Arkansas AgCast

Brett Ausley is a young cattleman producing and marketing Wagyu beef on his family ranch in Hot Spring County. He got into Wagyu about five years ago and he’s selling it directly to consumers through social media and to local restaurants. In this edition of Arkansas Agcast, this entrepreneurial young rancher shares what led him to pursue this niche, premium market.

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.