As we move deeper into a rainy spring planting season, farmers and ranchers and agriculture industry leaders around the state continue their work to put food on tables and shelves during the COVID-19 pandemic. They also continue to provide us with reports and updates from their fields, workshops and offices about their efforts, highlighting the fact that agriculture is essential during these difficult times
This week, we talk to John Crangle, FFA advisor and vo-ag instructor at Bismarck High School in Hot Spring County, about adapting to at-home, online instruction and Jay and Valorie Lee of JV Farms near Bismarck about the adjustments their making to their direct-to-consumer sales operation. We also catch up with Randy Arnold, a strawberry grower near Alma who's facing uncertainty with his u-pick and farm-to-school operations. Finally, we have part one of a special interview with John Anderson, chair of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at the University of Arkansas, who explains the challenges facing the livestock market during this crisis.
We profile Jim Carroll of Brinkley, the first Arkansan to serve as chair of the United Soybean Board, and we look at pest problems that farmers may face this spring and summer. We also have a wrap-up of the Arkansas Farm Bureau President's Leadership & Advocacy Tour of Washington, D.C. and columns on policy and ag law.
This week, we talk to rice agronomist Jarrod Hardke about the outlook for this year’s crop and what the current crisis means for farmers. We also talk to ag economist Scott Stiles about the impact of rains and the pandemic on agriculture and markets. Finally, we catch up with Andy Shaw of Cypress Valley Meat Company, to learn how they’re going about their work in the current environment, and farmer Tommy Young interviews
Since the coronavirus crisis response kicked into high gear this week, we've been getting reports from Arkansas farmers and ranchers in their fields and workshops, telling us that they're continuing their work to provide the food, fiber and shelter the country and world need. Take a look at a collection of these reports from around the state and find out what they're doing and the challenges they're facing.
This week, we talk to Fourth District Congressman Bruce Westerman about the impact of the corona virus on work at the Capitol, the importance of his Trillion Trees Act and other major issues for agriculture in the state. We also talk to an Oklahoma cattle broker about the impact of the virus crisis on beef cattle prices and to the Department Head of Animal Science at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville about how livestock at the university are being cared for during the school’s current shutdown.
The Abandoned Pesticide Collection Program was established in 1999 and began in earnest in 2005. Since then, thousands of pounds of unused pesticides have been collected from farmers through special collection events held twice a year. Recently, Lonoke County Fairgrounds hosted one of these events, and farmers dropped off more than 100,000 pounds of unused chemicals. Watch and learn more from Susie Nichols, who oversees the program for the Arkansas Department of Agriculture.
Agricultural technology is advancing so fast, farmers sometimes need outside help to make the best use of these advancements and be as efficient as possible. Watch Brent Lassiter of Newport explain how the team at his business, ProAg Services, provides local producers with a means to manage all aspects of their crop production.
This week, we talk to representatives of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture about the recent Local Conversations event in McCrory, and we catch up with two new inductees into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame. We also speak to Keith Perkins, an agent with the Lonoke County Cooperative Extension Service, about the implications of recent wet weather for planting season.
