Arkansas Farm Bureau hosted a Connectivity Summit June 3 with lawmakers and other stakeholders from across Arkansas to advocate for affordable, reliable high-speed broadband service for its members and for Arkansas.

Read the latest edition of the Farm Bureau Press.

On this week's edition, we hear about important issues facing the beef cattle industry. We also get an update on this year's rice crop and we take a look at overall row-crop planting progress and find out what might lie ahead this growing season.

The finalists in Arkansas Farm Bureau’s annual Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Achievement Award and Excellence in Agriculture Award have been announced. The awards honor young farmers and ranchers between the ages of 18-35 for the general excellence of their operations, their hard work and innovation.

The Olds Farm in Rosboro, Arkansas is a place for students in the region to experience true hands-on learning. Now with the help of the Caddo Career Consortium they've dedicated a new Show Barn that enhances the ways agriculture is taught in the area. The barn is already housing animals and hosting events, but if you listen to anyone attending the dedication ceremony they'll tell you this ag-focused community is just getting started.

The Local Food, Farms and Jobs Act of 2019 was passed to help strengthen local farm and food economies and expand access to locally grown and produced foods. The Act asked state agencies, including schools, to set a goal of purchasing at least 20 percent of food from Arkansas producers. We visited Newton County to learn how one local rancher is working to provide meat for the local school system.

Matt King has been promoted to Senior Vice President of Administration and Advocacy at Arkansas Farm Bureau, according to Warren Carter, ArFB’s executive vice president. In his new role, King will drive internal and external alignment that improve the organization’s advocacy efforts that support agriculture and rural Arkansas. He will assist Carter with the organization’s administrative functions and strategic priorities.

Crawfish are an Arkansas favorite... to eat. Yet few in the state raise their own. Is crawfish farming viable here? One farmer in Southwest Arkansas has made a successful hobby harvesting crawfish, but he hasn't done it without learning a few interesting lessons along the way.

On this weeks episode we hear about Arkansas Cicades from Dr. Aaron Cato and we also talk to Marianna farmer Nathan Reed about his restoration of abandoned tractors. Finally we hear from Arkansas Farm Bureau's Mark Lambert on the agricultural impacts of the Memphis Mississippi River bridge closure.

In 1996, Arkansas Farm Bureau Women's Leadership Committee began a partnership with the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas that continues today. This month, the committee and staff at Ronald McDonald House commemorated the 25th anniversary of the partnership with a special event, during which the women's committee made its annual $4,000 donation. The donation will be used to purchase food and supplies to feed families staying at Ronald McDonald House to be near seriously ill children receiving treatment at Arkansas Children's Hospital.