With hot, dry conditions throughout the state, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division has increased the wildfire danger risk level designations for all 75 counties over the past two weeks. Twelve counties in Northwest Arkansas were raised to the “high” risk level, and the remaining counties were rated as being at a “moderate” risk for wildfire danger. Additionally, 56 counties have been placed under a burn ban by local county judges.

“These 90 to 100 degree days with little or no rain has led to extremely dry conditions across the entire state,” said State Forester Joe Fox. “We are seeing an increase in the number of wildfires and their intensity, and that’s a trend that will continue until we see significant rainfall statewide.”

The Forestry Division maintains a county-by-county Wildfire Danger map with four risk levels: low, moderate, high, and extreme. Risk levels are determined by drought status and long-term weather forecasts and are defined by how easily fires can start and how hard they are to contain. The Wildfire Danger map can be found here. The risk level definitions are:

In addition to heightened risk levels, 56 Arkansas counties have been placed under a burn ban by local county judges. Burn bans primarily prohibit activities that involve an open flame. This includes fireworks, campfires, trash burning, open flame grilling, and prescribed or controlled burns.

Robert Murphy, Director of Emergency Services for the Forestry Division, recommends taking additional precautions when driving or operating machinery.

“It’s important to remain cautious when driving through or working in dry grass,” Murphy said. “Trucks, ATVs, hay balers, and other vehicles can easily start fires by causing sparks over dry grass.”

The Forestry Division is asking those who see fires to report them by calling 1-800-468-8834 and to avoid flying drones in the area. When drones are present, those fighting the fires are unable to perform detection flights or fly single engine airtankers (SEATs) to drop water.

Find a county-by-county burn ban map here. To learn more about burn bans in your county, find your local official’s contact information here.

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The Feral Hog Eradication Task Force continued its efforts in June 2022, removing over 1,200 feral hogs across Arkansas. Additionally, Arkansas residents reported the removal of over 30 feral hogs last month.

Learn more about the Task Force and its efforts here.

Visit arcareers.arkansas.gov or check out our Facebook pages for open positions in Shared Services, Forestry, Livestock and Poultry, Plant Industries, and Natural Resources!

The 2014 Farm Bill introduced language creating the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network. The purpose of the Network is to improve health literacy and access to services related to mental and behavioral health for those engaged in farming, ranching, and other agriculture-related occupations. The 2018 Farm Bill included funding for this program and was distributed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA NIFA) in grants to establish four regional projects creating the National Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network.

Read more about the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network in the 2022 edition of Arkansas Grown. You can view the magazine online here, or find a physical copy at various locations around the state.

The 2023 edition of Arkansas Grown is in the works! If you're interested in purchasing advertising space, please contact Amy Lyman at [email protected].

Secretary Wes Ward attended the ribbon cutting for the Arkansas FFA Foundation's newly renovated Fletcher Leadership Center at Camp Couchdale.

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The Perry County Extension Office is hosting a forage production workshop at 6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 19 at the Perryville High School cafeteria. Forage Extension Specialists John Jennings and Forage Program Associate Kenny Simon will discuss methods to maximize grazing resources and how growers can extend their grazing period.

Registration for this event is required. Those interested should call the Perry County Extension Office at 501-889-2661. Learn more about the Extension Service's forage resources here.

The University of Arkansas System Cooperative Extension Service will be hosting two rice production field days this summer.

On July 20, the Arkansas Discovery Farm Program and Anhueser-Busch will co-host a field day at the Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center (NERREC) in Poinsett County. The field day will include tours of NERREC, Pratt Farms, and Busch Agricultural Resources. Topics will include soil health, water use efficiency, row rice, and more. There is no cost to attend but an RSVP to [email protected] is appreciated for a lunch count. Read more about this field day here.

On August 5, the Rice Research and Extension Center (RREC) will host its annual Rice Field Day in Stuttgart. This field day will feature a tour of the facility with research updates on rice breeding, soil fertility, insect management, and more. No registration is required for this event and more information can be found here.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is offering a one-day, in-person produce safety training workshop for fruit and vegetable producers. This workshop will provide information on best practices, risk management, and regulatory requirements. Topics covered will include worker health, hygiene, post-harvest handling, food safety plans, and more.

Participants can register online here. Registration is $20 per person and must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. on July 17.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Risk Management Agency (USDA RMA) has expanded double cropping insurance coverage in order to lower the economic risk of raising two crops on the same land in one year. This includes expanded or streamlined double crop coverage for soybeans in at least 681 counties and for grain sorghum in at least 870 counties. Read more about this announcement here.

To help with clarification, USDA RMA has released a list of frequently asked questions (FAQs) on the expanded double cropping insurance. These FAQs address questions about eligible counties, eligible crops, relevant definitions, and more. Find the FAQs here.

Read more about the program and its requirements here.

Special Speaker: Shane Booth, District Forester, Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Forestry Division. Find out how these programs work to address a large number of farming and ranching related conservation issues. Virtual meeting here.  For audio only call 202-650-0123 and enter code 980 012 680#.

Special Speaker: Rusty Rumley, Senior Staff Attorney, U of A Division of Agriculture. Learn how to obtain a farm number and Heir Property documentation needed. Virtual meeting here. For audio only call 202-650-0123 and enter code 740 167 816#.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Fiscal Year 2021 Annual Report provides information about the Department and how it served Arkansas agriculture, our state's largest industry, from July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021. Click here to view the 2021 Annual Report.

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.

For the latest in Arkansas agriculture, be sure to follow us on social media! Links to our social media pages can be found here.