chicken nuggets and patties.

The loss in premium as a whole-muscle product accounts for yield loss as high as $200 million in Arkansas and over $1 billion in direct and indirect costs annually across the United States poultry industry, Owens added. Up to 20 percent of chicken breast meat can have the defect, which is more common in larger birds of 8 to 9 pounds versus 6- to 7-pound birds.

Hyperspectral imaging

Hyperspectral imaging is a rapid, non-invasive way to capture detailed data about objects and their composition. This data can be used to classify food products according to food quality, consumer preferences and other product requirements.

But hyperspectral images come with tons of data. That’s where machine learning comes in.

Chaitanya Pallerla, a food science graduate student who has been working on the project for the past two years with Wang as his adviser, said the new machine learning model is called NAS-WD. When correlated with known data about the “woodiness” of chicken breasts, the model allows for deeper and wider analysis of hyperspectral images to identify the defect.

“In hyperspectral imaging, there are common machine learning models being used, but we were able to develop a new model that could be well-suited for correlating more than two variables,” Pallerla said. “We kind of took two different models, made a few changes, and put them together to detect patterns better and correlate the hyperspectral data with hardness of the chicken meat.”

The results of their research were published in the journal Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture under the title “Neural network architecture search enabled wide-deep learning (NAS-WD) for spatially heterogenous property awared chicken woody breast classification and hardness regression.”

The results showed that NAS-WD can classify three woody breast defect levels with an overall accuracy of 95 percent, outperforming the traditional models like the Support Vector Machine and Multi-Layer Perception, which offered 80 percent and about 73 percent accuracy, respectively.

HYPERSPECTRAL IMAGING — Dongyi Wang is an assistant professor in the biological and agricultural engineering department. (U of A System Division of Agriculture)

Wang said the study offers an example of how to use new algorithms to mine data and dig into key information. The form of hyperspectral imaging used in the research is called “push broom,” which takes an image of several objects once every 40 seconds, compared to a more common industry method of a “snapshot,” which takes an image of individual objects as fast as every 30 milliseconds. The “snapshots” have a lower resolution than the “push broom” method, but software upgrades may one day provide higher resolution for “snapshot” images, Pallerla said.

Wang said his team is working on deploying this technology in the real-time system.

The study was supported in part by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative, project award nos. 2023-70442-39232 and 2024-67022-42882, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute for Food and 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.

Cooperative Extension Service to host Arkansas Veterans' Small Business Summit

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK — For veterans who own and operate small businesses, accessing available resources is critical to financial success and longevity. Arkansas veteran business owners will have an opportunity to learn about programs and services designed to help their businesses succeed at the Arkansas Veterans’ Small Business Summit, hosted by the Cooperative Extension Service’s Procurement Technical Assistance Center on Nov. 4.

The free in-person event will start at 9 a.m. and end at 12 p.m. at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, located at 2301 S. University Ave. in Little Rock. Registration is available at https://bit.ly/veteran-business-summit.

VETERAN RESOURCES — The Cooperative Extension Service's Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center will host a free Veterans' Small Business Summit on Nov. 4. The in-person event will provide resources and networking opportunities for veteran small business owners, including information about upcoming contracting opportunities with federal agencies in Arkansas. (Division of Agriculture photo.) 

Kimberly Magee, outreach coordinator for Arkansas APEX Accelerator, said the summit will provide “tailored resources” for veteran business owners in the state, including information about no-cost resources and upcoming contracting opportunities with federal agencies in Arkansas.

“It’s important to provide these resources because the public doesn’t generally know how to navigate through the government marketplace,” Magee said.

The summit is presented in partnership with the Arkansas Economic Development Commission, Arkansas Division of Emergency Management – Arkansas Federal Surplus Property, Arkansas Small Business Technology Development Center, The Conductor, SCORE and the U.S. Small Business Administration – Arkansas District. Representatives from these organizations will be present at the summit to help connect attendees with the services they provide, including business counseling, low or no-cost training programs and training and networking opportunities.

Magee said the needs of veteran business owners are unique, and this summit is designed to connect them with resources available specifically to them.

“Veteran small businesses need a tailored pathway,” she said. “Veterans are already aware of government lingo and are therefore natural leaders in the government marketplace.”

In addition to networking with other business owners, the summit will include a small business resource panel, a presentation on veteran small business certifications and a presentation on government contracting opportunities.

“Veterans are our nation’s heroes, and it is our obligation to take care of them and help them succeed,” said Savanna George, extension program technician for the Procurement Technical Assistance Center.

For more information or for assistance with registering, contact the Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center at APEX Accelerator@uada.edu.

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.

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

(Division of Agriculture photo)

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

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

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

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

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

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

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

8:30 a.m.

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

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

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

9:45 a.m.

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

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

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

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

11 a.m.

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

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

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

Noon-1 p.m.: Lunch 

1 p.m.

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

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

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

2:15 p.m.

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

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

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

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

Best Care program awarded thousands of professional development hours to Arkansas childcare providers in 2024

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — In 2024, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Best Care program awarded more than 22,000 hours of professional development to childcare providers in the state. Providers are required by the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood to earn a minimum of 15 hours of professional development each year.

TRAINING FOR PROVIDERS — Through the Division of Agriculture's Best Care programming, childcare providers across the state of Arkansas can earn required hours of professional development training. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture, partners with the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood to provide 58 hours of professional development training for childcare providers throughout the state.

“It is important that the childcare providers in Arkansas are educated and are knowledgeable in research-based early childhood practices to provide quality care to children, from birth to age five,” said Rebecca Simon, extension program associate for Early Childhood and Family Life for the Division of Agriculture.

Extension offers four methods of Best Care training, all of which are approved by the Arkansas Professional Development Registry, for childcare providers in the state:

• Best Care: Ten hours of in-person training for childcare professionals across the state, taught in 26 multi-county clusters. In 2024, this program reached 2,373 participants through 32 trainings.

• Best Care Connected: An online program that offers five hours of professional development for early childhood childcare educators in Arkansas. In 2024, this program reached 2,234 participants, and 11,170 hours of professional development were awarded.

• Guiding Children Successfully: An online or self-paced correspondence program that offers up to 38 hours of continuing education for parents, foster parents and childcare educators. This program reached 998 participants and awarded 10,374 training hours in 2024.

• Best Care Out of School Time: A program designed to better meet the needs of childcare providers who work with school-aged children in after-school, summer and camp settings. This program offers five hours of professional development, and in 2024, 557 training hours were awarded to 2,785 participants.

Simon said these four programs are tailored to the needs of childcare providers statewide, including those in remote and underserved areas. Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agents play a significant role in the delivery of the training.  

“County Family and Consumer Sciences agents are responsible for planning and providing training in their ‘cluster,’ or multi-county setting,” Simon said. “The FCS agents build relationships within their community and are seen as the local source of knowledge, providing consistent, research-based professional development for local early childhood professionals.

“The training content is different every year, and that is one reason why early childhood professionals attend Best Care in their county or cluster every year,” Simon said. “The programs that the Division of Agriculture implements and provides strengthen the early childhood workforce and improve the lives of our youngest Arkansans.”

Simon said the extension training programs are aligned with Family and Consumer Sciences subject matter areas, including family life, health, nutrition and consumer economics. They also align with the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood key content areas, including family, community, positive interactions and guidance.

“High quality early childhood environments are vital for fostering the foundational skills necessary for children’s lifelong health, learning, social relationships and overall success,” Simon said. “In Arkansas, childcare providers play a pivotal role in ensuring these developmental milestones are met.”

Simon said there are more than 48,600 professionals serving 165,219 children across 1,940 childcare facilities statewide.

Feedback from the field

In an evaluation sent to Best Care participants after each one-hour unit of training, one participant responded that the training helped them to “have conversations with children about our differences and find ways to include those physically impaired to do our usual curriculum.”

Another participant shared that the training helped them “implement breathing techniques when a child is stressed and struggling with strong emotions,” they wrote. “This helps us to get a handle on the situation, and as a result, it de-stresses me in the process.”

One participant said the program helped them “recognize the unique aspects of the children and their families to create a diverse learning environment that fosters a sense of well-being for all.”

The year ahead

Thirty Best Care trainings are scheduled throughout the state for 2025, in addition to online programming. Best Care lesson topics for the year will include Farm to Early Childhood Education, Sensory Play for All Ages, Outdoor Learning Environments and Physical Activity, Sound Solutions: Music in the Classroom, Arkansas History and Culture and more.

Those interested in Best Care training should contact their local Family and Consumer Sciences agent at uaex.uada.edu/counties/ for information about upcoming training in their area or visit uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/child-care-providers/best-care. More information about Early Childhood Professional Development opportunities in Arkansas can also be found at uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/child-care-providers/.

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. 

River Valley Beef Cattle Conference offers cattle producers latest recommendations for herd, forage management

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

MORRILTON, Ark. — This year’s River Valley Beef Cattle Conference will offer cattle producers from 12 counties the latest research-based recommendations for cattle producers in herd health and pest management, along with market outlook for the beef cattle industry.

BEEF — Cattle producers from Arkansas' 12-county River Valley area gather with Division of Agriculture experts to get the latest research-based information. UADA graphic

The conference will be on Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. – noon at the Conway County Fairgrounds, 901 E. Elm St. in Morrilton. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $20, payable at the door, and includes a steak lunch.

The annual conference, hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, brings together faculty, livestock economists and extension specialists to share research-based information to help producers plan and manage their operations efficiently.

Cattle producers from the River Valley area — Conway, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Newton, Perry, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties — are invited to attend.

“This year’s conference will bring together experts from the Division of Agriculture who will share the latest recommendations for dealing with armyworms, protecting herd health, and assessing cattle for optimum performance,” said Bob Harper, Logan County extension staff chair. “The industry market outlook will also be discussed.”

Armyworm update

Pope County Extension Agent Brandon Yarbery will discuss options for controlling armyworms and review products that are available this year for controlling pests and products that have worked successfully in the past.

“Last year was one of the worst years we’ve had for armyworms,” Harper said.

The pests appear in the spring and can severely damage forages, hay yields and seed production. Infestations can be easily overlooked when the caterpillars are small and eating very little.

Vaccination programs

Kristen Midkiff, extension animal health and wellbeing specialist for the Division of Agriculture, will discuss vaccination strategies in beef cattle, including options for calves, weaned calves and for the breeding herd for both developing heifers and the cowherd.

“Vaccines are an important portion of a herd health program, as we are protecting our cattle from infectious diseases by allowing their immune system to be able to recognize the pathogens,” Midkiff said. “There are many viruses and bacteria that cattle can be exposed to in their lifetime, and vaccinating gives us an opportunity to set our cattle up for success for future interactions with these agents.”

Midkiff, who has a doctorate in beef cattle health, nutrition, and physiology from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, joined the Division of Agriculture last fall.

Evaluating Longevity

Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist, will discuss assessing beef cattle for optimum performance.

“She will focus on evaluating cows for the? long term and selecting cows that will stay in the herd and remain productive,” Harper said.

Market Update

James Mitchell, extension livestock economist, will discuss industry outlook and provide highlights from the annual cattle inventory report published Jan. 31. Other topics include cow-calf and feedlot profitability, beef demand and impacts of New World screwworm on the beef and cattle trade.

Conference agenda

• 8:30 a.m. – Registration

• 9 a.m. – Introductions: Kevin Van Pelt, Conway County extension agent

• 9:05 a.m. – Welcome: Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas

• 9:10 a.m. – Armyworm Update – Brandon Yarbery, Pope County extension agent

• 9:30 a.m. – Vaccination Programs for Beef Cattle Producers, Kirsten Midkiff, extension animal health and wellbeing specialist

• 10:15 a.m. – Break

• 10:30 a.m. — Evaluating Longevity: Annual Beef Cattle Assessment for Optimum Performance, Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist

• 11:15 a.m. – Market Outlook, James Mitchell, extension livestock economist

• Noon – Lunch and adjourn

For more information about armyworms in Arkansas, visit https://www.uaex.uada.edu/armyworms

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

Masters of water efficiency emerge after a difficult growing season in irrigation yield contest

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

JONESBORO, Ark. — There was nothing easy about the 2024 growing season. But the winners of the 2024 Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest, also known as Most Crop Per Drop, showed how efficiency can at least make a bad situation better.

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS IN A TOUGH YEAR — Forty-seven producers from 20 counties across the Arkansas Delta region participated in the 2024 Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest, also known as Most Crop Per Drop contest, planting 58 fields of soybean, corn or rice. Six of those 47 contenders planted multiple crops or fields. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Now in its seventh year, the contest challenges growers to maximize crop growth while minimizing irrigation inputs, a strategy that helps conserve both natural and financial resources.

Forty-seven producers from 20 counties across the Arkansas Delta region participated in the 2024 contest, planting 58 fields of soybean, corn or rice. Six of those 47 contenders planted multiple crops or fields.

Within the rice category are three subcategories for different production methods: levee rice, furrow rice and zero-grade rice.

Chris Henry, professor and water management engineer for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that while there are financial rewards for succeeding in the contest, the real incentives are the lessons learned.

“The contest is an opportunity for farmers to explore their individual aptitude to reduce energy, water use, labor and improve profitability,” Henry said.

With the exception of flooded rice, each participating grower used at least one irrigation management tool, such as poly-pipe with computerized hole selection, soil moisture sensors or surge irrigation. Winners in each division are determined by their water use efficiency, or WUE, and how many bushels of a given crop they can produce per inch of water.

Frank Binkley, a row crop producer in Lawrence County, won first place in the soybean division with a WUE of 3.83 bushels per inch. Binkley said the field he entered in the contest is about 38 acres, part of a 1,200-acre operation that chiefly produces rice and soybeans. 2024 was Binkley’s fourth year participating in the competition.

“My first year, I got sixth place,” Binkley said. “The next year, things just didn’t work out very well for me. Last year, I was actually even more efficient than I was this year, but so was everybody else.

“It just kind of worked out for me this year,” he said. “With all the rain and weather issues, it could’ve been anybody’s game.”

Binkley said the contest has taught him how the use of soil moisture sensors and the UA’s mobile app, the Arkansas Soil Sensor Calculator, can help curtail unnecessary irrigation and help determine whether a given field can wait for an expected rain.

“If you’ve got a thirsty field that’s just not going to make it until the end of the week, a soil moisture sensor will help you water just enough to make it through to that next rain,” he said.

Jeremy Wiedeman, a Clay County row crop farmer, has participated in every Most Crop Per Drop competition since its inception. Weideman took first place in the corn division, with 13.5 bushels per inch of irrigation — the highest water efficiency yield for corn in the contest’s history. He said out of a 4,000-acre operation, he grows about 500 acres of corn in a typical year. The field he used for this year’s contest is 40 acres.

“It was a good corn year in general,” Wiedeman said. “Learning how to use and read those soil moisture sensors really teaches you how far you can stretch your irrigation.”

Russ Parker, program associate at the Division of Agriculture’s Rice Research and Extension Center, helps administer the contest. He said the 2024 contest was notable for how growers dealt with the harvest pressure at the end of the growing season.

“We had an abundance of early planting this year,” Parker said. “We’ve never seen so many crops in the ground so early, across the board. And that’s great, but it also means everything’s ready for harvest at the same time, too. All those crops had to come off at about the same time Hurricane Helene came through.”

About a dozen sponsors contributed cash and prizes, totaling more than $128,000, to this year’s contest. Those sponsors include The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Arkansas Corn & Grain Sorghum Board, the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, RiceTec, Irrometer, Agsense, Seametrics, Trellis, CropX, Delta Plastics and FarmLogs.

2024 Crop Per Drop Contest winners include:

Frank Binkley              Lawrence County        First place, soybeans
Ty Graham                  Jackson County          Second place, soybeans
Danny Gipson             Mississippi County      Third place, soybeans

Jeremy Wiedeman     Clay County                First place, corn
Matt Ahrent                 Clay County                Second place, corn
Kelby Wright               Cross County              Third place, corn

Chad Render              Jefferson County       First place, zero grade rice
Mark Felker                 Crittenden County      Second place, zero grade rice
Rieves Wallace           Crittenden County      Third place, zero grade rice

Cody Fincher              Mississippi County      First place, row rice
Rieves Wallace           Crittenden County      Second place, row rice
Ty Graham                  Jackson County         Third place, row rice

Kelby Wright               Cross County              First place, levee rice
Jon Carroll                  Monroe County           Second place, levee rice
Blake Ahrent               Clay County                Third place, levee rice

The Division of Agriculture offers a wide selection of courses, publications and online tools to help growers maximize irrigation efficiency.

Use of product names does not imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

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.