News - April 2025

Black gold: Compost Awareness Week events in Arkansas from May 5-9

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Compost is part of what Matthew Bertucci calls “the perfect circle for sustainability.”

Extension to host free FAMCHA certification for goat, sheep producers in western Arkansas

Producers of small ruminants can get certified in using the FAMACHA system — a tool for managing parasite control in goats and sheep — at a free training offered May 2 by the Cooperative Extension Service.

As a competitive grain for malting, rice may open door to increase domestic demand

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A new economics study shows the potential for an ancient process to develop new domestic demand for rice and offset declining exports.

Arkansas 4-H robotics team places 12th at international 2025 FIRST Championship

HOUSTON — From among the thousands of students from more than 20 countries competing in the 2025 FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — Championship, the Saline County 4-H SeaCow Robotics Club earned a special recognition from the judges.

National Ag Law Center's stakeholder survey closing April 30

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The National Agricultural Law Center’s national stakeholder survey is closing soon — but there is still time for those in the ag community to let their voices be heard.

UAM Farms to Host Aggie Comeback and Cattle Auction on April 26

MONTICELLO, Ark. — Food, Fellowship and Cattle – That is what’s being offered at the Fourth Annual Aggie Comeback hosted by the University of Arkansas at Monticello Farms on Saturday, April 26. 

Trash talk: As plastic use soars, researchers examine biodegradable solutions

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — While biodegradable plastics currently account for a half percent of the hundreds of millions of tons of plastic produced annually, a growing demand for the alternative reflects consumer awareness and corporate response.

Microplastics: What's trapping the emerging threat in our streams?

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Microplastics, tiny plastic particles found in everyday products from face wash to toothpaste, are an emerging threat to health and ecology, prompting a research team to identify what keeps them trapped in stream ecosystems.

Getting to the root of crop health: Four webinars set to inform root zone management in controlled-environment agriculture

Faulkner County second graders get hands-on with agriculture at Farm Round Up

CONWAY, Ark. — Over the course of two days, 800 second grade students from Faulkner County schools made their way through Farm Round Up, an annual event hosted by the Faulkner County Extension Office to educate children about Arkansas agriculture and the sources of their food.

Cooperative Extension Service celebrates Arbor Day, educates communities on trees

LITTLE ROCK — In celebration of Arbor Day on April 25, Cooperative Extension Service staff are partnering with their communities to highlight the significance of forestry to Arkansas’ environmental health and timber industry.

APW names Netterstrom Higgins 2025 Communicator of Achievement

LITTLE ROCK —  Kristin Netterstrom Higgins, a public policy educator known for clearly and concisely communicating the oft-complex issues voters face at the ballot box, has been named recipient of the 2025 Arkansas Press Women Communicator of Achievement Award.

Cooperative Extension Service offering series of poultry safety online seminars

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Cooperative Extension Service will offer a series of five online seminars focusing on multiple aspects of poultry safety and biosecurity. The seminars will cover topics including salmonella control, avian influenza and more. Participation is free.

Nonalcoholic beer yeasts evaluated for fermentation activity, flavor profiles

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Small organisms can have a big impact. That’s why researchers explored nearly a dozen nontraditional yeast strains to find out which ones could brew the best nonalcoholic beers for a rapidly growing market.

Solar leasing on agenda for NALC, NASDA Foundation's Mid-South conference

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — To install, or not to install, that is the question — and attendees of the 12^th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference will have the chance to hear perspectives on solar lease agreements and solar development from two experts in their respective fields.

UADA tallies crop-related flood damage at ‘conservative’ $78.9 million

LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture on Tuesday estimated crop-related flood damage in Arkansas to be a “conservative” $78.9 million; and agronomists and economists warn additional acres may be flooded as water moves downstream.  

Volunteers needed for Coleman Creek Cleanup on April 22

LITTLE ROCK — The Cooperative Extension Service and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock’s Sustainability Committee are recruiting volunteers for the Coleman Creek Cleanup, which will take place April 22 from 3 p.m.-5 p.m. Past cleanups have removed nearly 6,000 pounds of trash from the creek.  

Pecan Scab Hours website lets producers know when it’s time to spray

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas pecan growers have an easy-to-use online tool to help them determine when to spray a fungicide to ward off “pecan scab,” a fungal disease that degrades pecan quality.

Extension to offer last produce safety grower training opportunity in May

CONWAY, Ark. — On May 15, the Cooperative Extension Service will offer its last produce safety grower training until a new funding opportunity is secured for the program. Sarah Bakker, extension food systems and food safety program associate for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said attendance is critical for farmers’ success.

Two-year countdown: fate of the Colorado River on agenda at Western conference

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The countdown is on to secure the fate of one of the most important resources to Western agriculture: the Colorado River.

Farmers wait for high water to recede to reach cattle, assess damage to fields

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas farmers are waiting for floodwater to recede so they can get to stranded cattle and assess damage to infrastructure and newly planted crops a week after storms dropped more than a foot of rain.

Ag Debt in the West: Conference session will discuss navigating ag bankruptcy

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Caught between higher interest rates and net income at a four-year low, more farmers are turning to Chapter 11 and 12 relief, with U.S. farm bankruptcy filings rising 55 percent between 2023-24 — a trend with larger implications for attorneys, lenders, agribusinesses and others in agriculture.

Fluridone widens Palmer pigweed control options for rice growers, but stick to the label

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A word of caution to rice growers: the herbicide fluridone has become a valuable tool in fighting Palmer pigweed, but it can cause injury to some rice cultivars, depending on when it is used.

Cattle market prices soar over five-year averages

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Prices for both steer calves and slaughtered steers in the United States rose to record highs in the first quarter of 2025, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Arkansas Research Alliance grants support agricultural innovation

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — What if you could use a plentiful rice byproduct to make biodegradable packaging materials? Or use nanotechnology to improve a probiotic’s performance in animals?

Save for a secure financial future during America Saves Week

LITTLE ROCK — For many families living paycheck to paycheck, planning for the future can feel daunting. That’s why America Saves Week, which runs from April 7-11, encourages Americans to make a financial plan and set savings goals.

Ag Land and Money: Mid-South and Western conferences will highlight regional trends in ag land transactions

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Trends in agricultural land ownership and markets impact every region of the country, and upcoming sessions at two premier agricultural law conferences will highlight the latest developments in the West and Mid-South.

What foods and drinks are consumed less by those on GLP-1 weight-loss meds?

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As a large proportion of people taking medications like Mounjaro, Ozempic and Wegovy for weight loss report consuming less processed foods and soda, researchers say food and beverage companies are adjusting strategies.

Arkansas 4-H members get cracking at 4-H Poultry Judging State Contest

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas 4-H teams from Izard and Sebastian counties tested their knowledge of poultry production, studying eggs inside and out, at the 4-H Poultry Judging State Contest, held April 1.

Borrower rights in the Farm Credit System focus of NALC webinar

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — As U.S. producers face growing economic uncertainty, tariffs, rising input costs, and more, it’s important that farmers, ranchers and those across the industry know how to navigate financial distress.

Benefits of using natural dyes, plastic dyeable eggs this Easter

LITTLE ROCK — Dyeing and decorating eggs is a longstanding part of Easter celebrations for many families, but for people concerned about egg prices and food allergies, Cooperative Extension Service experts suggest giving natural dyes and dyeable plastic eggs a try this year.

SIDEBAR: Wholesale egg prices are decreasing, but expect delay in lower prices at grocery stores

LITTLE ROCK — According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the national average wholesale price of eggs has been steadily declining since February of this year. But Jada Thompson said there will be a delay before this is reflected in the price consumers pay at the grocery store.

UAM Forestry Club wins three events at the 2025 Southern Forestry Conclave

MONTICELLO, Ark. — The University of Arkansas at Monticello is on a serious winning streak: First a new forest business center, then breaking ground on a new forest health center, and now, its students are winning contests with axes and saws.

CBD Oils: Do you know what's inside?

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Since the 2018 Farm Bill effectively legalized hemp-derived cannabidiol -- better known as CBD -- there's been an exponential growth in products hitting the market, but a newly published study suggests consumer understanding of the products has not kept pace.

Planning ethically: Western conference session details estate planning in agriculture

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — According to data from the 2022 U.S. Census of Agriculture, family-owned farms make up an enormous amount of U.S. agriculture — accounting for 95 percent of U.S. farms and operating 84 percent of land on farms.

Extreme weather events across the state damage structures

LITTLE ROCK — A massive storm system pushed rain, wind and tornadoes across Arkansas Wednesday, causing extensive structural damage in multiple locations in the northeastern corner of the state.

Updated forage herbicide quick reference guide now available for download

LITTLE ROCK — The handy Forage Herbicide Quick Reference Guide from the Cooperative Extension Service has been updated and is available for download.

Forecast with massive rain may mean planting do-overs for Arkansas farmers

LITTLE ROCK — As forecasts call for up to 10 inches of rain through Sunday, the immediate future for Arkansas farmers will probably involve clearing ditches, with a good likelihood next week will be taken up with replanting and reworking fields, extension specialists said.

SIDEBAR: Two words driving cattle production amid forecast for massive rain: higher ground

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ cattle producers have two words in mind: higher ground.

Arkansas Ag Secretary Ward to present Mid-South conference keynote

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture and president of the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, or NASDA, will deliver the keynote address for the 12^th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference.

Arkansas corn regains acreage, medium-grain rice acres pull ahead for 2025

LITTLE ROCK — While farmers across the United States signaled their intent to plant about 5 percent more corn acreage this year than in 2024, Arkansas growers appear to be investing in the grain with considerably more confidence.