Throughout the COVID-19 lockdown, we've been reaching out to experts to tell us more about how different segments of agriculture have been dealing with challenges caused by the crisis. Recently, we spoke to a state legislator, an FFA advisor and educator, a professor and expert on specialty crops and the executive vice president of the Arkansas Cattlemen's Association. We also received an update on the recently completed legislative fiscal session from ArFB's Jeff Pitchford.
This week, we talk to our own Jason Smedley about levee restoration priorities and coordination of levee management in Arkansas. We also talk with Rusty Rumley of the National Agricultural Law Center in Fayetteville about issues related to the COVID-19 outbreak and we hear from State Representative Jeff Wardlaw about challenges facing produce growers and this year’s Arkansas tomato crop.
Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Women’s Leadership Committee and the Farm Bureau Foundation have donated $50,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas to help offset projected shortfalls as a result of COVID-19. The ArFB Women’s Leadership Committee has a lengthy history of support for the Ronald McDonald House, which provides a “home-away-from-home” for more than 38,000 families sent to Little Rock for life-saving medical care for their child.
Amanda McWhirt, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Extension fruit and vegetable specialist and professor, talks about damages to specialty crops from weather and other challenges facing growers.
This week, we talk to Jara Settles of the Livestock Marketing Association in Kansas City about the importance of livestock auctions and we hear from Julia Fryer of the Cooperative Extension Service about produce safety. We also learn about a new website for local businesses and nonprofits called UpliftArkansas.
The spring planting season continues, despite challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, storms and extreme cold snaps. Arkansas farmers and ranchers and agriculture industry leaders continue their work to provide us with reports and updates from their fields, workshops and offices. Here's a selection of recent videos.
The Farm Bureau Insurance companies announced Thursday a $500,000 gift to the six foodbanks that cover the state of Arkansas, anchored by the Arkansas Foodbank, which represents 33 counties in Central Arkansas. “Farm Bureau’s founding mission is to support the families that put food on our tables,” said Rich Hillman, Carlisle rice farmer and president of Arkansas Farm Bureau. “Providing relief to our communities in a time of need is a core value of the Farm Bureau. Offering a helping hand to our friends at the Arkansas Foodbank and their partners who provide similar services throughout Arkansas is critical at this time.”
This week, we talk to Dr. Matthew Pelkki, economist and professor at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, about the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the timber industry. We also get an update from Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Jason Smedley on the new Farm Corps program that connects job-seeking National Guard and Reserve soldiers and other military veterans to jobs in agriculture. And we hear from Arkansas Farm Bureau’s specialty crops expert John McMinn about issues facing that sector of agriculture.
