Farmers to receive $286 million through American Relief Act

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Farmers in Arkansas will receive $286.2 million in assistance from the American Relief Act, with Mississippi County being the top recipient, according to an analysis by the Rural & Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center.

The American Relief Act was the continuing resolution passed in December to keep the federal government open through March 14. It also extended the 2018 Farm Bill through September 2025. In total, it provides $10 billion in economic assistance to crop farmers growing barley, corn, cotton, oats, peanuts, rice, sorghum, soybeans, and wheat.

Six million of the state’s acres were determined to be eligible for economic assistance. About 51% of the state’s soybean acres were eligible, while rice was at 26%. Cotton, (11%) and corn (10%) were the primary ag acres covered. The remaining acreage was in oats, peanuts, grain sorghum, and winter wheat.

Farmers to receive $286 million through American Relief Act

Boozman, Tillis, Murray Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral Legislation to Support Purple Heart Families

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senators Patty Murray (D-WA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC) to introduce the Purple Heart Veterans Education Act, legislation allowing veterans who received their Purple Heart after their service to transfer their educational benefits to one or more of their dependents

“I’m proud to support policies that honor the promises made to the brave men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform,” said Boozman. “Ensuring that veterans, and especially Purple Heart recipients, are able to access the benefits they have earned for themselves and their families is a duty that Congress should always prioritize.”

“Purple Heart veterans have made tremendous sacrifices to defend our freedoms, and we as a nation should do everything we can to support them and their families when they return—that includes ensuring all Purple Heart veterans have the full benefits they have earned,” said Murray. “As the daughter of a Purple Heart Veteran, this is personal to me—and I’m grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle for joining me in this effort.”

“Purple Heart recipients are heroes who honorably served our country at great costs, and this oversight that prevents servicemembers who received this distinguished award after their service from transferring their GI bill benefits to their dependents needs to be corrected immediately,” said Tillis. “I am proud to co-introduce this commonsense legislation to close this loophole and ensure every Purple Heart recipient and dependents are able to further their education.”

 Specifically, the Purple Heart Veterans Education Act would:

• Permit an individual awarded the Purple Heart after their service in the Armed Forces to transfer their post-9/11 educational benefits to one or more of their dependents.

• Allow flexibility by permitting the veteran to allocate different amounts, totaling 36 months of benefits, to their dependents. For example, one dependent may be designated 20 months and the other 16 months. 

• Protect the veteran’s right to their benefits by prohibiting the use of their educational benefits to be treated as marital property or the asset of a marital estate. 

• Honor the veteran’s legacy by allowing their dependents to continue using the unused benefits after their death. 

The legislation is also cosponsored by Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Angus King (I-ME), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Ron Wyden (D-OR), John Cornyn (R-TX), Mark Kelly (D-AZ), Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Michael Bennet (D-CO).

Congressmen Mike Levin (D-CA-49) and Greg Murphy (R-NC-03) introduced companion legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives.

The Purple Heart Veterans Education Act is endorsed by Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA) and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).

Click here for full text of the legislation.

Northwest Arkansas Schizophrenia Conference Examines Complex Issues Surrounding Mental Illness

By David Wise

Hundreds of health care professionals, caregivers and family members of people with schizophrenia gathered at the Fayetteville Town Center on Jan. 30 to learn about the symptoms, misconceptions and treatment of the illness, as well as the experiences of the nearly 3 million American adults with schizophrenia.

The conference, hosted by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Psychiatric Research Institute, was the first of its kind in Northwest Arkansas and was dedicated to raising awareness about schizophrenia and the issues that accompany the mental illness.

Ryan Cork, MSHA, vice chancellor of the Northwest Arkansas Region, welcomed attendees to the conference.

“The Northwest Arkansas Schizophrenia Conference is a significant step forward for our region,” Cork said. “By bringing together leading experts, health care professionals and families, this event has the potential to transform how we address mental health challenges locally. It reinforces our commitment to building a stronger, more informed community and ensuring that Northwest Arkansas remains a leader in advancing mental health care and support.”

Northwest Arkansas Schizophrenia Conference Examines Complex Issues Surrounding Mental Illness

Little fish, epic journey: Arkansas biologists track 650-mile migration of Alabama shad

BY Sarah Baxter

LITTLE ROCK — Thirty juvenile Alabama shad are striking out on a 650-mile journey from the Ouachita River in southwest Arkansas to the Gulf Coast and beyond, and for the first time in history, biologists with the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will be tagging along.

AGFC biologists hope to track 30 transmitter-equipped Alabama shad from their spawning grounds in Arkansas to the Gulf Coast. AGFC photo by Forrest Talley. 

The Alabama shad is ranked as the fourth-rarest fish in Arkansas and is being considered as a candidate for the Endangered Species Act by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Each year Alabama shad spawned in the Ouachita River embark on a quest to reach salt water of the Gulf Coast. The fish is a mere 7-inch juvenile when it begins this trek, which leads it through many dangerous obstacles, including four locks and dams built for barge traffic.

Biologists know shockingly little about their life cycle aside from the endpoints of this amazing journey. Do they make this journey multiple times? Are there critical areas they visit along the way? How do they get past the dams? The questions surrounding this species are as vast as the waters it travels.

According to Jeff Quinn, AGFC River and Stream Program Supervisor, the Alabama shad is the only anadromous fish species in Arkansas — meaning it spawns in The Natural State and travels to salt water in the ocean as a component of its life cycle. One other species, the American eel, makes a similar migration but in reverse, spawning in the salt water of the ocean and traveling to fresh water in Arkansas during its life before returning to the Sargasso Sea.

Unraveling the secrets of this fish’s life cycle has been the largest obstacle in its conservation. Adult shad are extremely elusive and fragile, thwarting many previous tracking studies.

AGFC biologists have turned their attention to the juveniles through a groundbreaking effort. Last fall, they captured 30 young shad and implanted them with transmitters to track their migration. The transmitters, implanted by AGFC veterinarians, will coordinate with a series of hydrophones to “ping” each shad’s location as it passes nearby.

All 30 shad selected for research survived the implantation of tiny transmitters that will record movement as they pass by established recording units. AGFC photo by Forrest Talley.

This is the first time such a study has been attempted on juvenile Alabama shad. The species is notoriously fragile and prone to stress from temperature changes and handling trauma.

State Wildlife Veterinarian Dr. Jenn Ballard and AGFC Fish Pathologist Kelly Winningham worked in tandem to research and formulate a plan for the implantation procedure. The transmitter, roughly the size and shape of a piece of drinking straw as long as a penny is wide, had to be inserted in the body cavity of these extremely slender fish in a way that would not hinder their movement.

“We came up with some innovative solutions to overcome the fragile nature of the species,” Ballard said. “We even had fresh water flowing over the gills during the procedure through an IV setup instead of a water pump to ensure a constant but gentle flow of oxygenated water to the fish while the surgery was conducted.”

AGFC Wildlife Health Biologist AJ Riggs, AGFC Veterinary Trainee Robert Edwards and AGFC Conservation Program Technician Christina Little assisted with the surgeries, while Jeff Newman, AGFC Hatchery Manager of the Andrew Hulsey State Fish Hatchery, coordinated with Quinn and AGFC Rivers Biologist Chelsea Gilliland to collect, monitor, transport and release the shad.

Biologists employed many creative solutions to successfully implant transmitters in diminutive Alabama shad. The gloves seen in this image produce a light electrical current to immobilize fish for surgery, avoiding chemicals. AGFC photo by Jeff Quinn.

Thanks to the creative solutions by the capture and implantation teams, all 30 of the shad selected for the study survived the procedure and showed no serious effects from the transmitter’s size during post-surgery observation.

“This project is really cutting-edge science,” Quinn said. “We didn’t even think this project was possible earlier this year. Our success is because we assembled a highly skilled and dedicated team, studied successes with other species, and were willing to take chances and fail.”

The data gleaned from this study will be crucial in understanding the Alabama shad’s migratory patterns, habitat use and the challenges they face. This knowledge is vital for effective conservation management and could be the key to preventing this remarkable species from disappearing altogether.

Quinn recently joined Trey Reid for an episode of the Arkansas Wildlife Podcast to talk about this exciting research project. Watch the show on the AGFC YouTube channel or find the podcast on your favorite platform.

Arkansas Supreme Court justice accuses chief justice of spreading untruths

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Nicholas Bronni has accused Chief Justice Karen Baker of spreading untruths during a meeting of the House Judiciary Committee.

On Thursday, Baker made a customary appearance in front of the committee. She addressed recent tension at the Supreme Court between her and her colleagues. She told committee members that issues stemmed from newly appointed Justice Bronni recusing “from all our criminal cases.”

In a letter to Rep. Carol Dalby, the chairwoman of the committee, Bronni called this statement “not accurate.” This comes amid other dubious comments made during Baker’s Thursday's testimony, and ongoing tension over how Baker is legally allowed to conduct her duties on the court.

Arkansas Supreme Court justice accuses chief justice of spreading untruths

Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Nicholas Bronni disputes claims made by Chief Justice Karen Baker at a legislative meeting.

Best Care program awarded thousands of professional development hours to Arkansas childcare providers in 2024

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — In 2024, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Best Care program awarded more than 22,000 hours of professional development to childcare providers in the state. Providers are required by the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood to earn a minimum of 15 hours of professional development each year.

TRAINING FOR PROVIDERS — Through the Division of Agriculture's Best Care programming, childcare providers across the state of Arkansas can earn required hours of professional development training. (Division of Agriculture graphic.) 

The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the Division of Agriculture, partners with the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood to provide 58 hours of professional development training for childcare providers throughout the state.

“It is important that the childcare providers in Arkansas are educated and are knowledgeable in research-based early childhood practices to provide quality care to children, from birth to age five,” said Rebecca Simon, extension program associate for Early Childhood and Family Life for the Division of Agriculture.

Extension offers four methods of Best Care training, all of which are approved by the Arkansas Professional Development Registry, for childcare providers in the state:

• Best Care: Ten hours of in-person training for childcare professionals across the state, taught in 26 multi-county clusters. In 2024, this program reached 2,373 participants through 32 trainings.

• Best Care Connected: An online program that offers five hours of professional development for early childhood childcare educators in Arkansas. In 2024, this program reached 2,234 participants, and 11,170 hours of professional development were awarded.

• Guiding Children Successfully: An online or self-paced correspondence program that offers up to 38 hours of continuing education for parents, foster parents and childcare educators. This program reached 998 participants and awarded 10,374 training hours in 2024.

• Best Care Out of School Time: A program designed to better meet the needs of childcare providers who work with school-aged children in after-school, summer and camp settings. This program offers five hours of professional development, and in 2024, 557 training hours were awarded to 2,785 participants.

Simon said these four programs are tailored to the needs of childcare providers statewide, including those in remote and underserved areas. Extension Family and Consumer Sciences agents play a significant role in the delivery of the training.  

“County Family and Consumer Sciences agents are responsible for planning and providing training in their ‘cluster,’ or multi-county setting,” Simon said. “The FCS agents build relationships within their community and are seen as the local source of knowledge, providing consistent, research-based professional development for local early childhood professionals.

“The training content is different every year, and that is one reason why early childhood professionals attend Best Care in their county or cluster every year,” Simon said. “The programs that the Division of Agriculture implements and provides strengthen the early childhood workforce and improve the lives of our youngest Arkansans.”

Simon said the extension training programs are aligned with Family and Consumer Sciences subject matter areas, including family life, health, nutrition and consumer economics. They also align with the Arkansas Department of Education Office of Early Childhood key content areas, including family, community, positive interactions and guidance.

“High quality early childhood environments are vital for fostering the foundational skills necessary for children’s lifelong health, learning, social relationships and overall success,” Simon said. “In Arkansas, childcare providers play a pivotal role in ensuring these developmental milestones are met.”

Simon said there are more than 48,600 professionals serving 165,219 children across 1,940 childcare facilities statewide.

Feedback from the field

In an evaluation sent to Best Care participants after each one-hour unit of training, one participant responded that the training helped them to “have conversations with children about our differences and find ways to include those physically impaired to do our usual curriculum.”

Another participant shared that the training helped them “implement breathing techniques when a child is stressed and struggling with strong emotions,” they wrote. “This helps us to get a handle on the situation, and as a result, it de-stresses me in the process.”

One participant said the program helped them “recognize the unique aspects of the children and their families to create a diverse learning environment that fosters a sense of well-being for all.”

The year ahead

Thirty Best Care trainings are scheduled throughout the state for 2025, in addition to online programming. Best Care lesson topics for the year will include Farm to Early Childhood Education, Sensory Play for All Ages, Outdoor Learning Environments and Physical Activity, Sound Solutions: Music in the Classroom, Arkansas History and Culture and more.

Those interested in Best Care training should contact their local Family and Consumer Sciences agent at uaex.uada.edu/counties/ for information about upcoming training in their area or visit uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/child-care-providers/best-care. More information about Early Childhood Professional Development opportunities in Arkansas can also be found at uaex.uada.edu/life-skills-wellness/child-care-providers/.

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. 

River Valley Beef Cattle Conference offers cattle producers latest recommendations for herd, forage management

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

MORRILTON, Ark. — This year’s River Valley Beef Cattle Conference will offer cattle producers from 12 counties the latest research-based recommendations for cattle producers in herd health and pest management, along with market outlook for the beef cattle industry.

BEEF — Cattle producers from Arkansas' 12-county River Valley area gather with Division of Agriculture experts to get the latest research-based information. UADA graphic

The conference will be on Feb. 13 from 9 a.m. – noon at the Conway County Fairgrounds, 901 E. Elm St. in Morrilton. Registration opens at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $20, payable at the door, and includes a steak lunch.

The annual conference, hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, brings together faculty, livestock economists and extension specialists to share research-based information to help producers plan and manage their operations efficiently.

Cattle producers from the River Valley area — Conway, Crawford, Faulkner, Franklin, Johnson, Logan, Newton, Perry, Pope, Scott, Sebastian and Yell counties — are invited to attend.

“This year’s conference will bring together experts from the Division of Agriculture who will share the latest recommendations for dealing with armyworms, protecting herd health, and assessing cattle for optimum performance,” said Bob Harper, Logan County extension staff chair. “The industry market outlook will also be discussed.”

Armyworm update

Pope County Extension Agent Brandon Yarbery will discuss options for controlling armyworms and review products that are available this year for controlling pests and products that have worked successfully in the past.

“Last year was one of the worst years we’ve had for armyworms,” Harper said.

The pests appear in the spring and can severely damage forages, hay yields and seed production. Infestations can be easily overlooked when the caterpillars are small and eating very little.

Vaccination programs

Kristen Midkiff, extension animal health and wellbeing specialist for the Division of Agriculture, will discuss vaccination strategies in beef cattle, including options for calves, weaned calves and for the breeding herd for both developing heifers and the cowherd.

“Vaccines are an important portion of a herd health program, as we are protecting our cattle from infectious diseases by allowing their immune system to be able to recognize the pathogens,” Midkiff said. “There are many viruses and bacteria that cattle can be exposed to in their lifetime, and vaccinating gives us an opportunity to set our cattle up for success for future interactions with these agents.”

Midkiff, who has a doctorate in beef cattle health, nutrition, and physiology from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville, joined the Division of Agriculture last fall.

Evaluating Longevity

Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist, will discuss assessing beef cattle for optimum performance.

“She will focus on evaluating cows for the? long term and selecting cows that will stay in the herd and remain productive,” Harper said.

Market Update

James Mitchell, extension livestock economist, will discuss industry outlook and provide highlights from the annual cattle inventory report published Jan. 31. Other topics include cow-calf and feedlot profitability, beef demand and impacts of New World screwworm on the beef and cattle trade.

Conference agenda

• 8:30 a.m. – Registration

• 9 a.m. – Introductions: Kevin Van Pelt, Conway County extension agent

• 9:05 a.m. – Welcome: Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas

• 9:10 a.m. – Armyworm Update – Brandon Yarbery, Pope County extension agent

• 9:30 a.m. – Vaccination Programs for Beef Cattle Producers, Kirsten Midkiff, extension animal health and wellbeing specialist

• 10:15 a.m. – Break

• 10:30 a.m. — Evaluating Longevity: Annual Beef Cattle Assessment for Optimum Performance, Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist

• 11:15 a.m. – Market Outlook, James Mitchell, extension livestock economist

• Noon – Lunch and adjourn

For more information about armyworms in Arkansas, visit https://www.uaex.uada.edu/armyworms

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 publications or extension programs, 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.

State of the State 2025: Regulations, tariffs, costs part of trucking sector uncertainties

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

The United States has been mired in a “freight recession” for more than a year and Cass Freight Index numbers indicate it’s not over. The Index reported that freight shipments across North America were down 6.5% in December in a year-over-year comparison. The index reported a 3.1% decline from November and a 13.3% decline on a two-year stacked change. Freight expenditures were down 3.1% in December, and freight rates were up 3.3% in the same month, the Index reported.

Data within the Index includes all domestic freight modes and is derived from 36 million invoices and $38 billion in spending processed by Cass annually on behalf of its client base of hundreds of large shippers. The companies represent a broad sampling of industries, including consumer packaged goods, food, automotive, chemical, medical/pharma, OEM, retail, and heavy equipment, according to Cass Information Systems. 

Arkansas Trucking Association (ATA) President Shannon Newton told Talk Business & Politics she is cautiously optimistic the freight recession could end in 2025, and the metrics seem to be improving.

State of the State 2025: Regulations, tariffs, costs part of trucking sector uncertainties

Rep. Hill outlines priorities for bank regulatory changes, cryptocurrency

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

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

PixaHive Image

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

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

Rep. Hill outlines priorities for bank regulatory changes, cryptocurrency

Boozman, Booker Team Up to Improve Prostate Cancer Detection

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

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

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

FMT Image

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The full text of the bill can be found here.

Womack Honors Winner of 2024 Congressional App Challenge

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Additional honorees include:

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

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

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

Affirmative action ban advances through Arkansas Senate

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

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

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

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

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

Affirmative action ban advances through Arkansas Senate

Image by John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

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

By Tamara Robinson

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

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

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

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

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

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

By Linda Satter

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

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

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

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

Ashley Booth Norris, M.D.

Masters of water efficiency emerge after a difficult growing season in irrigation yield contest

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

JONESBORO, Ark. — There was nothing easy about the 2024 growing season. But the winners of the 2024 Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest, also known as Most Crop Per Drop, showed how efficiency can at least make a bad situation better.

IMPRESSIVE RESULTS IN A TOUGH YEAR — Forty-seven producers from 20 counties across the Arkansas Delta region participated in the 2024 Arkansas Irrigation Yield Contest, also known as Most Crop Per Drop contest, planting 58 fields of soybean, corn or rice. Six of those 47 contenders planted multiple crops or fields. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

Now in its seventh year, the contest challenges growers to maximize crop growth while minimizing irrigation inputs, a strategy that helps conserve both natural and financial resources.

Forty-seven producers from 20 counties across the Arkansas Delta region participated in the 2024 contest, planting 58 fields of soybean, corn or rice. Six of those 47 contenders planted multiple crops or fields.

Within the rice category are three subcategories for different production methods: levee rice, furrow rice and zero-grade rice.

Chris Henry, professor and water management engineer for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that while there are financial rewards for succeeding in the contest, the real incentives are the lessons learned.

“The contest is an opportunity for farmers to explore their individual aptitude to reduce energy, water use, labor and improve profitability,” Henry said.

With the exception of flooded rice, each participating grower used at least one irrigation management tool, such as poly-pipe with computerized hole selection, soil moisture sensors or surge irrigation. Winners in each division are determined by their water use efficiency, or WUE, and how many bushels of a given crop they can produce per inch of water.

Frank Binkley, a row crop producer in Lawrence County, won first place in the soybean division with a WUE of 3.83 bushels per inch. Binkley said the field he entered in the contest is about 38 acres, part of a 1,200-acre operation that chiefly produces rice and soybeans. 2024 was Binkley’s fourth year participating in the competition.

“My first year, I got sixth place,” Binkley said. “The next year, things just didn’t work out very well for me. Last year, I was actually even more efficient than I was this year, but so was everybody else.

“It just kind of worked out for me this year,” he said. “With all the rain and weather issues, it could’ve been anybody’s game.”

Binkley said the contest has taught him how the use of soil moisture sensors and the UA’s mobile app, the Arkansas Soil Sensor Calculator, can help curtail unnecessary irrigation and help determine whether a given field can wait for an expected rain.

“If you’ve got a thirsty field that’s just not going to make it until the end of the week, a soil moisture sensor will help you water just enough to make it through to that next rain,” he said.

Jeremy Wiedeman, a Clay County row crop farmer, has participated in every Most Crop Per Drop competition since its inception. Weideman took first place in the corn division, with 13.5 bushels per inch of irrigation — the highest water efficiency yield for corn in the contest’s history. He said out of a 4,000-acre operation, he grows about 500 acres of corn in a typical year. The field he used for this year’s contest is 40 acres.

“It was a good corn year in general,” Wiedeman said. “Learning how to use and read those soil moisture sensors really teaches you how far you can stretch your irrigation.”

Russ Parker, program associate at the Division of Agriculture’s Rice Research and Extension Center, helps administer the contest. He said the 2024 contest was notable for how growers dealt with the harvest pressure at the end of the growing season.

“We had an abundance of early planting this year,” Parker said. “We’ve never seen so many crops in the ground so early, across the board. And that’s great, but it also means everything’s ready for harvest at the same time, too. All those crops had to come off at about the same time Hurricane Helene came through.”

About a dozen sponsors contributed cash and prizes, totaling more than $128,000, to this year’s contest. Those sponsors include The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Arkansas Corn & Grain Sorghum Board, the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board, RiceTec, Irrometer, Agsense, Seametrics, Trellis, CropX, Delta Plastics and FarmLogs.

2024 Crop Per Drop Contest winners include:

Frank Binkley              Lawrence County        First place, soybeans
Ty Graham                  Jackson County          Second place, soybeans
Danny Gipson             Mississippi County      Third place, soybeans

Jeremy Wiedeman     Clay County                First place, corn
Matt Ahrent                 Clay County                Second place, corn
Kelby Wright               Cross County              Third place, corn

Chad Render              Jefferson County       First place, zero grade rice
Mark Felker                 Crittenden County      Second place, zero grade rice
Rieves Wallace           Crittenden County      Third place, zero grade rice

Cody Fincher              Mississippi County      First place, row rice
Rieves Wallace           Crittenden County      Second place, row rice
Ty Graham                  Jackson County         Third place, row rice

Kelby Wright               Cross County              First place, levee rice
Jon Carroll                  Monroe County           Second place, levee rice
Blake Ahrent               Clay County                Third place, levee rice

The Division of Agriculture offers a wide selection of courses, publications and online tools to help growers maximize irrigation efficiency.

Use of product names does not imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

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

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

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

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

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

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

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

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

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

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

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

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

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

Uncertainty circulates after executive order stopping federal spending

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

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

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

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

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

Uncertainty circulates after executive order stopping federal spending

Wikimedia Image

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

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

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

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

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

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

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

Eagles inspire awe, appreciation for conservation efforts

BY Randy Zellers

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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