The theme of the 2017 Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers conference was “Thrive to Survive.” That’s exactly what the 350 or so who attended the annual gathering in Little Rock are doing. They are the future of agriculture in Arkansas. Miller County cattleman Chase Groves and his wife Krystal chair the ArFB state YF&R committee. He sat down to share his thoughts on the vital role of his generation in advocating for the state’s largest industry to ensure it remains profitable and sustainable.

The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences at the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University have formed a partnership to help fill a need for more graduates in poultry science. Dr. Tim Burcham, dean of the ASU College of Agriculture, Engineering and Technology, discusses the launch of this dual transfer "3-plus-1" bachelor’s degree program and its future benefits to the poultry industry in Arkansas.

More than 150 Arkansas farmers and ranchers participated in Arkansas Farm Bureau’s "Farmers’ Day at the Capitol" on Feb. 8. Agricultural producers met with their senators and representatives to speak with them in person about agricultural priorities. Listen to our interview with Jackson County farmer Jeff Rutledge, as he explains why the day was so important for the state’s largest industry.

As the number of family dairy farms continue to decline in Arkansas, Simon Brothers dairy near Conway endures. In this conversation, Matt Simon shares how he and his brothers are able to remain in business and what he believes needs to happen to the milk pricing system to make family dairy farming profitable again.

Arkansas Farm Bureau president Randy Veach discusses agricultural priorities for 2017 and offers his reaction to President Donald Trump's initial actions on international trade policy. He also shares his views on President Trump's nominees to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Environmental Protection Agency.

The 115th Congress is now in session in Washington D.C. and House and Senate members are discussing possible changes to the federal tax code. Some of the proposed changes may benefit farmers and ranchers, while others may create new challenges. A special workshop, “Tax Code Changes that Could Impact Your Bottom Line,” was conducted at the American Farm Bureau annual convention in Phoenix this week to inform farmers and ranchers about what to expect. Hear workshop leaders Brennis Craddock and Patricia Wolff sum up their key concerns.

JoeThrash by Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation