Cattlewomen’s bootcamp set for April 10-12 in north-central Arkansas

By Mary Hightower
U of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture

BATESVILLE, Ark. — April 10-12 won’t be the usual “girls’ day out” unless your day usually involves moving cattle, managing vaccinations and testing hay.

Cleburne County Extension Staff Chair Amy Heck demonstrates how to tag cattle during the Cattlewomen's Bootcamp. Taken Feb. 23, 2024, at the Livestock and Forestry Research Station in Batesville, Arkansas. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Sarah Cato)

The second Cleburne and Independence County Cattlewomen’s Bootcamp “will be a great opportunity for women to deepen their knowledge about managing a livestock operation,” said Amy Heck, Cleburne County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “The bootcamp offers hands-on experience in a female focused, non-intimidating environment.

“Our goal is to  empower women in the agriculture industry, specifically in beef cattle operations. The program fosters women-to-women mentorship while providing essential knowledge on owning and managing a cattle farm,” Heck said. “Participants also have the opportunity to network with other female cattle producers across the state.

“Hearing the success stories from last year's participants has been incredibly rewarding and we look forward to a new class of participants this year,” she said.

Michelle Mobley, Independence County extension staff chair, said that “this year, the bootcamp will cover essential topics including forage management, herd health and nutrition, cattle handling, farm business planning, trailer backing and administering cattle vaccines and other disease prevention measures.”

As in past, the bootcamp sessions will be hosted in two places: the Chimney Rock Cattle Company in Concord, and the Livestock and Forestry Research Station near Batesville, part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station.

The bootcamp is limited to 35 participants. Registration is $50, which covers food and materials. For registration information, contact the Independence Co. Extension Office at 870-793-8840 or you can register online.

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 Congressional Delegation Gathers For Gavel Photograph

Washington, DC—March 6, 2025…In a unique moment for Arkansas, each Member of Congress in the Senate and House of Representatives serving across the Natural State proudly hold a gavel in the 119th Congress. This positions Arkansas well to be a frontrunner in policy making decisions that greatly impact Arkansans and Americans alike. Earlier this week, each member of the Arkansas delegation gathered for a photograph in the U.S. Capitol to commemorate this exciting achievement. 

• Senator John Boozman – Senate Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee Chairman

• Senator Tom Cotton – Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman

• Representative Rick Crawford (AR-01) – House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman

• Representative French Hill (AR-02) – House Financial Services Committee Chairman

• Representative Steve Womack (AR-03) – House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Chairman

• Representative Bruce Westerman (AR-04) – House Natural Resources Committee Chairman

Congressman Steve Womack (AR-3) has represented Arkansas’ Third Congressional District since 2011. He is a member of the House Appropriations Committee.

Representative Hill introduces legislation to protect American hostages from financial penalties

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. French Hill (AR-02), Co-Chair of the Hostage Task Force in the House, today introduced the Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act alongside Rep. Dina Titus (NV-01). This bipartisan legislation provides financial relief to Americans wrongfully detained abroad. Senator Chris Coons (D-DE) recently introduced companion legislation in the Senate. 

Rep. Hill said, "After returning home, American hostages and wrongful detainees should not have to face penalties for taxes missed while held abroad. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that will correct a crucial gap in our laws that burdens these Americans with penalties and fines from the IRS after they return home."

Rep. Titus said, “It goes without saying that no one who has endured wrongful detention or been taken hostage abroad should face the additional trial of navigating onerous tax burdens they incurred through no fault of their own when they return. This commonsense, bicameral, bipartisan legislation will eliminate that unthinkable possibility by simplifying the tax code to postpone tax deadlines and refund late fees to support wrongful detainees, hostages, and their families.”

Further Background:

Stop Tax Penalties on American Hostages Act: This legislation postpones tax deadlines, refunds late penalties, and exempts forgiven debts from taxation for Americans who were wrongly or illegally detained abroad, helping ease this financial burden when they return

LR Port achieves Entergy Arkansas ‘Select Site’ certification for 875-acre megasite

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

The Little Rock Regional Chamber and Entergy Arkansas announced Friday (March 7) the completion of its Select Site certification for a new 875-acre industrial megasite located on the southeastern portion of the Little Rock Port.

Representatives from both organizations along with U.S. Rep. French Hill, R-Little Rock; Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr.; Pulaski County Judge Barry Hyde; and leadership from the Little Rock Port Authority attended a press conference.

Select Site is an initiative designed to provide Entergy Arkansas-served communities with a competitive advantage and shovel-ready sites. This developmental and promotional tool allows communities to certify sites using a set of comprehensive and pre-determined criteria to better satisfy site location searches by consultants and companies.

LR Port achieves Entergy Arkansas ‘Select Site’ certification for 875-acre megasite

Arkansas deer harvest increases, just short of 200,000

BY Randy Zellers

LITTLE ROCK – The last arrow has been launched for the 2024-25 Arkansas deer hunting season, and the tally of checked deer stands at 199,863. Although the raw data still needs to be analyzed, the preliminary results indicate an increase of nearly 4 percent over last year’s final harvest of 192,392.

Although 200,000 is a nice round number, it doesn’t make or break a deer season. AGFC Deer Program Coordinator Ralph Meeker says it is quite close to where Arkansas needs to be in terms of sustainable harvest given the state’s available habitat, hunting effort and reproductive capability of the deer herd

Anna Mooreland of Ferndale shot this mature buck during the second week of Arkansas’s 2024-25 modern gun deer season. Photo courtesy Clint Mooreland. 

“It’s a good rough measure, but we really look more closely at the harvest by deer zone to determine trends, and we still have to do some analysis there before we make any formal presentation,” Meeker said. “A lot of factors play into that statewide harvest number. Mast crop production, flooding and the closing of flood prone zones, inclement weather on the opening weekends of alternative firearm or modern gun deer season, and hunter effort can all affect regional harvest numbers which in turn affect the overall statewide harvest figure.”

The statewide harvest continues a steady climb, indicating that Arkansas’s deer population continues to recover after an unusually high spike in harvest following the COVID-19 epidemic.

“The deer population actually saw a bit of a double-whammy then,” Meeker said. “The deer season  prior to COVID (2019-20), we saw a small drop in the harvest, likely indicating a slight population decline. But in the 2020-21 season, we saw many more hunters go to the woods and many of those were more inclined to harvest an additional deer for the freezer with some of the talks of food shortages circulating. That’s likely why we saw a dramatic decline from our record-high 216,835 in 2020 to 181,379 the next year.”

Deer are resilient, and Meeker says the population is showing signs of recovery . In 2022-23, deer hunters harvested 185,579 deer, followed by a harvest of 192,392 deer in 2023-24.

“We also have a lot of reports of fawns seen this year by hunters, so we’re cautiously optimistic that reproduction is picking up to continue filling that void.”

AGFC Chief of Enforcement Col. Brad Young with a healthy buck in velvet. Photo courtesy Brad Young. 

This season marked the introduction of two new seasons: an early archery buck-only season and an alternative firearms season that allowed firearms shooting straight-walled cartridges to replace the muzzleloader season. The AGFC deer team watched numbers closely to determine any effects these changes may have had on overall harvest.

“So far, it doesn’t look like the new seasons had a dramatic effect on overall harvest,” Meeker said. “Successful deer hunters still harvested an average of 1.2 deer per hunter, so it was more of a shift in harvest to different methods.”

Meeker said the adoption of straight-walled rifles definitely boosted the overall muzzleloader harvest.

“During the last decade, we’ve seen a slow decline in muzzleloader harvest,” Meeker said. “This year, we had pretty close to the same muzzleloader harvest as last year, but the addition of straight-walled firearms more than doubled the total for that season. We’re pretty close to the same harvest numbers for alternative firearms combined that we saw for muzzleloaders in 2017, when it peaked.”

The alternative firearms increase came at the same time as a slight decrease in the modern gun harvest, again likely indicating a shift in season instead of an additive overall harvest.

“It’s possible that hunters who took a deer in alternative firearms season were more selective during modern gun, or it could have been a result of weather patterns during the seasons.”

Meeker says excellent hunting weather accompanied the alternative firearms season, but the opening weekend of modern gun season this year offered horribly wet and windy conditions.

“A little warm , a little wind or a little rain doesn’t hurt harvest much, but it was unseasonably warm, pouring down rain and very windy in most of the state during the modern gun opener this year,” Meeker said.

Favorable weather during the early archery buck hunt also prompted a pretty successful opening hunt, with about 1,200 bucks taken.

Hunters harvested nearly 200,000 deer during the 2024-25 Arkansas deer hunting season. AGFC photo by Mike Wintroath. 

“Participation was pretty high for this new season as well, especially considering that it fell on the same weekend as the dove opener,” Meeker said. “Participation in that season may fluctuate in the future, depending on the heat and season schedules.”

Meeker says a few hunters have asked if the alternative firearms and early antlerless seasons will become regular fixtures in Arkansas’s deer hunting, noting many questions before purchasing a new straight-walled cartridge firearm.

“You never know exactly what the future holds, but there have been no conversations about changing from this season’s format,” Meeker said. “As of now, we’re looking at harvest numbers and management strategies to continue to accommodate these new seasons.”

Learn more about deer and deer hunting in Arkansas at www.agfc.com/deer.

Master Gardeners accepting applications for Janet B. Carson scholarship

By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK — For Arkansas Master Gardeners, it’s important to support the next generation of leaders in plant science. As part of this effort, the program funds the Janet B. Carson High School Senior Scholarship, which is now accepting applications from Arkansas students.

PLANTING THE FUTURE — Arkansas Master Gardeners are accepting applications for the Janet B. Carson High School Senior Scholarship, which is available for Arkansas students who plan to attend a state college or university and pursue a plant science-related degree. (Division of Agriculture graphic.)

The $2,000 scholarship is available to Arkansas high school seniors who plan to attend an Arkansas college or university. The student must be planning to pursue a degree in a plant science-related field, including horticulture, botany, agronomy, forestry and landscape architecture and design.

Randy Forst, extension consumer horticulture educator and Master Gardener program coordinator for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said the scholarship is a fitting tribute to its namesake.

“Janet Carson spent 38 years sharing her knowledge and passion for gardening with thousands of people around the state as a horticulturist for the Cooperative Extension Service,” Forst said. “The Janet B. Carson Scholarship was set up in 2014 in honor of her significant contributions to the field of horticulture in Arkansas.

“As Master Gardeners, we hope that this opportunity will encourage more young people to pursue a career involving plants,” Forst said. “Investing in the future of the plant industry is fundamental to our mission.”

The deadline to apply for the scholarship is March 14. The application is available at uada.formstack.com/forms/jbc_high_school_scholarship. Scholarship applicants must submit a statement about their interest in plant science and their career goals, two letters of recommendation, and their high school transcript and ACT scores. All applications must be submitted online.

For any questions about the Janet B. Carson Scholarship, contact c76scholarships@gmail.com

To learn about Master Gardeners, visit uaex.uada.edu/master-gardeners. To learn about other 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. 

‘Beyond the Fence’ Lunch and Learn to highlight herd rebuilding, cattle markets

By Sarah Cato
U of A System Division of Agriculture

LITTLE ROCK – With the national beef cow herd at its lowest level since the 1960s, an upcoming lunch and learn session will focus on herd rebuilding strategies and current cattle markets.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Arvest Bank are working in partnership to host a series of lunch and learn sessions covering timely topics and production strategies for cattle producers in Arkansas. The first installment of the “Beyond the Fence” sessions will be held March 18 at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center in Fayetteville, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Online streaming via Zoom will begin at noon. 

REBUILDING THE HERD – The national beef cow herd is at its lowest level since the 1960s. James Mitchell will discuss herd rebuilding strategies at the March 18 "Beyond the Fence" lunch and learn sessions hosted by the Division of Agriculture and Arvest Bank. (Division of Agriculture photo.)

“We’re thrilled to partner with Arvest in delivering the Beyond the Fence Lunch and Learn sessions,” said Maggie Justice, extension beef cattle specialist for the Division of Agriculture.  “We are hoping to provide producers across the state with valuable insights and support as we work together to address the challenges they continue to face.”

The March 18 lunch and learn will feature James Mitchell, assistant professor and extension economist for the Division of Agriculture, who will discuss the benefits and costs of alternative cow herd rebuilding strategies and the current lending conditions.

The session is free to attend and lunch will be provided to those attending in person. Those interested can register online or email mjustice@uada.edu. Times and locations of future sessions will be released in the coming weeks.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate or need materials in another format, please contact mjustice@uada.edu as soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.

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

Former state Sen. Chesterfield talks ACCESS, HBCUs, student rights at legislative meeting

KUAR | By Maggie Ryan

Former Democratic state Sen. Linda Chesterfield spoke to lawmakers about the sweeping higher education legislation known as Arkansas ACCESS Monday.

Chesterfield, who previously served as a state lawmaker for over two decades, re-introduced herself as the Education Liaison for Pulaski County. She said her new responsibilities include establishing relationships between public schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the county, in order to “take advantage” of new funding provided through ACCESS.

Chesterfield told members of the Legislative Black Caucus she has concerns about parts of the 122-page higher education bill, but first addressed parts of ACCESS she said could offer a significant boost to students.

Former state Sen. Chesterfield talks ACCESS, HBCUs, student rights at legislative meeting

Maggie Ryan/Little Rock Public Radio

Former Democratic state Sen. Linda Chesterfield addresses members of the Arkansas Legislative Black Caucus on March 3, 2025.

Governor Sanders Announces Grocery Tax Relief Act, Good Neighbor Act

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today announced the Grocery Tax Relief Act and the Good Neighbor Act. The Grocery Tax Relief Act will repeal the state grocery tax. The legislation’s lead sponsors are Senate President Bart Hester (District 33) and Representative Kendon Underwood (District 16). The Good Neighbor Act expands protections for food donors and food banks. The legislation’s lead sponsors are Senator Breanne Davis (District 25) and Representative Chad Puryear (District 25).

“The reckless tax-and-spend policies of the Biden Administration drove food prices through the roof. The Grocery Tax Relief Act ends our state’s most regressive tax, the state Grocery Tax, and eases the burden on families just trying to put food on their tables,” said Governor Sanders. “We’ve seen how often food goes to waste instead of helping a family in need. The Good Neighbor Act opens the door for more organizations to donate leftover food and ensures generous Arkansans don’t have to worry about lawsuits.”

“Working families deserve every break we can help provide especially at the grocery store. I am proud to do my part in helping deliver relief by letting them keep more of their hard-earned money,” said Senate President Bart Hester.

“With so many hungry people across our state, good food should not be going to waste. I’m proud to work with Governor Sanders to ensure good food goes to those who need it most,” said Senator Breanne Davis.

Flickr Image

“For too long too much has been taken out of hard-earned paychecks, but under Governor Sanders’ leadership, families will pay less in income tax, property tax, and now less tax at the grocery store too,” said Representative Kendon Underwood.

We have some great organizations working across our state to address food insecurities.  The Good Neighbor Act encourages more donors to participate by addressing liability barriers.  Anything we can do to encourage good faith donors is a win and I appreciate the Governor for making this a priority,” said Representative Chad Puryear.

The Grocery Tax Relief Act repeals the state grocery tax on food ingredients, returning nearly $10.9 million to the taxpayer annually. This bill will not impact county and municipal grocery taxes. 

The Good Neighbor Act expands liability protections to food bank donors including retail grocers, wholesalers, hotels, motels, restaurants, caterers, farmers, nonprofit food distributors, schools, churches, religious organizations, and hospitals. It also provides protection to food banks who then distribute those food donations to the community.

The Sanders Administration is working across the board to eliminate food insecurity. Earlier this session, Governor Sanders signed SB59 into law providing every student in Arkansas with free school breakfast. The legislation also repurposes Medical Marijuana tax revenue to ensure both Summer EBT and Arkansas’ free lunch and breakfast programs are fully funded into the future.

Governor Sanders previously announced Arkansas will continue its Summer EBT program this year after serving 260,000 last summer. The Governor previously signed legislation to provide free school lunches for students who previously qualified for reduced-price meals.

AARP survey shows small business support for more retirement options for workers

by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)

Respondents to a statewide poll conducted by AARP showed overwhelming support for legislation to make it easier for businesses to access retirement savings choices for workers. The results of the survey were released Monday (March 3).

The AARP Small Business Survey of 504 small business owners across Arkansas showed 79% support for a privately managed, ready-to-go retirement savings option for small business owners that would enable them to offer workers a way to save for the future. And 88% agreed that state lawmakers should support a bill that makes it easier for small business owners to access a retirement savings option for their employees and themselves.

HB 1335, sponsored by Rep. Les Warren, R-Hot Springs, is currently a shell bill. Warren, who co-chairs the Joint Public Retirement Committee and has years of experience working in the trust division of a bank, said the purpose of the bill is to provide a retirement plan option for employees whose employers don’t offer a 401(k) or similar option.

AARP survey shows small business support for more retirement options for workers

Severe Weather Outlook for Arkansas today

• [WHAT] Strong to possibly a few severe thunderstorms are likely to impact Arkansas.

• [WHEN] Today, Tuesday March 4, 2025.

• [WHERE] Most of the state, but especially portions of central Arkansas, and all of southern Arkansas.

  [ADDITIONAL INFO]

• If the environment destabilizes enough, severe weather (including tornadoes) will become likely.

• Gusty winds in excess of 40+ mph will be possible ahead of the thunderstorm activity and after the passage of the thunderstorm activity through Wednesday.

  [KEEP IN MIND]

• The early arrival of precipitation (this morning) may keep the atmosphere from becoming overly unstable. If rain arrives later, or progresses more slowly to the east, then destabilization will occur. This is very concerning given that available shear will be impressive (to promote tornadoes).

• This will be the last severe weather briefing regarding the severe thunderstorms moving across the state today.

The most widespread hazard across Arkansas today will be the risk for damaging wind gusts. Damaging wind gusts will be possible statewide; however, southern portions of the state will see the highest potential for severe winds. (Note the hatched area across southern Arkansas which indicates a 10% or greater chance for significant severe winds equal to or greater than 74 mph.)

Weekly Update from State Representative DeAnn Vaught

During the 7th week of the 2025 Regular Session, the House approved HCR1006, extending the session until April 16, with adjournment Sine Die on May 5. 

The House passed three bills this week focusing on initiatives and referendum petitions. SB207 requires canvassers to inform potential petitioners that petition fraud is a class A misdemeanor. SB208 requires canvassers to verify petitioners' photo IDs before collecting signatures, while SB211 mandates canvassers to submit an affidavit confirming their adherence to Arkansas laws concerning canvassing, perjury, forgery, and election fraud.  

The House also passed two bills this week addressing human trafficking. HB1474 mandates the display of information about the National Human Trafficking Hotline at nail salons, massage businesses, and any privately owned facilities offering food, fuel, shower, or sanitary services, as well as overnight parking, within 1,320 feet of an interstate. HB1440 requires massage therapy establishments to list all therapists working there with the Arkansas Department of Health.  

Education legislation was also addressed with the passage of SB206 and HB1117. SB206 increases the maximum amount for literacy tutoring grants from $500 to $1,500, provided funding is available.

HB1117 states that all public school districts and open-enrollment charter schools must provide students with age-appropriate and grade-appropriate firearm safety instruction. 

Beginning March 3, the House State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee will begin hearing proposed constitutional amendments after House adjournment on Mondays. There are 20 proposals filed in the House, and the committee will hear testimony on all of the proposals before taking any votes. Pursuant to the Arkansas Constitution, the General Assembly can place up to three constitutional amendments on the November 2026 General Election Ballot.  

For more details, you can access proposed amendments, and recently filed bills, and watch all House meetings at arkansashouse.org.

Severe Weather for Arkansas possible on Tuesday

Ahead of a powerful storm system (“L”) in the southern Plains, there will be a lot of shear/turning with height (to promote tornadoes), with a southerly 50 to 70 knot jet at 850 millibars (5,000 feet) and a southwest 70 to 100+ knot jet at 500 millibars (18,000 feet).

• [WHAT] Strong to possibly severe thunderstorms could impact the state early next week.

• [WHEN] Tuesday, March 4th.

• [WHERE] Across much of Arkansas, but especially the eastern half of the state.

  [ADDITIONAL INFO]

• A strong storm system and cold front are expected to approach by early next week.

• The system will try to bring warm, moist, and unstable air into the region from the Gulf Coast.

• If the environment destabilizes enough, severe weather (including tornadoes) will become likely.

  [WHAT HAS CHANGED]

• It appears an early arrival of precipitation (Tuesday morning) may keep the atmosphere from becoming overly unstable. If rain arrives later, or progresses more slowly to the east, then destabilization will occur. This is very concerning given that available shear will be impressive (to promote tornadoes).

• Continue to monitor the latest briefings as we assess trends in medium to short-term model data.

Attorney General Griffin joins 37 AGs urging Congress to increase penalties for organized retail crime

Griffin: ‘This Legislation We Are Asking Congress To Pass Will Help Us In Our Local Fight Against Organized Retail Crime’

LITTLE ROCK – Attorney General Tim Griffin issued the following statement after joining a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general on a letter urging Congress to create stiffer penalties for criminals engaged in organized retail crime:

“Arkansas has been a leader on organized retail crime for the past two years, and I have made it a priority in my office. Last year I hired a full-time organized retail crime investigator, and before that I joined with Homeland Security Investigations and several neighboring states to form an Organized Retail Crime Alliance. We’ve already seen multiple busts and arrests as a result of our focused efforts.

“This legislation we are asking Congress to pass will help us in our local fight against organized retail crime. The more tools we have in bringing these criminals to justice, the more success we will have in keeping our communities, our roadways, and our places of business safe, and the more we can prevent crimes that pass on costs to consumers.”

Organized retail crime has contributed to financial losses totaling over $121 billion in the U.S., and 76 percent of retail asset protection managers report their employees have suffered from violence at the hands of an organized retail criminal. Cargo theft remains a primary component of organized retail crime nationwide – disrupting supply chains and acting as an inflationary pressure on the price of everything from baby formula to clothing.

During the 118th Congress, the House and Senate introduced H.R.895/S.140 – Combating Organized Retail Crime Act of 2023 and S.139 – Organized Retail Crime Center Authorization Act of 2023. This legislation would provide the necessary resources at the state and federal level to bring the organizations and individuals behind this nationwide problem to justice. Now, the coalition is urging the 119th Congress to re-introduce this bill to include increased federal penalties for supply chain thefts to act as a strong deterrent against the organized theft of goods in transit.

The letter was co-led by attorneys general from Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, and South Carolina. In addition to Arkansas, joining them are the attorneys general from Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, U.S. Virgin Islands, Washington, and West Virginia.

To read the letter, click here.

Cotton, Scott, Hill, and colleagues to Uyeda: Review approach to consolidated audit trail

Washington, D.C. — Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), Senate Banking Committee Chairman Tim Scott (R-South Carolina), and House Financial Services Committee Chairman French Hill (Arkansas-02) today sent a letter to Acting Chairman of The Securities and Exchange Commission Mark Uyeda to launch a comprehensive review of all aspects of the Consolidated Audit Trail.

Audit Trail - Optiver Image

Additional signers of the letter included Senator Boozman (R-Arkansas), Senator Bill Hagerty (R-Tennessee), Senator John Kennedy (R-Louisiana), Congressman Bill Huizenga (Michigan-04), Congresswoman Ann Wagner (Missouri-02), and Congressman Barry Loudermilk (Georgia-11).

In part, the lawmakers wrote:

“The prohibition on collecting investor PII must be formally codified (rather than via rescindable exemptive relief) and already-collected PII must be expunged.  Cybersecurity measures for the remaining data must be enhanced.  And the CAT’s bloated out-of-control budget must be addressed... . Further, it would appear appropriate for the Commission to pause and reconsider its position with respect to ongoing litigation related to the CAT, as it has done for other cases commenced during the Biden administration.”

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

February 28, 2025

Mr. Mark Uyeda

Acting Chairman

U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission

100 F Street NE

Washington, DC 20549

The Consolidated Audit Trail (CAT) has been a highly controversial endeavor that has raised many concerns from Members of Congress, including with respect to (i) the unwarranted collection of personally identifiable information (PII) from millions of American investors, (ii) potential cybersecurity vulnerabilities, and (iii) its inequitable funding structure.

We are pleased that you and fellow Commissioner Peirce have repeatedly acknowledged these longstanding concerns and applaud the Commission for its recent steps to protect the financial privacy of American investors.

However, there is more work to be done. The prohibition on collecting investor PII must be formally codified (rather than via rescindable exemptive relief) and already-collected PII must be expunged.  Cybersecurity measures for the remaining data must be enhanced.  And the CAT’s bloated out-of-control budget must be addressed.

Given these continuing concerns, the Commission should launch a comprehensive review that covers all aspects of the CAT.  In doing so, the Commission should take additional steps to pause the CAT’s most controversial elements—not only the collection of customer PII, but also the problematic funding structure that a majority of the current Commission voted against. Further, it would appear appropriate for the Commission to pause and reconsider its position with respect to ongoing litigation related to the CAT, as it has done for other cases commenced during the Biden administration.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Boozman, Moran, Fischer, Budd Measure Seeks to Improve Veterans’ Access to Care

WASHINGTON––U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs Chairman Jerry Moran (R-KS) as well as Senators Deb Fischer (R-NE) and Tedd Budd (R-NC) to introduce legislation that would permanently authorize and expand the External Provider Scheduling (EPS) program at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to make it easier to schedule healthcare appointments for veterans in the community. 

Veterans - PICRYL Image

The EPS program allows the VA to view the schedules of community care providers. This reduces the amount of time it takes to find and create appointments for veterans in need of care. In initial rollout phases, this system led to a 65 percent improvement in the timeliness of community care scheduling and increased scheduling from seven appointments a day to over twenty.

“Veterans deserve timely and quality access to medical care,” said Boozman. “Across our country, and particularly in rural areas, our former servicemembers rely on community care to receive the services and benefits they need. I’m pleased to join my colleagues on this effort to support and strengthen the important tools that help ensure veterans’ appointments are not delayed or denied.”

“Veterans should not have to wait weeks or months to obtain the care and services they have earned,” said Moran. “By simplifying the community care appointment scheduling process and improving communication between VA and community providers, the External Provider Scheduling program has resulted in veterans getting the health care they need faster. This bill would continue the EPS program so that even more veterans will benefit from it, improving access to care nationwide.”

“Our veterans shouldn’t have to wait long periods to receive the medical care and services they need,” said Fischer. “By making the EPS program permanent, we will put our veterans’ needs first as we improve care coordination between the VA and community providers, especially in our rural areas. I look forward to working with my colleagues to take care of our veterans by passing this legislation.”

“No veteran should be forced to wait for the care they need and deserve,” said Budd. “That’s why I am proud to support Senator Moran’s legislation that allows the VA to schedule appointments with community healthcare providers in real time. Veterans in North Carolina and across the nation deserve the highest quality care we can provide them, and this bill will help us accomplish that mission.”

Click here for full text of the legislation. 

Governor Sanders Announces Appointment

Dawn Egan - Justia Image

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders today appointed Dawn Egan as Judge on Arkansas’ Fourth Judicial Circuit, Division 3. Dawn replaces Judge Stacey Zimmerman, who will retire effective March 1st, 2025. She will take office on March 1st, 2025, and her term will expire December 31st, 2026.

“Dawn is a very experienced and qualified attorney that has dedicated her career to serving our state’s most vulnerable with a special focus on kids. I look forward to her continued service on the Fourth Judicial Circuit,” said Governor Sanders.
 
Dawn Egan bio:
Dawn Egan has worked as an Attorney Ad Litem for Washington and Madison Counties for the last 14 years, having represented approximately 5,000 abused and neglected children while advocating for the best interest of children in dependency neglect cases. Prior to that, Dawn was a Juvenile Prosecuting Attorney for six years in Washington County before leaving to go into private practice, working initially for the Kester law firm, writing appeals and representing clients in all forms of domestic law before opening her own law firm. She is a member of the Arkansas Bar Association and Washington County Bar Association. Dawn is a member of the National Association of Counsel for Children and is certified as a Child Welfare Law Specialist.

Dawn graduated cum laude from the University of California, Irvine with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Ecology with an emphasis in Criminology, Criminal Justice, and Legal Studies. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville where she was on Law Review as an Article’s Editor and was published in 52 Ark. L. Rev. 591 (1999).  She is an active member of Cross Church, serving in the Baptism ministry. Dawn has been married to her husband Ted for 39 years and has one daughter, Shayna.

Professor Sponsors High School, Undergrad Students in 2 UAMS Health Career Programs

By Chris Carmody

A pair of community engagement programs in the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) Division for Academic Pathways and Workforce Partnerships will be able to accept more students this year thanks to support from a professor in the College of Medicine’s Department of Pediatrics.

David Becton, M.D., a pediatric hematologist and oncologist who treats patients at Arkansas Children’s, has agreed to provide $45,000 in endowed chair discretionary funds to sponsor students in the Pre-Medical Summer Scholars and Summer Research Internship programs over a two-year period.

Becton is the inaugural recipient of Arkansas Children’s Lawrence H. Schmieding Endowed Chair in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, which was established in 2015. He said the UAMS programs are the first of their kind that he’s supported through Arkansas Children’s endowment funds.

Professor Sponsors High School, Undergrad Students in 2 UAMS Health Career Programs

Students from UAMS’ Health Career University programs gather for a 2023 ceremony that celebrated their achievements. Health Career University helps students from rural and medically underserved communities gain exposure to health professions and advice on how to get into academic institutions like UAMS.

Cold plasma-treated seeds show potential to protect plants, reduce pesticide use

By Maddie Johnson
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The same substance that paints the sky with the Northern Lights also appears to enhance plant growth and insect defense, according to a new study.

FOURTH STATE OF MATTER — Cold plasma is applied to rice seeds to investigate its effects on plant growth and defense against the fall armyworm. (Image courtesy of Rupesh Kariyat)

Food science and entomology researchers from the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station teamed up to harness plasma and measure its effects on rice seed. The project began after Mahfuzur Rahman, assistant professor of food science, acquired a machine that produces cold plasma.

Known as the fourth state of matter, plasma is an electrically charged gas that has fluid-like behavior. Rahman points to the Northern Lights as the most familiar example of cold plasma, which means it is considered low temperature compared to the much higher temperatures of plasma in stars. Other examples of cold plasma like that generated in Rahman’s lab include fluorescent lights and neon signs.

Rupesh Kariyat, associate professor of crop entomology, became interested in investigating cold plasma’s effects from an insect perspective — an area he said had not been studied adequately.

“I thought it would be a good idea that we expose our seeds to cold plasma and then grow those seeds out into plants and ask the question of whether the plants are doing better,” Kariyat said.

“If this works, then we can come up with a method to expand at a scale where we can add cold plasma to complement existing seed treatments to boost their growth and defense against insect herbivores,” Kariyat said, noting the potential to reduce insecticide use.

One of Kariyat’s graduate students, Deepak Dilip, led the project in collaboration with Nikitha Modupalli, a postdoctoral fellow in food science and member of Rahman’s lab. Their study, "Atmospheric cold plasma alters plant traits and negatively affects the growth and development of fall armyworm in rice," was published in Nature's Scientific Reports in January.

Dilip served as the lead author, with Modupalli, Rahman and Kariyat serving as co-authors. Both Rahman and Kariyat are researchers with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Tracking seed germination and plant growth

The study specifically investigated rice plant defense against fall armyworm. Seeds were treated with cold plasma and then irrigated with cold plasma-activated water, which is water that has been treated with cold plasma and has some antimicrobial properties. The plasma interacts with water molecules to generate highly reactive molecules containing oxygen and nitrogen, which effectively kill bacteria.

The results revealed that rice seeds treated with cold plasma could negatively impact fall armyworms’ growth and development.

MEASURING GROWTH AND DEFENSE — Deepak Dilip, a graduate research assistant pursuing a master's degree in entomology, led the experiments with strong support from Nikitha Modupalli, food science postdoctoral fellow. (Image courtesy of Rupesh Kariyat)

Researchers also observed signs of improved plant growth such as more leaf growth. They also saw a faster germination rate in cold plasma-treated plants, though this was not statistically significant. It has been found that cold plasma can increase germination by eroding a seed’s surface.

Additionally, though germination rates were quicker, control plants eventually caught up with treated ones in terms of growth, making final germination counts similar between untreated and cold plasma-treated seeds. Researchers point out that this suggests cold plasma applications, though they can benefit initial plant growth, would not be as beneficial in later stages of the plant’s growth cycle.

As for the study’s impacts on the future, Kariyat and Rahman hope to apply cold plasma to the field of organic food production.

Rahman explained that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is evaluating cold plasma as an organic technology, potentially paving the way to alternatives for pesticides.

“In the future, if we can optimize this technology for organic production, it will create a very new avenue for organic food growth,” Rahman said.

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

Media Advisory: 4-H Day at the Capitol

The 4-H Day at the Capitol schedule has been revised, due to the pending weather forecast for March 4.

Tracy Courage           tcourage@uada.edu                      501-658-2044

WHAT:   More than 500 4-H members from 55 counties will be at 4-H Day at the Capitol to meet their legislators, learn about the legislative process, and showcase their work in 4-H on a large scale.

WHEN:   Tuesday, March 4, 2025 — Tribute to 4-H begins at 10:30 a.m.

WHERE   State Capitol Rotunda (second floor)

 WHO:   Speakers include the following:

• Lt. Governor Leslie Rutledge

• State Treasurer John Thurston

• Attorney General Tim Griffin

• Secretary of State Cole Jester 

• Deacue Fields – Vice President-Agriculture, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture 

• John Anderson, Director of Cooperative Extension Service, UADA

 4-H members will meet with their legislators at 11 a.m. and depart the Capitol at 1 p.m.