News - October 2018

Livestock losses to spring’s buffalo gnat outbreak in Arkansas County near 100

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – An outbreak of southern buffalo gnats in late March and early April caused the deaths of nearly 100 domesticated animals and at least 280 deer in Arkansas County, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture researchers said this week.

APAC hosts Arkansas Veterans Business Forum Nov. 8

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The Arkansas Procurement Assistance Center is hosting an Arkansas Veterans Business Forum Nov. 8 as part of National Veterans Small Business Week.

Public Policy Center produces neutral voting guide on statewide ballot issues

LITTLE ROCK— Arkansas has 1.7 million voters, but there is often a low turnout on Election Day. In fact, for the vast majority of counties in the state, voter turnout tends to be less than 55 percent, according to data published Tuesday by the Washington Post.

Avian neuroscientists identify new stress response component in poultry brain

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Avian neuroscientists at the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture probing the neural pathways for stress response have identitifed a new structure of neurons in the poultry brain.

Food science department marks 50 years during annual OFPA meeting

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Responding to emerging needs in Arkansas agriculture in 1968, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the U of A’s Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences organized the department of horticultural food science, led by A.A. Kattan, a pioneer in food research.

Sara Brown selected as Arkansas 4-H Foundation managing director

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Years of work in higher education and a passion for helping students are the tools Garland County native Sara Brown is bringing to her new job as managing director for the Arkansas 4-H Foundation.

Nov. 16 workshop set to help keep forest, ag or recreational lands in the family tree

LITTLE ROCK – The issues surrounding inheritance can be difficult to discuss with family, but a Nov. 16 workshop will help provide the communication skills needed to start the process to keep forest, agricultural or recreational lands within the family tree.

2018 Urban Homesteading Conference brings focus to backyard-friendly concepts

RISON, Ark. – What began as a little dabbling at home has turned into the Arkansas Homesteading Conference – a series of meetings that provide information and demonstrations on sustainable living techniques.

Matlock, champion of science in sustainability, honored with Borlaug CAST Communication Award

DES MOINES, Iowa – Social connections and urban agriculture are waypoints to human prosperity, said Marty Matlock, winner of the Borlaug Communication Award from CAST, the Council for Agricultural Science and Technology.

Milk wars: Controversy over plant-based ‘milk’ explained in Ag Law Center white paper

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Although debate and conflict have surrounded the term “milk” since 1997, there have been recent strides in the dairy industry’s conflict regarding the labeling of plant-based products as “milk.” A publication from the National Agricultural Law Center explains the dispute’s history, facts and recent events.

Grant County school garden named overall winner in state contest 

SHERIDAN, Ark. – The Sheridan Intermediate School Garden, which doubles as a lab and a source of food for the school cafeteria, has been named the overall winner in the 2018 Arkansas School Garden of the Year Contest.

New beekeeping classes scheduled for Hope

HOPE, Ark.— Arkansans interested in beekeeping will have the opportunity to learn everything they need to know to begin safely and successfully keeping honey bees during a series of weekly classes offered in October and November.

Continuing rains string soybean, cotton harvest along

LITTLE ROCK – Heavy rains covering much of Arkansas, beginning late last week and continuing through the weekend, have further slowed harvest for both cotton and soybeans, and are already causing significant discounts in payout to growers, experts with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture said Monday.

Regenerative medicine innovator, entrepreneur giving seminars Oct. 25-26

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A researcher currently working on exosome therapy for brain injuries and whose innovations and entrepreneurship have led to 16 patents, will be giving two seminars Oct. 25-26 at the University of Arkansas’ Fayetteville campus.

POSTPONED: ‘Walk in the Woods’ forest management event rescheduled to Nov. 9

LITTLE ROCK – Because recent rains have put the host site under water, the Walt in the Wood program on forest management is being postponed until Friday, Nov. 9.

Oct. 17 webinar to cover food safety and the law

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Jacqueline Schweichler, staff attorney at the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, will address recent developments in the Food Safety Modernization Act through a webinar hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center Wednesday, Oct. 17 at noon.

No one’s been pruning your trees, Arkansas: It’s just the twig girdler

LITTLE ROCK – Across Arkansas, a state in which both forested and urban areas have more than their fair share of hickory, pecan and persimmon trees, by any measure, some homeowners have become alarmed at collections of twigs and small branches found around the base of these trees on their property — cut so cleanly from the tree that it surely must’ve been the work of an uninvited arborist.

Division researchers identify alleles to improve soybean drought resistance

LITTLE ROCK— Recent research conducted by University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture researchers has found genetic markers in soybeans that could help improve drought tolerance.

U of A weed science team wins southern region competition

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas weed science team won the Southern Weed Science Society 2018 Southern Weed Contest in August at the Agricenter International in Memphis, Tennessee.

Health, protein and food security to be discussed at 2018 World Woman Summit

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An Arkansas researcher who uses a molecule-to-man approach to her study of protein and metabolic helth will be among those exploring the future of food during the World Woman Summit, Oct. 11-12 at the Clinton Presidential Center in Little Rock.

Pulaski County Master Gardeners take top honors for 28-year effort at Pinnacle

LITTLE ROCK – The Pulaski County Master Gardener’s long-term project at Pinnacle Mountain State Park has nabbed one of the state’s top honors, the 2018 Master Gardener Project of the Year among counties with 51 members or more.

4-H Week seeks to ‘Inspire Kids to Do’

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Since 1942 youths, parents, volunteers and alumni have taken one week out of the year to celebrate and promote 4-H. This year, the organization is “inspiring kids to do” as members celebrate the 76^th consecutive National 4-H Week.

Guffey, Walkingstick honored by Arkansas Forestry Association

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Caroll Guffey and Tamara Walkingstick, two extension faculty members from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture,were honored Thursday by the Arkansas Forestry Association for their educational efforts.

Video highlights research on pollinator habitat plots

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Michelle Wisdom stepped up when loss of habitat meant the nation’s pollinators were in need of food and housing.

Historic National Direct Marketing Agricultural Summit co-chaired by Ron Rainey

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture provided leadership to host the National Direct Agricultural Marketing Summit, the first national conference focused on providing technical assistance to direct marketing practitioners and stakeholders.

2018 Forage Tour aims to give producers an edge in livestock production

BATESVILLE, Ark. – Ranchers and livestock producers will have the opportunity to learn which forages will give them the most bang for their buck in the fall at the 2018 Arkansas Forage and Grassland Council Conference and Tour, scheduled for Nov. 2.

Pittman, Rumley to appear at Texas A&M Law Review Agricultural Law Symposium

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The National Agricultural Law Center will be weighing in on the evolving landscape of right-to-farm laws and offering a legislative update during the 2018 Texas A&M Law Review Fall Symposium on Friday in Fort Worth, Texas.

Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researcher awarded $500,000 for swine microbiome study

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – A University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture researcher’s efforts to understand how exposure to top soil affects the gut microbiome and feed efficiency in pigs have earned him a $500,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

2019 Horticulture Industry Show to highlight pollinators

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – From fruit enthusiasts to Christmas tree producers, there’s something for everyone at the 2019 Horticulture Industry Show.