Governor Hutchinson Unveils New Logos
for State’s 15
Cabinet-level
Departments
Governor Asa Hutchinson unveiled new logos September 25
for
each of the state’s 15 cabinet-level departments
,
as well as a general seal to represent all of Arkansas state government.
The new logos will be implemented in an efficient and cost-effective manner, meaning all current forms of communications, such as letterhead and envelopes, will be used before ordering new stock. The departments have already begun using the logos on social media and in email signatures. You can find all 15 logos
here
.
“Each of the 15 departments has a unique role in state government, but the overall goal is the same: identify efficiencies in order to provide a better delivery of services to the people of our state at less cost to the taxpayer,” said Governor Hutchinson. “I believe the unified design of these logos reinforces that message by giving each department its own identity while maintaining a consistent look across the 15 departments.”
Read the full story from the Governor's office
here
.
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Arkansas Corn Month
Nearly 117 million bushels of corn were produced last year on 780,000 acres in the state, contributing $432 million to the state’s economy. Agriculture is Arkansas’s largest industry, valued at $21 billion.
Photos from the ceremony may be viewed
here
.
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2019 Arkansas Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool Course
Members of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Forestry Division participated in the Arkansas Fire Council's 2019 Arkansas Prescribed Fire as a Management Tool Course hosted at Joseph T. Robinson Arkansas Army National Guard training facility September 23-27. Forestry Division personnel served as instructors, facilitators, and students of the course.
The course, commonly known as Rx Burn School, allows students to take part in classroom instruction that fosters knowledge of burn planning and implementation, forest management, firefighting, and conservation. Hands-on practical experience includes outdoor prescribed burns in wooded and grassy sites under the supervision of cadre members. The information and skill gained through the course, including prescribed burn plans, weather factors and influences, safety protocols, and public engagement and liability are tested. Students are required to pass the comprehensive exam before they are qualified to oversee prescribed burns for their respective agencies.
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Arkansas
Farmer Veteran Coalition
A Farmer Veteran Coalition planning meeting was held
September 13
at the Olde Crow General Store in Benton to gauge the desire of veteran farmers to start a chapter in the state. The meeting was sponsored through Arkansas Farm Bureau's Vets4Ag program, along with the
Arkansas Department of Agriculture
and Arkansas Department of Veterans Affairs Office. During the meeting a State Chapter Organizing Committee was elected to begin the process of forming the new Arkansas chapter.
Jason Smedley, Arkansas Farm Bureau, and Micheal Sparks, newly appointed chair of the planning committee, explain the importance of the program and how they hope to help veterans transition to a career in agriculture
here
.
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Farm to School Celebration at the Capitol
Governor Hutchinson, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, and Arkansas Farm to School will host a Farm to School Celebration Tuesday, October 15, from 9:00-11:00 at the State Capitol.
The celebration will begin with a Proclamation from Governor Hutchinson declaring October as Farm to School month. Following the Proclamation, the School Garden of the Year Award winners will be announced and recognized by Farm Credit. The history of Farm to School in Arkansas and the creation of the state’s first Farm to School and Early Childhood Program Coordinator position by the Arkansas General Assembly in 2019 will be highlighted. The celebration will culminate with an informational showcase where schools, farmers, non-profits, and agencies will share how they participate in Farm to School.
The event is free and open to the public. Business casual is the appropriate attire.
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture will share photos from the event with all attendees. The official Farm to School Month Proclamation can be found
here
.
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Arkansas Plant Board Approves Draft Rule for Dicamba Use In 2020
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s State Plant Board met September 17 to discuss changes to the current rule regarding the use of dicamba herbicide in Arkansas during the 2020 growing season.
The Plant Board approved an amended draft rule for dicamba applications in Arkansas that keeps the current cut-off date of May 25 in effect and includes the following changes:
- From April 16-May 25, all applications of in-crop dicamba products must be reported via the Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s online registry within 10 days of the application.
- From April 16-May 25, applicators of dicamba products must have a printed GPS map of the application available upon request.
- The restriction on dicamba use during burn-down that was added as an emergency rule prior to the beginning of the 2019 growing season was permanently added.
The proposed rule change has been sent to Governor Hutchinson for approval. If the Governor approves the rule, there will be a 30-day public comment period, followed by legislative review.
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Retirement After More Than 35 Years
Dwain Rigsbee retired September 30 after more than 35 years of service as an inspector with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Livestock & Poultry Division. Dwain was one of the few inspectors left who worked during the “Brucellosis Wars” in the 1980s and 90s .
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Arkansas Rural Water Technical Conference
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Natural Resource Division hosted a booth at the 42nd Annual Arkansas Rural Water Technical Conference September 15-18 in Hot Springs.
During this three-day event, Natural Resources Division employees enjoyed providing information to potential borrowers about financial assistance for water and wastewater improvements.
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Back 40 Fall For All
Krista Quinn, Urban Forester for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Forestry Division, participated in the Bella Vista Back 40 Fall for All Trail Festival at Blowing Springs Park on Sept. 14. Krista provided tree care information and led a “Fall Coloration” educational hike.
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Southern States Livestock & Rural Crimes Association Training
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture's law enforcement officers attended training in Natchitoches, LA this week. The training was provided by the Southern States Livestock and Rural Crimes Association and hosted by the Brand Enforcement Division of the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. Officers from Alabama, Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico, Tennessee, and Texas participated.
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North Central Forest Pest Workshop
County Foresters Tabitha Holloway and Lou Koch of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's Forestry Division attended the North Central Forest Pest Workshop at the Morton Arboretum’s Thornhill Education Center in Lisle, Illinois September 24-26. They learned about many forest health topics including oak dec
line,
emerald ash borer
resistance, and emerging threats.
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Arkansas Grown Magazine
The Arkansas Department of Agriculture exists to serve and promote Arkansas agriculture, our state’s largest industry. Our goal with each edition of Arkansas Grown is to provide you an overview of the breadth and diversity of Arkansas agriculture and the families that make the industry possible.
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*From The National Agricultural Law Center
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Arkansas Ag Fac
t: Arkansas Pumpkin Production
- There are more than 87 farms that commercially produce pumpkins in Arkansas on 363 Acres.
- Of those farms, 84 of them produced the pumpkins for sale in markets and pumpkin patches around the state, and three raised them for commercial processing.
- The number of farms reporting a pumpkin crop in Arkansas rose by 33 percent since the last USDA census was taken.
- Pumpkin Hollow in Piggott is listed as one of the top 15 pumpkin patches in the U.S. by the Travel Channel.
- Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October.
Source: USDA Census
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