Read the latest edition of the Farm Bureau Press.

We talked to Dr. Karen Ballard, professor of program evaluation for the Cooperative Extension Service’s Community, Professional & Economic Development Department, and Dr. Julie Robinson, associate professor in the Community, Professional & Economic Development Department, about their work on virtual teaching and professional meetings and how use of this technology is expanding during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This week, weather takes center stage. We hear from a National Weather Service Senior Forecaster John Lewis, Ag Extension Rice Agronomist Jarrod Hardke and Sevier County livestock and poultry grower Bruce Jackson about how excessive winds and rainfall from Hurricane Laura could impact Arkansas agriculture. We also get some tips and information for Arkansas small meat and poultry processors interested in the state’s new $5 million grant program for expanding processing capacity.

Kallem Hill grows broiler chickens for Wayne Farms in Perry. He has 18 poultry houses and, like other growers in the state, has suffered extended “out times” and other issues from the Covid-19 pandemic. In this update, Hill explains how Payment Protection Program assistance allowed him to pay his employees and says that things are slowly getting back to normal.

In this issue, we look at the challenges facing health care providers in rural Arkansas and we learn about a new state organization for veterans in agriculture. We also explore another Rural Road Trip destination and share the winning recipe from this year's Dairy Foods Contest.

In this Video AgCast, UA Food Science Research Specialist Renee Threlfall talks about grapes in Arkansas and the new, grant-funded Arkansas Quality Wine Program.

Friday, Aug. 21, was the third and final session of the 2020 Arkansas Farm Bureau President's Leadership Council, and the focus was on public affairs and government relations. ArFB's Jennifer Craig provides a recap and talks to two participants, Lindsey Holtzclaw and Kisia Weeks, to get their thoughts on the session.

Arkansas Farm Bureau on Friday praised Gov. Asa Hutchinson and members of the General Assembly after the body allocated $5 million from the federal CARES Act to create a grant program that will allow custom meat processors in Arkansas to expand and upgrade facilities.

Terry Kruse of McCrory is the 2020 Arkansas Catfish Farmer of the Year. He has been growing "U.S. Farm Raised Catfish" at Cain Fish Farm for more than 30 years. He spoke to us about receiving the honor and opportunity to promote this important sector of agriculture.

This week, we learn about a potential $5 million grant to help Arkansas meat processors expand. We also talk Catfish Month in Arkansas with Chad Causey of Catfish Farmers of America, and we discuss the recent outbreak of VSV that’s hitting horses in the state.