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

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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.”

Womack, Moulton introduce bipartisan bill to eliminate tax on military families

Washington, DC—January 23, 2025…Recognizing the importance of supporting America’s military families, Congressman Steve Womack (R-AR-3) and Congressman Seth Moulton (D-MA-6) introduced the BNA Fairness Act, legislation to eliminate the tax burden on Basic Needs Allowance (BNA) payments. The bipartisan bill ensures service members keep the full amount of entitlement benefits they have earned for their service to our nation.

Thank You Heroes Image

Congressman Womack said, “Providing a supplement to support military families and taxing that benefit doesn’t make sense. The BNA should be treated just like any other military benefit outside of earned income. My bill with Congressman Moulton does just that. This allowance—especially without the tax burden—is a combat multiplier. Free from additional financial stress, our men and women in uniform can better focus on their mission of defending our homeland. I’m proud to introduce this bill to ensure our troops receive the full benefits they’ve earned.”

Congressman Moulton said, “It is simply unacceptable for servicemembers and their families, who already make many sacrifices for our country, to then struggle to put food on the table or make ends meet. By treating the Basic Needs Allowance like other military benefits, this bill provides critical relief to service members and their families. As we keep working to improve quality of life across the military community, I’m very proud today to co-lead this bipartisan effort.”

The Arkansas Council of Chapters (COC) of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), representing the nearly 5 thousand MOAA members across our great state, fully supports Congressman Womack's reintroduction of the BNA Fairness Act.

The bipartisan bill is supported by one original cosponsor, Congressman Rob Wittman (R-VA-1).

Details:

The proposal specifically amends the tax code to exclude BNA benefits from taxable income. This rightfully puts BNA in line with the tax status of other military benefits, including Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and Basic Allowance for Subsistence (BAS).

Allowing eligible military families to keep more of their earned benefit further supports their ability to purchase groceries and be food secure. It’s another step in alleviating financial burdens and ensuring those serving and protecting our nation can better focus on their mission.

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

by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Boozman backs permanent small business tax cut

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Click here to read the text of the legislation.

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

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Technology skills for work and play

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arkansas Crop Profit/Loss Calculator available as downloadable app

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calculator’s foundations

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

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

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

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

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

Cargill to shutter turkey operation in Springdale (Updated)

by Kim Souza (ksouza@talkbusiness.net)

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

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

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

Cargill to shutter turkey operation in Springdale (Updated)

Bill to ban affirmative action passes Arkansas Senate committee

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

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

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

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

Bill to ban affirmative action passes Arkansas Senate committee

EV registrations soar more than 60% in Arkansas

by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)

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

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

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

EV registrations soar more than 60% in Arkansas

Updated Weather Briefing from the National Weather Service

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

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

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

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

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

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

Heavy rain and severe weather possibilities for Arkansas this week

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

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

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

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

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

Free school breakfast up for debate in Arkansas Legislature

KUAR | By Josie Lenora

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

Flickr Image

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

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

Free school breakfast up for debate in Arkansas Legislature

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

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Setting up a barrier

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

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

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

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

Precaution and prevention

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

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

Economic concerns

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

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

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

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

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

What to look for

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The 2025 publications include:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Weed management

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

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

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

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

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

Insect management

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

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

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

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

Plant disease management

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

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

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

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