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.
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.
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.
Severe thunderstorms with winds of more than 80 mph knocked down trees and power lines Sunday night in the eastern part of the state, causing widespread damage and power outages and leading to another delay in planting for delta farmers. Learn more from Arkansas County Farm Bureau agency manager Chuck Wallace and farmer and ArFB board member Terry Dabbs of Stuttgart.
This week, we talk to Dr. Amanda Perez, a professor and Food Safety Specialist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture about how produce and specialty crop farmers are adjusting their businesses during the COVID-19 crisis, and we catch up with UA Division of Agriculture Wheat and Feed Grains agronomist Jason Kelley to discuss how rainfall has delayed this year’s corn crop planting and the impact Covid-19 concerns are having on crop farmers. And we also hear from John Gavin, staff chair of the Bradley County Cooperative Extension Service about tomato production in southeast Arkansas.
The second half of our extended interview with John Anderson, chair of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas Bumpers College, who explains the challenges facing the livestock market during this coronavirus crisis, as well as the impact of labor challenges and other key issues in agriculture.
