Livestock farmers Cody Hopkins and Andrea Todt are part of a co-op that sells meat directly to consumers online. They utilize blockchain technology that allows customers to know how their meat was raised, what it was fed, who raised it and more. In this edition of Arkansas AgCast, Hopkins describes the value of block chain technology to his operation and for consumers.
Southern Arkansas University Tech in Camden hosted a special ribbon cutting and panel discussion to celebrate some $20 million in funding for a cooperative venture bringing high-speed internet access to a critically undeserved area of Arkansas. U.S. Congressman Bruce Westerman was on hand, as was Mark Lundy, president of Arkansas Rural Internet Service, the venture that worked to attract the funding.
Around 100 growers and fruit specialists attended a meeting in Little Rock Feb. 16 to discuss the formation of an Arkansas Blackberry Growers Association. It was also an opportunity for growers to learn about a new blackberry variety and how to effectively market their crops. Listen to our interviews with a horticulture specialist and a blackberry grower.
Arkansas Farm Bureau Chief Economist Travis Justice gives a sneak peek of the soon-to-be-published Arkansas Beef Industry Assessment survey and his perspective of the state's $750 million beef business.
Former Arkansas Farm Family of the Year winner and Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year Brian Kirksey describes horticulture trends and the history of his Spring Creek Nursery near Amity in Clark County.
At the Arkansas Agriculture Department's 2019 Local Conversations event at the Hermitage Community Center in Bradley County last week, crop farmers joined local school food service and nutrition directors, food distribution representatives and other industry representatives to discuss marketing opportunities for locally grown products. See what the event was like and hear from those who attended.
