News - July 2021

Carbon, agribusiness and all things crypto to be focus of Aug. 18 webinar

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Carbon markets and crypto assets are rapidly evolving topics and the National Agricultural Law Center is hosting a free webinar Aug. 18 to provide clarity on how these technologies can be applied in the agriculture and environmental arenas.

Fritch wins Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award

FERNDALE, Ark. – Faith Fritch of Benton County won the 2021 Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award, the youth development program’s highest honor.  

August time to prep fields for stockpiled forage

LITTLE ROCK — Stockpiling bermudagrass or fescue for fall and winter grazing is one of the most reliable forage practices available for extending the grazing season. Farm demonstrations have consistently shown positive savings when comparing cost and yield of stockpiled forage versus harvesting and feeding hay.

Consumers spend more on services in 2nd quarter, less on durable goods

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Consumer spending continued to grow in the second quarter, but its rate of expansion was much slower than the previous quarter, according to Thursday’s report from the federal Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Researchers to expand search for cattle-disease transmitting ticks

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Researchers with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will be expanding their search this fall for ticks that may transmit anaplasmosis, a disease that can kill cattle.

Cooperative Extension Service, Arkansas Department of Agriculture kick off Arkansas Farmers Market Week

LITTLE ROCK — Farmers markets, long thought of as a niche affectation of suburban parking lots or roadside stands, truly came into their own over the past year. As many food retailers struggled to deal with supply chain bottlenecks and indoor capacity restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic, the typically outdoor farmers markets thrived as sources of fresh and local produce and other products.

Arkansas 4-H O-Rama takes hybrid approach to state-level competitions

FERNDALE, Ark. — Arkansas 4-H members from around the state are meeting this week, both in person and virtually, for the Arkansas 4-H O-Rama, the annual gathering to elect new state officers, compete at the state-level in events ranging from fly fishing to tractor maneuvers and more.

Ph.D. student receives American Society of Agronomy scholarship

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Carrie Ortel, a doctoral candidate in the University of Arkansas' Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, has been named recipient of the Nelson Yield-Limiting Factors Graduate Student Scholarship awarded by the American Society of Agronomy.

EPA grants crisis exemption to help Arkansas rice farmers fight armyworm scourge

LONOKE, Ark. — Arkansas’ rice farmers watching fall armyworms obliterate their fields can now fight back, with the federal Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday granting a crisis exemption enabling growers to use a needed insecticide.

Rising grain prices continue to squeeze Arkansas catfish industry

JONESBORO, Ark. — Rising grain prices are draining Arkansas’ catfish industry.

COVID case spike prompts cancelation of Arkansas field days; Rice field day will morph into online presentation

UNDATED — A rise in COVID-19 cases is prompting the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture to cancel in-person field days, with some morphing into online formats.

While market prices remain high, Arkansas soybean growers face challenges on the ground

LITTLE ROCK — With harvest about two months away for Arkansas soybeans, both the cash and book markets for the crop are well into double-digit dollars, with markets closing Friday as high as $14.31/bu. for cash crops and $13.51/bu. for booked. The question now, is: Who will be able to take full advantage of it?

Arkansas, Missouri present joint virtual turfgrass field day Aug. 12

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station and the University of Missouri Extension will co-host a Turfgrass Online Field Day Aug. 12.

Entomologists seek emergency-use exemption to help rice growers in ‘epic’ battle against armyworms

LONOKE, Ark. — University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture entomologists are seeking an emergency exemption to allow for the use of Intrepid to help control armyworms that threaten the state’s 1.24 million acres of rice. 

Arkansans asked to be on the lookout for invasive, destructive Box Tree Moth

LITTLE ROCK — The Box Tree Moth, an invasive insect already a serious pest in Europe may have been accidentally introduced into the United States through landscaping materials.

Master Gardeners offer online training

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Master Gardeners program, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, continues to be the state’s largest horticulture volunteer and education organization. Registration for its fall training, set to begin Sept. 22, is now open.

BACK TO SCHOOL: College students should develop a plan to manage finances

LITTLE ROCK —Tuition. Books. Various and sundry fees. There’s no doubt college students face significant financial challenges. A little financial planning will go a long way, said Laura Hendrix, associate professor and extension personal finance expert for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Sales tax holiday can benefit careful shoppers

LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas Sales Tax holiday can be a benefit for back-to-schoolers, but buyers need to shop with care, said Laura Hendrix, associate professor and extension personal finance expert for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Dealing with the unknown when returning to face-to-face learning

LITTLE ROCK — Parents preparing children to return to face-to-face class after a year of pandemic-induced remote learning will need to be ready to deal with uncertainty, said Brittney Schrick, assistant professor and extension family life specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

BACK TO SCHOOL: Advance child tax credits available this summer

LITTLE ROCK — Eligible parents may see Advance Child Tax Credit payments in their accounts as early as this summer, said Laura Hendrix, associate professor and extension personal finance expert for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

After COVID, Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center expands in-person outreach across state

LITTLE ROCK — As vaccination rates continue to rise and COVID-related restrictions are relaxed, the Arkansas Procurement Technical Assistance Center, part of extension’s Community, Professional and Economic Development Center, is shifting into high gear, scheduling a raft of both in-person and “hybrid” events, which livestream those events to participants across the state, all while continuing regularly-scheduled visits.

Fall armyworms appearing in high numbers in Arkansas pastures

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The fall armyworms surging through Arkansas pastures and lawns apparently don’t understand the concept of a killing freeze.

Extension agent, rope rescue team offering grain bin safety training

MCGEHEE, Ark. — Firefighters, grain bin operators and farm workers in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi are invited to attend an upcoming grain bin safety course on Monday, July 19 at the McGehee Men’s Club in McGehee, Arkansas.

Why do bug bites itch? Entomologist McDermott weighs in on summer’s bane

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Those pink splotches of calamine lotion adorning arms and legs are summer’s badge of honor — showing you’ve been outside and faced down the hordes of midges, mosquitoes and ticks out for your blood.

Arkansas Rice Field Day returns to in-person format Aug. 6

STUTTGART, Ark. — After COVID forced a virtual version last year, the in-person Arkansas Rice Field Day will be back Aug. 6 at the Rice Research and Extension Center in Stuttgart.

Ken Korth appointed head of the department of entomology and plant pathology

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture has appointed Ken Korth, professor of plant pathology, as head of the department of entomology and plant pathology.

Unusually high plant bug populations headed for Arkansas cotton

LITTLE ROCK — Plant bugs, a perennial pest of Arkansas cotton, spend much of June and early July feasting on the silk of corn while it’s still green, the plants still weeks from harvest. As seed is set on corn and the silks begin to dry however, plant bugs begin to wonder what else might taste good in the neighborhood.

Part 4 of Southeastern Strawberry School happening online July 29

LITTLE ROCK — Join horticulture experts from across the southeast on July 29 for the fourth part of a webinar series on using plasticulture strawberry production.

Fire ant quarantine in Arkansas expands to four more counties

LITTLE ROCK – The federal Imported Fire Ant Quarantine has been extended to four additional counties: Logan, Prairie, Sebastian and White. By Mary Hightower. 290 words. With art.

Aug. 12 Rice College to provide hands-on experience for consultants, producers, ag industry pros

STUTTGART, Ark. — The Aug. 12 Rice College will offer an intensive full-day look at the challenges facing Arkansas rice producers with a slate of researchers from the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Camp gives youth a glimpse into veterinary science

LITTLE ROCK – For some skills, there’s just no substitution for learning by doing — and that’s exactly what 4-H Veterinary Science Camp offered.

Buffalo River Enhancement Project to hold online kickoff meeting

LITTLE ROCK —  Landowners in the Buffalo River Watershed are invited to join an online kickoff meeting for the Buffalo River Enhancement Project, scheduled for 2 p.m. on Wednesday, July 7.

Four teens named 4-H Governor’s Award finalists

LITTLE ROCK – Four Arkansas 4-H members are in the running to receive the Arkansas 4-H Governor’s Award this year, along with a $3,000 college scholarship.

USDA: Rice tops list of Arkansas commodity exports

JONESBORO, Ark. — Arkansas ranked No. 1 in the nation in rice exports, according to the State Agricultural Trade database released this week by the U.S. Agriculture Department.

USDA report: Arkansas corn and soybean acres rise, cotton and rice fall

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas growers responded to a global economy beginning to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic with shifting acreage, betting big on corn and pulling back from cotton, according to data from a U.S. Department of Agriculture report released Wednesday.

Subbiah: Heat, proteins, carbohydrates mix to bring the magic to grilling

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — On the biggest barbecuing day of the year, the fireworks in the sky will be matched by those produced when food meets fire and smoke on the grill.