Following the storms on March 31, Governor Sanders launched a new website where storm victims can find the federal, state, local, and nonprofit resources available for their recovery. The website can be found here.

The Arkansas Disaster Relief Program is available to assist those impacted by disasters across the state of Arkansas. Under the Arkansas Disaster Relief Program, the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM) is able to provide funds for immediate needs for disaster relief to communities experiencing major impacts from a DECLARED disaster. These funds are to be utilized as additional state and federal program availability are being determined. Donate to the Arkansas Disaster Relief Program here.

In recognition of National Arbor Day, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division will be hosting giveaways of bare root seedlings at various locations across the state each Friday from March 17 through April 28.

“Adding trees to your yard or to a community forest is beneficial to all Arkansans, and Spring is an excellent time to plant trees,” said Kristine Kimbro, Urban and Community Forestry Coordinator for the Forestry Division. “With these Arbor Day celebration giveaways, we hope to provide all Arkansans with access to the many benefits trees provide.”

Visit here to learn more and find additional times and locations.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the 2023 Arkansas Century Farm Program. This program recognizes Arkansas families who have owned and farmed the same land for at least 100 years. Online and printable applications are available here. There is no cost to apply.

Since the program began in 2012, 568 farms have been certified. Find lists of previously inducted Arkansas Century Farm families here.

Contact Beth Moore at 501-539-4027 or [email protected] with questions. Applications must be received via email or postmarked on or before May 31, 2023, to be eligible for designation as a 2023 inductee. 

Arkansas PBS Good Roots Highlights Arkansas Youth and Livestock

Good Roots is a series from Arkansas PBS that explores rural community life and agribusiness while featuring stories of life and innovation from small towns in every corner of the state.

In the third segment of season three, Good Roots caught up with the Phelps family, from Paragould, to talk about how livestock projects offer unique opportunities for growth and learning for Arkansas youth. Watch the segment from Arkansas PBS here and read more about Arkansas youth and livestock here.

2023 Arkansas Grown Magazine

Demand for local food has a long history in Arkansas and increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Supply chain disruptions drove many consumers to visit their local farmers markets looking for items they could not find at commercial grocery stores. This introduced new customers to the benefits of buying fresh food from local farmers and convinced many to change their buying habits and return to these markets regularly.

Read more about the revival of corner markets in Arkansas in the 2023 edition of Arkansas Grown. You can view the magazine online here, or find a physical copy at various locations around the state! With more than 25 features about Arkansas agriculture, there's something for everyone.

The 17th annual Arkansas Women in Agriculture Conference was held on April 3-4 in Hot Springs. Attendees participated in educational workshops and heard from keynote speakers. Learn more about Arkansas Women in Agriculture here.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Forestry Division staff participated in disaster relief in Wynne, Arkansas following the tornado that occurred on March 31. Pictured left is John Pressgrove directing Ty Dillon on a bulldozer. Pictured right is storm damage to a subdivision.

Employees from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Standards section attended the Arkansas Oil Marketers Association Meeting in Hot Springs on March 30. Pictured (from left): Tim Chesser, Tim Webb, Nik Soman, Kristin Kersten, and Brian Terry.

Governor Sanders proclaimed March 19-25 as Arkansas Agriculture Week! On March 22, Governor Sanders held a roundtable discussion with Arkansas agriculture leaders to discuss ways to keep Arkansas's largest industry strong and dynamic. Visit here to view the full proclamation and here for a readout from the governor's roundtable discussion.

On March 17, Ky'Leah Pruitt and Adam Hargis attended the Bayou Meto Career Day representing the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Lab Services section. In the morning, they spoke to the students about their experiences in the veterinary diagnostic, seed, and chemistry labs. They explained the importance of this work for agriculture and consumers while engaging with students. In the afternoon, they performed a demonstration for the fourth and fifth grade students while explaining the scientific process.

On March 17, Secretary Ward and Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Division Director Chris Colclasure participated in the State of Arkansas Water Panel at the Winthrop Rockefeller Institute discussing ways to secure food and water in a changing world. Other panelists included Dr. Deacue Fields, vice president for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service; Ed Swaim, executive director of the Bayou Meto Water Management District; and Evan Teague, vice president of environmental issues for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation.

Introducing The Feed:

The body of laws, policies, and regulations affecting agriculture is vast and fast-changing, but the National Agricultural Law Center has introduced The Feed, a biweekly newsletter aimed at keeping industry professionals up to date.

Content is written by research attorneys but is designed for non-attorneys as well. Find recent issues of The Feed here.

Upcoming Webinars:

Recent Blog Posts:

Do you know a college junior or senior studying in the field of agriculture? The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service is hosting a five-day professional development experience to give students networking opportunities, leadership skills, and insight on resources, services, and careers available in Arkansas's agriculture industry. This free tour will be from May 15 to 19. For more information, visit here. Interested individuals can register here.

Arkansas Bee Day will be held on April 22 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Bemis Honey Bee Farm in Little Rock. If you have an interest in beekeeping, make plans to attend. Admission is free, but don't forget to bring safety gear! Follow Arkansas Bee Day on Facebook or visit here to learn more.

The nonprofit Alliance for Rural Impact (ARI) announced the Rural Impact Fund, a revolving loan fund with a focus on lending to diverse small businesses, micro-enterprises, and entrepreneurs in rural communities.

The new loan fund targets projects which result in the creation or retention of quality high-paying jobs and improvement of quality of life in the Mississippi Delta region. ARI will provide recipients with expertise in helping businesses achieve innovative technical assistance.

The Rural Impact Fund is now accepting applications through its website. Applicants can determine their eligibility and learn more about applying here or by contacting [email protected] for more information or questions about the application procedures.

Are you interested in becoming a supplier at Whole Foods Market? Whole Foods Market is accepting applications for its 2023 Local and Emerging Accelerator Program (LEAP). The initiative, which launched in 2022, advances Whole Foods Market's core value of seeking win-win partnerships with local suppliers. Visit here for more information and to apply.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Livestock and Poultry Division is teaming up with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service's offices in Hempstead and Nevada counties to offer free brucellosis vaccinations on April 24 for heifer calves ages 4-12 months. For more information or to schedule a vaccination time, contact either county extension office. For Hempstead County producers, call (870) 777-5771. For Nevada County producers, call (870) 887-2818.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation is accepting applications until April 17. Scholarships will be awarded to college juniors and seniors enrolled in an agriculture related field. Find more information and apply here.

Each year the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division (NRD) produces a report on the condition of the state’s groundwater resources. This report provides a summary of the groundwater monitoring and current water levels, NRD protection and conservation programs, and water use reporting during the 2022 calendar year. The report also provides comparisons to previous years to identify overall trends. The data collected for this report is used to influence policy and program recommendations such as Critical Groundwater Area designations. Find the full report here.

New this year is an interactive story map version of the Groundwater Protection and Management Report that allows the user to look at the maps in greater detail with in-depth visuals. The Groundwater Story Map can be found here.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Fiscal Year 2022 Annual Report provides information about the Department and how it served Arkansas agriculture, our state's largest industry, from July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2022. Click here to view the 2022 Annual Report.

There's still time to respond to the Census of Agriculture, a complete count of U.S. farms and ranches and the people who operate them. Even small plots of land - whether rural or urban - growing fruit, vegetables, or some food animals count if $1,000 or more of such products were raised and sold, or normally would have been sold, during the Census year. For America's farmers and ranchers, the Census of Agriculture is their voice, their future, and their opportunity. Watch Secretary Ward's message on the ag census here.

Although the deadline has passed, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will continue to accept completed census questionnaires through the spring. For more information, click here.

Find the latest ag census information here.

The USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS)'s 2023 Prospective Plantings and Grain Stocks Report is available and can be found here. USDA NASS along with the World Agricultural Outlook Board (WAOB) announced that major report briefings will now be livestreamed on the NASS YouTube channel five minutes after release time with information on both the NASS report and the WAOB Supply/Demand (WASDE) report.

Each briefing, including the recent prospective plantings and grain stocks report, is recorded and can be found here.

The 1890 National Scholars Program has extended the application deadline to April 15. The program is open to high school seniors entering their freshman year of college, and rising college sophomores and juniors. The 1890 National Scholars Program is a partnership between the United States Department of Agriculture and 1890 Land-Grant Universities which provides full tuition, employment, employee benefits, fees, books, and room and board each year for up to 4 years to select students. To view the applicant guidebook click here. To apply using the new 2023 E-application, click here.

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Southeast Arkansas office is hosting free, virtual informational sessions to educate producers and agriculture businesses on available programs and loans and share vital information such as program deadlines and eligibility. The first session was held on Thursday, March 30. The following sessions will take place in the coming months, and are free to attend virtually.

Interested individuals should call their local FSA office to receive the meeting link. Contact information for your local FSA office can be found here.

 LAMP is an umbrella program created in the 2018 Farm Bill. LAMP encompasses the Farmers Market Promotion Program (FMPP), Local Food Promotion Program (LFPP), Regional Food System Partnerships Program (RFSP), and Value-Added Producer Grants Program (VAPG). LAMP funding is divided between these grant programs. 

Applications for the FMPP, LFPP, and RFSP are due by May 2 at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Visit here to apply and for additional information on LAMP grant programs.

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking proposals for its Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements. The purpose of 2023 Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreements is to leverage NRCS and partner resources to develop locally led conservation projects that help overcome barriers and offer opportunities for underserved producers and communities to learn about and access NRCS programs, services, and careers.

For additional information, visit here or read the Notice of Funding Opportunity.

The Southern U.S. Trade Association (SUSTA) is a non-profit organization that facilitates trade between small to medium-sized southern U.S. companies and overseas importers. Since 1973, SUSTA has worked with Departments of Agriculture to increase the export of southern U.S. food and agricultural products and enhance the economic well-being of the region.

SUSTA's Export Readiness Training provides agribusinesses the tools to create a successful international marketing strategy. During training, participants will assess their capacity for exporting, identify key foreign markets and learn practical export fundamentals so they can confidently export their products. Originally scheduled for March, this training was pushed back to May.

There is a $150 participation fee which includes the following modules to be conducted via Zoom (8:30 a.m.- 12:00 p.m. CST):

The summary is available on the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Market Reports webpage, as well as each Division's webpage and Facebook page, and you may sign-up to receive the summary by email at Subscribe To Notifications And Publications.

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