Arkansas coalition receives $99.9 million EPA grant for environmental projects

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

A coalition of groups representing Northwest Arkansas, the Fort Smith metro and central Arkansas will receive $99.999 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to support climate change reduction efforts in the three areas.

According to Monday’s (July 22) EPA announcement, the grant funds will pay for technologies and programs that reduce harmful emissions, and pay for infrastructure, housing, and other “competitive economy” developments “needed for a clean energy future.”

“When estimates provided by all selected applicants are combined, the proposed projects would reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2050, roughly the emissions from 5 million average homes’ energy use each year for over 25 years,” noted the EPA press release announcing the funds.

Arkansas coalition receives $99.9 million EPA grant for environmental projects

Capitol Exhibit Highlights Unique Collection from Saunders Museum

(LITTLE ROCK, ARK.) – Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston would like to invite visitors to the State Capitol to view the latest historical exhibit, A Collector’s Story: Selections from the Saunders Museum.

The exhibit features the colorful life of Colonel C. Burton Saunders of Berryville, Arkansas, and his journey as a collector of artifacts. Saunders became famous as a showman, marksman, world traveler, and prolific acquirer of unique and historic items of interest.

Items on display include rare and antique firearms, Native American artifacts, and various objects Saunders picked up during his world travels.

Among the rarer relics exhibited are a cased pair of flintlock dueling pistols made by Pirmet in Paris, France, dating to the late 1700s-early 1800s; a Colt Walker 1847 revolver (less than 200 out of 1,100 made are known to still exist); and guns that are said to have been owned by notorious outlaws Jesse James, Cole Younger, Pretty Boy Floyd, and Wild Bill Hickock.

A Collector’s Story: Selections from the Saunders Museum will be on display in the Capitol's first floor galleries from now through September 20th.

For more information on the Saunders Museum, visit https://berryvillear.gov/about-berryville/saunders-museum.

Display Is Open Now Through September 20th

Attorney General Griffin applauds emergency stay halting President Biden's unlawful student debt cancellation plan

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals granting an emergency stay in the matter of Missouri v. Biden, again halting the Biden administration’s evolving attempt to cancel student debt:

“This is the latest blow to President Biden’s unlawful plans to cancel student loans without congressional approval. Our coalition won at the lower court last month, and we have continued to win in the Eighth Circuit. The President is disregarding the separation of powers in the Constitution and the fundamentals so clearly articulated in Schoolhouse Rock. I am grateful the courts continue to prevent President Biden from doing an end-run around Congress.”

Griffin is the co-lead in the lawsuit with Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. They are joined in the suit by the attorneys general of Florida, Georgia, North Dakota, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

To read the order, click here.

Consumer Alert: Beware fraudulent callers claiming to be law enforcement officers

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement warning Arkansans about a common scam in which callers claim to be a law enforcement officer and demand payment to resolve an alleged criminal matter:

AG Tim Griffin

“I have received reports of an uptick in fraudulent phone calls to Arkansans involving scammers representing themselves as law enforcement officers. These unscrupulous individuals, whether live or in a pre-recorded message, employ common tactics: They claim that the person they have called has committed a criminal offense and pressure them into paying money under threat of being arrested. Or they offer a recently arrested individual the opportunity to enroll in a fake rehabilitation program.

“Any attempt to defraud consumers is disgusting, but preying on the trust Arkansans have in the law enforcement community is especially heinous. I encourage anyone who receives this type of call not to fall for the scam, hang up on the scammer, and report them to my office for investigation.”

Griffin advises consumers to follow these tips to help protect themselves against such fraudulent calls:

• Law enforcement agencies and their employees do not call asking people to send money for fees or fines using a wire transfer, a prepaid debit card or gift card.

• Bitcoin is never a legitimate form of payment.

• Don’t assume the caller is who you think it is, even if the Caller ID indicates it is Arkansas State Police or your local police department. Verify the caller’s validity by independently calling the listed number for the agency they represent and asking for that individual.

• If asked to meet, only go to the designated police station, and only agree to meet INSIDE the station.

• Do not give any personal information—Social Security number, bank information, driver’s license number, etc.—over the phone.

Scammers blast illegal robocalls to consumers using identical or nearly identical messaging and calling patterns. They use caller ID spoofing to mislead and defraud victims, use pre-recorded messages without prior consent of call recipients, and target phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry violating federal and state consumer protection laws.

Griffin invites consumers to go beyond merely reporting that a call is unwanted and provide information that can assist in identifying the entity that is perpetrating the fraudulent and ongoing calling activity, including the following: date, time of the call(s), calling number(s), and message or description of the call(s). A form to report this information is available on our website.

For more information or to file a Consumer Complaint, please contact the Office of Attorney General at (501) 682-2007 or oag@arkansasag.gov, or visit the website www.ArkansasAG.gov.

Governor Sanders, Sen. Cotton speak to RNC on Tuesday

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

On a night dedicated to law and order and toughness on crime, Republican convention-goers heard from a plethora of 2020 and 2024 Presidential candidates and two high-profile Arkansas politicians mentioned as future candidates for higher office.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Florida U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, former United Nations Ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, former U.S. Housing Secretary Ben Carson, and Vivek Ramaswamy all took the stage to unite behind the Republican Presidential nominee, former President Donald Trump.

Carson was one of the few speakers to reference Trump’s recent convictions in New York on a case under appeal involving hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels. Carson also noted the dismissal of a Florida special counsel case involving Trump’s handling of classified documents.

Governor Sanders, Sen. Cotton speak to RNC on Tuesday

Governor Sanders signs an executive order to provide additional relief in regards to tax filing and payment deadlines in response to the May 24th storms in Arkansas

TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS COME – GREETINGS: 

E.O. 24-11: EXECUTIVE ORDER TO AMEND E.O. 24-09 AND PROVIDE ADDITIONAL RELIEF IN REGARD TO TAX FILING AND PAYMENT DEADLINES IN RESPONSE TO SEVERE STORMS ON OR ABOUT MAY 24, 2024. 

Wikimedia Image

WHEREAS: On or about May 24, 2024, and continuing, severe storms, flooding, and tornadoes began in Arkansas, causing danger, hardship, and suffering which now warrants this executive action; 

WHEREAS: On May 26, 2024, by Executive Order 24-07, a regional emergency was declared in the state as a result of the severe weather outbreak, pursuant to the Emergency Services Act, codified at Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-75-101, et. seq; 

WHEREAS: Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505 authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration to grant a reasonable extension of time to file any return required under any state tax law upon written request for good cause shown. Good cause includes when any taxpayer is affected by a disaster emergency declared by the Governor; 

WHEREAS: Ark. Code Ann. § 12-75-114(e)(1) authorizes the Governor to suspend any regulatory statutes if compliance with those statutes would delay action in coping with the declared emergency; 

WHEREAS: On May 30, 2024, by Executive Order 24-09, relief was extended to affected citizens in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties by extending certain tax payment deadlines; and 

WHEREAS: There is good cause for additional relief to be extended to Arkansans residing in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties as a result of the ongoing emergency. 

NOW THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as Governor of the State of Arkansas and pursuant to Ark. Code Ann. §§ 12-75-101, et seq., issue this Executive Order pursuant to the regional emergency as declared in Executive Order 24-07, and order the following: 

1. The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration is hereby ordered to extend the 2023 income tax filing date and income tax payment date and 2023 pass-through entity tax filing date and pass-through entity tax payment date for returns that are due between May 24, 2024, and October 31, 2024, to November 1, 2024, for those citizens and businesses residing in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties. This extension includes 2023 returns of Individuals, Subchapter S Corporations, Subchapter C Corporations, Pass-Through Entities, Fiduciaries and Estates, Partnerships, and Composite returns; 

2. Individuals and entities in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties will have until November 1, 2024, to file income tax and pass-through entity returns and pay income and pass through entity taxes that were originally due between May 24, 2024, and October 31, 2024; 

3. This relief includes return and extension payments due between May 24, 2024, and October 31, 2024; 

4. The Secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration is hereby ordered to extend the deadline under Ark. Code Ann. § 26-51-913(a)(2) to make a quarterly estimated income tax payment from between May 24, 2024, and October 31, 2024, for those citizens and businesses located in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties to November 1, 2024; 

5. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505(a)(1) requiring a written request for an extension to file an individual income tax return are hereby waived through November 1, 2024, for citizens who reside or whose businesses are located in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties; 

6. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505(a)(3) limiting an extension for filing an individual income tax return to no more than 180 days is hereby waived through November 1, 2024, for citizens who reside or whose businesses are located in Baxter, Benton, Boone, Carroll, Fulton, Grant, Greene, Madison, Marion, Nevada, Randolph, Sevier, and Sharp counties; and 

7. The provisions of Ark. Code Ann. § 26-18-505(a)(4) requiring the promulgation of rules to waive the requirement for a written request for an extension are hereby waived through November 1, 2024. 

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed on this 15th day of July, in the year of our Lord 2024.

Brazilian pulp manufacturer acquires Pine Bluff paper mill for $110 million

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Pactiv Evergreen Inc. announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Pine Bluff, Arkansas paper mill and Waynesville, North Carolina extrusion facility to global paper and pulp producer Suzano S.A.

The $110 million cash transaction is expected to close in the fourth quarter of this year.

Suzano has agreed to offer employment to several hundred current employees at Pine Bluff and Waynesville.

The Pine Bluff mill produces liquid packaging board and cupstock used to make fresh beverage cartons, paper cups and other fiber-based food and beverage packaging. Waynesville provides incremental extrusion capacity for the board produced at Pine Bluff.

Brazilian pulp manufacturer acquires Pine Bluff paper mill for $110 million

Marshals Museum first year attendance around 65,000; new board member named

by Tina Alvey Dale (tdale@talkbusiness.net)

With an attendance of around 65,000, the U.S. Marshals Museum has had a good inaugural year, according to Ben Johnson, museum president and CEO. He said attendance for the first year is “really great in the post-COVID world.”

Initial studies suggested the museum could average around 100,000 to 150,000 visitors annually.

“We didn’t really know what to expect. We hoped for higher numbers, but we’ve been very active. The traffic really has been awesome,” Johnson said, adding that he expects year No. 2 to be even better with a growing number of programs.

Marshals Museum first year attendance around 65,000; new board member named

La Ñina boosts the Panama Canal; Houthi threat drives up shipping costs through the Suez

By Mary Hightower
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — While La Ñina is helping ease the traffic knots at the Panama Canal, repeated attacks by Houthis — some fatal — have driven shippers to find alternatives to the Suez Canal, said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

More than a quarter of the soybeans grown in the U.S. are exported through the Panama Canal, says Ryan Loy, extension economist. (U of A System Division of Agricultre photo)

The Panama Canal is a key route for global trade, including for Arkansas commodities such as soybeans and corn. In March, the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development said that traffic through the Panama Canal had dropped 49 percent since 2021 and 42 percent in the Suez Canal during the same period.

“About 26 percent of U.S. soybeans and 17 percent of U.S. corn is transported via the Panama Canal,” Loy said. “And this is important to us, especially in Arkansas, because a lot of our grain goes down the Mississippi River to the Port of New Orleans.”

Arkansas’s export soybeans and corn go through the Panama Canal to get to Asia, Loy noted.

Long-term drought across Central America was strangling the Panama Canal. While the passage connects two oceans, the water used to raise and lower ships between the coasts comes from Gatun Lake, a fresh water body. Each ship transit requires 52 million gallons of water. The lake fell to its lowest levels in five years last June, hitting 79.5 feet.

“It was a very dire situation,” Loy said. The alternative to the canal would mean sailing around Cape Horn at the bottom of South America, costly in fuel and fraught with dangerous weather.

Lower lake levels meant shallower water in the locks. The Panama Canal Authority ended up restricting the number of ships making transits. Ships that could make the trip had to carry less cargo to prevent their hulls from hitting bottom.

However, the return of La Ñina has meant replenishing rain for the lake and the canal authority has not only increased the number of ships allowed through, but also allowed heavier ships that sit more deeply in the water.

As of July 11, the canal authority was “increasing the number to 33 ships a day. Then on July 22, they’re going to allow 34 ships a day and on Aug. 5, they will open up one more spot for the Neopanamax ships.”

“Neopanamax” refers to the largest ships than can pass through the canal’s newest locks, which opened in 2016. These vessels can be up to 1,202 feet long, 168 feet wide and have a draft of 50 feet. Draft is the distance between the ship’s waterline and its lowest point.

“This is very close to what they used to do —  38 ships a day — so we’re getting close to normal,” Loy said.  “Just for comparison, in November 2023, they were at 24 ships a day, so you can see how much we’ve kind of improved since then.”

Should drought return the canal to its restricted state and if China’s soybean crop is poor, “that leaves Brazil an opportunity,” he said.

Brazil is a key rival to the U.S. for soybean trade and doesn’t rely on the Panama Canal.

“Brazil can come in and say, we don’t need the Panama Canal. We can transport our grain via rail and trucks to the Pacific. They have a lot of it and it’s much cheaper,” Loy said. “So those are the kind of implications of what could happen if the drought comes back.”

Suez Canal

The Suez Canal is a critical route, carrying an estimated 12-15 percent of global trade.

The Operational Land Imager on the Landsat 8 satellite acquired these images of the Suez Canal’s mid-section, showing the canal after expansion was completed in 2016. (Image courtesy NASA).

Since starting in November 2023, Houthi attacks in the Suez Canal have become fiercer, resulting in the deaths of four crewmembers from attacks on two ships, the MV True Confidence and the Tutor.

MarineTraffic.com, which tracks global shipping, reported a 79.6 percent reduction in dry bulk carriers — whose shipments include grain — passing through the Suez, just 24 ships in June, compared to 118 in June 2023. The amount of cargo passing through the canal in May was 44.9 million tons, down from 142.9 million tons in May 2023.

The U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency said many shippers were opting to avoid the canal and the Houthis, including British Petroleum, Evergreen, CMA CGM, Hapag Loyd and Maersk.

Maersk resumed its use of the canal in June, since taking the the Cape of Good Hope route around the tip of South Africa added an estimated $1 million in fuel costs and one to two weeks in additional transit time, according to the U.S. Naval Institute. Rounding the cape is still perilous, with one ship running aground and another losing cargo, according to Bloomberg.

The Suez Canal’s decreased traffic meant the port authority’s yearly revenues were nearly halved, from $648 million last year to $337 million, Loy said.

“The areas surrounding this are also impacted, too, because people's jobs, people's livelihoods depend on traffic through the Suez Canal,” he said, and “that’s tough for that region.”

Houthis are only attacking ships affiliated with the U.S., Israel and their allies, affecting insurance premiums for the carriers.

“The total premium for U.S.-based cargo is 1.7 percent of total freight on board,” Loy said. “Because they’re not attacking Chinese ships, the Chinese premium is just 0.2 percent of the value of total freight on board.”

Where does this leave consumers?

“I'm surprised that we haven't seen much increase in items at the grocery store, even vehicles, or whatever it may be, anything besides grain, that are separate from our inflation issues,” Loy said. “The expected big ripple effect is having a little bit less of an impact than most people thought.”

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 Instagra.m.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. 

Cotton, Colleagues to Garland: Terminate DOJ Official Who Committed Perjury

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) led nine of his Senate Judiciary Committee colleagues today in sending a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, urging him to terminate Kristen Clarke, the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. The senators detailed how Ms. Clarke committed perjury during the nomination process for her current role by lying to Congress.

Wikimedia Image

Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), and John Cornyn (R-Texas) co-signed the letter.

In part, the senators wrote:

“During her nomination to her current role, Ms. Clarke was asked if she had ‘ever been arrested for or accused of committing a violent crime against any person.’ Ms. Clarke was unequivocal, responding under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee, ‘No.’ That was a lie. Ms. Clarke has now admitted that she was arrested in 2006 for attacking and injuring someone with a knife. It has also recently come to light that, shortly before the full Senate voted on her nomination, Ms. Clarke and her publicist contacted the man she attacked in an attempt to cover up her false testimony.”

Full text of the letter may be found here and below.

July 12, 2024

The Honorable Merrick Garland
U.S. Department of Justice
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20530-0001

Dear Attorney General Garland,

I write regarding an act of perjury committed by Kristen Clarke, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights. I call for Ms. Clarke’s immediate termination and removal from office.

During her nomination to her current role, Ms. Clarke was asked if she had “ever been arrested for or accused of committing a violent crime against any person.” Ms. Clarke was unequivocal, responding under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee, “No.” That was a lie. Ms. Clarke has now admitted that she was arrested in 2006 for attacking and injuring someone with a knife. It has also recently come to light that, shortly before the full Senate voted on her nomination, Ms. Clarke and her publicist contacted the man she attacked in an attempt to cover up her false testimony.

Lying to Congress under oath is a felony.

The last time you were before the Senate Judiciary Committee, you said, “The integrity of our legal system is premised on adherence to the rule of law. In order to have confidence in our Department and in our democracy, the American people must be able to trust that we will adhere to the rule of law in everything that we do.” Ms. Clarke does not meet this standard and must be immediately terminated.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this important matter.

Sincerely,

UAMS Designated a 2024-2025 Best Hospital; Rated High-Performing in Nine Areas

By Linda Satter

U.S. News & World Report has named the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) as a 2024-2025 Best Hospital.

In the magazine’s annual Best Hospitals edition, released today, UAMS was named Best Hospital in the Little Rock metropolitan area, in a tie with Baptist Health Medical Center.

UAMS also received “high performing” designations for the following nine treatments or procedures:

• Colon cancer surgery

• Heart failure

• Hip fracture

• Hip replacement

• Knee replacement

• Leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma

• Lung cancer surgery

• Pneumonia

• Stroke

UAMS Designated a 2024-2025 Best Hospital; Rated High-Performing in Nine Areas

Pro-choice group sues Arkansas Secretary of State

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

A pro-choice group is suing Secretary of State John Thurston over a recent decision to toss out signatures gathered in support of loosening the state's strict abortion laws. They plan to take the case to the state supreme court. Arkansans For Limited Government put forward an amendment that, if approved by voters, would have legalized abortion in Arkansas up to the 18th week of pregnancy. The group collected over 101 thousand signatures, exceeding the baseline of 90 thousand. 14 thousand were collected by paid canvassers.

Secretary of State John Thurston threw out the signatures over a technicality several days later, saying the group broke Arkansas’ strict laws about paid canvassers when submitting paperwork.

Thurston said he was missing two documents. In a letter sent to the group on July 10th, he said he was missing a list of paid canvassers names and evidence they had read the handbook. He later said the group had turned in the paperwork too early.

Pro-choice group sues Arkansas Secretary of State

Courts.Arkansas.Gov/Courts.Arkansas.Gov

Supporters of an effort to legalize abortion in Arkansas filled suit in the state supreme court.

Best meat quality, most economical cattle ‘finishing’ diet has more byproduct

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A high-energy diet that includes higher amounts of dry soybean hulls was the most economical choice for Arkansas beef producers who want to “finish,” or bring their weaned cattle up to market weight, on the farm.

FINISHING ON THE FARM — Feeder steers at the Southwest Research and Extension Center were raised on varying diets as part of a cattle finishing study. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo)

An Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station study conducted at the Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope showed that a high-byproducts diet, which uses a material that may otherwise be wasted, also provided the best meat quality among three diets tested.

“Cattle producers are looking for alternative methods to finish their cattle and successfully diversify their operations through direct marketing of their products to consumers,” said Daniel Rivera, associate professor of animal science and director of the Southwest Research and Extension Center for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The experiment station is the research arm of the Division of Agriculture.

Rivera said the research team wanted to know the feasibility of keeping “feeder” cattle on the pasture with a high-energy supplement to achieve results comparable to those at feedlots. In the process, they would calculate the cost and measure the impact of different diets. Feeder cattle are weaned calves that have reached a weight between 600 to 800 pounds.

The study stems from supply chain setbacks for meat supply during the COVID-19 pandemic and passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security or CARES Act, which opened alternative markets for cattle producers. The research was funded in part by a grant from the Arkansas Beef Council.

“Arkansas is not typically a cattle finishing state,” Rivera said. “We don't have that infrastructure here like they do out West and in the Midwest. A lot of local producers had an interest in finishing cattle, but they didn't have the background or the knowledge base to do it correctly.”

Rivera said the study showed that cattle can be fed on pasture and finished in a similar amount of time as cattle fed at a feedlot, with no negative effect on quality.

The study took place in 2023 and evaluated the effects of three diets on weight-gain performance, carcass quality and meat characteristics of 63 locally sourced crossbred feeder steers, which are young males that have been castrated.

The feeder steers weighed on average 796 pounds at the start of the study. They were divided by body weight, fed assigned diets for 161 days and weighed every 28 days before being shipped to a commercial slaughter facility in Arkansas City, Kansas. Rivera said the facility was used to accommodate the higher number of cows than could be processed at a local facility in a timely manner. The cost of transportation to the facility in Kansas was not accounted for in the study because it was irrelevant to the scenario.

Diets tested

The three diets tested included:

• Conventional feedlot finishing diet with roughage: 10.9 percent bermudagrass hay, 56.2 percent cracked corn, 30 percent corn gluten feed and 2.9 percent mineral mix.

• High-starch supplement fed at 2 to 2.25 percent of body weight, with free access to bermudagrass pasture: 50 percent cracked corn, about 21.6 percent corn gluten feed, 24.5 percent dried distiller’s grains with solubles, 2.9 percent mineral mix and 1 percent limestone for calcium.

• High-byproduct supplement fed at 2 to 2.25 percent of body weight with free access to bermudagrass pasture: 14.8 percent cracked corn, 21.9 percent corn gluten food, 21.9 percent dried distiller’s grains with solubles, 38 percent dry soybean hulls, 2.9 percent mineral mix, and 0.5 percent limestone.

The hull of a dry mature soybean contains about 85 percent carbohydrates and 9 percent protein.

“The reason we chose to test the byproduct diet is because it is more user-friendly,” Rivera said. “Most producers wouldn't run the risk of acidosis or some of the problems that you might see with a high-starch diet that is found in a lot of feedlot type diets.”

Acidosis is when the cow’s digestive system pH is lower than normal and can lead to a lack of appetite, increased breathing and sometimes death.

More ‘Choice’ quality with high-byproduct diet

Rivera said the results of all three diets were statistically similar, with the average weight increasing from about 800 pounds to 1,200 pounds throughout the study. However, the high- byproduct diet offered the best economic return whether the calf was purchased outright or born on the farm.

The percentage of beef that was “USDA Choice” quality grade or higher was 80 percent with the high-byproduct diet, 66 percent with the conventional feedlot diet, and 62 percent on the high-starch supplement diet. “Choice” is second to “Prime” in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s beef quality grading system, which is a measure of palatability of beef, or eating quality. Quality grades are a combination of marbling, which is the fine, small flecks of fat in the steak and maturity, which is how old cattle are at the point of harvest.

“Preliminary performance data shows that we were able to indeed produce a high-quality product,” Rivera said. “They were pretty similar in terms of their body weight and quality.”

The high-starch diet offered the lowest carcass value per head at about $1,958. The conventional feedlot diet provided the second-highest value at $2,021.85 per head, and the high-byproduct diet offered the highest carcass value per head at $2,065.89.

Cost to finish on the farm

Rivera said the cost of increasing the weight of a weaned calf from about 750-800 pounds to a finished weight of about 1,200 pounds was approximately $550 per head for all three treatments.

“If you’re a producer and you’re wanting to start this endeavor, this gives you a blueprint that shows it’s going to cost roughly $500 to $600 per head to get from point A to point B,” Rivera said.

CATTLE STUDY — Michelle Johnson, animal science graduate research assistant at the University of Arkansas, led a study at the Southwest Research and Extension Center testing varying diets on finishing cattle. (Courtesy photo)

Consumer preferences

Michelle Johnson, animal science graduate research assistant at the University of Arkansas, was the lead author of the study. She defended her master’s thesis in July with results from the study, offering evaluations from trained taste panelists who noted there were no sensory characteristic differences in the beef from the three different diets.

Kelly Vierck, assistant professor of animal science, explained that despite being fed a high-byproduct diet or starch supplementation, the cattle fed those treatments met or exceeded the standards set by conventionally fed cattle with no detriment to important beef quality traits, such as tenderness, juiciness, or flavor.

Johnson said beef from the pastured groups, which included the high by-product and high starch diets, had better color stability. Research has shown that while color doesn’t correlate with flavor, consumers prefer bright red color, and color stability indicates longer shelf life, Johnson noted.

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.

Hazardous Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service in Little Rock

• Heavy rainfall occurred overnight through early Wednesday morning across northern Arkansas which has led to serious flash flooding concerns in some locations

• Estimated rainfall totals above 10 inches have been observed across portions of Searcy, Stone, Marion and Baxter Counties

• Additional rainfall is expected today and tomorrow which could worsen ongoing flash flooding

• Southern Arkansas could see heat index values of 105 or higher this afternoon

• If you have any flash flooding reports, please pass them along to our office when it is convenient

Sanders, ADPHT, ADH Announce Outdoor Recreation Grant Awards

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. –On Wednesday, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders joined Secretary Shea Lewis, Secretary Renee Mallory and Office of Outdoor Recreation Director Katherine Andrews to present $500,000 in Outdoor Recreation Grants to projects in seven counties across the state. The Sanders Administration revived Great Strides after the program went dormant in 2017, fulfilling one of the recommendations of the Natural State Initiative. The funding for this grant program comes from Arkansas’ Tobacco Settlement Fund. 

“Great Strides is back and better than ever. I know that when deciding which applications to accept, the grant writing committee had a special focus: smaller Arkansas communities without robust access to outdoor recreation. What these projects lack in size they make up for in impact. This program goes a long way toward making sure that every corner of Arkansas – not just a few big cities – is a great place to live and raise a family,” said Governor Sanders. 

“The funds we are handing out today undoubtedly will enrich the quality of life for Arkansans statewide, fostering greater access to outdoor recreation,” Shea Lewis, Secretary of ADPHT, said. “Working with the Department of Health is an opportunity for a great partnership where we can leverage each other’s specialized knowledge and skills to promote a healthier, more active lifestyle for our residents and visitors.”

“The Arkansas Department of Health is thrilled to once again partner with the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism to grant awards in communities around our state and enable accessibility for outdoor activities. Designated outdoor trails and walking paths lead to healthier communities. Outdoor trails can improve our physical, mental, and social health and wellness. This well-being allows us to keep improving and making choices for a healthier lifestyle for ourselves, our families, and our communities. Our goal is for these grant awards to continue to positively impact the health of Arkansas communities,” Renee Mallory, Secretary of ADH, said.

“Today is a celebration of the partnership between the Office of Outdoor Recreation and the Department of Health with the goal of providing access to outdoor recreation at the local level and improving the overall quality of Arkansas’s outdoor recreation resources,” Katherine Andrews, Director of OOR, said. 

The 2024 Great Strides grant recipients are:

• Emerson, $93,735, Purple Hull Pea Park

• Humnoke, $43,942, City of Humnoke Park Trail

• Brinkley, $66,340, Brinkley City Park

• Alexander, $96,990, Alexander City Park

• Lewisville, $99,857, Lewisville City Park

• Sevier County, $8330.08, DeQueen Lake Trail

• Tyronza, $78,424, Tyronza Park

Recipient communities will use these grant funds to establish health and fitness trails that encourage physical activity and provide health benefits through safe and easily-accessible facilities.

The Office of Outdoor Recreation received twenty-one grant applications from fifteen counties across the state totaling $1,611,270.28 in requested funds for fiscal year 2024, with funding to be disbursed totaling $500,000. On Wednesday, May 15, 2024, seven projects were chosen for funding equaling $491,118.08.

National Institutes of Health Awards $31.7 Million to UAMS Translational Research Institute

By David Robinson

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Translational Research Institute announced today that it will receive $31.7 million to continue its role in a national effort to accelerate discoveries for the toughest health challenges facing Arkansans and people across the United States.

The funding by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) puts UAMS among an elite group of research centers. The highly competitive Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) goes to only about 60 research institutions nationwide.

“This award attests to the unique capabilities of UAMS researchers in advancing discoveries and treatments,” U.S. Sen. John Boozman said in a statement provided by his office. “The institute has helped put UAMS in position to conduct exceptional, innovative science that’s on par with the best research institutions in the country. We can be proud this outstanding work is occurring right here in our state to improve the lives of Arkansans and all Americans.”

National Institutes of Health Awards $31.7 Million to UAMS Translational Research Institute

UAMS Chancellor Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, announced the UAMS Translational Research Institute's Clinical and Translational Science Award during a news conference Wednesday. Image by Evan Lewis

U.S Rep. Rick Crawford said he is optimistic about steel agreement between the U.S, Mexico

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

Last week, the United States and Mexico reached a deal to address China’s ability to evade tariffs that were created to protect North American products that are made with steel, according to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Lael Brainard, director of the White House National Economic Council, said the agreement is a way to enforce existing tariffs, according to the Associated Press.

“The president [Biden] is taking action to close loopholes left by his predecessor [Trump] that allowed China to circumvent trade rules,” she said.

U.S Rep. Rick Crawford said he is optimistic about steel agreement between the U.S, Mexico

Flickr Image

$893 million committed to I-55 bridge replacement on Arkansas-Tennessee border

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

The Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT) and the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) were jointly awarded on Friday (July 12) a $393.75 million grant by the U.S. Department of Transportation to use toward the replacement of the Interstate 55 bridge over the Mississippi River between West Memphis, Ark., and Memphis, Tenn.

ARDOT and TDOT were co-applicants for the grant to replace the aging, 75-year-old bridge. Federal officials announced the historic grant, allowing the project to move forward. A press conference is scheduled for Thursday, July 18 in Memphis to provide more details.

The grant is funded through the Bridge Investment Program under President Biden’s bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which received no votes from Arkansas’ all GOP Congressional delegation.

$893 million committed to I-55 bridge replacement on Arkansas-Tennessee border

Cotton, Banks: Biden Administration rule discriminates against faith-based foster organizations

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) today introduced a resolution to remove a Health and Human Services (HHS) Department rule that would make it harder for faith-based organizations and families to provide homes for foster children. HHS finalized its rule in April.

Congressman Jim Banks (Indiana-03) introduced the resolution in the House.

Grantwatch Image

“Faith-based groups lead the effort in Arkansas to provide safe foster homes. The Biden administration’s rule will only hurt children that need a home and the religious organizations that provide this incredibly important work,” said Senator Cotton.

“Despite a nationwide shortage of foster families, the Biden administration’s rule discards well-established, faith-based care providers as second-class placement services, forcing states to invest time and resources into recruiting so-called gender-affirming providers. This is an attack on religious liberty and common sense, and worst of all, it is the children in need of a safe and loving home who will suffer most from this administration’s radical agenda,” said Congressman Banks.

Text of the resolution may be found here.

Steven Baker named executive director of Clinton National Airport

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

The Little Rock Municipal Airport Commission appointed Steven C. Baker as the new executive director of Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT), effective Aug. 6.

The airport commission unanimously approved Baker’s hiring last month, and his contract has been finalized with an annual base salary of $275,000 plus benefits, according to a press release shared Friday (July 12).

Baker succeeds Bryan Malinowski, who was killed by federal ATF agents in a home raid on March 19 in Little Rock.

Steven Baker named executive director of Clinton National Airport