James Meeks is a fifth-generation farmer who has become known across Arkansas and region for his tomato, watermelon and "u-pick" produce operation near Hamburg in Ashley County. He and his business partner have overcome regulatory and workforce challenges and built their Triple M Farms into a key tomato provider for Walmart, Subway restaurants and a number of roadside vendors. He spoke to us about his love of growing tomatoes, industry challenges and the uncertain future of the business.

This year has been a roller coaster ride for many Arkansas producers. Jackson County's John “Bubba” Sink, who farms rice, corn and soybeans, shared the high points and the low points of the season in this interview.

Peach farmer Mark Morgan and his family run Peach Pickin' Paradise in Lamar just outside of Clarksville, where they grow almost two dozen varieties of peaches and nectarines. With peach season in full swing in Arkansas, Morgan took a few minutes to tell us how the crop looks this year and what "peach pickers" can expect when they head out to get this sweet summertime favorite.

By Memorial Day weekend, only half of Arkansas’ cotton acreage for 2019 had been planted, but as cotton extension agronomist Bill Robertson tells us, figures obtained by the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Program show planted cotton acres now exceed 580,000. That means this is the fourth year of increased cotton acreage and the highest planted acreage since 2012. Learn more in this edition of Arkansas AgCast.

Abraham Carpenter Jr. talks about how weather has made this perhaps the most difficult planting season he's faced during his decades of growing produce. Carpenter and his family run Carpenter Produce, multi-generational farm in Lincoln County that has been in operation for more than 50 years.

A Horticulture Field Day was held recently in Hope. Dr. Amanda McWhirt, horticulture extension specialist with the University of Arkansas, talks about the research going on at the Southwest Research and Extension Center and the crops they grow there, particularly blueberries and blackberries, watermelons and muscadines.

Randy Arnold grows strawberries on his farm outside of Alma. The heavy rains this season have challenged strawberry growers statewide. In this video, Arnold discusses how he’s dealing with this year’s weather-created problems.

Forage expert and UA professor John Jennings updates us on the continued wet weather and what livestock producers are facing in their pastures.

Farmer Derek Helms, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Clark County Staff Chair Amy Simpson and John David Farabough of the UA Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service discuss how many farmers in the state are experiencing delays in planting, loss of yields and rushed field prep times due to excessive rains.

Rain has created serious problems for many Arkansas farmers, putting many substantially behind on spring planting. Monroe County Farm Bureau President Bo Mason discussed how wet weather has caused delays of a month or more on his 2,500-acre row-crop farm near Brinkley.