Producers of corn & soy beans can now apply for a second wave of assistance through the USDA's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Brandy Carroll, ArFB's Director of Commodity Activities & Market Information joined us to share important information about this program.

Kevin and Rebekah Hicks own Hicks Family Farms between Lonoke and Cabot. Their annual fall Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze opened October 3. But, because of Covid-19 they are only open on weekends and visitors must follow health department safety protocols. The Hicks have been welcoming families to their farm for the past 10 years, many of them repeat visitors. Though the experience will be different this year, they did not want the pandemic to prevent them from sharing this family-friendly experience with their neighbors and the public.

Robert Stobaugh farms rice, soybeans, wheat and corn with his brother Barry and nephew Bart on 6,000 acres in Conway County. We caught up to him as they were harvesting their first crop of row rice and asked him to share some thoughts on this year's harvest.

Chad Russell has been farming near Marianna since the mid-90s and grows cotton, corn and soybeans. Last year he joined other local farmers and added peanuts to his cotton rotation. For the third year in a row, persistent rainfall is slowing harvest, but as Russell says they will get the crops out and he expects good yields.

Producers of beef cattle, swine, sheep and dairy cattle can now apply for a second wave of assistance through the USDA's Coronavirus Food Assistance Program. Brandy Carroll, ArFB's Director of Commodity Activities & Market Information joined us to share important information about this program.

John "Bubba" Sink farms rice, soybeans, corn and wheat in Jackson County. He took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to tell us how the fall harvest is going so far.

Amanda Perez is a food systems and food safety expert with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. September is National Food Safety Education Month, and she gives us some advice about food safety during a pandemic.

The Arkansas rice industry donated 153,500 pounds of rice to the Arkansas Foodbank in honor of National Rice Month yesterday. The donation from seven mills will provide over 1.5 million servings of rice to help feed families, children and seniors across the state. We caught up with Kelly Robbins, new executive director of the Arkansas Rice Federation to hear all about it.

Ritter Agribusiness of Marked Tree was established in 1886 and continues to diversify its farming operations. In 2018, the company ventured into specialty crops by purchasing Gillam Farms in Judsonia, which was known primarily for its blackberry varieties. Ritter Farms now grows blueberries, strawberries and muscadines and is expanding its blackberry acreage for local sales and shipment across the country.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture released its latest Crop Production report recently. Brandy Rennicke Carroll, ArFB Director of Commodity Activities and Market Information, gave us an update on what it said about corn and soybeans, plus the latest supply and demand estimates for those commodities.