Chicot County row crop farmer and former state representative Sammy Angel wears many hats. He was recently elected president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. He is also chairman of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture board, chair of the Chicot Memorial Medical Center board, Lake Village Fire Department Chief and he manages the historic Epstein Cotton Gin in Lake Village.
We visited with him recently for a tour of the more than 100-year-old gin and let him share the importance and mission of his new role with the Ginners Association.
Arkansas dairy farmers testified in support of HB 1729 during a Senate Agriculture Committee meeting March 23. The legislation safeguards the state's dairy industry by leveling the playing field and ensuring Arkansas dairy producers are paid a fair price for their product - Class 1 fluid milk. Arkansas Farm Bureau supports the bill and following the committee meeting Bill Haak, chair of ArFB's dairy division, spoke about why passage of the legislation is so support and the grassroots process that brought dairy farmers to this point.
Delta Peanut leaders Tommy Jumper, David Wildy and Byron Small shared their thoughts on Arkansas' growing peanut industry at an Arkansas Peanut Month celebration in Jonesboro March 25.
In honor of National Agriculture Day, State Sen. Greg Leding was recognized by Arkansas Farm Bureau and state dairy farmers for his lead sponsorship of what is now Act 131, which helps safeguard animal agriculture in Arkansas. Sen. Leding, Farm Bureau Secretary-Treasurer Dan Wright and Farm Bureau Director of Policy Development Jessica Burkham share why protecting and celebrating agriculture is so important.
Last year, Jeremy Wiedeman of Corning used minimum tillage, cover crops, Delta Plastics’ Pipe Planner and watermark sensors to maximize water-use efficiency on his Clay County soybean farm. His efforts paid off with a first-place win in the “Most Crop Per Drop” contest sponsored by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
Allen and Karen Davis of Paragould were both raised on family farms, so it's no surprise that the livestock and row-crop farm they started more than 40 years ago revolves around family as well. Join us as we visit with them, their children and their grandchildren at their Greene County homestead.
The Agri Health Network was founded to help others recognize signs of stress and offer opportunities to help deal with that stress through faith, family and community with other farmers. Listen as some of the key people in the organization talk about its importance for those needing help.
Hamilton Farms is one of several family commercial produce and tomato operations in southeast Arkansas. The Hamiltons were the 2019 Bradley County Farm Family of the Year. Steele Hamilton is continuing the family legacy with his father Donald. Though the winter storm in February delayed it a couple of weeks, the 2021 planting season is underway. Steele says they have a passion for growing a flavorful, quality product for customers who come from across the country for their vine-ripe tomatoes.
As winter turns to spring logging crews in south Arkansas are thinning tree stands on ground that’s dry enough for harvest. Like other commodities, timber prices are cyclical. Record low mortgage interest rates are driving a sharp increase in home building, creating a demand for pine timber and lumber. Grant Pace, chair of Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Forestry Division provides this update on the state’s timber industry and what this economic climate means for private landowners.
Renee Threlfall is a grape and wine researcher for the University of Arkansas System Extension - UAEX. She helps lead the Arkansas Quality Wine program. AQW is presently conducting an online consumer survey about Arkansas wines and ag tourism visits to Arkansas wineries. Threlfall talks about the survey which runs online through April 1.
