Arkansas Farm Bureau Podcast

Krista Cupp, vice president of The Herald Group in Washington, D.C. was selected to be the keynote speaker during both days of the Arkansas Women in Agriculture Conference in North Little Rock, and with good reason. She's been working for years to help close the gap between food producers and consumers. Hear how she thinks women in agriculture can positively change how farmers and farming are viewed by the world.

President Donald Trump has signed orders imposing new tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, excluding Canada and Mexico. According to an analysis conducted by economists with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, if other trade partners inflict a 25 percent retaliatory tariff on U.S. grain crops it could mean $383 million in overall value-added losses to Arkansas agriculture. Dr. Eric Wailes, distinguished professor of economics for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, discusses the analysis and why agriculture could be a target for retaliation.

Arkansas cotton farmers have been struggling due to heavily subsidized foreign fiber competition and other factors, but new programs are now available to help. In this interview, Arkansas Farm Bureau's Brandy Carroll provides the details on these programs, sign-up dates and more.

Recently, more than 100 private landowners in southern Arkansas attended a multi-county timber marketing workshop in Calhoun County. They learned the basics of tree identification and estimating the value of their timber. Workshop participants Jaret Rushing, staff chair of the Calhoun County Cooperative Extension Service, and Kyle Cunningham, assistant professor of forestry for the UA System Division of Agriculture, explain what landowners need to know to effectively market their timber and get the most value for their trees.

We recently had an opportunity to sit down with State Forester Joe Fox of the Arkansas Forestry Commission to discuss the state of the industry in Arkansas. Fox reflected on the outbreak of wildfires last year, as well as the employment and economic outlook for the timber and wood products industry in 2018.

Grant County Farm Bureau held a "legislative breakfast" last week where issues such as the “right to farm,” dicamba and education were all discussed. In this conversation, Grant County President Peggy Thomas and State Senator Bruce Maloch share their thoughts on the value and importance of Farm Bureau’s grassroots legislative outreach efforts.

The Seed Survivor mobile classroom program is making the rounds at elementary schools across east Arkansas. The latest stop was Woodlawn Elementary in Cleveland County. The interactive program, provided by Nutrien Crop Production Services, teaches students about the life cycle of plants and how food gets from the farm to their table.

Black vultures are a persistent problem for some farmers around the state. The population of these aggressive vultures has increased in recent years and this has led to an increase in property damage and livestock loss. Learn more about this issue and potential solutions in our latest podcast.

Taylor McNeel of Vilonia is set to graduate from Southern Arkansas University this spring, after taking a year off in 2016 to serve as president of the national FFA organization. Taylor attended the Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmer and Rancher conference this past weekend and sat down to discuss her past and future and why it's up to millennials like herself to be the “voice” for agriculture now, not just in the future.

At the recent Arkansas Farm Bureau Forestry Division meeting, we sat down with Max Braswell, executive vice president of the Arkansas Forestry Association, to discuss a ranger of issues, from wildfire prevention and the need for more non-commercial landowners to participate in the association's tree farm program to the overall outlook for the industry in 2018. Listen to our interview to learn more.

A forum to bring all members of the Arkansas equine industry together to address priority issues facing horse ownership has been scheduled for later this year. The forum was a primary topic of discussion at the recent Arkansas Farm Bureau equine division meeting. Steve Jones chairs the division and in this conversation says the forum is needed to help unify the equine community in the state. Max Braswell Executive Vice President Arkansas Forestry Association

Listen to our interview with Arkansas Farm Bureau State Board Member Jon Carroll of Moro as he discusses the work of the Voluntary Smoke Management Guidelines Task Force recently formed by the state’s rice industry. Task force members are working together to find ways farmers can voluntarily manage this smoke from field burning to reduce concern about the possibility of any associated health and environmental impacts.

Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach was interviewed on KARN Jan. 8 to talk about NAFTA's effect on Arkansas, guest worker programs and more!

Subfreezing temperatures the past two weeks may actually be a blessing to Arkansas soybean producers and some other growers. The cold weather has helped reduce the troublesome redbanded stink bug population in the state. In this conversation, Dr. Gus Lorenz, University of Arkansas Extension entomologist, says that while mild winters the past couple of years has allowed the stink bug to thrive in the, that shouldn’t be the case in 2018.

Michelle Miller, a popular blogger and speaker known as the "Farm Babe," spoke at the 99th Annual American Farm Bureau Convention in Nashville. We caught up to her after her presentation for a discussion about some common food myths, farmers reaching out to consumers and more.

The U.S. cattle industry is producing more beef than at any time in history and demand for it continues to expand domestically and around the world. In this conversation, Dr. Darrell Peel, a livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University, discusses the current state of the industry and what cattlemen may expect entering the new year.

We sat down with Lauren Waldrip Ward, executive director of the Arkansas Rice Federation, to discuss the rise of "riced" vegetable products and the problematic way these products are being marketed to consumers.

Earlier this year only around 125,000 acres of wheat was harvested – out of a 200,000-acre crop, one of the smallest on record. And this fall continuing low prices led growers to plant only around 200,000 acres. On top of that, much of Arkansas is experiencing drought-like conditions that began in September. In this conversation, extension wheat and feed grains agronomist Jason Kelley discusses how the lack of rainfall is affecting this year’s crop.

Arkansas has been experiencing drought conditions since September, especially in the southwest part of the state. In fact, the month of November was the driest on record for many counties. This having an impact on some farm and ranch operations, limiting the amount of pasture available to ranchers for grazing their herds. John Jennings, a forage specialist for the Cooperative Extension Service, explains the impact an extended winter drought will have on livestock operations.

Luke and Deedee Alston of Polk County, owners of Holly Springs Homestead near Mena, were named the 2017 Arkansas Farm Family of the Year. After receiving the award, they took time to share what the honor means to them and how they will use this platform to educate visitors to the homestead about why agriculture is so important to Arkansas.