Extension pathologist finds footing in Arkansas

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

STUTTGART, Ark. — Like many agricultural researchers working in Arkansas today, Camila Nicolli, extension plant pathologist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, traveled a long and winding road to get here.

NEW ADDITION — Camila Nicolli, extension plant pathologist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

After completing a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, followed by a master’s degree and then a Ph.D. in plant pathology at Brazil’s Federal University Lavras in 2018, Nicolli spent several years as an assistant professor and researcher for various institutions and entities in Brazil. In 2021, she relocated to the United States and began conducting her post-doctoral research at the University of Wisconsin in Madison.

In 2022, Nicolli attended an annual meeting of the Southern Soybean Disease Workers, a pathology convention held in Pensacola. At that meeting, Terry Spurlock, extension plant pathologist for the Division of Agriculture, saw her deliver a presentation. Afterward, he informed Nicolli of an upcoming opening in Arkansas, due to the retirement of rice pathologist Yeshi Wamishe.

“Two or three days later, the position was posted, and I applied,” Nicolli said. “I was considering that position because I did my Ph.D. with rice. The position also deals with soybeans and corn — all crops I’ve worked with in the past.”

“I was impressed with the work she was doing,” Spurlock said. “At that time, she was working as a post-doc in Damon Smith’s lab at the University of Wisconsin, which is well respected and also a nice mix of applied and basic science.

“I encouraged Camila to consider applying because I knew that she had skills and experience that could be an asset to both our Entomology and Plant Pathology department and, most importantly, the growers in our state. Fortunately for us, she did apply.”

Nicolli, who holds dual citizenship in both Brazil and Italy, has an initial three-year plan for propelling her research in Arkansas.

“My entire career, I’ve been working on ecology and epidemiology, how the cycles of the seasons affect pathogens,” Nicolli said. “Most of my work has also been with fungi, as opposed to other pathogens. In plant pathology, we have nematodes, fungi and viruses.

“I’m going to stay focused on rice for this first year because that’s what my colleagues have already been working on recently,” she said. “We’re also doing research trials for industry, and we also have a breeding project.”

She said that next year she plans to expand her research into rice and soybean pathology, in an effort to help growers increase profitability while also improving soil health.

“For the third year, I’ll be looking for collaboration on corn,” Nicolli said. “Although I’m still learning about the issues that face corn producers here.”

Ken Korth, entomology and plant pathology department chair for the Division of Agriculture, said he is excited to see how Nicolli’s research benefits growers in Arkansas and beyond.

“We were very fortunate to recruit Dr. Nicolli for this position,” Korth said. “She came into our group with a broad set of experiences in plant pathology and production agriculture. She has a strong background in agricultural education and research, working in both academic and industry positions prior to coming here.

“The overall goals of her postdoctoral work were to bring science to farmers through new technologies, and I have no doubt that she will have an impact in Arkansas in similar ways,” he said. “Camila’s experience in field research has meant that she was able to hit the ground running as a new faculty member. She arrived just before the growing season started, and has already demonstrated an ability to connect with growers and organize important research activities.”

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.

Keep lawns green in 2024 with proper fall preparation

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – Early freezes and long-term drought in 2022 had lasting effects on this year’s lawns. However, much of this heartache can be avoided in 2024 with proper fall preparation.

GRASS FACTS —  Assistant professor Wendell Hutchens shares opening remarks to kick off the 2023 Arkansas Turfgrass Field Day. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Wendell Hutchens, assistant professor of turfgrass science for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said much of the lawncare woes in 2023 were due to an early cold snap at the end of December 2022, before zoysiagrass and bermudagrass were dormant.

“This past year was an absolute doozy for warm-season grasses,” Hutchens said. “We saw widespread winterkill across Arkansas in bermudagrass and zoysiagrass. A lot of lawns were not fully dormant when we got that cold spell around December 22 and 23.”

This year, Hutchens recommends taking a few steps early to prepare lawns for dormancy. Proper irrigation and higher mowing heights are crucial.

“A big issue we saw last year was depleted root systems due to drought. This left them very susceptible to winterkill. So proper irrigation going into fall dormancy is key,” Hutchens said.

“We want to give the plant the best possible chance, so you can also raise your mowing heights now. If you’re mowing at 2 inches, bump it up to 3 inches.”

Additionally, stopping fertilizer applications in October will help plants go dormant for the cold winter temperatures. Hutchens recommends stopping fertilizer before Oct. 1 for zoysiagrass and before Oct. 15 for bermudagrass. Pre-emergence herbicides for winter annual weeds are okay, but proceed with caution, especially in recently re-sodded areas.

Hutchens’ take home message for lawn care in 2024: buckle up.

“The best we can do is hope for a mild winter, but manage expectations for next spring,” he said. “Areas that were damaged from winterkill this past year are highly susceptible to reoccurring damage this year. Raise those mowing heights, get that grass up to 2.5 or 3 inches and keep it properly irrigated.”

Find resources on lawn and turf care at uaex.uada.edu/yard-garden/lawns.

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.

Mississippi River levels continue to drop; barge rates continue to rise

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Weeks of little to no rain are compounding barge problems on the Mississippi River, and the drought-like conditions that have dried up the river’s tributary system throughout the upper and lower Delta region are predicted to worsen.

Barge rates near Memphis have yet to hit the heights of October 2022, but the rates did see significant increases at the end of August. A slight retreat during the first week of September was promptly erased by an increase the week of Sept. 12.

Last year, the river level sank to a record minus 10.81 feet at Memphis during harvest time, stopping barges for two days and sending barge freight rates to a record high of nearly $90 per ton of grain. As of Sept. 5, the river level declines have caused barge rates to increase to $30 per ton.

Mississippi River levels continue to drop; barge rates continue to rise - Talk Business & Politics

Cleveland steel firm acquires Conway, Tulsa facilities

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

Olympic Steel Inc., a leading national metals service center, today announced that it has acquired Central Tube & Bar of Conway. The all-cash purchase is expected to be immediately accretive. Terms were not disclosed.

Central Tube & Bar was founded in 1996 and serves large original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and fabricators across the Mid-South from three facilities in Conway, Arkansas, and Tulsa, Oklahoma, totaling 162,000 square feet of warehouse and production space.

The business offers a range of value-added fabrication services, including tube laser cutting, tube bending, robotic welding, flat laser burning and brake press forming.

Cleveland steel firm acquires Conway, Tulsa facilities - Talk Business & Politics

Paddleboarders, kayakers and more flock to WOKA Whitewater Park’s grand opening

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

One of Northwest Arkansas’ newest tourist draws is just across the border in Oklahoma. But there’s no denying that The Waters of Oklahoma and Arkansas (WOKA) Whitewater Park’s ripple effects will be far-reaching.

“We typically have to go a long way for something like this,” said Jerrid Gelinas of Siloam Springs. He’s an avid paddler and president of the Arkansas Canoe Club’s Northwest Arkansas Chapter. “Normally, we go to Tennessee, West Virginia; this is a new opportunity for a lot of paddlers around here. To be out here surfing paddleboards, boogie boards, kayaks, canoes and tubes is really cool.”

Gelinas was one of several hundred visitors to the 30-acre whitewater adventure park during its opening weekend on Sept. 15-17.

Paddleboarders, kayakers and more flock to WOKA Whitewater Park’s grand opening - Talk Business & Politics

UAMS Researchers Find High Willingness Among Marshallese, Hispanics to Get a COVID-19 Booster Shot

By David Wise

FAYETTEVILLE — Marshallese and Hispanic communities in Northwest Arkansas are largely receptive to receiving COVID-19 booster shots if advised by a health care provider, according to a study conducted by researchers at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Office of Community Health & Research.

The COVID-19 pandemic affected Marshallese and Hispanic communities in Northwest Arkansas at such a high rate that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) visited the area in the summer of 2020 to investigate the causes of infection among those populations and barriers to safe quarantine. During the height of the pandemic, the Marshallese and Hispanic populations made up 64% of local COVID-19 cases, while only accounting for about 20% of the region’s population. According to data from the National Institutes of Health, Marshallese populations also suffered a death rate due to COVID-19 of about 93 times higher than Caucasians.

Marshallese and Hispanic community members experienced several barriers to vaccination, including language, access to vaccine sites and limited transportation, according to both CDC- and NIH-funded research. The lack of access to vaccine sites prompted UAMS Office of Community Health & Research and local organizations to host culturally appropriate vaccine events with bilingual community health workers (CHWs) at various community locations — such as churches, community centers and job sites — where participants felt more comfortable.

UAMS Researchers Find High Willingness Among Marshallese, Hispanics to Get a COVID-19 Booster Shot | UAMS News

A Marshallese resident in Northwest Arkansas receives a COVID-19 vaccine.

UAMS Regional Campuses Wraps Up Successful Year for MASH Program

By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Regional Campuses wrapped up another year of the Medical Applications of Science for Health (MASH) program, introducing high school students to the possibilities of careers in health care.

This year marked the 35th anniversary of the creation of MASH, which features summer enrichment camps that allow teens to participate in team-building exercises, attend field trips and interact with health care professionals.

The MASH program has served thousands of students since its inception in 1988. This year, the program offered camps in 19 cities across the state, hosted by UAMS’ eight Regional Campuses or by local hospitals or colleges. Most of the camps ran for two weeks, but a few sites held “Mini MASH” camps that condensed their activities into a single week.

UAMS Regional Campuses Wraps Up Successful Year for MASH Program | UAMS News

Students from the MASH camp in Texarkana gained exposure to health careers in a variety of medical settings, including the operating room of a local hospital. Image by Destiny Carter

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a time when the world unites in a sea of pink ribbons, illuminating the urgency of breast cancer prevention, early detection, and treatment. 

In Arkansas, more than 2,400 women are diagnosed with breast cancer each year. It is the most common cancer for women in Arkansas and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among women both in Arkansas and the United States.  

One of the most crucial aspects of this observance is promoting early detection. The saying "early detection saves lives" couldn't be more accurate when it comes to breast cancer. Routine mammograms, clinical breast exams, and self-examinations are essential tools in identifying breast cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage. 

The Breast Cancer Act of 1997 was signed on March 11, 1997, by the Arkansas General Assembly, which led to the development of the ADH’s BreastCare program. Women ages 21-64 can be screened for cervical cancer, and women ages 40-64 can be screened for breast cancer regardless of ethnicity or nationality. Since its inception, the BreastCare Program has enrolled over 128,000 women for breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services. Additionally, the program provides educational information to communities about the importance of regular breast exams as well as the risks associated with breast cancer.

In the 2021 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed ACT 553. This act clarifies that an insurer, upon the recommendation of a woman's physician, must offer screening mammography as an essential health benefit if the woman has a prior history of breast cancer or the woman's mother, sister, or any first- or second-degree female relative of the woman has had a history of breast cancer, positive genetic testing, or other risk factors.

We hope this Breast Cancer Awareness prompts conversations about prevention and early detection. 

For more information about BreastCare, call 1-833-693-2942 or visit ARBreastCare.com to see if you are eligible and to find a provider. Chances are there is a BreastCare provider near you.

2,000 attendees expected in Northwest Arkansas for tech summit this fall

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

More than 2,000 attendees are expected to attend the 2023 Northwest Arkansas Technology Summit, Director Kris Adams said. The summit will convene at the Rogers Convention Center from Oct. 29 to Nov. 1.

They’ll come from as far as Toronto and the East and West coasts. Adams said others will arrive from Austin, Texas; Dallas; the Kansas City metro; and Tulsa. Last year, the event had 1,700 attendees from 28 states.

Adams noted that the programs for the four-day event this year will return to the convention center after outgrowing the various Bentonville spaces where the event was hosted previously. Still, the networking and social aspects of the event will happen in Bentonville.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/09/2000-attendees-expected-in-northwest-arkansas-for-tech-summit-this-fall/

UAMS College of Public Health Creates Scholarship to Honor Kate Stewart, M.D., MPH

By Kev' Moye

Kate Stewart, M.D., MPH, enjoyed a lengthy career in health care that changed the lives of people throughout Arkansas.

To commemorate her impact while also financially assisting students who share Stewart’s passion for eliminating health inequities, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health has established the Dr. Mary Kathryn Stewart Scholarship.

“It’s possible that some of the students who are more interested in addressing health equities may also face greater barriers financially to getting a public health education,” Stewart said. “The scholarship is one way we can help address those barriers, so I’m excited about that.”

https://news.uams.edu/2023/09/27/uams-college-of-public-health-creates-scholarship-to-honor-kate-stewart-m-d-mph/

Dr. Kate Stewart speaks during her retirement celebration. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health has established the Dr. Mary Kathryn Stewart Scholarship for students who aspire to address health inequities.

UAMS’ Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D., Named to Prestigious Knee Society

By Linda Satter

Sept. 26, 2023 | LITTLE ROCK — Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D., a board-certified orthopaedic surgeon at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has been elected to the prestigious Knee Society.

The academic, invitation-only national organization represents the world’s most influential surgeons and researchers in knee replacement. It is committed to advancing the care of patients with knee disorders through leadership in education and research, with a focus on total knee arthroplasty and the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and other disease processes that lead to end-stage arthritis of the knee.

“Simon Mears is very deserving of recognition from this distinguished group, and we are so glad that UAMS Orthopaedics has him on our team,” said Lowry Barnes, M.D., chair of the UAMS Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Barnes himself is widely recognized as one of the foremost joint replacement experts in the nation.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/09/26/uams-simon-mears-m-d-ph-d-named-to-prestigious-knee-society/

Simon Mears, M.D., Ph.D.

Arkansas’ unique law on foreign ownership of agricultural lands

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

Micah Brown, staff attorney for the National Ag Law Center, presented legislative update on foreign ownership during the NALC's Sept. 20 webinar. Brown detailed state foreign ownership laws that have been enacted in 2023, including Arkansas' Senate Bill 383.  (U of A System Division of Agriculture image)

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Nearly half of our nation’s states have laws that put some kind of limits on foreign ownership of agricultural land. Arkansas’ law, however, has aspects that no other state does, including an Office of Agricultural Intelligence established to investigate potential violations, according to Micah Brown, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center.

Brown, who has focused on this issue since 2021, provided an overview during his Sept. 20 NALC webinar, “Who Owns the Farm? Foreign Ownership Legislative Update.” The webinar was recorded and is available to watch online.

In April, Arkansas enacted its own foreign ownership law, Senate Bill 383. In 2021, Arkansas put into effect a law that contained a reporting requirement alone, not a restriction of foreign ownership.

The 2023 Arkansas law restricts a “prohibited foreign party,” or PFP, from acquiring any interest in ag land and forestland.

Brown noted that, like some states’ laws, Arkansas attaches its definition of foreign ownership — or who is prohibited from purchasing — to a federal definition. Specifically, PFPs are individuals, entities, and governments of a country subject to the U.S. Secretary of State’s International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Arkansas’s attorney general enforces the law. The law directs the AG to investigate and bring a judicial foreclosure, and if a court deems there is a violation, the land will go up for public sale.

Unlike other states, Arkansas created a separate investigative office — the Office of Agricultural Intelligence, or OAI. The department is under the Arkansas Department of Agriculture.

“They are directed to investigate potential violations of this law,” Brown said. “And if they see violations, they report it to the AG, and that’s when the AG will bring a judicial foreclosure action against a PFP.”

The law also extends beyond agricultural lands. Arkansas does not allow “PFP-controlled businesses” to acquire any real estate within the state. Arkansas was also the first, and at the time the only, state to attach criminal liability to its foreign ownership law, meaning foreign investors owning land in violation of the law can be convicted of a felony. This can result in a prison sentence up to two years or a $15,000 fine.

Florida was the only other state to attach criminal liability to its foreign ownership law.

No grandfather clause
There are other unique aspects to Arkansas’ law.

“Generally, a lot of these foreign ownership laws have a grandfather clause or exempt any foreign-owned ag land before the enactment date of the law to continue to hold,” Brown said. “Generally, they restrict expansion or other acquisition of ag land after the enactment date, but Arkansas’ does not seem to expressly say any foreign land holdings in agricultural land before this date continue owning the land.”

The law also contains no exemptions for research and experimentation. Generally, these types of exceptions are important for foreign-owned businesses that require research and testing of agricultural products, such as crop protection companies.

Old issue
“This issue of restricting foreign ownership goes back all the way to the founding of our nation,” Brown said during the presentation. “And it’s popped back up at different political flashpoints through our nation’s history.”

The resurgence in interest in foreign ownership started in 2021, when media attention was drawn to Chinese companies in Texas and North Dakota that purchased ag land near U.S. Air Force bases.

From 2021-22, “we had 12 states that had some kind of proposal” to restrict foreign ownership, Brown said. In 2023, 35 states had some kind of proposal to restrict foreign ownership. Of those 35, 12 states enacted a foreign ownership law, and 10 of which are new states that did not have prior restrictions. North Dakota and Oklahoma had restrictions in place but amended their restrictions.

Overall, there are “24 states that have some kind of law that restricts foreign investments, foreign ownership, foreign leases within their state,” Brown said.

Resources and information on foreign ownership of ag land can be found online at the NALC website.

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

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

About the National Agricultural Law Center

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

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

Research underway for forest biochar, poultry waste

By Lon Tegels
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

MONTICELLO, Ark. — In rural Arkansas, researchers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture are exploring the potential of biochar to replace synthetic fertilizers in hay production — especially when combined with poultry litter.

IN THE FIELD — In rural Arkansas, researchers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture are exploring the potential of biochar to replace synthetic fertilizers in hay production — especially when combined with poultry litter. (Division of Agriculture video.)

Biochar is produced when timber waste is exposed to high heat and no oxygen.

The implications of the research could be significant. A positive outcome could provide the forest industry with a new eco-friendly byproduct for wood mill residues and provide farmers in southeast Arkansas with a cheaper alternative to synthetic fertilizers. While chicken litter is a valuable source of fertilizer that has been used for decades, it has become harder to acquire and both transportation and application have become more expensive.

Furthermore, biochar has been found to sequester carbon in soil, an important factor in reducing greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere.

Kathleen Bridges, assistant professor of agronomy for the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and Scott Hayes, Drew County extension agent for the Division of Agriculture, are leading the project. They each said the potential research outcomes are unknown at this point.

"We don't know if it will be good or bad,” said Bridges, who is jointly employed by both the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the Cooperative Extension Service, specializing in soils and crop sciences. “It could be a negative thing, but hopefully science will reveal that."

"This research is somewhat new,” said Hayes. “Most of our producers in this area use chicken litter as a fertilizer for their hay pastures. By mixing this with the biochar, we hope to see better soil health through microbial activity."

Hayes and Bridges launched their project in June with 20 plots, each measuring nine square meters, in a hayfield near the UAM Agriculture Building in Monticello. A local company donated the biochar, while an acquaintance of Hayes supplied the chicken waste.

Hayes and Bridges mixed the two sources and then hand-spread the chicken litter mix, and let nature take its course. The plot produced its second cutting of hay in September — somewhat ahead of schedule, due to the high summer heat.

"We are trying to measure the biomass of our forage production,” Bridges said.

The research team is using a tool known as a quadrat, which subdivides each plot — the quadrat in this experiment dividing the plots into squares measuring 25 by 25 centimeters — and shears for taking forage samples. The treatments include different rates of biochar and chicken litter. By weighing the samples collected, Bridges will be able to calculate the amount of forage production on a per-acre basis.

"We are recording forage weights and tonnage per acre,” Hayes said. “She's also collecting soil samples and keeping up with those because this will be a long-term project. Soil doesn't just change overnight; it will take years and be a good project."

Carbon storage potential
Biochar is high in carbon. When it’s applied to the soil, it can be sequestered there for many years, potentially increasing the number of microorganisms in the soil. Those microorganisms play a very important role in plant growth.

Bridges said there is a lot of biochar research across the state, including projects that involve mixing biochar with fertilizers for row crops such as corn and rice.

"They are also looking at using biochar in the chicken houses with the chicken litter, or with the bedding in the chicken houses, to see if it will help with reducing ammonia production,” she said. Exposure to ammonia can injure chickens, Bridges explained.

Hayes said the biochar product they used was light, and his part in this project is to try to make it easy for producers to incorporate biochar into their fertilizer program without needing any specialty equipment. Mixing the biochar with chicken litter, which farm producers already use, will be heavier and can be put into a spreader, where it will be mixed and applied on pastures or cropland evenly.

Potential for future funding
Much of the Division of Agriculture’s research, including that conducted by the University of Monticello, is grant-funded. The biochar project, however, has proceeded thus far without any such funding. Bridges and Hayes said that if successful, their work could lead to larger, grant-funded research that further helps farmers and the forest products industry.

"At the beginning of the summer, Scott came to me and said, ‘We've got access to the biochar; we got access to chicken litter, and we got access to a pasture. So, let's go ahead and do this,’” Bridges said. “And I said, OK."

Bridges said the team is presently processing samples and collecting data.

"We're just seeing what we can do to keep the agriculture alive here in Southeast Arkansas and make it good for our livestock and forestry guys,” Hayes said.

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.

About the Arkansas Center for Forest Business

Established in 2021, the Arkansas Center for Forest Business is part of the University of Arkansas, College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Center provides technical assistance for market-based solutions to forest resource challenges, programs for degree and post-baccalaureate education, and information on timber supply, forest products markets and operational efficiency. The Center for Forest Business will provide market-based economic solutions to forest resource issues, improving business practices for forest enterprises, and enhancing economic competitiveness.

About the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center

The College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and the Arkansas Forest Resources Center, a University of Arkansas System Center of Excellence, bring together interdisciplinary expertise through a partnership between the University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The College and Center are headquartered at the University of Arkansas at Monticello campus, but their programs range statewide with the mission of developing and delivering teaching, research, and extension programs that enhance and ensure the sustainability and productivity of forest-based natural resources and agricultural systems. Academic programs are delivered by the College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources through the University of Arkansas at Monticello. Through the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, research is administered by the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and extension and outreach activities are coordinated by the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

The University of Arkansas at Monticello and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offer all of their programs to all eligible persons without regard to race, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers.

Arkansas professor wins national award for cultural competency research, programs

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture professor has been recognized by a national organization for her research to measure advancement in intercultural relations, and her work to improve opportunities for those who have been historically excluded.

DEI AWARD — Jacquelyn Mosley accepts the 2023 National Experiment Station Section Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion on Tuesday during agInnovation's fall meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan. (Courtesy photo)

Jacquelyn Mosley, professor of human development and family sciences in the School of Human Environmental Sciences, was presented the 2023 National Experiment Station Section Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Award on Sept. 26 at the agInnovation fall meeting in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Diversity in agriculture

Formerly known as the Experiment Station Section of the Association of Public & Land-Grant Universities, agInnovation represents agricultural experiment stations at land-grant universities across the United States. A land-grant university is an institution designated by its state legislature to receive the benefits of the Morrill Acts of 1862, 1890 and 1994. As a land-grant institution in the University of Arkansas System, the mission of the Division of Agriculture is “to strengthen agriculture, communities and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices.”

“At their core, the land-grant mission and diversity, equity and inclusion are helping all citizens, careers, and communities thrive,” Mosley said. “What makes the field of agriculture so wonderful is how diverse it really is, and my goal is to continue celebrating the diversity in agriculture and creating better relationships with, and for, our communities.”

Mosley is assistant dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas. She has a research appointment with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, and teaches classes on multicultural families and cultural competence for Bumpers College. She performs outreach through the Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service.

“I often get confused looks when I say I work for the Division of Agriculture and teach in an agricultural college, since I study families and communities, but I believe the very heart and core of agriculture are families and communities,” Mosley said. “I am from Iowa and come from a seventh-generation farm. I like to say I come from a land-grant family. Almost my entire family majored in some type of agriculture field or attended a land-grant institution. And that is what diversity, equity and inclusion is to me — fulfilling the land-grant mission.”

Mosley said the interconnected values for diversity, equity and inclusion, and land-grant institutions include “providing individuals the ability to shape their own destiny, and the destiny of their communities and states.”

Cultural competency at work

Her cultural competency research program, AR CommUniversity, connects multiple university and community partners, including the experiment station, Bumpers College, Discovery Farms and organizations such as the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and Tyson Foods. The program provides the framework and assessment of the Intercultural Development Inventory to assess diversity, equality and inclusion initiatives.

AR CommUniversity also creates agricultural STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — curriculum and outreach programs such as the Arkansas Lighthouse Summer Enrichment Academy to increase the number of underrepresented students pursuing agricultural degrees and entering the agricultural workforce in Arkansas. Mosley’s research indicated that after attending the three-day Arkansas Lighthouse summer program, 94 percent of the students left knowing a “great deal or a lot” about Bumpers College, and more than half of the students indicated they were interested in a career in agricultural sciences.

Mosley serves as the faculty adviser for the University of Arkansas Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Related Sciences, also known as MANRRS. And through AR CommUniversity, she partnered with Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools to create the first Junior MANRRS chapter in Arkansas. It is one of 35 Junior MANRRS chapters in the nation and has Wendell Scales Jr., director of innovation for the Arkansas Lighthouse Charter Schools, as its adviser. The Junior MANRRS program aims to provide an opportunity to increase historically underrepresented students’ exposure to a land-grant university and agricultural sciences.

This year, Mosley is co-leading efforts with the Division of Agriculture in cultural competency assessment and training for all 1,100 employees of the experiment station and cooperative extension service. Arkansas is the first state to implement statewide Intercultural Development Inventory trainings across its entire land-grant agriculture division, to help elevate cultural competency, Mosley said. For this project, she works with Ron Rainey, assistant vice president of the Division of Agriculture. The trainings are based on Mosley’s research, using empirical assessments of the Intercultural Development Inventory and other similar assessments. She said the program indicates “the positive impact of growing cultural competence skills in the workplace.”

Well-earned recognition

“Dr. Mosley’s programs embrace the historical land-grant mission of supporting people in all walks of life, including serving youth, families and communities,” said Jean-François Meullenet, director of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and senior associate vice president for agriculture-research. “Her research has become a valuable tool for us to measure our successes, and her work helps position Arkansas in a leading role for cultural competency efforts. We congratulate Dr. Mosley for this national recognition from agInnovation.” 

Gary Thompson, executive director of the Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors, said AR CommUniversity positively impacts underrepresented students getting degrees in agriculture through the Division of Agriculture. The Southern Association of Agricultural Experiment Station Directors represents Southern region experiment station for agInnovation.

“This national award is a significant recognition of her valuable work in supporting underserved communities within the state and serves as a model for others throughout the Southern region and across the nation,” Thompson said.

Last year, Mosley was the Association of Public Land-Grant University’s recipient of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Excellence in College and University Teaching Awards for Food and Agricultural Sciences. It was a first for Bumpers College and the state of Arkansas. Her previous awards include a national Cognella Innovation Teaching Award in Family Science in 2019, the University of Arkansas Teaching Academy New Fellow in 2020, and the Jack G. Justus Award in the Bumpers College in 2021.

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.

Arkansas attorney general tosses ballot title for initiative to repeal state ‘tampon tax’

KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin on Monday rejected proposed ballot language for an initiative to exempt feminine hygiene products from state sales tax.

Griffin opined that the initiative’s definition for exempted products was “ambiguous,” potentially causing a conflict for Arkansas’ membership in an interstate compact on sales tax uniformity.

The sponsor of the ballot initiative said Griffin’s denial constituted an abuse of the ballot title and popular name review process.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-09-26/arkansas-attorney-general-tosses-ballot-title-for-initiative-to-repeal-state-tampon-tax

Dana Marlowe

Tampons sit on a shelf a Bed Bath & Beyond in Rockville, Md.

Researchers test nanotechnology concept against herbicide ‘drift’

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

One of the most controversial issues in Arkansas agriculture is the use of the herbicide dicamba. It is one of the few herbicides that is still effective against pigweed, a pervasive weed that impacts many row crop fields in the Delta.

The problem with dicamba is that it is prone to drift onto adjacent fields and can cause serious damage to crops that haven’t been genetically modified to use the herbicide. Scientists in the Natural State are researching a new solution to this generations-long problem.

The startup CelluDot will receive a nearly $1 million National Science Foundation grant to optimize a nanotechnology product developed by the scientists of the company when they were doctoral students. The goal is to mitigate herbicide drift, and the ongoing research will be done in partnership with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

https://talkbusiness.net/2023/09/researchers-test-nanotechnology-concept-against-herbicide-drift/

UAMS Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative, CALS Present ‘Vaccine Update for Older Adults’ on Oct. 17

By News Staff

Sept. 26, 2023 | LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative (AGEC) and the Central Arkansas Library System (CALS) are collaborating to present a program “Vaccine Update for Older Adults” on Oct. 17, at Noon. The guest speaker will be Jennifer Dillaha, M.D., director and state health officer of the Arkansas Department of Health.

The program will be held in person at Dee Brown Library, at 6325 Baseline Road in Little Rock. A remote attendance option will be available via Zoom; visit agec.uams.edu/community-events for that link.

The program is organized and supported by AGEC at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and the Central Arkansas Library System. AGEC and CALS use these education sessions to provide social support, activities and conversation for older adults.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/09/26/uams-arkansas-geriatric-education-collaborative-cals-present-vaccine-update-for-older-adults-on-oct-17/

Join the UAMS Arkansas Geriatric Education Collaborative and Central Arkansas Library System at “Vaccine Update for Older Adults” on Oct. 17.

UAMS Otolaryngologist Patrick Fraley, M.D., Recognized for Expertise in Sleep Apnea Implant

By Linda Satter

LITTLE ROCK — Patrick Fraley, M.D., a board-certified otolaryngologist at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), has been recognized as an Inspire Physician of Excellence.

He is the only physician in Arkansas and one of only 50 surgeons nationwide to receive the designation by Inspire Medical Systems, Inc., the maker of a small implantable device by the same name. It serves as an alternative for people with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea who can’t find relief with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine.

CPAP machines use a hose connected to a mask or a nosepiece to deliver constant and steady air pressure, keeping users’ breathing airways open while they sleep. But some patients find the apparatus too bulky and uncomfortable, while others complain of skin irritation, sores, congestion, headaches, runny nose, dry mouth, nosebleeds or infections.

https://news.uams.edu/2023/09/25/uams-otolaryngologist-patrick-fraley-m-d-recognized-for-expertise-in-sleep-apnea-implant/

Patrick Fraley, M.D.

Conference brings muscadine, bunch-grape researchers to Arkansas on Oct. 3-5

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Muscadine and bunch-grape growers and researchers have tended to move in their own circles. Until now.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will host the North American Grape Breeders and Vitis-Muscadine Alliance Conference on Oct. 3-5 at the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Science, 1371 W. Altheimer Drive, in Fayetteville.

Fruit breeder Margaret Worthington holds "clamshell" containers of muscadines during a tour of the Fruit Research Station in Clarksville in 2021. (U of A System Division of Agriculture file photo)

“To my knowledge, the conference is one of the first national attempts at a collaboration of people working with Vitis and Muscadinia,” said Renee Threlfall, a research scientist, enology and viticulture for the division’s Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, and director of the Arkansas Quality Wine program. “Muscadines are very ‘regional’ so many U.S. consumers have never heard of them, never mind having tasted a muscadine grape or a product made from muscadines.”

“Vitis” is the genus that encompasses all grapes, whether they’re grown for food or wine. Bunch grapes — which include those used for wines, raisins and eating fresh — and muscadines, each belong to a separate subgenus. And that’s where things get interesting.

Muscadines, with their distinct flavor and thick skins, have 20 chromosomes, one more than bunch grapes. However, researchers see benefits in creating a hybrid of the two. That decades-long quest is driven by several factors such as being able to lend some of the muscadine’s disease resistance to the table grapes.

“Breeding efforts between these genera have already begun, resulting in new grape cultivars, some with attributes like Vitis, some like Muscadinia, but also many with attributes of both,” Worthington said. “This project is important because we believe there is much more to be gained in future collaborations, bringing the best of two powerhouse grape species together.”

The conference is the culmination of work conducted under a Specialty Crop Research Initiative grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture, or NIFA. Threlfall and Margaret Worthington, associate professor and fruit breeder for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, obtained the grant in 2022.

The event is comprised of the North American Grape Breeders Meeting on Oct. 3. The following day includes a tour of the Division of Agriculture’s research vineyards and wineries. Oct. 5 is the Vitus-Muscadina Alliance Conference.

The conference will include discussions of breeding, production, marketing and economics. Threlfall also said the results of a survey on consumer preferences for fresh-market grapes will be revealed at the conference.

“We conducted an online survey of more than 900 consumers from all U.S. regions, asking their preferences for fresh-market grape options,” Threlfall said. “These preferences will be used to inform future breeding efforts.”

Attendance is by invitation. For more information, contact Renee Threlfall at rthrelf@uark.edu.

Learn about the Division of Agriculture’s grape-breeding program.

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

Effects of government shutdown would ripple through agriculture to consumers

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — A  government shutdown could remove price and revenue safety nets for farmers and mean higher food prices for consumers, said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Funding for the federal government runs out Sept. 30 unless Congress passes a continuing resolution or finds some other means to keep funds flowing. If the government shuts down, so too would progress toward the next Farm Bill. The Farm Bill has provisions with two sets of expiration dates: Sept. 30, and Dec. 31.

Economist Ryan Loy provides insights into the effects on agriculture of a federal government shutdown. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

“When a government shutdown happens, non-essential activity just goes out the window,” Loy said. “If there’s a shutdown, then that includes the Farm Service Agency, Natural Resource Conservation Service and the Rural Development Centers.

“If you’re a farmer trying to sign up for programs, those agencies are not going to hold sign-ups,” he said.

Another effect is that two key agencies, Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Agricultural Statistics Service, will also be closed and won’t be collecting statistics. That spells trouble in several ways. Without updated information from the BLS, the Federal Reserve can’t take informed action.

If NASS isn’t “going to do acreage reporting, that means they’re not going to give you payments, because nobody's going to be there to work,” Loy said. The shutdown would halt funding for  Agriculture Risk and Price Loss Coverage programs, known as ARC and PLC. These programs provide protection to farmers in the event of substantial revenue or commodity price drops. No funding means no payments to farmers.

SNAP, Crop insurance protected
If the government shuts down, participants in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and those who have crop insurance, won’t be affected. SNAP includes WIC, the Women, Infants and Children program.

“SNAP was authorized under the 2008 Food and Nutrition Act so lack of a Farm Bill won’t affect it,” Loy said, “Crop insurance was subsidized through the Federal Crop Insurance Act, so the crop insurance folks are going to be OK.”

Back to 1938 and 1949
Should the Farm Bill not go forward, farm commodity programs would lapse back to what’s referred to as “permanent law,” comprised of provisions from the 1938 and 1949 farm bills that never expire. Farm Bills passed since then have language that suspends the outdated provisions.

According to the Congressional Research Service, “permanent law would support dairy, wheat, rice, cotton, and corn but would not support soybeans, peanuts, and sugar, among other commodities. If the permanent law suspension were to expire, the U.S. Department of Agriculture would be required to implement permanent law, which is likely more expensive to the government and consumers than the current farm bill.”

“The big commodities that it will affect are cotton, milk and wheat,” Loy said, “So food prices will skyrocket in stores.”

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