2023 Arkansas net farm income down nearly $1B, but still higher than 2021

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

Declines in crop and overall livestock receipts and direct government payments add up to a nearly $1 billion decline in Arkansas net farm income for 2023 from the previous year, the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center said.

LOW MISSISSIPPI — The shrinking Mississippi River has broader "beaches" as drought continues to plague its basin. taken near the Bridgeport exit of I-55 in West Memphis, Arkansas.  (Division of Agriculture photo.)

The center, working with agricultural economists from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said in its “Fall 2023 Arkansas Farm Income Outlook” that Arkansas’ farm income totaled $3.3 billion.

“Arkansas 2023 net farm income is projected to decrease from the record set in 2022,” said Hunter Biram, extension economist with the Division of Agriculture.

The report said that total farm receipts declined $1.4 billion — with farm-related receipts offsetting a $1.5 billion decline in crop and livestock receipts — while production expenses decreased by $3 million and direct government payments fell by $60 million.

The decline in corn receipts is attributed to lower crop prices received despite seeing a 20 percent increase in planted acreage relative to 2022. Corn prices fell 28 percent to $4.75 from $6.65. Biram said the decline “is largely attributed to higher national planted acreage and weaker cash prices received at grain elevators near the Mississippi River driven by record-low river levels.

“Soybean receipts fell 25 percent on lower planted acreage and lower crop prices,” he said.  Cotton receipts fell 8 percent on lower planted acres despite relatively higher crop prices received compared to the 2022 harvest season, while rice receipts increased 11 percent on 330,000 more planted acres compared to 2022.”

Biram said government payments are expected to decline year-over-year from $460 million to $400 million due to Emergency Relief Program Phase 2 payments being $150 million less than ERP Phase 1 payments received in 2022.

“This is also despite Arkansas rice farmers receiving payments from the Rice Production Program, or RPP, which was authorized in the 2022 omnibus package,” Biram said.

Additionally, production expenses remained flat over 2022 despite key operating expenses such as seed, fertilizer, pesticides and fuel falling $177 million. Interest, labor, and rent to landlords increased by $143 million.

“This combination results in a 21 percent decrease in net farm income,” said Biram.

On the bright side

However, the good news is that “despite a decrease from 2022 to 2023, Arkansas net farm income is still above 2015-22 averages,” he said.

The report indicates that despite a decrease in 2023, Arkansas net farm income remains higher than levels seen in 2021. Arkansas is expected to see a 21 percent decline in net farm income, compared to a projected 23 percent decline in U.S. net farm income.

Other key findings from the report include:

• Planted area of the state’s top seven crops, plus hay harvested, grew to 7.2 million acres in 2023. Soybeans, the state’s top field crop by area, saw a decrease in 2023 planted acres. Crop receipts for 2023 decline a combined $600 million.

• Poultry and egg receipts decline a combined $1.1 billion in 2023, largely due to lower prices. Cattle receipts grow by $233 million, while hog receipts decline $9 million.

• Egg receipts decline on lower prices which reflects the industry recovering following Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza outbreak that affected 44.43 million birds in commercial egg operations, which reflects approximately 14.5 percent of Jan. 1 layer inventories.

• Poultry production is 2.4 percent higher through August and the national composite broiler price is tracking 13.6 percent below 2022. Both lead to lower cash receipts in Arkansas.

• Cattle receipts are higher on cyclically high prices following three consecutive years of contraction in the industry.

• Fertilizer, feed and fuel expenses decrease by 0.03 percent in 2023, with a projected additional 6 percent decrease in 2024.

The fall 2023 farm income outlook is co-published by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the RaFF at the University of Missouri, which provides objective policy analysis and informs decision-makers on issues affecting farm and rural finances. The center collaborates with a number of states to develop farm income projections with local expertise.

“Insights developed through our partnership with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture help us better understand the uniqueness of farm income factors regionally,” said Scott Brown, interim director of RaFF. “State-level analyses like the Arkansas farm income report can help producers, policymakers and stakeholders alike be equipped with information to make sound decisions that impact agriculture.”

See the full report and data tables.

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

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announces $5.9 million for youth behavioral health

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield’s Blue & You Foundation for a Healthier Arkansas is donating more than $5.9 million to five Arkansas organizations to address child and adolescent mental health, suicide and substance abuse issues.

Two of those donations will go to the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. One, a $1,610,477 grant over four years, will go to UAMS’ Pathways to Wellness Program. It will fund two programs previously funded by the foundation. The grant will expand the Trauma Resource Initiative for Schools, which helps school personnel recognize and respond to trauma suffered by students. It also will expand services offered through AR ConnectNow, a youth and school-focused marketing campaign. The grant will create a virtual wellness welcome center offering mental health resources.

Another grant going to UAMS, this one totaling $714,809 over two years, will go to the Adolescent and Young Adult Addiction Treatment Program. It will help the program offer treatment and prevention programs for young people and engage parents during recovery.

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield announces $5.9 million for youth behavioral health

Sig Sauer investing $150 million in Jacksonville facility, adding 625 new jobs

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

SIG SAUER, a firearms and ammunition manufacturer, will expand its manufacturing facility in Jacksonville. This expansion is expected to create 625 new jobs over the next five years.

“We are incredibly excited about expanding our ammunition operations here in Jacksonville and building upon years of success in Arkansas. This opportunity has proven itself essential to the growth and sustainment of our ammunition business, and further enforces our commitment to the Arkansas community and workforce,” said Ron Cohen, SIG SAUER president and CEO.

SIG SAUER will invest $150 million to expand its Jacksonville facility. The company will be investing in component hybrid case manufacturing, primer manufacturing, and load/pack operations to support multiple contracts with the U.S. Department of Defense. As part of the expansion, SIG SAUER will be developing a new 250,000-square-foot building to house parts of its manufacturing processes.

Sig Sauer investing $150 million in Jacksonville facility, adding 625 new jobs

Freedom of Information Act advocates ready to unveil constitutional amendment proposal

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

By next week, expect to see the first draft of a proposed constitutional amendment that would enshrine the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) into the Arkansas Constitution.

Appearing on this week’s edition of Capitol View, attorney David Couch – who has successfully led ballot initiative campaigns in recent years – said the group he is working with to place an amendment to protect Arkansas’ Freedom of Information Act into the state constitution should have a draft to share publicly.

“There has been a group of us that have been working diligently for the last few weeks on a draft of the amendment. I think that we’re probably going to release it early next week because since this is openness and transparency, we’re going to be open and transparent,” he said.

Freedom of Information Act advocates ready to unveil constitutional amendment proposal

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

Domestic violence is often shrouded in silence and stigma. It transcends age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, and geography. October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. This time of awareness stands as a call to action and a promise of support for those affected.

Domestic violence is the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another. It includes physical violence, sexual violence, threats, and emotional abuse.

The statistics surrounding domestic violence are staggering. In Arkansas, 40.8% of women and 34.8% of men experience intimate partner physical violence, intimate partner sexual violence, and/or intimate partner stalking in their lifetimes.

Nationwide, local domestic violence hotlines receive approximately 19,159 calls a day, an average of approximately 13 calls every minute.

The Arkansas General Assembly consistently reviews legislation designed to prevent domestic abuse, hold abusers accountable, and support victims.

In the 2023 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed ACT 849. This act adds aggravated assault on a family member or household member to past conduct that qualifies a person as a repeat offender for purposes of domestic battering in the first degree and domestic battering in the second degree.

In the 2021 Regular Session, the General Assembly passed ACT 800, the Arkansas Phoenix Act. This act amends the statute of limitations for offenses involving domestic violence and provides for training to be given to law enforcement officers on additional topics that arise in which domestic violence is suspected.

Legislators will continue to review our laws regarding domestic violence in future legislative sessions.

Domestic violence is preventable. By raising awareness and providing education, we can work towards changing societal norms and behaviors that perpetuate violence.

If you or someone you know is impacted by domestic violence, visitwww.laurascard.ar.gov to find resources near you.

Inaugural Latino business awards named

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

The inaugural Arkansas Latino Business Awards were presented Sept. 28, at an awards dinner at the Clinton Presidential Center.

Santiago’s Bakery in Glenwood, owned by Juventino Gonzalez, was named Small Business of the Year.

People’s Choice winners:

Legacy Business of the Year – Mercado San Jose, Little Rock
Emerging Business of the Year – Centerton Food Trucks Park, Centerton
Food Truck of the Year – The Walking Dog, De Queen

Other winners:

Woman-Owned Business of the Year – Pristine by Ali Cleaning Services Residential and Commercial, owned by Ali Alcaraz of Bentonville

Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Natali Carmona of Little Rock, owner of Get Nailed 32, an online business

Community Organization of the Year – Mamas Unidas, based in Little Rock

Community Champion of the Year – Arisbeth Garcia of Alas/Wings, based in Springdale

Inaugural Latino business awards named

Eddyline Kayaks relocating from Pacific Northwest to Siloam Springs

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Recreational kayak manufacturer Eddyline Kayaks is moving its corporate address from Washington to Northwest Arkansas.

The move to downtown Siloam Springs will be completed before the end of the year.

“At Eddyline, our purpose is to build quality craft that inspires people to enjoy clean and healthy waterways,” Eddyline president and co-owner Scott Holley said. “The Natural State, Arkansas, resonates deeply with our ethos as a responsible business entity and community participant.”

Eddyline Kayaks relocating from Pacific Northwest to Siloam Springs

Effects of ‘forever chemicals’ on agriculture topic of Oct. 18 NALC webinar

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

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are chemicals once widely used in food packaging, stain repellants for clothing, as well as automotive and aerospace applications. In recent years, PFAS have become better known for presenting an array of regulatory and environmental challenges for agriculture.

OFW Law Associate Kyla Kaplan, Roux Principal Ryan Stifter and Roux Principal Engineer Chase Gerbig will present the National Agricultural Law Center webinar on Oct. 18, highlighting challenges faced by agriculture due to PFAS contamination. NALC Staff Attorney Brigit Rollins will moderate.

Because their extremely strong molecular bonds keep them from breaking down easily, PFAS are often called “forever chemicals.” A 2015 report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said PFAS could be found in the blood of 97 percent of Americans. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, their effects on health and the environment aren’t fully known.

PFAS contamination has hurt or closed scores of farms in Colorado, Maine, Michigan, and New Mexico.

In use since the 1950s, the Food and Drug Administration phased out use of PFAS for food packaging in 2016.

Since then, “various state and federal agencies have taken action to address PFAS,” OFW Law Associate Kyla Kaplan said. “It is important to understand the potential impacts of PFAS regulations on food manufacturers and farmers.”

Kaplan, Roux Principal Ryan Stifter and Roux Principal Engineer Chase Gerbig will discuss PFAS during NALC’s webinar, “Not Your Grandfather’s Corn Maze – Regulatory and Legal Responses to Challenges Faced by Agriculture Due to PFAS Contamination.” The webinar will be at 11 a.m. Central/noon Eastern on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

The speakers will cover:

• The basic chemistry of PFAS and how it intersects with agriculture

• Regulatory compliance challenges

• Types of PFAS litigation involving agriculture

• Potential consequences of contamination for property owners

“PFAS are often found in the environment,” Kaplan said. “While the data regarding the health impacts of PFAS is inconsistent, it is crucial that agricultural producers are aware of these chemicals. I am looking forward to sharing this important information alongside a talented panel.”

NALC Staff Attorney Brigit Rollins, an expert in environmental law as it pertains to agriculture, will moderate the webinar.

“PFAS are a complex and always-changing topic,” Rollins said. “With the potential health risks and the possible impacts they have on agriculture, producers will benefit greatly from the information provided in this webinar.”

The webinar is free of charge and registration is online.

“We are thrilled to have Kyla, Ryan and Chase discuss PFAS during this webinar,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “The topic of PFAS has had many recent developments, including new guidelines, legislation and studies, so the information provided will be extremely helpful to provide clarity on this issue.”

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.

Arkansas 4-H clubs celebrate National 4-H Week

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK — On Oct. 1, the green and white 4-H flag was raised at the U.S. Department of Agriculture headquarters in Washington, D.C., where it will fly through Oct. 7 to celebrate National 4-H Week. In Arkansas, 4-H members, volunteers, leaders and staff are highlighting the program’s impact on youth in all 75 of the state’s counties.

FROM AROUND THE STATE — As the nation’s largest youth development organization, 4-H has more than 6 million members. It’s also the largest youth organization in Arkansas, with more than 11,000 members and 600 4-H clubs. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack proclaimed Oct. 1-7 as National 4-H Week on Sept. 28. As the nation’s largest youth development organization, 4-H has more than 6 million members. It’s also the largest youth organization in Arkansas, with more than 11,000 members and 600 4-H clubs. The 2023 theme of National 4-H Week is “I Heart 4-H,” which “reminds us that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around us,” according to Vilsack’s proclamation.

Debbie Nistler, assistant vice president-extension for 4-H and youth for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said 4-H Week aims to encourage families to participate in the organization.

“National 4-H Week is a great opportunity to promote 4-H during a time when youth and their families are deciding what activities they would like to engage in during the year,” Nistler said. “We want 4-H to be an attractive option.”

Nationally, 4-H’s mandates are STEM — science, technology, engineering and mathematics — healthy living, civic engagement and leadership, Nistler said.

“These mandates lead our work in areas that help grow the individual and connect them to their futures and their communities,” Nistler said. “The essential elements of 4-H are belonging, mastery, independence and generosity. These elements help guide how youth engage and provide an intentional path to grow skills and competencies as they engage in 4-H.”

To celebrate the week, Arkansas 4-H’s Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages will be highlighting different 4-H programs, including 4-H Yoga and Tech Changemakers, and encouraging followers to wear 4-H’s signature green color and share how they love 4-H. Ashley Dingman, extension program associate for 4-H youth development, said she encourages 4-H supporters to tag Arkansas 4-H in their social media posts using #AR4H and #IHeart4H.

Nistler said 4-H is an important program for Arkansas youth because it helps cultivate skills and passions in many different fields, all of which create brighter futures.

“4-H provides a unique opportunity for youth to find their spark,” she said. “A certain project or passion may lead to a future career. That may be an animal science project, but more youth now engage in projects related to STEM, healthy living, leadership, natural resources, and even space through NASA programs.”

To learn more about Arkansas 4-H, its programs and scholarship opportunities, visit the organization’s website at 4h.uada.edu or follow on social media.

4-H is a youth development program operated by the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture. The program teaches participants life skills through the “learn by doing” model. Program participants gain knowledge through non-formal, science-based, experiential education 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.

2023 Filmland to begin this weekend

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

Local films are coming to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts this weekend, kicking off the 2023 Filmland festival.

The annual event is hosted by the Arkansas Cinema Society, a nonprofit dedicated to building a community of filmmakers and enthusiasts within the Natural State.

Kathryn Tucker is the executive director of the organization, and a native of Little Rock. She’s especially excited about the range of local films featured this week, which range in subject from the environment of the Natural State to human connections.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-10-04/2023-filmland-to-begin-this-weekend

Three Arkansas teachers win educator awards

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Several Arkansas educators are receiving awards for their work.

Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders toured Arkansas schools with representatives from The Milken Family Foundation on Wednesday. The nonprofit gives money to teachers across the country for their work. On their website, the group calls Milken Educator Awards the “Oscars” of teaching awards.

Philanthropist Lowell Milken created the awards in the 1980s and has been giving them out across the country ever since.

https://www.ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional-news/2023-10-04/three-arkansas-teachers-win-educator-awards

Lindsey Balbierz For NPR

The Milken Educator Awards were handed out to three Arkansas teachers from around the state, including to Greenbrier Middle School teacher Ashley Anderson.

UAMS, Arkansas Children’s, Baptist Health and Proton International Open State’s First Proton Center

By Marty Trieschmann

UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA Evan Lewis

The Proton Center of Arkansas opened September 27, 2023, at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), becoming the first proton therapy center in Arkansas and only the 43rd in the nation to provide the most advanced cancer radiation treatment in the world.

Proton therapy is a cutting-edge form of radiation that uses positively charged proton particles to destroy tumors, often in hard-to-reach areas, with greater precision and significantly less damage to healthy organs and tissues. Patients receiving proton therapy have less severe and fewer side effects than conventional X-ray radiation, which improves their recovery time and quality of life.

“What started more than three years ago with a shared vision to bring the most advanced cancer therapy to Arkansas is finally here,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA. “It’s a proud day for UAMS and for health care in Arkansas as we join a small, elite group of states that offer this groundbreaking therapy for children and adults with cancer.”

https://news.uams.edu/2023/09/27/uams-arkansas-childrens-baptist-health-and-proton-international-open-states-first-proton-center/

People Statewide Celebrate the Life and Contributions of Joe Bates M.D., M.S.

By Kev' Moye

Joe Bates M.D., M.S., associate dean for public health practice for the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Fay W. Boozman of College of Public Health, died Sept. 29.

Bates — a dedicated husband, family man, health leader and humanitarian — was 90.

“Dr. Joe Bates was a giant of a man who had an immeasurable impact on public health and medicine,” said UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, in a statement Friday. “He was instrumental in the development of the UAMS College of Public Health, the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement and in directing tobacco settlement dollars to public health initiatives. He was brilliant and devoted his life to helping ensure better health for his fellow Arkansans. We are forever grateful to him and will do all we can to carry on his legacy.”

https://news.uams.edu/2023/10/04/people-statewide-celebrate-the-life-and-contributions-of-joe-bates-m-d-m-s/

Dr. Joe Bates speaks to Dr. Mark Williams (right), dean of the UAMS Fay W. Boozman College of Public Health, following a community event. Bates, a revered health pioneer, passed away in late September at the age of 90.

The CALL in Howard County Invites Local Churches to Participate in Soup Fundraiser

The CALL in Howard County will host a soup fundraiser on November 12 in conjunction with Stand Sunday.  Stand Sunday is a day set aside for churches across the United States to take a ‘stand’ for children and families impacted by foster care. The soup fundraiser gives local church congregations an opportunity to be ‘soup’er heros by making and selling soups to support the day-to-day ministry of training, equipping and supporting local foster and adoptive families. 

“Not everyone is called to foster, but everyone can do something to support local kids and families impacted by foster care,” local CALL Coordinator Holli Boyett said. “This soup fundraiser is as much about awareness as it is financial support. We ask churches to be ‘soup’er heros to make and sell their favorite soups for $8 per quart after morning service on Sunday, November 12. We provide churches with soup containers and labels.” 

Churches wishing to participate may contact Boyett to sign up. She can be reached 501-607-8035 or howardcounty@thecallinarkansas.org 

The CALL is an Arkansas based non-profit ministry whose mission is to educate, equip and encourage the Christian community to provide a future and a hope for children in foster care in Arkansas.

UA Cossatot Selected for OpenStax OER Institutional Partner Program

Less than a year after UA Cossatot announced that it saved students a total of $3.2 million through its textbook rental program and open educational resources (OER) initiative, it has been selected as one of only sixteen institutions in the U.S. for the 2023-24 OpenStax OER Institutional Partner Program.

UA Cossatot leads Arkansas in OER usage, with 71 percent of courses using open resources, and was selected to participate in this national strategic partnership after a rigorous application process that demonstrated a willingness to continue its commitment to lowering student costs through the state’s first internal textbook rental and OER program. UA Cossatot will receive individualized consulting and support from experts in institutional change management and strategic initiatives designed to increase campus use of free, openly licensed OpenStax textbooks and other open educational resources.

“Being selected to participate in OpenStax’s Institutional Partner Program is quite an honor and just one more way in which we strengthen our role as the state’s OER leader and expand our OER initiative to promote an even wider and richer stage for open education,” said OER Specialist and Director of Educational Resources Relinda Ruth.

UA Cossatot Chancellor Dr. Steve Cole commented,” We decided over six years ago to commit our college to saving our students money, and one of the best ways to do this was to provide Open Educational Resources. During this time, with the help of our OER Director and our faculty, we have converted almost 70% percent of all of our courses to OER, saving our students over three million dollars on textbook costs. We are proud of those efforts and will continue to lead the way in developing more OER opportunities.”

OpenStax is a nonprofit charitable corporation based out of Rice University that publishes high-quality, peer-reviewed, openly licensed college textbooks that are freely available online and low-cost in print. Their textbooks are used in 60 percent of colleges and universities in the U.S. and over 140 countries. Institutional partners typically increase the number of students using OER by over 150 percent after completing the first year of the program. During the last two years, partner institutions have saved students $19.6 million.

Director Ruth also leads the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Arkansas State OER Action Team and serves on the SREB’s Educational Technology Cooperative. Having just completed an intensive online year-long professional program in open education through Kwantlen Polytechnic University in Surrey, British Columbia, she will be traveling to Edmonton, Canada, and Washington D.C. during October to learn more about ways in which to support open education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education invited Ruth to speak at the 2023 Oklahoma OER Summit in Midwest City in November.

UA Cossatot Grant Writing Course to Focus on Bringing Grant Funds to Sevier County Businesses

A four-day Small Business Grant Writing course to help grant writers of all skill levels learn how to write a grant proposal will be offered by the Sevier County Economic Development Department at the University of Arkansas Cossatot.   The course will be hosted on the UA Cossatot De Queen Campus on Thursdays, October 26, 2023  - November 16, 2023, from 6:00 – 9:00 p.m. 

“We’re excited to be utilizing the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program Grant awarded to UA Cossatot’s Economic Development Department to further help small businesses in Sevier County to obtain the education and technical assistance they need to thrive at no cost, ” says Tiffany Maurer, Sevier County Director of Economic Development.  Adding, “This course will put a focus on bringing grant funds to Sevier County Businesses through successful grant writing.”  

Participants will learn the basic skills needed to be a successful grant writer. Those basic skills include what makes a successful grant application, research for grant opportunities, and types of grants available to small businesses. Type of grants covered will include local, foundation, state and federal. Participants will develop the skills and confidence to apply for grants that will benefit their businesses and communities. 

The course is free to Sevier County, Arkansas, residents or anyone owning a business in Sevier County.  All other registrants may participate for only $25 per person.  Student materials are included at no additional cost. 

Registration is open through October 25.  For more information or to register, contact Continuing Education at (870) 584-1178 or email ContinuingEducation@cccua.edu. 

About the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program Grant

The Sevier County Economic Development Department at the University of Arkansas Cossatot is one of 51 awardees of the SBA Community Navigator Pilot Program Grant. The grant is intended for education and technical assistance for small businesses, especially those in underserved populations and impacted by COVID-19. 

The economic development department is a Tier 3 awardee, meaning $1 million dollars have been allocated to the implementation of the Sevier County Community Navigator Network. The Navigator Network is a hub-and-spoke model, with UA Cossatot being the hub (primary organizer and applicant), and five spoke partners to help identify and assist impacted small businesses in need of services. Our Partner organizations include FRIENDS Foundation, the City of De Queen, Sevier County Chamber of Commerce, Central Arkansas Development Council (CADC), and Sevier County University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. 

Hillary Clinton visits Little Rock, speaks on decline of civic engagement

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Former Secretary of State and Arkansas First Lady Hillary Clinton visited Little Rock on Friday, where she shared her ideas on a perceived decline in democracy and civic engagement. Clinton was part of a panel discussion hosted by the Clinton Foundation at the Robinson Center in downtown Little Rock.

Clinton said one of the main issues facing democracy is an increase in polarization. She said the lack of social groups and gatherings is a contributing factor.

“We were big joiners in the United States. In the informal basis of backyard barbecue with your neighborhood, or on a formal basis if you joined the Kiwanis, the Rotary Club or Girl Scouts or whatever else you join,” she said. “All of a sudden that was diminishing, and polarization and divisiveness was increasing.”

Hillary Clinton visits Little Rock, speaks on decline of civic engagement (ualrpublicradio.org)

Ronak Patel/Little Rock Public Radio

Robert Putman (left), author of "Bowling Alone," former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Rebecca Davis, filmmaker of "Join or Die," speak in an event at Little Rock's Robinson Center on Friday, Sept. 29, 2023.

Arkansans seek assistance from federal program as student loan payments resume

KUAR | By Antoinette Grajeda / Arkansas Advocate

With student loan payments resuming in October after a three-year pandemic pause, Karen Sykes of Little Rock said she’s relieved by the creation of a new federal program that will significantly lower her payments and set an end date for settling her debt.

“There’s that light at the end of the tunnel,” she said.

Sykes is one of more than 38,000 Arkansans enrolled in the new Saving on A Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, an income-driven repayment program that calculates payments based on a borrower’s income and family size and forgives balances after a set number of years. The U.S. Department of Education estimates that most borrowers will save about $1,000 per year through the program.

Arkansans seek assistance from federal program as student loan payments resume (ualrpublicradio.org)

Chelsea Beck/NPR

Student loan payments resume in October after a three-year pandemic-related pause.

House Minority Leader Tippi McCullough shares concerns with Medicaid disenrollment process

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Since the beginning of the year, Arkansas has been disenrolling members from Medicaid. At the end of last year, Congress passed legislation that ended the public health emergency that was enacted due to the pandemic. The legislation required that Medicaid enrollees who were only eligible as a result of the pandemic be disenrolled starting this year.

In an interview with Talk Business & Politics, House Minority Leader Tippi McCullough, D- Little Rock, said she has been concerned with how the process has gone.

“The process of forms is taking a long time. Then people are getting kicked off and reapplying to get back on so it’s such a complicated process that people are bound to fall through the cracks,” she said.

House Minority Leader Tippi McCullough shares concerns with Medicaid disenrollment process (ualrpublicradio.org)

Tess Vrbin/Arkansas Advocate

Reps. Tippi McCullough and Ashley Hudson (both D-Little Rock) talk on the House floor March 8, 2023. Both spoke against and voted against Senate Bill 199 on the floor and in the March 7 House Judiciary Committee meeting.

U.S Rep. Rick Crawford gives update on the Farm Bill reauthorization process

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Every five years, Congress has to reauthorize the Farm Bill, which is legislation that plays a large role in regulating agriculture programs and programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

In an interview with Arkansas Week, U.S Rep. Rick Crawford, Republican of Arkansas’ 1st District, said Congress’ inability to get a spending plan is making it challenging to get the 2023 Farm Bill passed.

“I’m very well versed in what it takes to get a farm bill passed and I don’t think we’re there right now. If I can be quite candid, our best case scenario at this point is probably filing an extension,” he said. “The Farm Bill is different, that's why we only do it every five years.”

U.S Rep. Rick Crawford gives update on the Farm Bill reauthorization process (ualrpublicradio.org)

Fred Miller/UA Division Of Agriculture

Corn research plots at the Milo J. Shult Agricultural Research and Extension Center in Fayetteville, Ark. on July 8, 2022.