LITTLE ROCK, Ark.— Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Monday that she will name Dr. Ken Warden as the Commissioner of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education.
“I am pleased to announce that Dr. Ken Warden will serve as the commissionerof the Arkansas Division of Higher Education,” Sanders said. “Dr. Warden’s extensive leadership experience in higher education makes him the clear choice to serve in this role as we usher in a bold new chapter in Arkansas education. Together, we will continue expanding access to quality education from grade school to higher education – preparing students to take on high-paying jobs in the workforce and unleashing a new era of opportunity for every Arkansan.”
“I am humbled and honored to serve as the commissioner of the Arkansas Division of Higher Education,” Warden said. “I look forward to working closely with Governor Sanders and Secretary Oliva as we empower Arkansans with education – paving a path to prosperity for all Arkansans. Governor Sanders has made education reform the hallmark of her administration, and I am ready to get to work with her and the talented team at the Department of Education as we begin a new day in Arkansas education.”
Dr. Ken Warden biography:
Dr. Ken Warden has worked for the University of Arkansas – Fort Smith for the past 9 years, most recently serving as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Compliance and Legislative Affairs. Dr. Warden previously served as the Dean of the College of Applied Science and Technology for six years and as the Associate Vice Chancellor for Workforce Development for one year.
He also spent 17 years working with Arkansas Tech University – Ozark. Over the course of his time there, he served as the Department Chair of Automotive Service Technology, Business and Industry Coordinator, and Chief Officer for Business and Community Outreach.
His breadth of work in higher education is extensive, having worked in adult education, two-year colleges, and university systems. He has experience in program design, project management, community partnerships, career pathways, grant implementation, and senior level academic leadership.
His research interests are focused on adult learners and non-traditional students, credit and non-credit workforce aligned programs, student retention, and sustainability initiatives on college campuses.
Dr. Ken Warden holds a Doctorate in Education in Workforce Development from the University of Arkansas, a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Arkansas Tech University, a Bachelor of Science in Vocational Education from the University of Arkansas, and an Associate of Applied Science in Automotive Service from Westark Community College, now University of Arkansas – Fort Smith.
Cooperative Extension Service to offer remote produce safety training for fruit and vegetable growers
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK — Keeping produce free of microbial contamination and reducing foodborne illness is critical to the success of commercial growers. To support these efforts, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will offer a remote, two-day produce safety training workshop for fruit and vegetable growers.
SAFE PRODUCE HANDLING — The Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will offer a remote, two-day safety training workshop for fruits and vegetable growers May 24-24. Topics covered will include soil amendments, postharvest handling, sanitation and developing a farm food safety plan. (Division of Agriculture graphic.)
The workshop will provide important information on best practices, worker health and hygiene, risk management and more. The training will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, May 24 and Thursday, May 25 from 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. each day. Participants can register online at uada.formstack.com/forms/psa_2023.
Registration is $25 per person for Arkansas residents and $100 per person for out-of-state residents. The deadline to register is May 17. Participants must have access to Zoom software, a web camera, microphone and stable internet access.
Gaby Sanders, extension program associate for local, regional, and safe foods for the Division of Agriculture, said the Arkansas Produce Safety team is looking forward to hosting their only remote training of 2023.
“The growing season started early this year, so we are happy to offer this remote training that allows our growers to stay close to their farms,” Sanders said. “We hope this will also encourage some of the newer operations around the state to attend.”
Topics covered will include soil amendments, postharvest handling, sanitation and developing a farm food safety plan.
Sanders said the Arkansas Produce Safety Team will also host an in-person training in northwest Arkansas in October 2023.
“At our next in-person training, we hope to see produce growers of every scale,” she said. “Seeing the interactions between seasoned growers and those who are just starting out motivates us to offer more in-person opportunities. The knowledge passed along between growers during break times is just as valuable as the topics we’re presenting.”
Amanda Philyaw Perez, extension associate professor of food systems and food safety specialist for the Division of Agriculture, said the workshop helps growers “learn the basics to set your farm apart in the marketplace.”
“This training opportunity teaches the basics of on-farm produce safety,” Philyaw Perez said. “It can help growers selling at farmers markets or those who would like to get a USDA Good Agriculture Practices audit to sell to wholesale, farm to school, grocers or other buyers that require a food safety program.”
The training, developed by the Produce Safety Alliance and presented by the Cooperative Extension Service’s Arkansas Produce Safety Team, teaches growers about regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. FSMA is the first federally regulated standard for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding fresh produce.
For more information, contact Sanders at gsanders@uada.edu or at 501-671-2046.
Arkansas’ tax revenue surplus at $430 million through April
by Talk Business & Politics staff (staff2@talkbusiness.net)
With just two months remaining in Arkansas’ fiscal year, tax revenue is on track to beat the record collections in the previous fiscal year. Also, the state’s revenue surplus was $430.1 million at the end of April.
Tax revenue in the first 10 fiscal months of the year (July 2022-April 2023) totaled $7.313 billion, up 1.2% compared with the same period in the previous fiscal year and up 5.1% over the forecast, according to a report posted Tuesday (May 2) by the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration (DFA).
Individual income tax revenue in the first 10 months of the fiscal year was $3.352 billion, down 5% compared to the same period in 2021-2022, and 3.2% above the budget forecast. Sales and use tax revenue in the first 10 months was $2.814 billion, up 7.9% compared with the same period in the previous fiscal year and up 2.2% above the forecast. Corporate income tax revenue in the first 10 months was $712 million, up $53.3 million compared to the same period in 2021-2022, and 32.7% above the forecast.
https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/arkansas-tax-revenue-surplus-at-430-million-through-april/
Phosphorus runoff studies show importance of stable banks, cover crops
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Spring rains are great for flowers and kayakers, but the season also prompts concern about algae bloom-causing phosphorus runoff into drinking water sources.
WATER QUALITY — Jacqueline Todd, left, and Ireyra Tamayo conduct water quality tests from sampels taken in the Beaver Lake watershed as part of ongoing water quality studies with Shannon Speir, assistant professor of water quality with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. (U of A System photo)
Spring streamflow delivery to Beaver Lake has increased over the past 20 years, delivering more nutrients to the reservoir and increasing the risk of algae blooms during the summer, according to an analysis of U.S. Geological Survey data by Ireyra Tamayo, an environmental, soil, and water science student at the University of Arkansas.
Tamayo is a student of Shannon Speir, assistant professor of water quality in the department of crop, soil and environmental sciences with the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. Her lab's undergraduate students are conducting studies on the watershed as part of an unofficial partnership with the Beaver Watershed Alliance and the Beaver Water District.
“They are really interested in knowing this information,” Speir said. “This was a relatively easy analysis we could do with publicly available data, so we volunteered to jump in and do it.”
Speir said she has shared the information with the groups, and her lab's team has continued to do studies to assist in long-range planning efforts to mitigate phosphorus runoff. Phosphorus runoff can lead to algae blooms in bodies of water, which decreases available oxygen for aquatic life.
There are concerns about streambank erosion and increased streamflow in the Beaver Lake watershed because phosphorus binds to floating sediments that creeks carry into the lake.
Tamayo's study looked at the changing delivery of streamflow and water runoff from four tributaries of Beaver Lake: the White River; West Fork of the White River; War Eagle Creek; and Richland Creek.
The Beaver Lake watershed includes all the tributaries that run into the primary source of drinking water for northwest Arkansas. Speir said the potential for phosphorus runoff in the area prompted her and her students’ water quality studies of the tributaries in rural areas.
“Beaver Lake is still in good health and much of the work is centered around preventing the balance from shifting toward conditions that may cause harmful algal blooms,” Speir said. “Once algal blooms start happening, it's hard to turn the dial back and stop them from happening.”
Using publicly available streamflow data from the U.S. Geological Survey, Tamayo calculated streamflow discharge and runoff changes and compared runoff across the four tributaries over the past 20 years. She also explored seasonal changes in average discharge among the four tributaries.
The study showed that, in general, Richland Creek had the highest runoff to Beaver Lake over the study period, and War Eagle Creek had the lowest runoff. She observed variable trends in average discharge by season across the four tributaries. The most consistent increase in average streamflow occurs in the spring.
“Climate change is affecting the hydrological cycle, increasing global temperatures and changing precipitation patterns,” the study states. “As rain events become more frequent and intense, they are expected to yield higher streamflow and larger peak flows. The increased sediment and nutrient delivery to sensitive downstream systems could lead to water quality problems, such as eutrophication and harmful algal blooms.”
Eutrophication is when excess nutrients accumulate in a lake or other body of water, frequently due to runoff from the land, and causes a dense growth of algae and death of animal life from lack of oxygen.
“This was our first cut, but from that, we can start building more management and actionable outcomes,” Speir added.
Student researchers from the Speir's water quality resarch team include Jacob Major, junior; Deo Scott, senior; Lilly A. Stults, senior; Ireyra Tamayo, senior; and Jacqueline Todd, junior. Brynnen Beck and Claire Meara, both sophomores, have also recently joined Speir’s team. All the undergraduates are environmental soil and water science majors in the crop, soil and environmental sciences department.
Erosion and biological impacts on phosphorus
EROSION IMPACT — Jacob Major collects samples from a Beaver Lake watershed tributary. (U of A System photo)
Jacob Major’s study highlighted the importance of creek bank stability. Major concluded in his water quality study of Richland Creek and Brush Creek that “sediment-associated phosphorus from bank erosion may serve as a critical downstream phosphorus source to Beaver Lake.”
Major's study found higher total phosphorus levels in Richland Creek but higher dissolved phosphorus in Brush Creek. Richland Creek runs through mostly forestland and about 40 percent pastureland. Brush Creek runs through mostly pastureland and about one-third forestland.
Speir noted that the higher concentrations of total phosphorus in Richland Creek could be because of more organic materials like leaf litter in the stream. Soluble reactive phosphorus, however, is more troublesome because the nutrient is more available to create algal blooms downstream.
Major's study won first place in March for undergraduates in the student poster competition at the Arkansas Discovery Farms Conference in Little Rock. In April, his study also won third place in the natural sciences category as part of the University of Arkansas’ Undergraduate Research Week Poster Competition.
A follow-up study is now underway to better understand the role of sediment in driving downstream phosphorus loss to Beaver Lake.
Jacqueline Todd's study on the Upper White River is complementary to Major’s and explores the role of algae in streams removing phosphorus from rivers. She pointed out that while many studies focus on headwater streams, there is a knowledge gap on the interplay of nutrients in rivers.
Her study found that soluble reactive phosphorus uptake was higher in the summer when the flow was slower, and the nutrient uptake was lower in the spring when the flow was faster.
Cover crops keep sediments and phosphorus on fields
Speir’s lab also evaluated the impact of cover crops to mitigate phosphorus runoff on agricultural fields.
A study by Lily Stults in Speir's lab, showed the importance of cover crops in retaining phosphorus on a site. Stults analyzed data on total flow, total suspended sediment, and total phosphorus concentrations from 503 runoff events on cover-cropped and non-cover-cropped cotton fields between 2013 and 2018 at the Arkansas Discovery Farms site in Dumas. The runoff events included rain and irrigation.
While cover crops did not impact the total flow from fields during water runoff events, the total suspended sediment and total phosphorus concentrations were lower in runoff from the cover-cropped field.
Cover crops prevent erosion and sediment loss by increasing the stability of the soil, the study noted.
The study stated that total suspended solid concentrations were consistently lower in runoff from cover-cropped fields. Other data suggest cover crops help retain particulate phosphorus bound to sediments.
Mullins Creek evaluation
A little closer to home, Deo Scott's study titled “Stream restoration effectiveness in Mullins Creek in Fayetteville, Arkansas” concluded that the Watershed Conservation Resource Center restoration in 2012 improved water quality in the restored section. He documented higher dissolved oxygen content, lower temperatures and more diversity of aquatic insects in the restored section of the creek. However, the impacts were variable downstream.
The creek begins as a spring near the Poultry Science building and flows under Razorback Stadium. The restored section of Mullins Creek is between Nolan Richardson Drive and the Gardens on the University of Arkansas campus. Samples were taken at five sites along the creek.
Speir said there is more than one way to restore a stream, but the key components are to keep the stream bank from eroding, add native plants to stabilize the soil and restore the stream bottom in some way to slow the water down and make riffles and pools.
“The hope is that naturally, over time, the fish and insects come back as the water quality improves,” Speir said. “Another piece in the restoration puzzle, particularly in urban areas, is ‘daylighting,’ where a buried stream is re-exposed to the world. Many urban streams have become buried, like Mullins Creek, which has a stadium over it.”
Scott's results also emphasized the need for more monitoring and management to improve water quality.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
Liquid-state poultry litter digester prototype makes struvite, biogas and clean water
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station researchers have assembled a novel prototype system that could help alleviate the issue of excess nutrient runoff in watersheds from poultry litter.
ONE-OF-A-KIND — Jun Zhu, professor of biological and agricultural engineering, stands before a prototype of the liquid-state poultry litter digester designed to recycle water used in creating struvite from poultry litter. The system also captures biogas from liquid-state anaerobic digestion of poultry litter. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)
The system turns chicken litter into a more biologically stable fertilizer called struvite, captures methane and recycles most of the water it uses. It is the first system of its kind in the United States, according to Jun Zhu, director of the Center for Agricultural and Rural Sustainability.
“Over the years, techniques to treat poultry litter have been researched extensively, including composting, direct combustion, pelletization, and anaerobic digestion,” said Zhu professor of biological and agricultural engineering at the experiment station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “However, none of these technologies are found to be economically or environmentally friendly in the real world.”
Anaerobic digestion, decomposition of solids by microorganisms in the absence of oxygen, is the best of the current techniques, Zhu said. But that is a process that works best with liquids, and poultry litter has a very low moisture content. Zhu and his team developed a system that recycles the water needed for anaerobic digestion while creating struvite from the excess nutrients in chicken litter.
In December, two other land-grant university partners — the University of Idaho and Virginia Tech — built the three-piece system at the experiment station. The project is partly funded by U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative’s Foundational and Applied Science Program.
In addition to turning chicken litter into a more biologically stable product, the system can help support a poultry farmer’s energy demands by capturing methane from anaerobic digestion. Zhu said the methane can be used as a heating and cooking fuel.
Struvite is considered an eco-friendly fertilizer because only a small percentage is water soluble, and struvite releases its nutrients slowly. A two-year experiment station field study in east Arkansas by Kris Brye, University Professor of applied soil physics and pedology, showed struvite performed just as well, and in some cases better, as mined phosphate on corn, soybeans and rice. Mined phosphate is a finite resource prone to price fluctuations.
Another benefit of anaerobic digestion on poultry litter, Zhu explains, is that it removes nuisance odors. Poultry production in Arkansas generates about 1.5 million tons of manure every year. The fast growth of the poultry industry in northwest Arkansas resulted in a significant increase in litter production, which led to local disposal issues. Poultry litter contains nutrients from chicken feces and bedding material such as straw, sawdust, wood shavings, shredded paper, and peanut or rice hulls.
How it works
THREE PHASE — Yuanhang Zhan explains the three phases of the liquid-state poultry litter digester designed to reduce the liquid content to a slow-release fertilizer called struvite. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)
Yuanhang Zhan, a Ph.D. candidate in Zhu's lab, has optimized the carbon-nitrogen ratios for chicken litter and wheat straw in the poultry litter digestion phase to produce an expected amount of methane. Researchers chose wheat straw because of its common use as a winter crop in Arkansas.
After capturing the biogas from the digestion chamber, the system’s second phase is to use a lightly electrically charged magnesium plate in an electrolytic reactor to separate nutrients from the liquid and drop into a settling tank as struvite. Depending on the amount of phosphate and ammonium in the 1-liter mixture, about 1 gram of magnesium ammonium phosphate struvite precipitates and then is dried to form a powder.
Zhu said the electrolytic reactor was built by collaborates at the University of Idaho led by Sarah Wu to prevent water electrolysis, so no hydrogen gas is produced.
With the struvite in the settling tank, the remaining effluent is cleaned by a final forward osmosis system built by collaborators at Virginia Tech, led by Zhiwu Wang.
Forward osmosis is a water separation process that uses a semipermeable membrane and the natural energy of osmotic pressure to separate water from solids in the solution. Peristaltic pumps transfer the clean water back into the digester designed and built at the experiment station.
While most of the nutrients are precipitated by the electrolytic reactor, and between 80 and 90 percent of the water comes out clear, there is a small amount of “rejected” water created that also contains a small amount of nutrients. Zhu said his collaborators at Virginia Tech have mentioned the rejected water could be used as a road treatment for ice and snow prevention in the wintertime.
Zhu expects an upscaled system to be used at an experiment station broiler house for further tests.
OPERATION — Yiting Xiao demonstrates the operation of the liquid-state poultry litter digester. (U of A System Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)
Other collaborators on the liquid-state poultry digester have included Amanda Ashworth with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, and the following University of Arkansas faculty: the late Sammy Sadaka, associate professor and extension engineer; Thomas Costello, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering; Wen Zhang, associate professor of civil engineering; and Mike Popp, professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness. Yiting Xiao, a Ph.D. student in Zhu’s lab, has also been involved with the project.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
Beginning farmers, ranchers increase as total farm numbers decrease
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — An economic analysis of agricultural credit usage and census data conducted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture can’t tell the whole story of the changing landscape of America’s farms, but a few things stand out.
ON THE FARM — Ashley Appel of Appel Farms is among a growing number of female farmers across the nation. She and her husband, Travis, operate the farm near Elm Springs, Arkansas. (U of A Division of Agriculture photo by Fred Miller)
More minorities and women became primary operators of farms and ranches in the past decade as the total number of farms and ranches across the nation decreased by about 3 percent. Meanwhile, the number of white male-operated farms decreased by nearly 15 percent between 2012 and 2017, and proportionately fewer non-Hispanic white males are starting farms and ranches.
White male-operated farms remained the largest demographic segment of established and beginning farmers, and largest user of agricultural credit.
The Division of Agriculture’s study looked at interest paid on agricultural loans and USDA Census of Agriculture data from 2012 and 2017. Researchers also used USDA’s Census of Agriculture, Agricultural Resource Management Survey and Farm Service Agency data to gauge lender success and potential gaps in serving beginning farmers/ranchers. The USDA Census of Agriculture is taken every five years, and 2022 data will be released in 2024.
“A large share of Farm Service Agency funds is going out to beginning farmers,” said Bruce Ahrendsen, the study’s lead author and professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness for the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the Division of Agriculture. “Part of it is targeted funds required by Congress, but the FSA is exceeding those targets in most years for direct loans and serving an important role for U.S. agriculture.”
Beginning mid-sized family farms with annual sales between $350,000 and $1 million had the largest share of farms using Farm Service Agency loans.
“About one in four mid-size beginning family farm operations have either a direct or a guaranteed loan from the Farm Service Agency,” Ahrendsen said. “So, FSA loans are being used much more than expected. FSA is an important source of credit, particularly for beginning farmers.”
In 20 states, more than 50 percent of indebted minority beginning farmers and ranchers were Farm Service Agency borrowers over the course of the study period. So, federal credit programs appeared to have had some success in increasing socially disadvantaged farmer and rancher access to credit, allowing for easier entry into farming. Still, the programs “may not be as effective at correcting historical inequities,” the study added.
Data collected for the study consistently showed that greater shares of socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers were “beginning” operations compared with non-Hispanic white men.
Getting a hand up
Published in 2022, the Division of Agriculture study titled “Beginning farmer and rancher credit usage by socially disadvantaged status” was conducted to examine credit usage, or interest paid, by beginning farmers and ranchers and assist in developing or adjusting policies amid the shifting demographics of beginning farmers and ranchers, especially as it relates to “socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers.”
The USDA defines a “beginning farmer or rancher” as someone with no more than 10 cumulative years of experience as an operator on any farm. “Socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers” include women; individuals with Hispanic, Latino or Spanish origin; and individuals who identify as American Indian or Alaskan Native, Black or African American, Asian, Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander. “Non-socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers” are defined in the study as non-Hispanic white males.
While the share of farms using agricultural credit had a slight drop, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency federal loan programs “appeared to be crucial in enabling beginning farmers and ranchers, and especially beginning socially disadvantaged farmer and rancher groups, to access loans,” the study states.
The nation’s total number of farm operations decreased 3.2 percent between 2012 and 2017, but the Division of Agriculture study showed the number of “socially disadvantaged beginning farmers/ranchers” counted as “primary producers” went up by 10.7 percent. Average farm size did not increase as much as might be expected, Ahrendsen said, since some farmland went for use for other purposes, such as urban development. The average farm size increased 1.8 percent from 433 acres in 2012 to 441 acres in 2017, while the total land in farms decreased 1.6 percent.
The study concluded that the United States might be making some progress toward the goal of making it easier for farmers to get started, especially among historically underserved groups. Without the federal credit sources, beginning farmers and ranchers could be restricted in growing their operations, the study added.
The Farm Service Agency’s 2023 budget included an increase of $5.5 million for outreach to historically underserved producers in support of a presidential priority to promote racial and economic equity. The budget also includes $1.6 million for the Urban Agriculture Initiative, which would support county committees to facilitate urban agricultural production and help address climate change, the USDA budget summary states.
FSA loan programs
MICROLOANS — The USDA's Farm Service Agency distributed more Direct Farm Operating Microloans in regions with larger shares of beginning farmers, women and minorities. (Chart courtesy USDA)
The Farm Service Agency offers several loan programs intended to be temporary in nature to help farm operations expand, sustain or recover from a natural disaster.
“Guaranteed” loans are made and served by commercial lenders, such as banks, the Farm Credit System, or credit unions. The Farm Service Agency guarantees the lender’s loan against loss up to 95 percent and is responsible for approving all eligible loan guarantees and providing oversight of the lenders’ activities. “Direct” loans are made and served by the Farm Service Agency using government money.
A USDA fact sheet states the Farm Service Agency, “provides credit to agricultural producers who are unable to receive private, commercial credit, including special emphasis on beginning, minority and women farmers and ranchers, and purchases and delivers commodities for use in international humanitarian food programs.”
Federal law requires the USDA to reserve portions of their “direct” and “guaranteed” loans for use by beginning farmers and socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers. Over the past 20 years, targeting has resulted in a large share of direct and guaranteed lending going to beginning farmers and ranchers and “socially disadvantaged” groups, the study noted.
Most socially disadvantaged farmer and rancher borrowers using “direct” Farm Service Agency loans were “beginning farmers/ranchers.” And about half of socially disadvantaged farmer and rancher borrowers from the “guaranteed” loan program were “beginning farmers/ranchers.”
Evolving American farms
A 2020 Agricultural & Applied Economics Association article that served as a source in the experiment station study explains the complicated nature of comparing 2012 and 2017 statistics. The 2017 census allowed demographic data to be collected on up to four persons instead of three, as in the 2012 census. However, the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association article noted the method used to determine the “primary producer” for the 2017 Census is comparable to the determination of the “principal operator” in the 2012 Census, and the experiment station economists took that approach.
Based on the USDA’s 2017 Census of Agriculture alone, however, women make up a significant portion — about 30 percent — of beginning farmers or ranchers. Relatively large shares of farms where women were the “primary producer” of a beginning farm or ranch are in Southern states. However, among female “beginning farmers/ranchers” the highest shares of farms reporting interest paid are in the Midwest and Northern Plains, along with Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Nevada.
The largest increase between 2012 and 2017 in beginning farms or ranches among minority “primary producers” was with Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders at a 44.7 percent increase to 933 farms. Total farms operated by the group increased from 2,190 to 2,921 over that time.
American Indian and Native Alaskan “beginning” farms and ranches increased by 22 percent to 11,704. Total farms in that group increased by about 5 percent to 48,507 in 2017.
Hispanic-operated “beginning” farms and ranches were up by 9.3 percent to 21,969 in 2017. But total Hispanic farm numbers were down 0.4 percent, to 66,727, in 2017.
Asian-operated “beginning” farms and ranches were down 6.8 percent, dropping to 4,969 from 5,333 with a total number of 13,693 Asian-operated farms in 2017.
“Beginning” farms and ranches operated by who identified as Black or African American were up 12.8 percent, from 7,518 in 2012 to 8,483 farms in 2017. But total farms in this group were down 4.3 percent to 33,088 in 2017.
Access, trust key for socially disadvantaged producers
Ron Rainey, assistant vice president for the Division of Agriculture and a professor and extension economist, co-authored the division’s study. In a 2022 presentation to the U.S. House of Representatives Agriculture Committee, Rainey said the Census of Agriculture reveals that, on average, most socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers operate relatively smaller farms and leverage smaller operating loans to produce their crops each year.
Historically, equity and access issues have “played a role in limiting opportunities for socially disadvantaged beginning farmers to gain economies of scale — increasing farm size and investing in innovative or new machinery and technology,” Rainey said.
Another issue among socially disadvantaged beginning farmers and ranchers, Rainey said, is “real and perceived trust issues.”
“There are a number of producers who refuse to enter a USDA office even in 2022 because of fear, based on experiences, of disparate treatment, losing their land or being foreclosed on a loan under less than fair conditions,” Rainey said. “Therefore, the ability to build and restore trust and relationships is a critical hurdle to effectively reach marginalized producers and their communities with USDA programs and resources.”
In 2017, nearly three-fourths of all socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers did not use credit, which raised the question of whether those farmers may still be underserved, the economic study stated.
“Interest-paid is an indicator of who is using agricultural credit,” Ahrendsen said. “It’s difficult to know access. We don’t know who is being denied credit. But we are seeing that non-Hispanic white males have the highest share of beginning operations with interest paid, followed by Asian farmers. The least likely to be reporting interest paid are Black or African American farmers.”
Closer examination of why debt use varies across the country and why non-socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers utilize more than socially disadvantaged farmers/ranchers is an important topic for future research, the study stated.
The study was supported, in part, by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Hatch/Multistate project, and The Farm Credit Council. Opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the USDA, the Farm Credit Council or the University of Arkansas System.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.
Miller County extension agent organizes donation drive for Little Rock tornado victims
By Rebekah Hall
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK — For McKenzie Rigdon, the urge to help those affected by the March 31 tornadoes stemmed from personal experience with the harm a tornado can cause.
MILLER COUNTY HELPERS — McKenzie Rigdon, Miller County extension 4-H agent, organized a donation drive for victims of the March 31 tornado that struck parts of southern and central Arkansas. For Rigdon, the effort stemmed from her personal experience with tornado destruction. She said she wanted to bring along 4-H'ers for the donation drop-off to set an example of community service. From left to right: McKenzie Rigdon, MaKenzie Larey, Carlie Keahey, J.D. Martin and Tori Luker, Miller County extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent. (Rebekah Hall | Division of Agriculture photo.)
Rigdon, Miller County extension 4-H agent for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said she lived in Atkins, Arkansas, when a tornado struck the area in 2008, causing damage to her family’s home. In 2011, her grandparents’ farm was hit by a tornado near Ozark. When a tornado came through her hometown of Vilonia in 2014, she said she witnessed widespread destruction to her community.
“I lost my job because of the tornado. My best friend was in a house that got hit, so it’s a personal thing for me,” Rigdon said. “I can’t donate my time to help right now, so I felt like I needed to do the next best thing, which was gathering relief items.”
Rigdon said she had the idea to start a donation drive and fill up a 4-H trailer with supplies for victims of the tornado, which would then be delivered to Little Rock. She created a flier and posted it at local businesses and at the Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana. She also shared it on social media. Rigdon said that through word of mouth, local schools and churches heard about the drive and gathered donations for the effort. Rigdon said Sevier County Extension also provided relief items.
“No donation is too small,” Rigdon said. “With this kind of thing, people need anything and everything you can think of. So, even if it’s a notebook for the kid who lost their backpack or a box of Band-Aids — everything is going to help someone in need.”
Rigdon cataloged all of the 672 items donated to the drive, including canned food, hygiene and baby products, dozens of cases of bottled water and more.
‘I pledge my hands to larger service’
On April 24, Rigdon and Tori Luker, Miller County extension Family and Consumer Sciences agent, along with Miller County 4-H members Carlie Keahey, MaKenzie Larey and J.D. Martin, drove from Texarkana to Little Rock with the 4-H trailer in tow. They donated all the items to the City Center, a ministry of Immanuel Baptist Church, to be distributed to tornado victims.
After placing the final case of bottled water atop the large pile of items, Rigdon was overcome with emotion. She said she brought 4-H members along for the drop-off because the project ties back to the mission of the organization.
“The four H’s are head, heart, hands and health. The big one that stands out today is ‘hands for larger service,’” Rigdon said, wiping away a few tears. “It teaches these kids about community service and making a difference in your community. And I want them to know that they have an agent who cares and who wants to do the best that they can. I like to lead by example, so I want them to see this example that I’m putting forth. Because it’s big. I hope that I’m a good role model for them.”
Keahey, 17, has been a member of the Miller County 4-H Club for three years, and she said she came along for the donation drop-off because she wanted to give to those in need.
“I very much enjoy helping out the community around me,” Keahey said. “I love helping McKenzie with all her shenanigans she pulls me into. It makes me feel good to help out with stuff like this. Throughout the past three years in 4-H, I’ve grown so much personally, and this helps me grow in my leadership. I love how much I’ve learned through 4-H.”
For more information about 4-H, contact your local county extension agent or visit 4h.uada.edu.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
Rice planting near record pace in April
by George Jared (gjared@talkbusiness.net)
Arkansas is the nation’s top rice producer and during the last several growing cycles planting has started slowly. This has been due to the unusual weather and heavy rains that have pelted the state. Not this year.
Rice growers, particularly in northeastern Arkansas, are far ahead of schedule. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the state’s growers had planted 33% of their 1.2 million planned rice acres as of mid-April, about two-thirds better than the five-year average of 20% for this point in the season.
Jarrod Hardke, extension rice agronomist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, said USDA’s estimate is likely conservative.
https://talkbusiness.net/2023/05/rice-planting-near-record-pace-in-april/
Northwest Health to repay Arkansas $1 million in Medicaid settlement
KUAR | By Hunter Field / Arkansas Advocate
A Northwest Arkansas hospital chain must repay $1.1 million to the state Medicaid program over the former State Medical Board chairman’s billing practices.
The settlement is the latest development in the Medicaid fraud investigation against Dr. Brian Hyatt, a Northwest Arkansas psychiatrist.
State investigators reviewed medical records and hundreds of hours of surveillance footage before concluding there was “reasonable cause” to believe Hyatt billed Medicaid without providing the appropriate level of patient care.
Claudio Furlan/AP
A COVID-19 patient lies in a hospital bed at Papa Giovanni XXIII hospital, in Bergamo, Italy.
Boozman backs $755 million truck parking bill
KUAR | By Jeff Della Rosa/ Talk Business & Politics
U.S. Sen. John Boozman, R-Ark., recently announced his support for a bipartisan bill to increase truck parking capacity and improve existing truck parking infrastructure. The bill would provide $755 million for truck parking projects through 2026.
Boozman joined Sens. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.; Mark Kelly, D-Ariz.; and Jon Tester, D-Mont., to introduce the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. Legislators introduced similar bills last year supported by American Trucking Associations and Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.
“Truckers play a crucial role in our supply chain,” Boozman said. “Arkansas truckers have shared with me the difficulties they frequently experience in finding a safe location to park as they transport goods and products across the country. The Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act is an investment that will make it easier for these drivers to find reliable parking and improve efficiency while protecting all motorists on the roads.”
https://talkbusiness.net/2023/04/boozman-backs-755-million-truck-parking-bill/
John Boozman
UAMS, NIH Study Finds Consoling, Other Techniques Better Than Drug Therapies for Newborns with Opioid Withdrawal
By David Robinson
LITTLE ROCK — A groundbreaking nationwide clinical trial in which the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) played a key role has confirmed an effective way to wean newborns from opioid withdrawal symptoms that substantially reduces hospital stays and the traditional use of drug therapies.
Using an “Eat, Sleep, Console” (ESC) care approach resulted in infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) being medically ready for discharge in nearly half the time and less likely to receive drug therapy compared to those receiving more traditional care, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study. The ESC care approach focuses on supporting infants and caregivers in the essential functions of early infant life: eating, sleeping and consoling fussy infants.
The study, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, was the first large-scale effort to compare the two approaches to opioid withdrawal used by hospital nurseries. Symptoms of withdrawal include tremors, excessive crying and irritability, and problems with sleeping and feeding. At least one newborn in the United States is diagnosed every 18 minutes with NOWS.
Trucking industry tackles longstanding debate of allowing interstate drivers under age 21
by Jeff Della Rosa (JDellaRosa@nwabj.com)
A new apprenticeship program might help settle a debate over whether 18- to 20-year-old truck drivers can safely haul interstate freight. However, the program has struggled with low participation levels as carriers cite unexpected challenges to joining it to draw from the driver pool.
Trucking industry drivers comprise interstate drivers or those hauling freight across state lines. Existing law in 49 states, including Arkansas, allows 18- to 20-year-old intrastate drivers or those hauling freight within a state, but cargo crossing state lines must be transported by a driver at least 21.
Shannon Newton, president of the Arkansas Trucking Association, said the minimum age to engage in interstate commerce should be reduced from 21 to 18 and that employees and their employers are responsible for determining who’s qualified for a job.
The trucking industry continues to debate whether the age of interstate truck drivers should be reduced from 21 to 18.
Group seeking to overturn Arkansas LEARNS gathers at Capitol
KUAR | By Josie Lenora
Amidst a heavy rainstorm, protesters gathered on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol building Thursday to speak against a Republican-led education overhaul as attempts to overturn it are ongoing.
The legislature last month approved the Arkansas LEARNS Act, a dense, wide-sweeping education package expanding school voucher programs in the state. An organization called CAPES, or Citizens for Arkansas Public Education and Students, is attempting to put a proposed constitutional amendment on the 2024 ballot to repeal the law.
The repeal efforts hit their first roadblock earlier this week, after Attorney General Tim Griffin said the proposed amendment's ballot title was misleading. Veronica McClane, a volunteer with CAPES, said the organization has resubmitted a new title.
John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs her Arkansas LEARNS legislation into law on March 8, 2023 inside the state Capitol.
College of Medicine Recognizes Exemplary Team Members at 2023 Dean’s Honor Day
By Tamara Robinson
The College of Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) paid tribute to outstanding faculty and staff at the college’s annual Dean’s Honor Day celebration on April 25.
Department of Psychiatry colleagues Andy James, Ph.D., (center), Melissa Zielinski, Ph.D., (left) and Michael Cucciare, Ph.D., were among more than 70 faculty members honored for upcoming promotions and/or tenure. All were featured in video tributes and received rounds of applause from college leaders and other attendees.Bryan Clifton
Capping the ceremony, the 2023 Distinguished Faculty Service Award was presented to David L. Davies, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Neurobiology and Developmental Sciences who has served on the faculty for 38 years and continues to lead key educational initiatives for the college.
“Dr. Davies has long been recognized as an excellent educator, scholar and colleague, and he has earned many awards from colleagues and students for his work,” said G. Richard Smith, M.D., interim dean of the college and executive vice chancellor of UAMS. “But Dr. Davies has not rested on his laurels. He continues to provide transformative service and leadership in teaching, mentoring and administration.”
Lawmakers adjourn ‘sine die’ to end 94th General Assembly regular session
by Roby Brock (roby@talkbusiness.net)
State lawmakers officially ended the regular session of the 94th Arkansas General Assembly on Monday (May 1).
All told, the legislature passed 889 new laws this session. The hallmark legislation this year centered on education changes, sentencing reform, tax cuts, and a host of culturally divisive issues ranging from transgender rights to book access at public libraries.
The Arkansas State Senate adjourned sine die a little after noon while passing several honorary resolutions and approving a dozen gubernatorial appointments. There was no effort made to override any of the four vetoes Gov. Sanders issued during the legislature’s recess.
Extension horticulture specialist receives national recognition
By Ryan McGeeney
U of A System Division of Agriculture
LITTLE ROCK — The American Society for Horticulture Science has recognized a Cooperative Extension Service horticulturist for her extensive public education and outreach efforts.
NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED — Amanda McWhirt, extension fruit and vegetable horticulture specialist for the Division of Agriculture, will receive the American Society for Horticulture Science's ear;y career award for extension and public outreach. (Division of Agriculture photo.)
Amanda McWhirt, extension fruit and vegetable horticulture specialist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will receive the ASHS Professional Early Career Award, specifically for “excellence and outstanding contributions to extension or outreach of horticulture science or horticulture-related disciplines.”
There are four categories for the early career award. In addition to the award for extension and outreach, three other individuals are recognized each year for academic instruction, commercial and professional consulting and research and innovation, all within the field of horticulture. Nominees are only considered for seven years after completion of their final academic degrees.
McWhirt joined the Division of Agriculture in 2016 as an assistant professor and extension specialist, shortly after completing her Ph.D. in crop science and agroecology at North Carolina State University. In addition to her outreach and education efforts across Arkansas, she conducts fruit and vegetable research at the Division of Agriculture’s Fruit Research Station in Clarksville, the Vegetable Research Station in Kibler and elsewhere.
“I was aware that I’d been nominated, but it wasn’t really on my radar,” McWhirt said. “Of course, it’s always nice to be recognized by your peers.”
McWhirt was nominated by Wayne Mackay, chair of the Division of Agriculture’s Horticulture Department. In his nominating letter to ASHS, Mackay described McWhirt’s work with the Cooperative Extension Service as “extremely impactful,” detailing her efforts in creating more than 22 webinars and 75 online videos that have been viewed more than 100,000 times. She has also trained “hundreds of agents and thousands of growers” in strawberry, blueberry and blackberry production.
“Dr. McWhirt is active in traditional written and in-person extension activities,” Mackay wrote. “Since 2016, she has authored or co-authored 23 extension publications, given more than 120 extension talks, and developed over 30 in-person workshops that have impacted more than 3,000 growers on a state, regional and national level. She is also the state coordinator for the Arkansas SARE Program.”
SARE stands for Sustainable Agriculture Research Education.
“Dr. Amanda McWhirt truly embodies the best of ASHS and deserves recognition for her excellence and outstanding contributions to extension and outreach in horticulture,” Mackay said.
McWhirt will receive the award at the ASHS national meeting in August. The meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Twitter and Instagram at @AR_Extension. To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu/. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk.
AG rejects first try of anti-LEARNS referendum
by Steve Brawner (BRAWNERSTEVE@MAC.COM)
Attorney General Tim Griffin’s office has rejected a proposed ballot referendum by a group hoping to overturn the LEARNS Act that was passed by legislators and signed by Gov. Sarah Sanders earlier this year.
The group, Citizens for Public Education and Students, or CAPES, says it will resubmit the referendum and that it will work with a sister organization to push a constitutional amendment next year that would replace the LEARNS Act.
The LEARNS Act is Sanders’ signature education legislation that, among many other provisions, creates “education freedom accounts” giving families access to about $7,000 for non-public school options that otherwise would have gone to the public schools where their children would have attended. It also increases the minimum teacher salary from $36,000 to $50,000 and provides every teacher a $2,000 raise.
https://talkbusiness.net/2023/04/ag-rejects-first-try-of-anti-learns-referendum/
Attorney General Tim Griffin
Asa Hutchinson joins 2024 race for the White House
by Paul Gatling (pgatling@nwabj.com)
Asa Hutchinson officially launched his presidential campaign Wednesday (April 26) in front of the Benton County Courthouse in downtown Bentonville.
In an ABC television interview earlier this month, the former Arkansas governor, mentioned as a possible candidate for nearly a year, declared that he would run for president in 2024. He spoke for 23 minutes at Wednesday’s rally in front of several hundred people. He framed the occasion as a time when the nation’s future and his personal story come together.
“Bentonville is a big part of my life story,” he said. “But, so is Gravette, where I grew up on a farm and learned the importance of family, faith, and community. I also learned hard work from my dad by cleaning out chicken houses and building fences. And my life story also includes Springdale, where I was inspired by teachers who pushed me to learn, and it was in Springdale where my political awareness began with the nation’s divide over the Vietnam War and the struggle for civil rights.”
https://talkbusiness.net/2023/04/asa-hutchinson-joins-2024-race-for-the-white-house/
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson officially launched his presidential campaign Wednesday (Aug. 26) with a campaign rally in downtown Bentonville.
UAMS Health Opens New Urology Center
By Kate Franks
LITTLE ROCK — The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) today opened a new Urology Center in Premier Medical Plaza at 10915 Rodney Parham Road in west Little Rock.
“Expanding into this west Little Rock location helps UAMS fulfill our mission to improve the health and well-being of all Arkansans by making services more readily available,” said Cam Patterson, M.D., MBA, UAMS chancellor and CEO of UAMS Health. “One of the attractions of this site is its ample parking, easy access to public transportation and convenient location right off Interstate 430. We are committed to making health care more accessible in all forms.”
The new Urology Center will offer specialized treatment for complex kidney stones, reconstruction of the urinary system and men’s health, specifically erectile dysfunction, along with top-quality routine urology services. UAMS urologists at the Urology Center will provide comprehensive state-of-the-art urologic care with endoscopic, robotic, laparoscopic and open surgery techniques.
https://news.uams.edu/2023/04/24/uams-health-opens-new-urology-center/
Ahrendsen receives USDA Economists Group Award
By John Lovett
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Bruce Ahrendsen, an agricultural economist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, was recently presented the Bruce Gardner Award by the USDA Economists Group for his innovative work.
AG ECON AWARD — Bruce Ahrendsen, professor of agricultural economics and agribusiness for the University of Arkansas System, speaks before receiving an award from the USDA Economists Group in Washington, D.C. (Photo courtesy USDA Economists Group)
The Bruce Gardner Award has been presented by the USDA Economists Group to a visiting economist since 2008. Ahrendsen is the first recipient of the award from an Arkansas institution.
Research undertaken by Ahrendsen provided technical guidance and support to the underlying development of a time-saving U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency application process, the USDA Economists Group stated in a news release. Ahrendsen also pioneered an analysis of Farm Service Agency primary loan servicing, which laid the groundwork for more recent efforts to improve the loan structuring process, the release added.
Ahrendsen also continues to conduct research to address issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as further analysis of primary loan servicing.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture held a ceremony in Washington, D.C., on March 27 to recognize Ahrendsen and other USDA Economist Group award recipients. The Bruce Gardner Award recognizes non-USDA individuals who have provided “substantial and significant service toward the improvement of U.S. Department of Agriculture programs and policies.”
“Dr. Ahrendsen is an internationally respected expert in agricultural finance,” John Anderson, head of the agricultural economics and agribusiness department, said. “We are fortunate to have him as a senior member of the agricultural economics and agribusiness department here at the University of Arkansas working on behalf of Arkansas stakeholders. It is very gratifying to see his significant and ongoing contributions to this vital sector of the agricultural economy recognized with this prestigious award.”
The department’s faculty have joint appointments in the Division of Agriculture and the University of Arkansas’ Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.
Ahrendsen teaches courses in Bumpers College and conducts research through the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station, the research arm of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“Ahrendsen is considered one of the nation’s foremost experts on Farm Service Agency lending and has made numerous contributions over his career which have advanced the general knowledge and understanding of both Farm Service Agency direct and guaranteed lending programs,” according to the USDA Economists Group statement. “An analysis of program effectiveness is still considered a standard for assessing borrower outcomes.”
The USDA Economists Group is a voluntary organization based at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington, D.C. However, it has no formal affiliation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and receives no funding or endorsement from the government agency.
To learn more about Division of Agriculture research, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station website: https://aaes.uada.edu. Follow on Twitter at @ArkAgResearch. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit https://uada.edu/. Follow us on Twitter at @AgInArk. To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit www.uaex.uada.edu.