Rep. Hill outlines priorities for bank regulatory changes, cryptocurrency

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock, is the new chairman of the House Financial Services Committee, an influential panel that oversees the nation’s banking and securities sectors. Hill outlined his priorities for change in the 119th Congress in a recent Talk Business & Politics interview.

PixaHive Image

When he campaigned for the House committee chairmanship, Hill rolled out a package of ideas titled “Make Community Banking Great Again” to explain how he would guide the panel and push for new legislation. A former U.S. Treasury official in the George H.W. Bush administration, Arkansas’ 2nd District Congressman said he wants to see regulations better tied to bank size.

“I believe strongly in tailoring regulations. So the more large and complex your business strategy, the more regulatory surveillance and scrutiny that you ought to have. The smaller and more straightforward your business, you ought to have a lighter touch of regulation. You still comply with the regulations, but you have it in a less costly way to the institution,” he said.

Rep. Hill outlines priorities for bank regulatory changes, cryptocurrency

Boozman, Booker Team Up to Improve Prostate Cancer Detection

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced legislation to expand insurance coverage for prostate cancer screenings.

The bipartisan Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Screening for High-risk Insured Men (HIM) Act would require private health insurance plans to cover preventive prostate cancer screenings without imposing any cost-sharing requirements for men who are at high risk of developing prostate cancer. 

“Like so many others, my family has experienced the impact of this disease. Since we know early detection leads to better health outcomes, making access to screening easier can help save lives. I’m proud to work in a bipartisan way to expand prostate cancer detection and early intervention, particularly for at-risk men,” said Boozman.

FMT Image

“Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in men in the United States, with Black men being disproportionately impacted and over twice as likely to die following a diagnosis,” said Booker. “I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will increase affordability and access to lifesaving screening services, help men detect the disease early, and save lives.” 

Prostate cancer affects 1 in 8 American men in their lifetime and disproportionately affects African American men with 1 in 6 being diagnosed. Individuals who have at least one close family member diagnosed with the disease are at least twice as likely to be diagnosed themselves.

Currently, the Prostate-Specific Antigen test is the most effective tool for detection. When detected in early stage, it is almost 100 percent survivable. 

“The PSA Screening for HIM Act is a crucial step toward removing financial barriers to life-saving prostate cancer screenings,” said American Urological Association Public Policy Council Chair Mark Edney, M.D. “By ensuring high-risk groups can access PSA testing without cost-sharing, this legislation will save countless lives through earlier detection, where survival rates are nearly 100 percent, compared to later stages where survival rates are around 30 percent.”

“The introduction of the PSA Screening for HIM Act represents a critical step forward in protecting men’s health and saving lives through early detection. At ZERO Prostate Cancer, we know that access to prostate cancer screening is fundamental in the fight against prostate cancer, particularly for those at highest risk,” said ZERO Prostate Cancer CEO Courtney Bugler.

“The PSA Screening for HIM Act would eliminate a significant hurdle that keeps far too many at high risk for prostate cancer from getting tested for the disease,” said Dr. Wayne A.I. Frederick, Interim Chief Executive Officer of the American Cancer Society and the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network. “We thank Sens. Boozman and Booker for introducing this bill and look forward to working with them to get it passed.” 

“With the increase in prostate cancer diagnoses and deaths, and the growing racial disparity, the PSA Screening for HIM Act is more important now than ever,” said Thomas A. Farrington, President and Founder of the Prostate Health Education Network (PHEN).

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Womack Honors Winner of 2024 Congressional App Challenge

Washington, DC—January 30, 2025…Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) today honored Ronak Pai—a 12th grader from Bentonville West High School—for winning the 2024 Congressional App Challenge. The annual and nationwide coding competition for middle school and high school students aims to encourage our nation’s youth to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education and computer science careers.

Congressman Womack said, “Congratulations to our winner, Ronak, on his impressive achievement. I deeply admire his work to support those who courageously and selflessly served our great nation. For 10 years, I’ve been blown away by the coding talent, innovation, and creative problem-solving displayed by the participants in Arkansas’ Third. This challenge is hard work – and I couldn’t be prouder of those who applied. I have no doubt that Ronak and the rest of the participants have bright futures ahead, creating a smarter, more efficient nation.”

Dr. Debbie Jones, Superintendent, Bentonville Schools, said, “The Congressional App Challenge Award is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious accolades in computer science. We're grateful for Congressman Steve Womack and his colleagues in the House of Representatives who make this honor possible for our students.”

Dr. Jonathon Guthrie, Principal, Bentonville West High School, said, “Ronak Pai is one of the most academically gifted and compassionate students to matriculate through Bentonville West. His app demonstrates his commitment to America's veterans intheirefforts to more readily secure healthcare.”

Startup Junkie Managing Director, Brett Amerine, said, “This year was very exciting for the Congressional App Challenge. Many talented students who will be this nation's next top scientists, engineers, and entrepreneurs participated. After significant review and deliberation we are excited for the winner, Ronak Pai, founder of Veteran Connect. We need to serve our veterans as best we can, and we need as many smart entrepreneurs and engineers as possible working to solve government efficiency and effectiveness challenges, and Veteran Connect does just that.”

Ronak’s winning app, Veteran Connect, is an all-in-one resource tailored to help veterans overcome the challenges they often face when accessing essential benefits and services. Built using Dart and Flutter, with integrated C++ and Swift components, the app provides a seamless, user-friendly experience across Android, iOS, and desktop platforms. Key features include precise GPS directions to nearby VA offices, a detailed questionnaire that evaluates and predicts eligibility for various benefits, and a curated list of veteran-specific benefits with clear descriptions. Veteran Connect is designed to simplify and enhance veterans’ access to the support they deserve.

Womack honored Ronak with a certificate and congressional medallion at a ceremony at Bentonville West High School. Entries were reviewed by a panel of local technology experts and judged on the originality, creativity, and quality of the app design. The judges included Jeff Amerine, Brett Amerine, and Phyl Amerine of Startup Junkie. Veteran Connect will be featured on a digital display in the U.S. Capitol and on the Congressional App Challenge website.

Additional honorees include:

• 2nd Place: Veera Unnam, a junior at Bentonville West High School, and Harshith Guduru a senior at Bentonville West High School – AiDA

• 3rd Place: Sanjay Javangula, a junior at Bentonville High School, Avinash Devineni, a junior Bentonville High School, and Sripath Badhika, a junior at Bentonville High School– ParkinDetect

This is the 10th year Womack has hosted the Congressional App Challenge in Arkansas’ Third Congressional District. The Natural State has consistently had every congressional district partake in the competition, making Arkansas one of the top Congressional App Challenge participants per capita from across the United States. The 2025 edition of the competition will open later this year.

Affirmative action ban advances through Arkansas Senate

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

Members of the Arkansas Senate have approved a bill that would ban state-supported affirmative action programs.

Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, would prohibit “discrimination or preferential treatment” in state entities. Senators voted on the proposal Wednesday, following more than two hours of debate in committee Tuesday.

Speaking on the Senate floor, Sullivan said the bill wouldn’t impact hiring practices in the private sector.

“Preferential treatment and discrimination have always existed… but to say that we’re trying to get rid of that nationwide and statewide is just a straw man and not true,” he said. “This bill only affects procurement, hiring and higher [education].”

Affirmative action ban advances through Arkansas Senate

Image by John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

UAMS Names Deanna Sasaki-Adams, M.D., as Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery

By Tamara Robinson

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine named Deanna Sasaki-Adams, M.D., MBA, as chair of the Department of Neurosurgery, effective March 1.

A noted vascular and skull base neurosurgeon, Sasaki-Adams currently serves as the Department of Neurosurgery’s vice chair of Quality and Clinical Operations, medical director of UAMS neurosurgery services and associate program director for the Neurosurgery Residency program. She also holds a professor faculty appointment in the department.

“Dr. Sasaki-Adams will provide strong and innovative leadership for our clinical, educational and research programs in neurosurgery,” said Steven Webber, M.D., dean of the College of Medicine and executive vice chancellor. “She has already excelled in many leadership roles at UAMS and the University of North Carolina.”

UAMS Names Deanna Sasaki-Adams, M.D., as Chair of the Department of Neurosurgery

Deanna Sasaki-Adams, M.D. Image by Bryan Clifton

Ashley Booth Norse, M.D., Joins UAMS as Chair of Emergency Medicine

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — Ashley Booth Norse, M.D., has joined the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as chair of the College of Medicine’s Department of Emergency Medicine.

Norse comes to UAMS from the University of Florida College of Medicine in Jacksonville, where she was professor and associate chair of operations in the Department of Emergency Medicine.

“Dr. Norse is known nationally and in Florida as an ardent emergency medicine physician, leader and patient advocate who has strived to improve standards and performance in her field and medicine more broadly,” said Steven Webber, M.D., dean of the UAMS College of Medicine. “She will be an outstanding leader for our excellent programs, faculty and staff in Emergency Medicine.”

Ashley Booth Norse, M.D., Joins UAMS as Chair of Emergency Medicine

Ashley Booth Norris, M.D.

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.

State of the State 2025: Two years after LEARNS, focus is on higher ed

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Gov. Sarah Sanders’ 2023 LEARNS Act changed K-12 education. Her focus now is on changing higher education. In her Jan. 14 State of the State address, Sanders introduced the Arkansas ACCESS plan to make higher education more workforce centered.

While she didn’t provide details, she would change the funding formula to emphasize non-degree credentials along with bachelor’s and associate’s degrees. ACCESS also would expand scholarships for those certificate pathways.

Sanders also would create a single application with one fee for prospective students to apply to any state-supported college or university. She would fund college credits while students are still in high school. Meanwhile, she called for terminating professors who she said waste time indoctrinating students.

State of the State 2025: Two years after LEARNS, focus is on higher ed

Gov. Sanders initiates new attempt at work requirement for able-bodied Medicaid recipients

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Gov. Sarah Sanders on Tuesday (Jan. 28) pitched the new Trump administration for a waiver to Arkansas’ Medicaid insurance program that will add a work requirement for able-bodied individuals.

The governor previously indicated she planned to make the waiver request, Arkansas’ second effort at adding a work requirement for a portion of its Medicaid population. Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson petitioned for the change, but it was blocked in a subsequent federal court ruling and later rejected by the Biden administration.

“President Trump declared it in his inaugural address: a new American golden age has begun. But our country cannot unleash unprecedented prosperity if able-bodied, childless adults sit on the sidelines. And we won’t slash our deficit if our welfare programs pay people to stay on the sidelines,” Sanders said in a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary-Designate, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Gov. Sanders initiates new attempt at work requirement for able-bodied Medicaid recipients

Uncertainty circulates after executive order stopping federal spending

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

On Monday, President Donald Trump issued a memo halting about $10 trillion in federal spending.

The memo said “Federal agencies must temporarily pause all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance.” Trump said he wanted to pause funds temporarily to investigate the fundings connection to programs he opposes such as: “DEI, woke gender ideology, and the Green New Deal.”

A judge halted the order later in the week, and on Wednesday, the Trump administration rescinded the order altogether.

In the days after the order was handed down, agencies across Arkansas were confused.

Uncertainty circulates after executive order stopping federal spending

Wikimedia Image

40-acre solar farm begins to power J.B. Hunt headquarters

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

J.B. Hunt Transport Services Inc. has opened a solar array in Gentry that’s expected to offset up to 80% of the electricity used by its three main corporate campus buildings in Lowell, the company announced Wednesday (Jan. 29).

The 40-acre J.B. Hunt Solar Facility includes nearly 18,000 solar panels and more than 10,000 bi-facial solar modules to capture sunlight, which is converted to electricity and transmitted to a nearby electric grid for Carroll Electric Cooperative Corp.

Construction of the array started in 2024. NextEra Energy managed the project, which Verogy completed. Trio, formerly Edison Energy, and Carroll Electric provided consulting services throughout planning and development.

40-acre solar farm begins to power J.B. Hunt headquarters

Officials recently gathered for the opening of a solar facility that provides energy for the J.B. Hunt Transport Services headquarters in Lowell. (photo courtesy of J.B. Hunt Transport)

Eagles inspire awe, appreciation for conservation efforts

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK — When America’s founding fathers affixed a bald eagle to the Great Seal of the United States in 1782, they likely had no idea they were highlighting what would become one of the greatest wildlife comeback stories of all time.

America’s symbol stood on the brink of extinction in the 1960s, when it was placed on the federal Endangered Species list. At that time, less than 500 nesting pairs of bald eagles were documented throughout the entire United States with no nesting pairs observed in Arkansas. Two of the primary culprits for their decline were the pesticide DDT, causing eggshell thinning in birds that ate DDT-contaminated fish, and lead poisoning as a result of lead shotgun pellets ingested when eagles preyed upon crippled and dead waterfowl. Thanks to tighter regulations on pesticide use and a ban on lead shot in waterfowl hunting, scientists and conservationists have been able to turn the tide on the eagles’ plight, with more than 13,000 breeding pairs estimated in 2007 when the species was officially “delisted” from the Endangered Species Act.

The bald eagle’s recovery hit a major milestone at a local level in 1983, when the first eagle nest since the 1950s was documented on Dale Bumpers White River National Wildlife Refuge. Since that time, the number of nests have gradually increased. Although the AGFC no longer has a formal survey for breeding pairs of eagles in the state, Karen Rowe, AGFC Nongame Bird Program Coordinator, estimates the number to be between 150 and 160.

“It could be higher, but once bald eagles were taken off the federal Endangered and Threatened Species list, the funding devoted to their monitoring had to be shifted to focus on recovering other species of birds that were still experiencing steep declines in the state,” Rowe said. “According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which monitors their numbers in the continental U.S., breeding bald eagle populations have only continued to increase since their delisting, so it’s likely that the Arkansas population has followed suit. Considering the original goal for recovery in Arkansas was only 10 breeding pairs of nesting bald eagles, we’re in phenomenal shape.”

Rowe says winter is one of the best times to view bald eagles if one is willing to bundle up and brave the chilly weather. Concentrations of eagles and other raptors travel south just like ducks, shorebirds and other migrating species. As lakes and rivers freeze in the northern states, it cuts off the supply of fish and other marine animals the eagles prey upon. Their other major food source, birds like waterfowl, head south for winter, and the eagles follow the food.

“Anywhere you find flocks of migrating waterfowl, you’re likely to come across bald eagles in winter,” Rowe said. “But the best locations are tied to our large rivers, Army Corps of Engineers reservoirs and seasonally flooded rice fields. As duck seasons wind down, you’ll find quite a few birders take more trips to some of the AGFC’s waterfowl-focused wildlife management areas to enjoy watching the many other species the habitat on these areas attracts, eagles included.”

For folks wanting to get out and take in the sight of eagles perched over the wetlands, Rowe suggests keeping an eye out for superdominant trees along the shorelines or field edges.

“Holla Bend National Wildlife Refuge and DeGray Lake on the west side of the state are two of Arkansas’s most well-known eagle-watching locations, but the Delta hosts hundreds of birds each year, especially along the White and Cache rivers.”

How do you tell an eagle from a hawk or a vulture (incorrectly called a “buzzard” by some Arkansans)? First of all, size is a major factor. An eagle’s wingspan is nearly twice as wide as most hawks and owls, often reaching 7 to 8 feet. Black vultures and turkey vultures have similarly sized wingspans, but they have different flight characteristics than raptors.

“Eagles and hawks soar with their wings extended on a flat horizontal plane,” Rowe said. “Vultures hold their wings in a ‘V’ shape. And the white head and tail of both male and female adult bald eagles is a striking contrast from its brown body that will give it away.”

Rowe says golden eagles, which are similarly sized but not as common as bald eagles in Arkansas, have brown heads and tails and legs covered with feathers down to the feet. Another, often more obvious difference is their beak; the bald eagle has a very large, bright yellow beak, while the golden eagle’s is small and black. Immature bald eagles that have not attained their adult plumage also are predominantly brown with white mottling and are often confused for this lesser-known species.

“Juvenile bald eagles gradually shift toward their adult plumage as they get older and usually have the species’ trademark look by year five,” Rowe said.

Rowe said birders who wish to help track eagle nests can email her at karen.rowe@agfc.ar.gov. Please be prepared to give exact GPS coordinates for the nest to help biologists make the best use of their follow-up time.

“It’s always great to hear the excitement in someone’s voice when they see an eagle or a nest, but we really need people to make sure that the nest is active with a breeding pair and we really need exact locations to help our monitoring efforts,” Rowe said. “We get hundreds of reports each year, but many can’t be used because we don’t have an exact location of an active nest to document.”

Womack, Moulton introduce bipartisan bill to eliminate tax on military families

Washington, DC—January 23, 2025…Recognizing the importance of supporting America’s military families, Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR-3) and Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) introduced the BNA Fairness Act, legislation to eliminate the tax burden on Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) payments. The bipartisan bill ensures service members keep the full amount of entitlement benefits they have earned for their service to our nation.

Thank You Heroes Image

Congressman Womack said, “Providing a supplement to support military families and taxing that benefit doesn’t make sense. The BNA should be treated just like any other military benefit outside of earned income. My bill with Congressman Moulton does just that. This allowance—especially without the tax burden—is a combat multiplier. Free from additional financial stress, our men and women in uniform can better focus on their mission of defending our homeland. I’m proud to introduce this bill to ensure our troops receive the full benefits they’ve earned.”

Congressman Moulton said, “It is simply unacceptable for servicemembers and their families, who already make many sacrifices for our country, to then struggle to put food on the table or make ends meet. By treating the Basic Needs Allowance like other military benefits, this bill provides critical relief to service members and their families. As we keep working to improve quality of life across the military community, I’m very proud today to co-lead this bipartisan effort.”

The Arkansas Council of Chapters (COC) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), representing the nearly 5 thousand MOAA members across our great state, fully supports Congressman Womack's reintroduction of the BNA Fairness Act.

The bipartisan bill is supported by one original cosponsor, Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-1).

Details:

The proposal specifically amends the tax code to exclude BNA benefits from taxable income. This rightfully puts BNA in line with the tax status of other military benefits, including Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS).

Allowing eligible military families to keep more of their earned benefit further supports their ability to purchase groceries and be food secure. It’s another step in alleviating financial burdens and ensuring those serving and protecting our nation can better focus on their mission.

State of the State 2025: Two years after LEARNS, focus is on higher ed

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Gov. Sarah Sanders’ 2023 LEARNS Act changed K-12 education. Her focus now is on changing higher education. In her Jan. 14 State of the State address, Sanders introduced the Arkansas ACCESS plan to make higher education more workforce centered.

While she didn’t provide details, she would change the funding formula to emphasize non-degree credentials along with bachelor’s and associate’s degrees. ACCESS also would expand scholarships for those certificate pathways.

Sanders also would create a single application with one fee for prospective students to apply to any state-supported college or university. She would fund college credits while students are still in high school. Meanwhile, she called for terminating professors who she said waste time indoctrinating students.

State of the State 2025: Two years after LEARNS, focus is on higher ed

Governor Sanders Announces Bill to Make Every Arkansas School Go Phone-Free

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced the Bell to Bell, No Cell Act, legislation that would ban smartphones and other personal electronic devices like smart watches from every single public school in Arkansas, beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. Senator Tyler Dees (District 35) and Representative Jon Eubanks (District 46) are sponsoring the bill in the legislature.

“We have seen a staggering rise in mental illness among young people over the past decade. The culprit is clear: unrestricted access to smartphones and social media,” said Governor Sanders. “After the overwhelming success of our phone-free schools pilot program, it’s clear that it’s time for Arkansas to ban smartphones, bell to bell, in every school in our state.”

“Arkansas kids deserve every advantage we as parents can give them, and helping them keep their heads in the game at school isn’t just good for their mental health. It will improve the quality of their education overall, making them more prepared for the challenges of life. Disconnecting students from doom-scrolling on big tech social media platforms during school is common sense and will help with their social and emotional health.”said Senator Tyler Dees. 

“I think we can all agree cell phones are a serious distraction for students. This legislation will limit that distraction so that phones do not interfere with the learning process,” said Representative Jon Eubanks.

The Bell to Bell, No Cell Act prohibits personal electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches, bell-to-bell. Each public school district will be required to publish its cell phone policy on its website, including policies and exemptions concerning cell phones on school property and at school-related functions. Districts are required to provide exemptions for health reasons, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), after-school extracurricular activities, and emergencies. 

In her 2025 State of the State address, Governor Sanders identified mental health as one of her top priorities for the year. In addition to the phone-free schools program, the Governor plans to update Arkansas’ Social Media Safety Act so it is no longer held up in court and to give Arkansas parents the right to sue Big Tech companies under state law so they can hold bad actors accountable.

Governor Sanders launched the phone-free schools pilot program last summer. Participating districts received funding to purchase containers for students to store their devices and experience a phone-free education. She was inspired to launch this program after reading The Anxious Generation by author Jonathan Haidt, and also sent a copy of the book to every legislator in Arkansas and every governor in America.

Sanders and Haidt toured schools across the state in December to promote the phone-free schools program and see its implementation. Beyond school visits, they held a roundtable and speaking engagements, inviting legislators, parents, and educators to join the conversation. The Governor and Haidt also spoke on a panel at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, to promote phone-free schools.

Boozman backs permanent small business tax cut

WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) has cosponsored the Main Street Tax Certainty Act , legislation introduced by Senator Steve Daines (R-SD) and Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to make the 20 percent pass-through business tax deduction permanent. The expiration of this tax cut would require small businesses to face an immediate and insurmountable tax hike.

TNP Image

“From main street storefronts to manufacturers, agriculture producers and more – small business is the backbone of our economy,” said Boozman. “I am proud to support policies that help Natural State small businesses thrive and stimulate growth and investment into our local communities.” 

“As the son of a contractor, I’ve seen firsthand the hard work it takes to keep a small business flourishing- especially as Americans are still grappling with the effects of Joe Biden’s inflation. It’s absolutely crucial that we pass this legislation to prevent a 20 percent tax increase for hardworking Montanans and I’ll keep fighting for ways to support Montana small businesses, which provide the majority of jobs in our state,” said Daines.

“Small businesses are the economic engine that drive growth and jobs in South Dakota and across our country. This legislation is critical to permanently extending a key provision from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act and ensuring our small businesses and farms and ranches are not hit with a crippling tax hike at the end of 2025,” said Thune. 

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), James Lankford (R-OK), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Tim Scott (R-SC), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Jerry Moran (R-KS), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Rounds (R-SD), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Katie Britt (R-AL), Jim Risch (R-ID), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Roger Wicker (R-MS), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), John Hoeven (R-ND), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-KS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Tim Sheehy (R-MT), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Todd Young (R-IN), John Kennedy (R-LA) and Jim Banks (R-IN).  

The Main Street Tax Certainty Act is endorsed by multiple small businesses and advocacy groups. Here’s what they are saying about the bill. 

“Congress must preserve the pass-through deduction to protect the small and medium manufacturers that are the backbone of the American supply chain. Manufacturers strongly support the Main Street Tax Certainty Act, which will make permanent this crucial provision and ensure that our tax code supports manufacturers in America as they invest in their businesses, create jobs, and drive the economy,” said National Association of Manufacturers Managing Vice President of Policy Chris Netram.

“If Congress fails to act, more than 30 million small businesses will face a massive tax hike at the end of this year. The 20 percent Small Business Deduction allows nine out of 10 Main Street job creators to compete, grow their business, hire new employees, raise wages, and give back to their communities,” said National Federation of Independent Businesses President Brad Close. 

Over 230 trade associations also signed a letter in support of the Main Street Tax Certainty Act.

Click here to read the text of the legislation.

Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers program expands; more youth interested in STEM

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — Whether they’re helping adults create resumes, safe passwords or avoid phishing scams, Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers are using their technology skills to make a difference in their communities.

DRONE PRACTICE — Callen Shaw, a member of Grant County 4-H, demonstrates how to operate a recreational drone for his fellow Tech Changemakers at the program's Winter Training on Jan. 3. The program trains youth to lead technology skill workshops to adults in their communities, and Arkansas 4-H members have reached more than 10,000 adults since 2021. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

4-H Tech Changemakers began in Arkansas in 2021 with 20 participants from 11 counties. The program trains youth to teach digital skill-building workshops to adults. Participants have given presentations to Extension Homemakers Council clubs, county meetings for Master Gardeners, nursing homes and community centers, all focusing on basic internet safety.

Over the past four years, Tech Changemakers has grown significantly. Seventy-four Arkansas 4-H members from 16 counties attended the program’s Winter Training on Jan. 3. At the training, participants and adult 4-H volunteers learned how to operate recreational drones and test secure passwords. They also learned to use Ozobots, miniature robots that introduce students to coding techniques.

Cindy Phillips, extension Tech Changemakers program technician for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the program has grown, in part, because of past participants’ vocal enthusiasm.

“Our team, and past teams, have been talking to their friends about how great it is to be a Tech Changemaker,” Phillips said. “We have also set up a Tech Changemakers table at several 4-H events, so more kids are seeing us and asking questions about what we do. It’s a great way to meet fellow 4-H members and gain valuable community service experience.”

Community outreach is at the heart of Tech Changemakers. Nationally, 325 Tech Changemakers participants across 18 states reached more than 37,000 adults in 2021. Phillips said that since then, Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers have connected with more than 10,000 adults in the state through workshops and one-on-one tutorials.

“Our goal is to help the adults in our communities cross the digital divide,” Phillips said. “As our world becomes more and more driven by technology, Tech Changemakers help adults learn essential digital skills, including basic internet safety, phishing scams and cell phone use.”

Michelle McVay, extension STEM instructor for the Division of Agriculture, said that today’s teens are the perfect vehicles to deliver this critical information.

“These kids are what we could consider digital natives,” McVay said. “Many of them have used computers and the internet from an early age, so these technology skills are very familiar to them. We’re asking them to use their knowledge to help people in their communities live safer lives and not feel so left behind by technology — by connecting with these adults, Tech Changemakers help them connect with the world.”

Phillips said that in 2025, participants will also teach STEM classes in their local schools.

Technology skills for work and play

At the Tech Changemakers Winter Training, new program participants shared their excitement for the year ahead.

Truitt Shaw, a member of Grant County 4-H, said his older brother participated in the program previously, which got him excited to join.

“I thought it would be very interesting to do what my brother did and help people learn how to use technology,” Shaw said.

Shaw, 12, said he’s interested in becoming a professional animator when he grows up, and he’s already sharpening his skills.

“I make stop-motion videos, where you take a picture and then move an item, so it looks like it moves on its own,” Shaw said. “I also do frame-by-frame animation, where I draw a picture and then I draw another picture, and it plays together and makes it look like it’s moving.”

After the training, Shaw said he looked forward to using his skills to help people grasp concepts that may be new or intimidating to them.

“I think that if somebody like my mom or dad, or my grandma or grandpa, needs help with technology and they don’t understand something, I think I’d be able to help them understand it,” Shaw said.

Thyme Spence, a member of Clay County 4-H, said she joined Tech Changemakers because she “thought it would be a good opportunity for me to grow my 4-H experience.” As a freshman in high school, she took a class about coding, which also interested her in the program.

For fellow Clay County 4-H member Claire McKenney, Tech Changemakers presented an opportunity to learn new skills that may benefit her family’s medical practice.

“I thought it would be a cool way to branch out my learning experience and get more life experience with other kinds of jobs,” McKenney said. “I’m most interested in mechanics and coding, because while my family runs a doctor’s office, I want to become something different and learn engineering so I can be independent.

“If a printer breaks, or there’s a computer problem, I’ll know a bit more about what’s wrong with it and how to fix it,” she said.

McKenney said she thinks her Tech Changemakers experience could “definitely go into a career path and future life experiences.”  

Learn more about Arkansas 4-H Tech Changemakers online, visit or contact Cindy Phillips at cdphillips@uada.edu.

Mention of product names does not imply endorsement by the 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. 

Arkansas Crop Profit/Loss Calculator available as downloadable app

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — At a time when profit margins seem stuck between thin and zero, Arkansas farmers have another tool to help them make decisions to stay out of the red.

The Arkansas Crop Profit/Loss Calculator is a web-based decision tool designed to provide producers and other stakeholders with the profit-and-loss potential of producing a crop in Arkansas this year.

Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture said, “This is a tool I have wanted to create for some time now, but seeing these historically low commodity prices heading into the 2025 growing season had me thinking, ‘What crop can a farmer produce and minimize loss or break even?’

Extension Economist Hunter Biram wanted to create a tool to help farmers, especially at a time when margins are thin to none. (U of A System Divsiion of Agriculture photo)

“In my travels across the state this winter, I have used the tool to help farmers be informed as to what appears to be the best crop choices,” he said. 

Biram said he and fellow Extension Economist Ryan Loy were able to piece the tool together in a few weeks.

“The main feature of the tool is a table which populates with returns net of expenses once users input their county, crop, irrigation practice, and rental agreement,” Biram said. “The resulting table represents operating profit only – those returns above the cost of production.

“Fixed expenses such as capital recovery, taxes and depreciation are not included in the calculations,” said Biram. “A user may input his or her own farm-specific costs to capture these fixed expenses.” 

Operating expenses are taken from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Crop Enterprise Budgets.

Calculator’s foundations

The tool only provides tables for county-crop combinations in Arkansas for which yield data is available. Expected yields are calculated based on historical county yield data reported by USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service with the earliest year considered being 1960.

The tool uses expected season-average cash prices based on commodity futures contracts and state-level cash prices received. The final expected price is the sum of a 30-day average harvest futures contract and expected basis is determined by taking the average difference between the futures price and state-level cash price received over time.

A link to the Arkansas Crop Profit/Loss Calculator may be found here: https://hunterbiram.shinyapps.io/ArkansasCropProfitLoss2025/.

The “Download PDF Table” option is currently not working, but a PDF report of the table output may be provided by emailing hdbiram@uark.edu. Alternatively, one can take a screenshot of the window on a computer.

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. 

Cargill to shutter turkey operation in Springdale (Updated)

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

Cargill has confirmed it plans to close its turkey processing facility in Springdale. More than 1,000 employees and more than 100 farmers who raise turkeys for the company are being told Tuesday (Jan. 28) about the closure slated for Aug. 1.

“This Cargill closure in Springdale was not an easy decision to make given the impact to the people who work there and local producers,” Chuck Miller, corporate spokesman told Talk Business & Politics. “However, it is the right move to make for the future of our turkey business. Turkey remains an essential part of Cargill’s protein portfolio. We will shift much of Springdale’s production to our turkey processing plants in Missouri and Virginia and work to minimize supply disruptions to customers. We will honor contractual obligations to growers and continue to process turkey and other proteins at more than 40 primary, case-ready and value-added protein facilities in the United States and Canada.”

The company did not provide details about how it plans to honor contracts with farmers. Many farmers have significant bank loans that require multiple year contracts to pay off.

Cargill to shutter turkey operation in Springdale (Updated)

Bill to ban affirmative action passes Arkansas Senate committee

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

A bill to end affirmative action programs in the state has passed its first hurdle to becoming law Tuesday.

Senate Bill 3 to “prohibit discrimination or preferential treatment” in state entities is sponsored by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro. The bill strikes terms such as “equity,” “civil rights,” “minority,” and “diversity” from Arkansas law and repeals sections creating scholarships, support services, and retention programs for minorities.

The bill says “the state shall not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment to, an individual or group on the basis of race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin in matters of state employment, public education, or state procurement,” and creates a pathway for people who believe their rights have been impacted under the legislation to sue.

Bill to ban affirmative action passes Arkansas Senate committee