Arkansas AgCast

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.