Learn why Arkansas needs to return to state meat inspection, find out about the "mass timber" movement in the state, and get a "Year in Review" from Arkansas Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Warren Carter. Plus, Phil Tappe of UA at Monticello talks about retirement.
This week, we learn about the development of the first Roundup-ready forage soybean from Eagle Seed and we talk to Pope County’s Sam Cecil, Arkansas’s representative at the U.S. Meat Export Federation. We also talk turkey with Poultry Federation head Marvin Childers.
Phil and Lesia Hamaker own Hamaker Farms, a family cattle, poultry and produce operation at Junction City, south of El Dorado. They were the 2015 Southwest District Farm Family of the Year. Their operation consists of four poultry houses, high tunnel produce houses that allow them to extend their season for squash, tomatoes, greens and other produce, and cross-bred angus and charolais cattle. They've also established their own Farmers Market on their produce farm in northern Louisiana that is attracting a number of loyal customers. This is their story.
This week, we talk about the results of this year’s Arkansas Farm Bureau survey of the cost of traditional Thanksgiving dinner items and we learn about how the pandemic has affected the logging and timber industry in Arkansas. We also get a lesson on the history of soybeans in the state, along with details of a new survey of forest landowners and tips on battling bugs that cause problems for livestock.
Folks often call him "The Pecan Man," and with good reason. Billy Wilchman of Paw Paw's Pecans in Conway County loves sharing his extensive knowledge of these delicious nuts.
This week, we talk to an Oklahoma National Stockyards beef broker about the challenges cattle ranchers have faced in 2020 and what’s ahead next year. We also catch up with James Meeks of Triple M Farms, who tells us about how COVID-19 has affected his produce business and we learn about the recently upgraded Senter & Sons Cotton Gin in Osceola. We also talk to Terry Laster of Union County about the pandemic problems that have hit poultry growers.
Jim Carroll III of Brinkley will conclude his year as chair of the United Soybean Board next month. It's been a challenging year dealing with Covid-19 and the weather delayed his ability to plant and harvest his crops. He took time recently during his soybean harvest to update us on what it's been like to chair USB during the pandemic and what he's learned from the experience.
Like most other crop farmers, rain and cold, wet weather has delayed harvest for David Sites of Jefferson County. He provided this update from his farm near Altheimer recently where he’s hoping sunshine and wind will dry his fields and allow him to complete harvesting his soybeans this week.
This week, we catch up with Michael Sparks of the Arkansas Chapter of the Farmer Veterans Coalition to talk about the group’s upcoming Veteran’s Day celebration. We also talk to Monroe County’s Jim Carroll about wrapping up his term as chair of the United Soybean Board, and learn about Prestonrose Farm & Brewing Co. in the Arkansas River Valley, a destination craft brewery with locally grown food options. And, finally, we hear from Arkansas Farm Bureau state affairs director Jeff Pitchford about Tuesday’s election results.
