Gov. Sanders: 188th commander resigns over abortion policy

by Michael Tilley (mtilley@talkbusiness.net)

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders is citing the resignation of 188th Wing Commander Col. Dillon Patterson in a letter to President Joe Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin that asks for repeal of a policy that pays for abortion-related costs for members of the military.

In a statement issued Tuesday (Jan. 2) afternoon, Gov. Sanders suggested Patterson resigned as 188th commander because he did not support the Department of Defense (DOD) policy on abortion access.

The 188th is based at Ebbing Air National Guard base in Fort Smith and has more than 1,000 unit members. The 188th’s three primary missions are remotely piloted aircraft (MQ-9 Reaper), intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting (space-focused). As of Tuesday, Patterson was still listed as unit commander on the 188th website.

Gov. Sanders: 188th commander resigns over abortion policy

The MQ-9 Reaper arrives at the Fort Smith Regional Airport in 2021 as part of a 188th Wing exercise.

UAMS Regional Campuses Mark 50th Anniversary

By Chris Carmody

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) in 2023 celebrated the 50th anniversary of its Regional Campuses, a network that has provided high-quality education and health care in rural and underserved communities throughout the state. 

UAMS Regional Campuses, originally known as the Arkansas Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program, were founded in 1973 to encourage UAMS medical school graduates to remain in Arkansas, as well as to help address the state’s shortage and uneven distribution of primary care physicians.  

AHEC programs began to take root across the nation after a 1970 report from the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education outlined the urgent need to address a nationwide shortage of health professionals. With the support of then-Gov. Dale Bumpers, UAMS leaders and health professionals, the Arkansas General Assembly appropriated $1 million to establish the state’s program.  

UAMS Regional Campuses Mark 50th Anniversary

Cooperative Extension Service to host four federal crop insurance workshops in early 2024

By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture 

LITTLE ROCK — The Cooperative Extension Service will host four workshops addressing federal crop insurance in January and February of 2024.

PROTECTING YOUR WORK — The Cooperative Extension Service will host four workshops addressing federal crop insurance in January and February of 2024. (DIvision of Agriculture photo.)

The workshops will be held Jan. 19 in Batesville, Jan. 22 in Pine Bluff, Jan. 30 in Forrest City and Feb. 20 in Monticello. The workshops are free to attend. Interested parties can register online. Agendas for the workshops can be found here.

Hunter Biram, agricultural economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the workshops will provide attendees with detailed information of many aspects of crop insurance programs.

"Participants can expect to receive information from agricultural economics faculty and USDA-RMA Navigators covering a wide array of federal crop insurance topics,” Biram said. “ Presentations will be given that describe how to apply for crop insurance with a local crop insurance agent and describe various products such as pasture insurance, whole-farm insurance, and yield and revenue insurance.

“There is a topic relevant for any operation regardless of whether a producer raises cattle, grows cash crops or produces fruits and vegetables,” he said. “Workbooks covering all these topics and more will be provided for registrants."

The first three workshops will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The final workshop, scheduled for Feb. 20, will run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Each workshop includes lunch or dinner. The workshops are supported by funding from USDA-NIFA, the Southern Risk Management Education Center, and the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence, Biram said.

Each workshop will include presentations from Biram and other cooperative extension specialists, including livestock economist James Mitchell, RMA Navigator Project Specialist LaGrand Elliott, agricultural economist Ryan Loy and others.

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.

UAMS’ Robert Reis, Ph.D., Receives Award from International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences

By Chris Carmody

The International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences honored Robert J. Shmookler Reis, Ph.D., a professor and researcher in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) College of Medicine, with an award that recognizes advancements in clinical science.

Reis received the Jawahar (Jay) Mehta Annual Award for Clinical Scientist during the organization’s North American Section conference in Tampa, Florida.

Reis is a professor in the Department of Geriatrics and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. He also serves as a senior research career scientist in the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System.

UAMS’ Robert Reis, Ph.D., Receives Award from International Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences

YEAREND: As drought tightened cattle production, 2023 markets soared

LITTLE ROCK — Cattle market prices are as high as they’ve been in a decade. That’s good news for producers who have been able to maintain their herds in recent years, but a missed opportunity for those who weren’t.

HIGH DOLLAR — “It was an exciting year in terms of markets for cattle,” said the Division of Agriculture's James Mitchell said. “Cattle prices leading up to the fall were as high as we’ve seen them in 10 years — that had lots of people excited about the future. On the production side, it was exciting depending on who you asked.” (Image courtesy USDA.) 

Throughout most of the year, both futures and cash markets for steers, calves and more marked a vast improvement over 2022. By the last week of November, prices for medium and large No. 1 steer calves (weighing 500 to 600 pounds) were above $270 per hundredweight, more than $80 per hundredweight higher than the same time in 2022 and more than $100 higher than the average from 2017-2021.

James Mitchell, assistant professor and extension economist in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said that the benefits of high prices largely fell to those with access to good grazing and forage.

“It was an exciting year in terms of markets for cattle,” Mitchell said. “Cattle prices leading up to the fall were as high as we’ve seen them in 10 years — that had lots of people excited about the future. On the production side, it was exciting depending on who you asked.” 

A wide swath of droughty conditions has made its way down the middle of the United States over the last several years — affecting first the Northern Plains states such as Montana and Idaho in 2021-2022, then the Southern Plains of Kansas and Texas and finally the Southeast in 2023.

“About three-quarters of Arkansas was heavily affected,” Mitchell said. “The southeastern United States has been hit incredibly hard by drought. All of our neighbors to the east — Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Kentucky, Florida — are in a pretty tough spot, still very much in a drought. So for them, there’s not much they can do with these high prices, because they don’t have any grass or forage. There was nothing they could really do this winter, in terms of retaining calves.

“So you’ve got significant portions of cattle-producing states suffering through drought, forcing them to shrink or liquidate their herds because of a lack of forage,” he said. “When you have three consecutive years of that, you’re going to have a tightening of beef cow availability, which means you’ve got fewer calves being born each year. So you have tighter and tighter supplies, which of course leads to higher prices — assuming demand holds steady.”

In January, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported that the total U.S. beef cattle inventory was at its lowest since 1962, declining more than 3 percent from the previous year to 28.9 million head. The inventory reported an entire cattle inventory of 89.3 million. Mitchell said he believes the forthcoming USDA Cattle Inventory report, expected in January 2024, will reflect a fourth consecutive year of contracting cattle supply in the United States.

Of course, there’s almost nothing that can’t price itself out of the market. At a certain point, Mitchell said, consumer resiliency will give way to more competitive pricing for — in this case — other animal proteins, such as poultry, pork and fish.

“People consume less of something when it gets more expensive — it’s just a law of economics,” he said.

Mitchell said that rebuilding the country’s beef cattle inventory will be a multi-year process — one that can’t really even begin under the persistence of drought.

“Pastures are going to have to recover before we see any discussion of expanding cattle numbers,” he said. “Even if that does occur, it’s going to take a couple of years for that expansion to be noticed. We don’t have the cows; it’s going to take a year to develop heifers, another year for them to give us calves, and so on. So we’re looking at a few more years of declining cattle numbers.

“An important thing that’s different from 2014-2015, is that it’s going to be more expensive to buy back in and expand herds,” Mitchell said. “Interest rates are higher than they were 10 years ago. We expanded the herds very rapidly in 2014, we did that with low interest rates — so capital was inexpensive. That should lead to more careful calculation in terms of how we decide to expand herds.”

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.

The Year in Review, 2023: UAMS Opens Several New Buildings, Expands Clinical Programs

Feral hogs, electronic grading, H2A on the agenda for 2024 Tri-State Soybean Forum set for Jan. 5 in Louisiana

LONOKE, Ark. — Feral hog management, H2A guest farm worker updates and electronic grading are among the items on the agenda for the 2024 Tri-State Soybean forum as it rotates to Louisiana on Jan. 5.

The 2024 Tri-State Soybeam Forum rotates to Dehli, Lousiaina, on Jan. 5. (LSU image)

The 68th annual event will be held at the new Black Bear Convention Center, 231 Black Bear Drive in the northeastern Louisiana town of Delhi. The event opens at 7:30 a.m. with registration and ends with lunch at 12:15 p.m. There’s no cost to attend and registration will be on-site.

“Feral hogs and laws regarding guest farm workers are among the issues that cause sleepless nights for soybean farmers in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi,” said Jeremy Ross, extension soybean agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “We designed this annual forum to deliver information that can help our farmers work through these difficult issues.”

Arkansas Extension Soybean Agronomist Jeremy Ross give a 2022 year-in-review summary with learnings for 2023. He’s speaking at the Jan. 6, at the 2023 Tri-State Soybean Conference. The 2024 conference moves to Louisiana. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Mary Hightower)

This year’s agenda:

7:30 a.m.         Registration

8 a.m.              Welcome, LSU AgCenter Center

8:15 a.m.         H2A worker program update — Brian Breaux, commodity and public policy managing director, Louisiana Farm Bureau

8:45 a.m.         Heat stress and irrigation timing during extreme conditions — Trent Irby, extension professor-soybeans, Mississippi State University

9:15 a.m.         United Soybean Board and Louisiana Feed Grains update

9:45 a.m.         Electronic grading — Kevin Hoffseth, assistant professor-biological and agricultural engineer, LSU AgCenter

10:15 a.m.       Break — view exhibits

10:30 a.m.       State specialist updates:
David Mosley, assistant professor/soybean specialist, LSU AgCenter
Jeremy Ross, professor and soybean extension agronomist, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Trent Irby, extension professor-soybeans, Mississippi State University

11: a.m.           Solar Panels: Questions to ask before you sign — Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney
National Agricultural Law Center, U of A System Division of Agriculture

11:30 a.m.       Feral hog control bait: Where are we and how long before it is available? — Glen Gentry, resident director, Bob R. Jones — Idlewild Research Center, LSU AgCenter

Noon               Presentation of scholarships and special recognition for services to the soybean industry

12:15 p.m.       Lunch 

For information about the event, contact R.L. Frazier, LSU AgCenter — office: 318-574-2465, or cell: 318-267-6714.

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.

Issues That Matter: Readers' Rights: A First Amendment Discussion on Book Bans

KUAR | By Daniel Breen

Across the country, libraries are becoming flash-points of conflict. Conservative advocacy groups, like Moms for Liberty, are clashing with librarians over restricting so-called controversial materials.

Arkansas is no exception, with high-profile fights cropping up in towns big and small.

Our panelists tackle the uncertainties surrounding book bans on Issues That Matter: Readers' Rights: A First

Amendment Discussion on Book Bans.Issues That Matter: Readers' Rights: A First Amendment Discussion on Book Bans

Governor makes appointments to boards, including Corrections

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

Governor Sarah Sanders announced the following appointments:

Board of Corrections
Brandon Tollett, Hot Springs Village, to the Board of Corrections. Term expires on December 31, 2030. Replaces Whitney Gass.

State Banking Board
Gary Head, Rogers, to the State Banking Board. Term expires on December 31, 2028. Replaces David Miller.

Allen Kerr, Little Rock, to the State Banking Board. Term expires on December 31, 2028. Replaces Russell Meeks.

Rusty Lanier, Little Rock, to the State Banking Board. Term expires on December 31, 2028. Reappointment.

State Board of Health
Dr. Justin Franks, Benton, to the State Board of Health. Term expires on December 31, 2027. Replaces Dr. Perry Amerine.

Governor makes appointments to boards, including Corrections

YEAREND: Fertilizer prices ease, commodity prices fall from pre-season predictions

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — The prices farmers receive for their crops is never determined in a vacuum — with war, weather and whatever else is going on with the global economy all having an effect. 

Those were the factors at work as corn, rice and soybeans all fell short of pre-season predictions. Prices for each of the commodities evolved with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s “Prospective Plantings Report” in March, and then its “Acreage Report” in June.

One decline that was welcome in 2023 was the cost of fertilizer, essential to agriculture. On the flip side, the one increase that the Federal Reserve was hoping would stop, was inflation.

INFLATION

“There's the rockets and feathers effect,” said Ryan Loy, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “When prices go up, they go up like a rocket, but when prices fall, what we see as consumers, they fall like a feather. It takes forever to actually come back down.”

Federal Reserve Chairman Jeremy Powell speaking to reporters following the Federal Market Open Committee's Dec. 13, 2023, meeting. (Screenshot from Federal Reserve feed)

What seemed like “forever” — or at least since March 2022 — the Fed has inched up interest rates 11 times to try to slow inflation.

In its final action of the year, “the Fed has decided to hold interest rates at 5.25 to 5.50 percent for the third straight meeting of Federal Open Market Committee,” Loy said.

While that wasn’t a surprise, the Fed’s signaling for just three interest rate cuts of 0.25 percent each in the coming year, was.

“The markets were expecting six rate cuts in 2024 and that stocks and bonds would rally on that expectation,” Loy said. “While it hasn't happened yet, fewer cuts could mean the exact opposite, with stocks and bonds declining because of more expensive borrowing at the higher rates.”

Despite fears of a recession in early 2024, “I don't believe that anybody in the Fed or in the banking world thinks that we're going to be in a recession in at least the first quarter of 2024,” Loy said. “We're still going to have a pretty strong consumption and a strong economy.”

Looking ahead, Federal Reserve Chair Jeremy Powell said Fed will not be influenced on its rate decisions during the presidential election year. 

“We don’t think about politics, we think about what’s the right thing for the economy,” he told reporters during a livestream following the Dec. 13 meeting.

“We believe we are likely at or near the peak rate for this cycle,” Powell said. “We’re seeing inflation making real process. No one is declaring victory. That is premature.”

FERTILIZER

The global economy settled in the year since the shock brought on by the Russia-Ukraine conflict, helping drop fertilizer prices.

“Overall, fertilizer prices across North America fell about 34 percent between January and July according to Bloomberg Green Markets,” said Hunter Biram, extension economist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “This is because it was a relatively warmer year than 2023 compared to 2022 which eased demand pressure on natural gas, a key input in the production of nitrogenous and phosphorous fertilizers.”

In the south-central U.S. — Arkansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee — urea fell 31 percent year-over-year to 20 cents per pound of fertilizer. Diammonium phosphate, or DAP, fell 40 percent, year-over-year to 26 cents per pound of fertilizer. Potash fell 41 percent year-over-year to 23 cents per pound of fertilizer.

The conflict was no small shock for the global economy. Russia ranks first, second, and third in nitrogen, phosphorus and potash fertilizer exports while Ukraine accounts for a much smaller market share. Ukraine was third globally for corn exports and seventh for wheat. Russia is the world’s top wheat exporter.

CORN

“We were looking at almost a $6 futures price at the start of the season, and it fell to about $4.84 which is about 82 percent of the projected price,” Biram said.

“Corn came in at 2.1 million acres greater than what was projected in the ‘Prospective Plantings’ report,” he said. “That's a big deal. More supply driven by more corn production, generally translates into higher stocks on hand at the end of the growing season.”

In addition to more domestic production, Biram said weak exports were a driving force behind the price drop in corn.

“Total exports for the 2022/2023 marketing year came in at 26 percent less than the five-year-average and 34 percent less than the 2021/2022 marketing year,” he said. “Brazil and China entered into a bilateral trade agreement in the summer of 2023 which resulted in total exports to China for the 2022/2023 marketing year being slashed in half.”  

“On the flip side, things were less favorable for soybeans compared to corn,” Biram said.

Soybeans started the season at $13.65 versus the $5.94 for corn, but many growers opted to grow corn instead.

“You have to look at the production per acre. With corn, we're looking at about 175 bushels per acre, with soybeans, more like 50 bushels per acre,” Biram said. “The driving question behind the shift in acreage is ‘What do per-acre returns look like? The answer came in the form of increased planted acreage for corn and decreased acreage for soybeans.”

COTTON
Cotton was the only commodity that didn’t end the season with a lower price than the pre-season prediction, starting and ending at 85 cents a pound.

“Margins were not favorable by most yields across the state. Farmers had to make 1,200 pounds per acre or more, but the 2022 state average yield was closer to 1,100 pounds per acre,” Biram said. “Acreage was down as a result. High stocks and sluggish demand from millers resulted in depressed prices compared to 2022.”

“The outlook on demand for cotton lint is more favorable moving into 2024, but it may not be enough to raise the price up above 90 cents per pound,” he said.

RICE
In 2023, the world was eating more rice. The projected price for rice was $16.90 per hundredweight and $16.10 at harvest. Rice started strong because “consumption outpaced production in the global rice market,” Biram said.

And while U.S. harvested acres increased by 680,000 acres in 2023 compared to 2022 following two straight years of decline in harvested acreage, global production remained flat at 25.11 billion bushels.

“Global consumption increased 270 million bushels to 25.5 billion bushels,” Biram said. “This left global ending stocks mostly unchanged which left rough rice futures to remain above $16 per hundredweight, leaving the price at a level not seen since July 2013.”

SOYBEANS
Headed into the 2023 growing season, soybeans were projected at $13.65 a bushel, at harvest, the number fell to $12.84.

Biram said margins were less favorable for soybeans compared to corn and acreage dropped from expectations. The Prospective Plantings report pegged U.S. soybeans at 87.5 million acres. The Acreage Report found 83.5 million acres.

A significant factor was Brazil’s record soybean production of 5.88 billion bushels.

“This is a 23 percent increase over the 2021/2022 marketing year,” Biram said. “Brazil accounted for 43 percent of global production in the 2022/2023 marketing year while the U.S. accounted for 31 percent of global production.”

INSURANCE
Biram said one positive outcome from the 2023 growing season, “was that we saw much fewer losses compared to 2022, despite more acres being enrolled in crop insurance for corn and rice.”

According to the USDA, total losses in 2023 were $114 million across the U.S., compared with $345 million the previous year. The breakdown:

  • Corn: $28 million, which was about $27 million less than 2022 on 14,000 more insured acres.

  • Soybeans: $20.4 million, which was about $47 million less than 2022 on 159,000 fewer acres

  • Cotton: $2.5 million, a little more than $67 million less than 2022 on 100,000 fewer acres

  • Rice: $55.5 million, which was $92 million less than 2022 on 122,000 more acres.

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.

4 US solar manufacturers join American Made initiative

by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)

Little Rock-based solar power developer Scenic Hill Solar announced Thursday (Dec. 14) that four U.S-based solar equipment manufacturers have joined an initiative to encourage the manufacturing of American-made array components.

The American Made, Arkansas Built initiative now includes Array Technologies, Shoals Technologies Group, OMCO Solar and APA Solar Racking. In 2022, Scenic Hill Solar launched the initiative with First Solar, Yaskawa Solectria Solar, Nextracker, Zekelman Industries and KORE Power Inc.

“With our nine premier partners in the American Made, Arkansas Built Initiative, we are pushing for a restoration of American leadership in renewable energy,” said Bill Halter, CEO of Scenic Hill Solar. “The solar industry began in the United States, but then manufacturing shifted overseas. Our partnership with these leading American companies will help bring the industry back home to America by focusing on innovation and collaboration among the premier American manufacturers of solar equipment and batteries.

4 US solar manufacturers join American Made initiative

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza detected in wild geese populations in Craighead County

by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)

Poultry producers and hunters in Northeast Arkansas are being warned that the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPIA) bird flu has now been detected in wild geese populations, according to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission.

Biologists conducting aerial surveys to generate waterfowl population estimates last week located a few small groups of dead snow geese and Ross’s geese across the state. In Craighead and Lonoke counties several were collected and tested positive for influenza. Additional suspected cases have been found in Prairie, Pulaski, Faulkner, Clay and Poinsett counties.

“While sightings are not as prevalent as last year’s outbreak, the continued presence of the disease on the landscape does create a need to update hunters and anyone who has domestic birds or poultry livestock,” the agency reported.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza detected in wild geese populations in Craighead County

Survey: A quarter would change schools with education freedom accounts

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

A quarter of registered voters in Arkansas with K-12 students living in their homes said they would change their children’s learning environment if provided state funding for non-public school options. More than 61% had favorable opinions of those education freedom accounts.

The survey measured those two key facets of the LEARNS Act, the expansive education reform law passed by Gov. Sarah Sanders and legislators earlier this year.

Eight hundred registered voters were surveyed by telephone Aug. 24 through Sept. 8. The margin of error was plus-minus 3.94%.

You can access the survey results at this link.

Survey: A quarter would change schools with education freedom accounts

UA economist sees ‘soft landing’ for economy as a strong possibility

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Mervin Jebaraj, economist with the University of Arkansas Walton College of Business, offers a gymnastics analogy for the Federal Reserve Bank’s handling of the tumultuous economy.

Observers have wondered if the aggressive hike in interest rates could pull inflation under control without crashing the economy and causing a recession. Jebaraj said, so far, it’s been a pretty well-done routine.

“As far as a ‘soft landing’ goes, I think you can safely say that the Federal Reserve has stuck a ‘soft landing’ in 2023. Now if you ever watch those gymnastics, you can get like one to two extra steps before you steady yourself, so that’s where we are and heading into 2024,” he said.

UA economist sees ‘soft landing’ for economy as a strong possibility

U.S. Steel to be acquired in $14 billion deal

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

U.S. Steel, which owns Big River Steel and other operations in Northeast Arkansas, is being acquired by Tokyo-based Nippon Steel Corp. in a $14.1 billion deal, the companies announced Monday (Dec. 18).

Nippon will pay $55 per share in an all-cash transaction, a 40% premium, for U.S. Steel. The companies said in a joint press release that U.S. Steel will retain its iconic name and headquarters in Pittsburgh.

Nippon Steel Corp. (NSC) is Japan’s largest steelmaker and one of the world’s leading steel manufacturers. The transaction has been unanimously approved by the board of directors of both companies and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2024.

U.S. Steel to be acquired in $14 billion deal

Senate Public Health Chair wants more focus on physician shortage

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

State Sen. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View, wants a stronger state focus on a physician shortage issue that she says threatens the health of rural Arkansans.

Irvin, who chairs the Senate Public Health Committee, appeared on this week’s Capitol View program and stressed that the medical worker shortage is a major workforce issue.

“I’m calling on the Secretary of Commerce to really put this at the top priority of his list. This is a workforce development issue and we’ve got to have more residencies in the state of Arkansas,” she said.

A report from the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement released this week shows that Arkansas does not have enough medical residencies for graduates to move into, which creates a net exodus of potential doctors from the state.

Senate Public Health Chair wants more focus on physician shortage

Westerman votes to bolster national defense

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024. Congressman Bruce Westerman (AR-04) released the following statement:

“This year under Republican House leadership, Congress followed regular order on the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to ensure all members, in both chambers, had the opportunity to participate in the crafting of the legislation and ensure the priorities of their districts and states were met. The NDAA exemplifies bicameral, bipartisan work and will bolster our national defense capabilities, increase our military readiness, and support our servicemen and women, all while remaining within the Fiscal Responsibility Act’s FY 24 defense discretionary spending level. Moreover, the legislation funnels key investments through defense programs in Southwest Arkansas, which is critical to ensure we remain a global defense leader and support Arkansans who work in the national defense industry.

“I advocated for, and am proud to see, provisions included in the NDAA that would give the Department of Defense (DoD) authority to grant funding to the Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs for on-site security and fire prevention services. This is the next step in a whole-of-government approach to properly secure the site and put it on a better path forward to a more beneficial use in the future.

"Through this process, House Republicans successfully fought to push back against the radical woke ideology in our military, which the Senate tried so hard to include. This NDAA bans the teaching, training, and promotion of critical race theory in the military, guts the pay of DEI bureaucrats at the Pentagon, and prohibits the display of any unapproved flags at military institutions - meaning the VA can no longer display pride flags at their facilities. While we fought hard to push back on the woke agenda and this NDAA came out with significant conservative priorities included, our country needs a Republican-controlled House, Senate, and White House to get our military back to where it needs to be to be a true global leader in defense and to fully rid the DoD from these woke ideologies.”

BACKGROUND:

The FY24 National Defense Authorization Act:

  • Authorizes the DoD to provide grant funding to the state of Arkansas for increased on-site security and fire prevention services at the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

  • Authorizes the procurement for CH-53 and CH-47 helicopters whose parts are manufactured in Magnolia and Hot Springs, AR, bolsters the modernization of our Nuclear Triad, adds additional F-35s, and facilitates manufacturing of guided multiple launch rocket systems (GMLRS), which all have a production footprint in Camden, AR.

  • Funnels critical investments to the Fourth District and supports hundreds of jobs through investments in missile systems, aircraft, and explosive ordinances that proudly have manufacturing or assembly done in Arkansas’ Fourth District.

  • Enhances U.S. military readiness and builds and maintains the overmatch needed to counter the aggression of foreign adversaries.

  • Boosts servicemember pay and benefits and improves the quality of life for military families by supporting the largest pay raise in over 20 years.

  • Prohibits the display of any unapproved flags, including the LGBTQ pride flag, at military institutions.

  • Authorizes DoD to reduce out-of-pocket childcare expenses for military families.

  • Improves military recruitment by increasing the number of JROTC programs, requires schools to allow military recruiters to participate in career fairs, and extends military recruitment bonuses.

The Former Army-Navy Hospital:

  • The site of the former Army-Navy Hospital in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which sits atop the city’s downtown on National Park Service land, is rapidly falling into disrepair. The current major buildings, built by the U.S. Government in the early 1930s, once served as the first general hospital in the country to serve Army and Navy patients. The site was deeded by the Army to the State of Arkansas and became a state-run rehabilitation center in 1960; later being converted into the Arkansas Career Training Institute. In 2019, the State ceased all operations at the site, and since then, the site has been vacant. As many Hot Springs residents know, the buildings and surrounding grounds have been targets of vandalism and unauthorized access in recent years, leading to serious safety and fire concerns.

  • Congressman Bruce Westerman worked closely with Senator John Boozman (R-AR), Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), and Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03) to ensure language (Section 2852) was included in the FY24 NDAA to give the DoD authority to provide grant funding to the state of Arkansas for increased security and fire prevention services at the site of the former Army-Navy Hospital.

Click here for a summary of the FY24 NDAA.

Click here for the full text of the FY24 NDAA.

Issues:Security

U.S Senator John Boozman said regional differences, inflation a challenge to crafting the farm bill

KUAR | By Ronak Patel

In an interview with Arkansas PBS, Arkansas’ U.S Senator John Boozman, said the extension lawmakers have received to work out the details of the upcoming farm bill has been helpful. The farm bill is legislation that has to be renewed every 5 years and it deals with farm programs like crop insurance, as well food programs like food stamps.

Boozman, a Republican, said part of the challenge of creating a farm bill is the regional differences of lawmakers.

“Southern agriculture is distinct front the I’s- Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. The I- states are very different. We [southern states] are able to irrigate with a lot of water so we can produce the crop and the fertilizer. We worry about the price going down because of how much it grows,” Boozman said. “In the Midwest, they don’t have as much water. They don’t irrigate as much. They worry about not having the crop.”

U.S Senator John Boozman said regional differences, inflation a challenge to crafting the farm bill

Fred Miller/UA Division Of Agriculture

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

Hempstead Extension celebrates new home in Hope

By Tracy Courage
U of A System Division of Agriculture

HOPE, Ark. — The Hempstead County Cooperative Extension Service has moved to a new site that offers a more modern space where Hempstead County residents can access resources and services related to agriculture, 4-H, family and consumer sciences and community and economic development. 

OPEN TO THE PUBLIC — Officials with Hempstead County Extension, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Chamber of Commerce and local officials celebrate Hempstead County Extension's new home at 1800 E. Third St, in Hope on Nov. 16, 2023. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

In November, the Hempstead County Chamber of Commerce County, Hempstead County Judge Jerry Crane, Hope City Council Director Mark Ross, extension staff and community residents gathered for a ribbon cutting and tour of the new site at 1800 E. Third St. 

Extension personnel previously worked in the basement of the Hempstead County courthouse. When the county relocated courthouse operations in 2022 to a former bank building, there wasn’t enough room for Cooperative Extension Service staff. The county later purchased a building from Arkansas Farm Bureau to house extension personnel. The staff moved operations to the new site on June 12. 

“It has been a long process as we made this transition, but we are all excited to be here and have space to offer our programs,” Hempstead County Extension Staff Chair Terrie James said.

“We are able to have pesticide applicator trainings here and host meetings for our 4-H clubs, Extension Homemakers Council and Master Gardeners.” Hempstead County has four 4-H clubs and five EHC groups, she said. 

“We talk about changes from where we were to where we are going,” said Victor L. Ford, associate vice president for agriculture and natural resources for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The extension service is always changing. We get basic research and work on the applied research to get information to the people. This new location is going to facilitate that mission not only for agricultural producers but also to families and our children. This is a monumental day, and I look forward to the good things that will happen here.” 

The new site offers some perks from the courthouse basement location — including WiFi, street-level access and a parking lot just for extension visitors, for starters. Inside, staff have private office space instead of cubicles, access to a reception area, classroom, kitchen and meeting and storage space.

The Hempstead County Extension staff includes two administrative assistants and three agents who specialize in agriculture, family and consumer sciences and 4-H. There’s also a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program office on site. 

The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, has offices in every county in Arkansas, but facilities vary from county to county.

“We appreciate the support from the County Judge Jerry Crane and the Quorum Court for relocating us to a new facility,” said Carla Due, director of extension’s Ouachita District, which includes Hempstead County. “We’re grateful for the ongoing support for county extension programs there that allow staff to continue serving the clientele of Hempstead County.”

To learn about Hempstead County Extension programs and services, visit https://www.uaex.uada.edu/counties/hempstead/. 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: aaes.uada.edu. Follow us on X at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. Follow us on X at @AgInArk.

Arkansas will start distributing $1M grant to pregnancy resource centers in January

KUAR | By Tess Vrbin / Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas lawmakers on Friday allowed the state Department of Finance and Administration to administer a taxpayer-funded $1 million program to provide funds to pregnancy resource centers, which are often religiously affiliated and discourage abortion while encouraging birth.

The department will start distributing the money in January, spokesman Scott Hardin said in an email.

Arkansas has more than 40 of these centers, often called “crisis pregnancy centers.” They operate independently but form a community, the Arkansas Pregnancy Network, due to their shared missions and similar services, Maria Speer, executive director of the Life Choices center in Conway, told lawmakers in August.

The Legislature passed a law in April to create the grant for the second year in a row. The first year of the grant resulted in 23 pregnancy resource centers, adoption agencies and maternity homes receiving portions of the reserved $1 million between September 2022 and January 2023.

Arkansas will start distributing $1M grant to pregnancy resource centers in January

John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate

Money for Arkansas pregnancy resource centers will begin distribution in January.