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

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boozman backs permanent small business tax cut

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to read the text of the legislation.

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

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Technology skills for work and play

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mention of product names does not imply endorsement by the Division of Agriculture.

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

Arkansas Crop Profit/Loss Calculator available as downloadable app

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calculator’s foundations

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

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

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

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

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

Cargill to shutter turkey operation in Springdale (Updated)

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

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

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

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

Cargill to shutter turkey operation in Springdale (Updated)

Bill to ban affirmative action passes Arkansas Senate committee

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

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

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

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

Bill to ban affirmative action passes Arkansas Senate committee

EV registrations soar more than 60% in Arkansas

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

Arkansas surpassed 50,000 electric vehicles registered for the first time in 2024, a state agency spokesman said. Total EV registrations jumped 61.57% to 58,387 in 2024 from 36,137 in 2023.

Scott Hardin, spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, recently provided registration numbers for fully electric and hybrid electric vehicles registered in Arkansas. As of Dec. 31, the state had 9,214 fully electric and 49,173 hybrid electric vehicles registered.

“The state closed the second half of 2024 with strong EV registration totals, easily surpassing 50,000 total registered EVs (fully electric and hybrids) for the first time,” Hardin said. “We should reach 60,000 early this year.”

EV registrations soar more than 60% in Arkansas

Updated Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service

• WHAT HAS CHANGED: The Flood Watch has been expanded to include portions of northern central Arkansas.

• A strong storm system will approach the state from the southwest through the day today, and rainfall will become widespread from west to east across the area later this evening through Thursday.

• As the system moves through, excessive rainfall is possible from southeast Oklahoma across portions of western and northern Arkansas, resulting in increasing flash flooding potential. Area rivers and basins are also expected to see an increase in streamflow, with some locations possibly reaching flooding levels.

• Additionally, a few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across mainly southern Arkansas Thursday afternoon and evening.

• The threat for hazardous weather is expected to come to an end by Friday morning as the storm system moves east of the state.

The greatest probabilities for rainfall in excess of 3 inches currently lies across portions of western to central Arkansas, and primarily over the high terrain regions. A large probability exists for much of the northwestern half of the state to receive at least 2 inches of rainfall.

Heavy rain and severe weather possibilities for Arkansas this week

• A strong storm system will approach the state from the southwest in the coming days.

• Rain will become widespread from west to east across the area Wednesday evening through Thursday

• As the system moves through, heavy rainfall is possible from southeast Oklahoma across portions of western and northern Arkansas.

• Additionally, a few strong to severe thunderstorms are possible across mainly southern Arkansas Thursday afternoon and evening.

• The threat for hazardous weather is expected to come to an end by Friday morning as the storm system moves east of the state.

Free school breakfast up for debate in Arkansas Legislature

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

On Monday, a legislative committee plans to discuss a bill to make breakfast free for all public school students in Arkansas.

Flickr Image

Perhaps the largest restaurant in the state of Arkansas is the Little Rock School District. Serving thousands of kids, breakfast and lunch, five days a week, nutritionist Stephanie Walker-Hynes says a lot of work goes into meal planning, because children, she says, “eat with their eyes.” The food has to look appealing.

“Because you don't want your tray to be bland,” she said. “You don't want to serve starchy vegetables all the time. And so we also want to make sure we have a variety and we are advancing the palate.”

Free school breakfast up for debate in Arkansas Legislature

Federal officials working to keep U.S. free of nightmarish screwworms

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The New World screwworm is the stuff of nightmares.

Named for its habit of screwing into the living flesh of warm-blooded animals with its razor-sharp mouth hooks, they are maggots — the larvae of Cochliomyia hominivorax, a fly with large orange eyes, a dark blue or green metallic body bearing three dark stripes.

Adult New World screwworm fly, characterized by its large orange eyes and bluish or greenish metallic body and three back stripes. (Image by  Judy Gallagher (lCreative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license)

All but disappeared from the United States since the 1960s, the New World screwworm has prompted fresh concerns from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the livestock industry after a case was reported in southern Mexico last fall.

This prompted the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, to put in effect a temporary ban on importation of live cattle, bison, horses and other livestock from Mexico.

“The United States Department of Agriculture had successfully eradicated New World screwworm from the U.S. in 1966,” said Kirsten Midkiff, extension animal health and wellbeing specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The last case that we had in the U.S. was in October 2016 in Florida, and swift action was taken to eliminate the presence by March 2017.

“Because of this new case in the southern part of Mexico, APHIS announced on Dec. 13 that there will be a release of $165 million in emergency funding to protect U.S. livestock, pets, and wildlife,” Midkiff said.

Setting up a barrier

1944 bulletin from Florida Extension Service features discussion on managing screwworm before the pest was eradicated in the U.S. in 1966 (U of A System Division of Agriculture image by Jon Zawislak)

New World screwworms are endemic to Cuba, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and countries in South America. Panama was considered the border for screwworm prevalence, but recently the screwworm has trended north into Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and the southernmost areas of Mexico.

In 1972, USDA and Mexico started a screwworm eradication program to create a biological barrier distributing sterile flies which disrupt reproduction. The sterile flies were raised in a facility in Mexico and dispersed using specially equipped planes. In 2006, a new sterile fly production facility was built in Panama, with flies distributed along the border between Panama and Columbia, pushing the barrier further south. According to the U.S. Embassy in Costa Rica, an average of 60 million sterile flies were dispersed weekly.

Midkiff said the emergency funds are being used to support surveillance efforts, animal health checkpoints, and collaborate with Mexico and Central American countries to establish a new barrier on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec and re-establish the Panamanian barrier.

Precaution and prevention

Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist for the Division of Agriculture, said she’s been getting questions from ranchers. However, she wants to emphasize that “currently, there is no outbreak in the U.S., we have imposed restrictions on live cattle imports from Mexico out of caution.

“This could cause disruption of the overall cattle supply, especially in regions such as Texas and an overall reduced supply of cattle in the market. This also can cause uncertainty in the market,” Justice said. However, “prevention of the screwworm entering the U.S. is imperative, as there could be major economic losses associated with the pest with devastating consequences for animal health and welfare.”

Economic concerns

The United States imported 1.23 million head of feeder cattle from Mexico in 2024. Mexico is second only to Canada in terms of supplying beef to the U.S.

However, during “the last five weeks of the year, we imported zero,” said James Mitchell, extension livestock economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “This is important because we typically observe a seasonal high in Mexican cattle imports during December. These cattle are fed in U.S. feedlots before being processed into beef in preparation for grilling season, which spans from Memorial Day to Labor Day.”

Mitchell said the import ban increased cattle prices, particularly in Texas and other border states.

“However, it also had negative effects on feedlots already struggling to maintain capacity due to tighter domestic cattle supplies,” he said.

The potential cost of a New World screwworm outbreak in domestic herds could be substantial, depending on its severity. Implementing an import ban is a logical step to reduce the risk of such an outbreak. Prior to its eradication in 1966, New World screwworms cost the U.S. livestock industry more than $100 million annually, according to a 1991 presentation by James E. Novy, assistant chief of program evaluations and planning of veterinary services for USDA.

What to look for

New World screwworm flies lay eggs on an open wound or around an orifice, and after a few hours the eggs will hatch and larvae burrow into the wound to feed. The maggots are unique in that they have sharp mouth hooks that cause extensive damage, tearing into the host tissue. Unlike other species, these maggots will only feed on living tissue.

“Being vigilant about New World screwworm is the key to keeping it out of the United States,” Midkiff said.

 Early signs for the screwworm are enlarged or draining wounds, discomfort, and the presence of eggs or larvae near superficial injuries, according to APHIS. Other signs in animals — both mammals and birds — may be irritated behavior, head shaking, the smell of decay, evidence of fly strike, or the presence of maggots in a wound.

“If screwworms are diagnosed, then affected animals will be quarantined until daily wound care and treatments of infected animals are successful,” Midkiff said. “If the USDA investigates cases and it is deemed necessary, then additional control measurements including insecticidal treatment of the environment or sterile screwworm fly release may occur.”

If you suspect a screwworm infestation, contact your veterinarian or state veterinarian.

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

Division of Agriculture releases 2025 versions of weed, pest and disease management guides

LITTLE ROCK — The most widely used publications from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture have been updated for 2025 with the latest research-based recommendations for managing weeds, disease and pests in row crop agriculture, as well as fruit, vegetable and garden production.

The 2025 publications include:

• MP44 — Recommended Chemicals for Weed and Brush Control: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/mp-44.aspx

• MP144 — Insecticide Recommendations for Arkansas: https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/mp-144.aspx

• MP154 — Arkansas Plant Disease Control Products Guide:  https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/mp-154.aspx

GUIDES — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's most popular guides have been updated for 2025. UADA design

Copies of guides are available at county extension offices at no charge. Digital copies of the guides, along with other extension publications, are available online at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/new.aspx.

“MP” stands for “miscellaneous publication.” Extension faculty update the guides annually to ensure that Arkansas growers and producers have the most current research-based information when making decisions. The guides are the Division of Agriculture’s most requested publications, with more than 18,500 copies of the guides delivered to county extension offices earlier this month.

“Our comprehensive series on agrichemicals to control weeds, insects, and plant diseases helps put the right options in the hands of farmers, growers and homeowners,” said Shane Gadberry, associate vice president for agriculture and natural resources for the Division of Agriculture. “Information in the guides is supported by trial data and product label information.”

Weed management

MP44, “Recommended Chemicals for Weed and Brush Control,” is the most requested publication and is a must-have resource for anyone using herbicides for weed control in Arkansas.

“New information is included on herbicide-resistant weed species and management practices, as well as an updated map of Palmer amaranth resistance in Arkansas including counties where multiple-resistant populations have been identified,” said Tom Barber, extension weed scientist for the Division of Agriculture. “In addition, information and links for updates on the Endangered Species Act mitigation measures and herbicide strategy are provided.”

MP44’s forage section reflects changes in recommended application timing, said Hannah Wright-Smith, extension weed specialist. “Notable changes include earlier applications of 2,4-D to control buttercup and a recommended fall/ winter application of Rezilon with a Feb. 15 cutoff date.”

The guide’s sections on cotton and soybean sections also have updated, said Bob Scott, extension weed scientist.

“I always recommend that users of these publications throw away their old ones and get the current copy to avoid any off-label or out-of-date recommendations,” Scott said.

Insect management

MP144, “Insecticide Recommendations for Arkansas,” contains information on recommended insecticides in row crops, animal agriculture, fruits, nuts, vegetables and household pests.

“Our stored grain section has been expanded to include insecticide performance ratings for many of the recommended products based on research funded by the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board,” said Glenn Studebaker, extension entomologist and integrated pest management coordinator for the Division of Agriculture. “This year we have included a new treatment threshold for tarnished plant bug in ThryvOn cotton varieties.”

“For tarnished plant bug in ThryvOn cotton, the nymph threshold has doubled to six nymphs on five row feet. This is only for cotton with ThryvOn technology,” extension entomologist  Nick Bateman said. “Non-ThryvOn cotton thresholds will continue to be three nymphs on five row feet. Additionally, our rice stink bug threshold in rice was moved to 10 stink bugs on 10 sweeps throughout the whole season. Studies have been conducted for multiple years to confirm these thresholds and will help growers make a more economically sound decision when treating these insects.”

The mobile-friendly edition of MP 144 is available at https://mp144.uada.edu/.

Plant disease management

The “Arkansas Plant Disease Control Products Guide” — or MP 154 — includes a list of fungicides and nematicides registered for use in Arkansas that are used to control diseases of row crops, vegetables, small fruits, turfgrass and ornamental plants.

“All products are registered for use in the state,” said Travis Faske, extension plant pathologist. “Each year new products are added, and fungicide efficacy tables in corn, soybean, and wheat are updated.”

Information in the guide is generated by extension plant pathologists who conduct applied research trials across the state. 

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

Attorney General Griffin launches Operation Obscured Vision to fight human trafficking statewide

Griffin: ‘January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the best way to prevent human trafficking and rescue its victims is to combat it on one of its key fronts: illicit massage parlors’

Attorney General Tim Griffin today issued the following statement announcing the execution of search warrants at 12 locations across the state as part of Operation Obscured Vision to combat human trafficking, resulting in aid provided to 16 victims, the arrest of four individuals, and the seizure of nearly $70,000 and a luxury vehicle:

“January is National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, and the best way to prevent human trafficking and rescue its victims is to combat it on one of its key fronts: illicit massage parlors.

“Operation Obscured Vision was coordinated by my office’s Special Investigations Division and executed by local law enforcement and victim advocates groups to expose the pervasive issue of illicit massage parlors in Arkansas, rescue the victims of human trafficking, and permanently end the presence of illicit massage parlors in our state.

“Many of the women working in these illicit massage parlors are coerced to do so. One victim we interviewed stated that she is forced to work seven days a week, 13 hours per day.

“I am proud to announce that local law enforcement, with coordination by my office, executed 12 search warrants at illicit massage parlors in Jonesboro, Russellville, Hot Springs, Rogers, Harrison, and a Little Rock hotel. I congratulate the local police officers, sheriff’s deputies, the Arkansas State Police, and Special Agents in my office for successfully executing this operation.

“I appreciate the efforts of victim’s advocates and the Arkansas Department of Health, who provided language interpreters, nursing services, and other support to help victims receive comprehensive and coordinated assistance to ensure their safety and support their journey toward independence and recovery. Seventeen victims ranging in age from 29-65 were identified in the operation, sixteen accepted services from medical staff and victim’s advocates.

“I am grateful to members of the Arkansas General Assembly and Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders for their support of adding a full-time human trafficking investigator to my office. That Special Agent worked tirelessly to coordinate this operation, and it wouldn’t have happened without the agent’s efforts.

“This operation is just a first step. The intelligence and evidence obtained through Operation Obscured Vision will be used in ongoing investigations and will aid in targeting similar massage parlors elsewhere in the state. The criminals who run these establishments and the men who patronize them are on notice. We are coming for you, and we will put an end to this horrific practice of exploiting women through human trafficking.”

Four women were arrested as part of Operation Obscured Vision.

• Haiyan Lu, 54, of Harrison, one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree

• Qing Chen, 53, of Jonesboro, one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree

• Hongliang Cai, 55, of Jonesboro, one count of Promoting Prostitution in the Second Degree

• Chunli Wang, 50, of Rogers, one count of Sexual Assault in the Second Degree

Law enforcement seized nearly $70,000 during the operation. Additionally, ¥1,870 in Chinese currency was seized in Russellville. A Mercedes-Benz vehicle was seized in Rogers.

Participating law enforcement agencies in Operation Obscured Vision included:

• Arkansas Attorney General’s Office Special Investigations Division

• Arkansas State Police

• Arkansas State Fusion Center

• Jonesboro Police Department

• Harrison Police Department

• Rogers Police Department

• Benton County Sheriff’s Office

• Russellville Police Department

• Little Rock Police Department

• Hot Springs Police Department

Prosecuting Attorneys participating in Operation Obscured Vision include:

• Sonia Hagood, Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Jeff Phillips, Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Will Jones, Sixth Judicial Prosecuting Attorney

• David Ethredge, Fourteenth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Michelle Lawrence, Eighteenth-East Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

• Bryan Sexton, Nineteenth-West Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney

Advocate groups participating in Operation Obscured Vision included:

• Arkansas Human Trafficking Council

• Into the Light

• Freedom Finders

• Hope Found

• NWA Forensic Nursing Team/REACH

• NWA Sexual Assault Center

• We Are Free

• Regional Intervention of Sexual Exploitation (RISE)

• Children’s Protection Center (CPC) Little Rock

Four-state beef cattle conference to cover herd expansion, cattle markets

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – Extension specialists from Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas are partnering for the 2025 KOMA Beef Cattle Conference.

MARKET UPDATE – Derrell Peel, Professor of agricultural economics at Oklahoma State University will provide the keynote address at the 2025 KOMA Conference, covering herd expansion and market impacts.

The conference, co-hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University and the University of Missouri, is a one-day conference providing research updates from extension specialists, professors and graduate students from all four states. There are two opportunities to attend – Feb. 18 in Parsons, Kansas, and Feb. 19 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Each will have identical programs.

“We have an exciting lineup this year of expert-led presentations and discussions,” said Maggie Justice, beef production specialist for the Division of Agriculture. “We’ll get the latest update on cutting-edge research in cattle feeding, supplementation, reproduction and more.”

Justice said attendees can expect valuable takeaways on optimizing nutrition, enhancing reproductive efficiency and improving grazing practices.

“With the thin profit margins our producers have been seeing, cattle markets are on everyone’s mind,” Justice said. “A key highlight of the event will be the keynote address from Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University who will share his expertise on herd expansion and the impact it will have on the market.”

Cost to attend is $20 with lunch included. Those interested in attending in Arkansas can register online. An agenda will be coming soon.

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 refugee resettlement disrupted as Trump administration suspends program

Dozens of refugees scheduled to travel to Northwest Arkansas over the next two months had their flights cancelled a week before an executive order was set to go in effect. “We weren’t expecting it–that’s not what the executive order said,” said Joanna Krause. “The impact has been devastating.”

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Joanna Krause is the Executive Director of Canopy NWA, a refugee resettlement agency based in Fayetteville. She spoke with Little Rock Public Radio Friday, at the end of a week she described as “incredibly difficult.”

President Donald Trump halted refugee resettlement in the U.S. with an executive order last Monday, disrupting travel plans for hundreds of refugees recently approved to come to the United States. 11 families assigned to Northwest Arkansas now have no clear path to resettlement.

Arkansas refugee resettlement disrupted as Trump administration suspends program

‘90 for 90’ Graceland exhibit offers new Elvis artifacts

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

It was the moment Gladys and Vernon Presley had been waiting for. She was set to give birth to the couple’s first child in the early morning hours on Jan. 8, 1935. Exuberance turned to horror.

The couple’s first little boy, Jessie, was stillborn. The infant was placed in a box and taken to the kitchen. Vernon and his brother had built the ramshackle house in east Tupelo, Miss., the year before for only $180. It had no running water or electricity.

There was little time to mourn. A second child was on the way. Elvis Aaron Presley was born 35 minutes later. After the death of his brother, Elvis would remain an only child. Gladys and Vernon never had another.

That one child would become one of the greatest musicians and one of the most recognizable cultural icons of all-time.

‘90 for 90’ Graceland exhibit offers new Elvis artifacts

House passes Womack cosponsored bill protecting life

Washington, DC—Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) last week voted to support H.R. 21, the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, legislation he cosponsored to protect the right to life by ensuring that infants born alive after an attempted abortion receive the same standard of care as any other newborn.

Congressman Womack said, “Life is a sacred gift worth protecting. Babies who’ve suffered from an attempted abortion must receive the highest standard of care to have a chance at survival after birth. It’s our moral responsibility. This bill requires healthcare practitioners to administer lifesaving medical care to all babies, regardless of the circumstance. I will continue to fight to protect the vulnerable and the fundamental right to life.”

Details:

• While federal law establishes that every infant who survives an abortion is considered a person, it does not hold medical professionals responsible when they elect not to help these newborns.

• H.R. 21 requires that healthcare practitioners who are present at a live birth following an abortion or attempted abortion must provide necessary skill and care to preserve the life and health of the child. After those efforts, the healthcare worker must immediately transport and admit the child to a hospital.

  • Failure to provide this standard of care could result in criminal penalties for an offending healthcare provider, including fines and up to five years in prison.

  • Further, a healthcare practitioner who intentionally kills or attempts to kill an abortion survivor is subject to prosecution for murder.

• This legislation also bars prosecution of the mother of the child born alive and authorizes mothers of abortion survivors to bring a civil cause of action against a healthcare provider who violates this standard.

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Boozman, Sheehy, Van Hollen introduce Bipartisan Legislation to assist veterans with home ownership

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Tim Sheehy (R-MT) and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) introduced the bipartisan VA Home Loan Awareness Act to help more veterans take advantage of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan program and achieve home ownership. 

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The VA Home Loan program offers veterans no down payment, no private mortgage insurance and interest rates that are often lower than rates for conventional FHA loans. Despite these benefits, only 13 percent of veterans access the VA Home Loan program. Among veterans who don’t use the VA Home Loan program, 33 percent say they are not aware of the program.

“By making extra effort to inform veterans of the benefits they have earned, we can help the men and women who have served fulfill the American dream of home ownership,” said Boozman. “The VA Home Loan program has been historically underutilized, and I am pleased to see bipartisan support to increase awareness about its potential to help improve the lives of our veterans and their families.”

“For decades, owning a home has been the bedrock of the American Dream, but too often, those who have put their lives on the line for our country have been hampered by a lack of information from their own government. I’m proud to join Senator Van Hollen and my other colleagues in introducing this commonsense measure to empower our veterans with the knowledge and resources necessary to secure a VA Home Loan and achieve the same dream they fought to defend,” said Sheehy.

“After serving our country in uniform, our veterans deserve the support of a grateful nation. The VA Home Loan Program is one way we provide that support – by helping veterans purchase homes. But far too many of our veterans are unaware of this program and what it has to offer. Our bipartisan bill will help ensure more veterans and their families have the opportunity to use it to achieve their goal of homeownership,” said Van Hollen.

The VA Home Loan Awareness Act will help better inform veterans of opportunities provided by the VA Home Loan program by adding a disclosure to the Uniform Residential Loan Application (URLA) informing veterans they may be eligible for a VA Home Loan, directing applicants to consult their lender for more information about the VA Home Loan program, and instructing the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a review and report to Congress on lenders’ adoption of these URLA updates.

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Ted Budd (R-NC), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Peter Welch (D-VT), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), John Kennedy (R-LA), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Bernie Moreno (R-OH), Jacky Rosen (D-NV) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN).

Click here to read the text of the legislation.

Worthington wins a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture horticulture professor and researcher was recently bestowed the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Margaret Worthington, associate professor of fruit breeding and genetics for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, received one of the highest honors given by the United States government following a nomination in association with a blackberry breeding project supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

PRESIDENTIAL AWARD — Margaret Worthington, associate professor of fruit breeding and genetics, received a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers. (U of A System Division of Agriculture)

Worthington’s award comes with $250,000 in additional grant funding that she intends to use in hiring a post-doctoral bioinformatics specialist to help in her research. The money will also come in handy, she said, to support her travels back and forth from Fayetteville to the Fruit Research Station in Clarksville.

In addition to teaching courses in the horticulture department for the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas, she is the director of the Arkansas Fruit Breeding Program for the experiment station.

“It’s very exciting to get it,” Worthington said Jan. 15. “It’s a nice honor, and I’m very thankful.”

Worthington is among nearly 400 new PECASE Award honorees. According to a Jan. 14 Biden Administration White House news release, the PECASE Award is “the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers.” The awards are conferred annually at the White House following recommendations from participating federal agencies.

Worthington joined the experiment station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture, in 2016. She became director of the Fruit Breeding Program in 2023 and was among the international team of scientists that year to assemble the first complete sequence of the blackberry genome,

She is currently also serving as co-director of the $7 million NIFA-grant-supported national effort called “Through the Grapevine: Developing Vitis x Muscadinia Wide Hybrids for Enhanced Disease Resistance and Quality.”

“This PECASE Award demonstrates the national and international value and excellence provided by Dr. Margaret Worthington to fruit breeding, and we are thrilled for her to receive this,” said Mary Savin, professor and head of the horticulture department. “The nomination and receipt of this award highlights Margaret’s capabilities and contributions to horticultural science and research and reinforces that NIFA recognizes — and has recognized — her value to advance fruit science, production and sustainability.”

To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch, subscribe to the Food, Farms and Forests podcast and sign up for our monthly newsletter, the Arkansas Agricultural Research Report. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu.