Meet the Beardens of Friendship (Hot Spring Co.), winners of this year’s Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award. The Beardens own and operate Fowler & Bearden Farm where they raise 250 cow-calf pairs. In addition to their cattle, they own a set of timber, grow hay and raise horses and cross-bred sheep. The Beardens are the sixth and seventh generation and had the unique opportunity to purchase their own part of the family farm before it transitioned ownership. Learn more about how the Beardens have built an award-winning farming operation.

Meet Chris and Brooklyn Heiser of Lamar (Johnson Co.), they are finalists for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Excellence in Ag Award. The Heisers have a commercial and registered cattle herd of SimAngus and angus cattle. Off the farm, Chris manages Wilkins Farms and Brooklyn manages Sweet Treats Sandwich and Pie Shop. Learn more about the couple, their growing farm and their desire to give back to their community and agriculture.

Meet the McCartys! Dayton and Lauren McCarty of Mountain View (Stone Co.) are finalists for the Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award. The McCartys have six broiler houses, a registered black angus herd and produce commercial hay. Learn more about the couple, their growing farm and their children in our new video.

Storms brought destructive winds across several parts of the state. Clay Parker’s Farm in Carlisle saw wind gusts up to 90 mph damaging corn crops, grain bins, and other structures.

Wind and hail hammered farms last weekend across Arkansas. Some specialty crops in the southeast corner of the state could be a complete loss. Royal C Farms in Ashley County was one of the harder hit, and its damage compounded when power lines fell in fields.

On this week's AgCast episode, we share how Arkansas farmers can lend their voice to an important river project, we share news of a new State Forester and share the announcement of a new EVP at ArFB. All that and much more, check it out now.

An F-2 tornado tore up farms early Sunday from Subiaco to Lamar. Cattle/poultry farmer Tom Strobel likely lost two chicken houses and says he hasn't experienced more destruction in 60-plus years. Producers like Strobel lose income when they can't house chickens but by working with legislators on the next farm bill, Arkansas Farm Bureau aims to help them recover quickly.

Multiple storms over the past two weeks brought needed rain to Arkansas farms, but some included heavy winds and crop damaging hail. Some fear a total loss, especially in extreme Northeast Arkansas. Extension experts say only time will tell.

On this week's AgCast episode, we talk about the new EPA biotech rule for gene-edited plants, an update on Arkansas's planting progress and crop conditions, the weather effect of El Niño and a Mississippi River mega-study. You don't want to miss this episode. Listen now!

Hear from Ronnie Ritter to learn more about the Arkansas Hunters Feeding the Hungry program and the support they receive from the Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation.