During a ceremony at the State Capitol, Governor Hutchinson joined agriculture leaders and industry partners in declaring March 20 – 26 as Arkansas Agriculture Week and March as Peanut Month in Arkansas. The proclamations highlight the agriculture industry as a whole, the state’s peanut industry, and the value both contribute to Arkansas’s economy. The full proclamations can be found here and here.

Photographs from this event can be found here.

Find the full Avian Influenza Emergency Rule here.

HPAI is caused by an influenza type A virus which can infect poultry and wild birds. HPAI virus strains are extremely infections, often fatal to chickens, and can spread rapidly from flock to flock. Symptoms can include sudden increase in bird deaths with no clinical signs, lack of energy and appetite, decrease in egg production, soft- or thin-shelled or misshapen eggs, and others. More information on HPAI can be found at here. 

Poultry owners should continue to closely monitor their flocks and report any possible symptoms to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture at 501-823-1746. More information on HPAI symptoms can be found here.

Although there have been no reports of HPAI in Arkansas this year, there have been multiple reported cases in commercial turkey flocks, commercial broiler chicken flocks, and backyard flocks of mixed species birds in the Mississippi Flyway and the Atlantic Flyway. Information regarding confirmed HPAI cases in the U.S. for 2022 can be found here.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides resources on biosecurity for poultry operations through their Defend the Flock campaign, which can be found here.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is pleased to announce the Harvest of the Season promotional program, a free educational campaign that includes materials for schools to feature locally grown products in their cafeterias.

The goal of the Harvest of the Season program is to teach children about Arkansas grown foods. The program makes available local and seasonal food posters, materials featuring Arkansas farmers and distributors, and social media resources highlighting local Arkansas fruits, vegetables, proteins, grains, and dairy products. Program materials are offered at no cost to public and private K-12 schools, early childhood education facilities, and alternative learning environments.

Harvest of the Season was developed using funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program to increase the production and consumption of specialty crops in schools. Specialty crops, as defined by the USDA, are fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture, and nursery crops.

“The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is proud to partner with USDA on this program to provide children in Arkansas free resources on local agriculture and nutrition,” said Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture Wes Ward. “The lessons learned from this program can have a lasting impact on children, their families, and entire communities.”

The Harvest of the Season promotional program materials can be found here.

For more information on Harvest of the Season, contact Shannon Newerth-Henson, State Local Procurement Manager, at shannon.henson@agriculture.arkansas.gov.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division and the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) are pleased to announce that applications for the Foresters for the Future scholarship are now being accepted. The scholarship will provide $4,000 per semester, for four years, to an incoming freshman pursuing a forestry degree at UAM’s College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources.

Applications will be accepted through June 15. Students interested in the scholarship can find more information on the UAM website here.

“Arkansas has nearly 19 million acres of forests with over 12 billion trees,” said State Forester Joe Fox. “This scholarship is a wonderful opportunity for a future forester to obtain a quality education and move into a dynamic and rewarding career field.”

The scholarship program was established by Act 399 of the 2021 Regular Session of the Arkansas General Assembly. The underlying legislation, House Bill 1389, was sponsored by Representative Ken Bragg and Senator Ben Gilmore and was signed into law by Governor Hutchinson on March 17, 2021.

“The forestry industry in Arkansas is a vital contributor to the state’s economy. It is imperative that we maintain a healthy forest and right now there is actually a shortage of professional forestry graduates,” said Representative Bragg. “It is the intention of the Foresters for the Future Scholarship to increase interest and opportunities for students to pursue a degree in forestry and natural resource management.”

UAM and the Forestry Division hope the scholarship will entice students to pursue forestry as a career.

“The forestry industry is a pillar of Arkansas’s economy that impacts every area of our state,” said Dr. Peggy Doss, UAM Chancellor. “The Foresters for the Future Scholarship will support our efforts to attract and to retain a diverse group of future foresters and to prepare them for a career path that offers extensive job opportunities in the wood products industry.”

"This scholarship is a tremendous opportunity for our students,” said Dr. Michael Blazier, Dean of the UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture, and Natural Resources and Director of the Arkansas Forest Resources Center. “Not only does it provide substantial financial aid to help them study for a career in forestry, they get a wide range of internship options for on-the-job learning with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division."

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Commission approved

$46,083,987.77 for water and wastewater projects serving more than 20,648 people in five Arkansas counties on March 16, 2022.

The projects are as follows:

More information about the Natural Resource Division’s water and wastewater programs can be found here.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Commission (Commission) approved twenty-five conservation district board elections at its meeting on March 16. The Commission also made four new board member appointments and five board member reappointments to conservation district boards.

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Division provides leadership and support for Arkansas’s 75 conservation districts. Conservation districts are political subdivisions of the State of Arkansas created by the Arkansas General Assembly in 1937 for the purpose of providing locally led conservation of the state’s land and water resources. Each district is governed by a board of five directors, including three elected by resident landowners and two appointed by the Natural Resources Commission.

“Many state and federal conservation programs are made available through conservation districts,” said Chris Colclasure, Director of the Natural Resources Division. “They provide technical assistance and resources to landowners in their counties, and the local board members play an especially important role in managing district business and staff,” said Colclasure.

The results from the twenty-five conservation districts board elections are:

 

Three districts appointed new board members:

Five districts reappointed board members:

More information about the Natural Resource Division’s conservation programs can be found here.

Giveaway locations and times can be found here or by contacting Kristine Kimbro at Kristine.kimbro@agriculture.arkansas.gov.

The first Free Tree Friday on March 18 was a success with by 625 people stopping by to pick up 2,500 trees to be planted across Arkansas! We set up in five locations: Hot Springs, Batesville, Marshall, Arkadelphia, and Conway. Pictured are events from Hot Springs and Marshall, and Batesville.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has appointed Robert Petter of DeValls Bluff to the United Soybean Board (USB). Petter will represent Arkansas during a three-year term as a newly-appointed farmer-leader on the board.

Petter is one of 78 farmer-leaders serving USB, which is authorized by the Soybean Promotion, Research, and Consumer Information Act. A total of 29 states, in addition to the Eastern and Western regions, are represented by the board members. The number of seats on the board is determined based on bushels produced in their region. Members of the board must be soybean farmers nominated by a Qualified State Soybean Board (QSSB).

The need for a market-based solution to forest health led to the establishment of the Arkansas Center for Forest Business at the University of Arkansas at Monticello School of Forestry.

The Center started operations in July of last year. Read about their efforts in the latest edition of the Arkansas Grown magazine! With more than 25 features about Arkansas agriculture, there’s something for everyone. You can view the magazine online here, or find a physical copy at various locations around the state.

On the last day of the Arkansas Women in Agriculture conference, Secretary Ward and Representative DeAnn Vaught presented the Arkansas Women in Agriculture Week proclamation to the organization.

This proclamation declared March 13 - 19, 2022 as Arkansas Women in Agriculture Week.

Pictured, in order, are Rep. Vaught, Arkansas Women in Agriculture President Donette Spann, and Sec. Ward.

On March 22, Secretary Ward and others from the Arkansas Department of Agriculture visited the State Capitol to celebrate Arkansas Agriculture Week and Arkansas Peanut Month with Governor Hutchinson, agriculture leaders, and industry partners. We were even joined by Hormel Foods mascots, Skippy and Mr. Peanut!

Upcoming Webinars:

Blog Posts:

News:

The Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force will be hosting a meeting at the Reynolds Park Community Center in Paragould on April 7 at 6 p.m.

The meeting will cover program updates from participating agencies, an update from the Feral Hog Eradication Task Force, and information on how landowners can effectively remove feral hogs from their property.

Register for free here.

Are you interested in selling your produce to wholesalers and distributors? The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Arkansas Grown Program is hosting Listening Sessions around the state for farmers interested in selling wholesale. Join the discussion and share valuable input that can be used to further food systems and your own farm!

Visit arkansasgrown.org and click on Events to learn more.

The National Young Farmers Coalition is seeking young farmers and ranchers to participate in their 2022 National Young Farmer Survey. This survey is completed every five years and is used by the coalition to develop programs and policies. Those interested can complete the survey here.

For questions, contact the National Young Farmers Coalition communications director, Jessica Manly, at jessica@youngfarmers.org.

Those interested should register online here before April 6.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced plans for a $250 million grant program that will support American fertilizer production to supply American farmers. This grant program is in response to rising fertilizer costs across the U.S.

This program will support fertilizer production that is independent, made in America, innovative, sustainable, and farmer-focused. Details on the application process will be announced in the summer of 2022, with the first awards expected before the end of 2022. Read more here.

Special Speaker – Wes Ward, Secretary, Arkansas Deptartment of Agriculture. Virtual meeting here. For audio only call 202-650-0123 and enter code: 307 597 909#.

Special Speaker - Doris Washington, State Executive Director – Farm Service Agency. Committee members are a critical component of the day-to-day operations of FSA. Learn more about how you can participate. Virtual meeting here . For audio only call 202-650-0123 and enter code 783 560 535#. 

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 Food Conservancy will be hosting Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) training workshops for fruit and vegetable growers in Benton, Washington, Carroll, and Madison counties. These one-day classes are for growers interested in learning about GAP and for those who have previously attended a GAP class, but not completed their certification. Those interested can sign up for one of the following dates:

Classes are free and lunch will be provided. For more information, or to sign up, email letsgrow@thefoodconservancy.org or call 479-334-5336.

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.

Are you passionate about Arkansas agriculture? With many new and exciting career opportunities, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture is looking for highly motivated individuals to bring their passion for the Arkansas agriculture industry to the workplace. Check out our available positions today on the AR Careers website by searching for "agriculture" or "natural resources."