On Friday, September 18th, USDA announced the launch of the second Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP2), which is designed to provide additional aid to farmers impacted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and trade disputes. USDA will accept CFAP2 app
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Steve Censkey, the USDA Deputy Secretary, announced that he will soon leave USDA and return to lead the American Soybean Association (ASA). Censkey served the ASA for 21 years prior to accepting the job at USDA in 2017. More below: https://www.agri-pulse
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On Thursday, September 17th, Riceland Foods, a farmer owned cooperative headquartered in Stuttgart, Arkansas, announced a new sustainability goal in the form of reducing water use. The initiative, known as "Ingrain Good," will establish a goal of reducing
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On Thursday, September 17th, U.S. Senator John Boozman sat down with Agri-Pulse to discuss ongoing Congressional activity as it relates to agriculture spending and aid for U.S. farmers. Boozman is expected to be the highest ranking Republican member of th
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A plan by the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture to sell a section of land at its Pine Tree Research Station near Colt, Arkansas, is under scrutiny by a state lawmaker and facing opposition from area hunters and public land advocates.
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The U.S. House and Senate recently returned to Washington, D.C., from Labor Day recess with a significant amount of work to complete before the end of the 2020 fiscal year, which closes at the end of September. Congress must approve spending bills that ca
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A recently released report by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) examining recent aid funding for farmers is now being used by some to express frustration, criticism and opposition to Secretary Perdue's aid programs already offered and any future
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U.S. Ambassador to China, Terry Branstad, announced that he will depart his post in early October. Branstad has played a major role in negotiating with China since he took on the role in 2017, and he brought significant expertise in agriculture trade. In
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A World Trade Organization (WTO) panel on Tuesday, September 15th, ruled that the United States' $200 billion tariffs on certain Chinese imports was against WTO Rules. The United States expressed that it strongly disagreed with the ruling, which is expect
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Due to many unforeseen and drastic challenges and obstacles that have faced farmers in recent years, federal aid has grown to levels never seen before to ease the pain on the agriculture sector. And while more aid is expected from USDA with an additional
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Any day now, USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue is expected to announce a second round of Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments, using $14 billion Congress provided through the CARES Act, a coronavirus relief package enacted in March. In addition,
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On Monday, September 8th, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. The report offers an update on crop conditions for most major commodities. According to the report, crop conditions h
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The Central Arkansas Angel Network recently announced a name change to the Ark Angel Alliance in an effort to expand upon its efforts to source and invest capital into companies throughout Arkansas that are looking to grow. The primary investment interest
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Once again, soybean rust has been discovered in Arkansas in recent days. According to the University of Arkansas, the disease was confirmed in Ashley, Chicot, Lincoln and Phillips counties the week of August 30th. Soybean rust is typically found in Arkans
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At the Arkansas State Plant Board held its latest quarterly meeting on September 2nd. At the meeting the board considered a range of business items including the election of officers. The board elected Terry Fuller of Poplar Grove to continue serving as c
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would not provide "gap year" waivers for ethanol production required of the renewable fuel standard (RFS). The decision, which is made in partnership with the Department of Energy, was prais
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President Trump recently announced that he would approve an order to allow for the use of 15% ethanol blends in 10% blend pumps and filling stations. The announcement was well received by the ethanol and corn industry that has struggled recently and has s
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A new deal between the United States and Brazil is expected to delay for an additional 90 days a tariff rate quota (TRQ) that was supposed to lead to a 20% tariff on U.S. exports to Brazil that were in excess of the 198 million gallon import quota. Brazil
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On Friday, September 11, the USDA released an updated World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) Report. The report offers supply and demand estimates for primary commodities. Much of the September report offered information that was bullish to
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On Monday, September 14th, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. The report provides the latest estimates for supply and demand of most major U.S. commodities. According to the report
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On Friday, September 11, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released its monthly Crop Production Report which estimated crop production yield by state for primary commodities grown in the U.S. According to the report, Arkansas crop p
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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently released a new proposed rule to limit federal regulations on biotech crops that are genetically engineered to incorporate toxins to certain insects and other plant pests. The newly proposed rule, whi
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At the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA) annual meeting held recently, Secretary Sonny Perdue spoke about agency priorities including additional coronavirus aid for farmers and aid for farmers dealing with natural disasters.
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On August 29th, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Peanut Stocks and Processing Report. The report showed reduced peanut stocks in commercial storage from 2019 with over half of the stock considered actual farmer stock. T
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On Monday, September 1, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Cotton Systems Consumption and Stocks Report. This is a monthly report that is part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR) program. The repo
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On Monday, September 1, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Fats and Oils Report. This monthly release is part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Report (CAIR) program, and covers the crush of oilseeds and produ
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On Monday, September 1, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service released an updated Grain Crushings Report. This monthly report is part of the Current Agricultural Industrial Reports (CAIR) program, with data for the previous calendar month colle
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Indigo Ag, a relatively new agriculture start up company that promised to significantly disrupt the current agriculture economy, recently announced a major shift in leadership with the departure of founder and CEO David Perry. It was announced that his de
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On Thursday, August 27th, USDA published in the federal register a final rule on Highly Erodible Land and Wetland Conservation provisions of the Food Security Act of 1985, as amended (the 1985 Farm Bill). USDA published an interim rule, with request for c
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Arkansas once again exceeded revenue expectations during the month of August according to state tax officials. The ongoing pandemic has had effects on many points of revenue collection, but the slowdown in the economy due to the pandemic clearly has been
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On Monday, August 31st, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, Arkansas appears to have experienced a modest deterioration of crop condition primarily due to
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On Friday, August 29th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an update on Cash Rents data, which estimates cash rental rates per acre for each county in each state. More below: https://quickstats.nass.usda.gov/results/E0F5EB36-3
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U.S. trade negotiators are indicating positive progress with the implementation of the "Phase 1" trade deal with China following a call early this week with their counterparts in China. Exports of U.S. corn and soybean to China continue to progress as wel
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Hurricane Laura, which struck the Louisiana coast as a powerful category 4 hurricane, rolled into and through Arkansas Thursday afternoon and into Friday. Upon entering Arkansas, the storm remained at hurricane strength before weakening. The storm brought
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The University of Missouri Food and Agriculture Policy Research Institute (FAPRI) released a new agricultre market economic report, which provides a comprehensive view of economic conditions facing the agriculture sector. The report has key data and infor
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Rabobank AgriFinance recently released economic analysis documents providing an overview of their projections of the agriculture market with specific looks into each commodity. The report provides insight and analysis for all major agricultural commodity
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Deere & Co., maker of John Deere agricultural machinery, recently reported earnings that significantly surpased most analysts' projections. The company also increased its sales outlook for the year citing strong demand for farm-equipment despite weak
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The U.S. Senate and U.S. House have yet to reach an agreement on a COVID-19 aid package that would include funding for additional aid to U.S. farmers for impacts of trade, the pandemic, and significant weather events. The House and Senate have both drafte
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On Monday, August 24th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. The report shows the latest estimates from primary commodities grown in the U.S. Nationally, the report indicated only
Read MoreA new 100 megawatt solar farm is coming to East Arkansas thanks to Entergy Arkansas, the state’s largest electric utility. The plant, known as Walnut Bend Solar, is located in Lee County near Brinkley. The construction of the roughly 900 acre project is e
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The University of Arkansas (UofA) Division of Agriculture has made its annual Rice Field Day available online. The field day was first held in a virtual setting on August 20th. The field day includes an overview of research activities of the University as
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On Friday, August 21st, USDA announced changes to eligibility rules for commodity program payments that could make it more challenging for certain family members in operations to qualify for payments. The rule, which went into effect August 20th, amends
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A new cover crop survey by the USDA Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program, the Conservation Technology Innovation Center (CTIC), and the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) provided new data and information touting potential ben
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The University of Arkansas System's Cooperative Extension Service recently provided a virtual Soil and Water Conservation Field Trip to highlight various on-farm conservation practices related to soil health and water use efficiency. The field trip was re
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On Monday, August 17th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Crop Progress and Condition Report. The report provides estimates for the condition of primary crops grown in Arkansas and throughout the nation. For Arkansas, c
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A recent loan of $450 million from the U.S. Export-Import Bank to Iraq is expected to provide a significant boost to U.S. rice exports to Iraq. Iraq has long been a significant importer of U.S. rice, and the financing provided by the U.S. Ex-Im Bank is ex
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On Monday, August 17th, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued an order denying requests to conduct a rehearing of the court's June 3rd ruling that ordered the Enivronmental Protection Agency (EPA) to vacate registrations of Xtendimax, FeXapan and E
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The U.S. and China decided to postpone the planned virtual meeting previously scheduled to take place this weekend. The meeting was intended to be an opportunity for both nations to meet up and discuss compliance with commitments under the Phase 1 agreeme
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The Arkansas Catfish industry joined state officials this week at the Arkansas Department of Agriculture to celebrate Catfish Month under a proclamation made by Governor Hutchinson. Arkansas ranks third among U.S. catfish producing states, and the industr
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The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) August newsletter is now available. The newsletter offers updated information from the FSA related to various programs important to Arkansas producers. Included in this newsletter are instructions for establishing an onl
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University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture economists have made available Price Loss Coverage (PLC) estimated payment rates for 2019 and 2020 crops. The PLC program under Title I of the 2018 farm bill provides price support for several commod
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On Wednesday, August 12th, the USDA released an updated World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) Report. The report estimated a bumper crop for much of the United States with record soybean and corn production. However, the report did not acco
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According to news reports, Mexico's President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador announced this week plans to fully phase out the use of glyphosate herbicide in Mexico by the year 2024. He stated that the government would immediately stop using glyphosate on its
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Rice Conservation Program Renewed for $7M By Emily Woodall LITTLE ROCK, AR -- It's been a rough 2020 so far, but area rice farmers finally got some good news with the recent announcement that the Mid-South Graduated Water Stewardship Regional Conservatio
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On Wednesday, August 12th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued Crop Production Reports. The reports provided estimates for the 2020 crop in relation to production numbers from the 2019 crop year. For the U.S., corn production i
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A major weather system that moved across much of the Midwest wreaked havoc on farmers throughout the corn belt by flattening corn fields and knocking out grain bins. The full effect is yet to be determined, but straight line winds ripped across the landsc
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As farmers have dealt with multiple crises in recent years, the need for aid to producers has grown beyond the amounts provided under the 2018 farm bill. With Market Facilitation Program (MFP) payments and Commodity Food Assistance Program (CFAP) assistan
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Cotton Incorporated’s 2020 Year-End Report to the Secretary (USDA) on program activities was recently completed and submitted to Secretary Perdue. The report highlights various research and development investments aimed to support the U.S. cotton industry
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On Friday, August 7th, the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) determined that it should conduct a countervailing duty investigation into Moroccan and Russian fertilizers on behalf of domestic fertilizer company Mosaic. Mosaic claims that imports of
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On Monday, August 10th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. For Arkansas, crop conditions declined slightly from the previous week primarily due to excess dryness due to lack of ra
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While discussions continue between the House and Senate and the White House on the next round of COVID-19 aid, which includes sigificant assistance to farmers, it appears the differences are far from being worked out. The ongoing pandemic is entering a ne
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On Friday, August 7th, the USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new peanut price report. The report estimates price and marketing information from first buyers of farmer stock peanuts. More below: https://release.nass.usda.gov/rep
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The steering committee established by Governor Asa Hutchinson to recommend best uses of federal COVID-19 aid has recommended allocating $100 million of the state's $1.25 billion towards rural broadband infrastructure through the Arkansas Rural Connect pro
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U.S. trade negotiators are scheduled to meet with Chinese representatives by video conference August 15th to discuss the status of the Phase 1 agreement reached between the Trump and Xi administrations. So far to date China is not meeting their commitment
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A new bill introduced in the U.S. House and Senate aims to severely limit farmer access to crop protection products. While the legislation is unlikely to gain traction in this Congress, the measure intends to create a narrative towards reforming regulatio
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According to AgFunder, two large agriculture start ups recently announced major fundraising hauls as they look to maintain their presence and expand their businesses. Indigo Ag and Farmers Business Network (FBN) both announced that they were concluding se
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On Thursday, August 6th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Farm Land Values Report. The report compares states average land values based on transactions. The report includes, by state and region, average value per
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USDA to Invest up to $360 Million in Partner-Driven Conservation Application period has opened for the Regional Conservation Partnership Program WASHINGTON, August 6, 2020 – USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) today invited potential cons
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On Tuesday, August 4th, the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration reported that Arkansas's revenue collections continue to outperform previous estimates made in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. The estimated negative effect of the economic down
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On August 6th, the University of Arkansas announced that it successfully concluded its capital campaign, Campaign Arkansas, by raising a record $1,449,703,813 for student, faculty, program and capital support. The gifts and pledges made during the eight-y
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On August 4th, Valley Irrigation, a leading agricultural irrigation systems, announced that it had acquired PrecisionKing, a Mississippi-based ag tech company founded in 2014 that offers products focused on moisture monitoring, pump control and remote sen
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The University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture's economists continue to analyze the impact of the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in addition to other economic factors affecting row crop agriculture in Arkansas. Since the start of the
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For Immediate Release: 8.4.20 Contact: Lauren Waldrip, 870.295.8454, lauren@campbellward.com Kelly Robbins Named Executive Director of Arkansas Rice Federation Little Rock, AR - The Arkansas Rice Federation Board has announced that Kelly Robbins has bee
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On Monday, August 3rd, Tyson Foods Inc., announced the naming of a new CEO. Current president Dean Banks will succeed current CEO Noel White effective October 3rd. According to the announcement, White will remain with the meat processor in a new role. Mor
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Dr. Bob Scott, the new Extension Service Director for the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture, sat down with Roby Brock of Talk Business. Scott provided an overview of the services offered by the Cooperative Extension Service and look
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USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Chief Matt Lohr announced that he planned to depart the agency later this month to head back to his family farm in Virginia. Lohr joined the agency in December 2018. During his service Lohr did visit Arka
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On Monday, August 3rd, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, crop conditions in Arkansas continue to improve, and crops are progressing well towards the harv
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On Monday, August 3rd, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Honey Bee Colony Report. The report estimates honey bee colonies in terms of number of colonies, maximum, lost, percent lost, added, renovated, and percent renova
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On Monday, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Cotton Systems Consumption and Stocks Report. More below: https://release.nass.usda.gov/reports/cact0820.pdf
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On Monday, August 3rd, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Fats and Oils Report. The report highlights production, supply and demand for various oils derivced from plants and animals. More below: https://release.nass.usda
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On Monday, August 3rd, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Flour Milling Products Report. More below: https://release.nass.usda.gov/reports/cafl0820.pdf
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On Monday, August 3rd, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Grain Crushings and Co-Products Production Report. More below: https://release.nass.usda.gov/reports/cagc0820.pdf
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According to a recent article from the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the Arkansas Department of Agriculture's State Plant Board has issued over $1 million in fine settlement offers to suspected violators of state laws and regulations governing use of dicamba
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On Friday, July 31st, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Farm Production Expenditure Report, which estimates various production expenses for American farms. According to the report, 2019 total farm production expe
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On Friday, July 31st, an Arkansas cotton farm and gin in Lake City held a "flip the switch" ceremony to celebrate the completion of a large solar array system. The project is managed by Craighead Electric Cooperative and Today's Power, Inc. The two megawa
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The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) and National Marine Fisheries Service are seeking to amend the definition of "critical habitat" under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) by further defining the word "habitat," as "the physical places that individual
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On July 31st, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Agricultural Prices Report. The report estimates revenues on farms for the various commodities grown and compares them to previous years. The report reflects the ef
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Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service continues to hold its annual field days in a virtual setting online. These events focus on specific commodities, and offer Ar
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Andy Vangilder, a peanut specialist with the University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service, recently sat down with Arkansas Farm Bureau to provide an update on the peanut industry in Arkansas, which continues to g
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Weed scientists have officially confirmed the presence of dicamba resistant pigweed in the Mid-South region. The finding is concerning to farmers in the region since many have utilized the dicamba-tolerant Xtend seed technology in recent years to gain bet
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On Wednesday, July 29th, major grain trading companies Bunge and ADM both reported positive financial results that beat many analysts estimates. The reports showed that these businesses were now showing some renewed strength due to increased grain trading
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On Wednesday, July 29th, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the 2020 Water Resources Development Act (WRDA), which authorizes funding for water infrastructure projects overseen by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The bill now goes to the U.S. Sen
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On Wednesday, China officially rejected the claims of the United States that China has failed to comply with a 2019 World Trade Organization (WTO) ruling on China’s price supports for its wheat and rice farmers. The U.S. has requested that the WTO allow t
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On Wednesday, July 29th, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a hearing on the World Trade Organization (WTO). Most of the discussion was on the pros and cons of the international trade commission and its dispute resolution service. It also covered idea
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On Monday, July 27th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, crop conditions nationwide have improved in recent weeks with the addition of moisture in areas
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On Monday, July 27th, Republican leaders in the US Senate unveiled their COVID-19 relief package. The $1 trilllion plan includes $20 billion in additional funding for the Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) for supplemental direct farm aid. The package wil
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Federal and State Government officials in the United States have issued warnings to citizens who may receive unsolicited packages of seeds shipped from China to addresses in the United States. The mysterious shipments of seed have appeared in many states,
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On Monday, July 27th, the USDA Secretary Sonny Perdue announced the addition of new features on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farmers.gov website designed to help facilitate the employment of H-2A workers. The new features aim to help farmers navig
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A new lawsuit was filed by a coalition challenging USDA food labeling rules related to foods containing genetically enhanced ingredients. The primary objection relates to the USDA's allowance of food makers to utilize QR codes in disclosing relevant ingre
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On Wednesday, July 22nd, American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall posted an update on his experience with COVID-19 after falling ill shortly after the 4th of July. In his message, he noted that he expressed several common symptoms and that the virus ex
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Moldenhauer named interim head of rice station at Stuttgart Fast facts: Moldenhauer puts retirement on pause for interim directorship Moldenhauer has been rice breeder since 1982 (684 words) (Newsrooms: with additional art of Moldenhauer at https://ww
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Senate Republicans are expected to soon unveil a $1 trillion COVID-19 aid package in the coming days. While full details are not yet available, it is expected that the legislation will include additional funding for USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CC
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On Friday, July 24th, the U.S. House approved a package of fiscal year spending bills for the 2021 fiscal year, which will begin October 1. The spending measure included four appropriation measures including funding for the Agriculture Department, Food an
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On Wednesday, the Ninth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals denied a petition to vacate the registration of Corteva Agriscience's Enlist Duo herbicide, a 2,4-D-choline and glyphosate premix designed for use over 2,4-D-tolerant Enlist crops. The challenge agains
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On Tuesday, July 21st, Bayer Crop Science announced a new initiative and plan to provide incentives to growers who adopt certain activities to sequester carbon. The program will begin this fall and incentives will be made available for no-till practices a
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On July 21, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Catfish Production report. According to the report, U.S. catfish production continues to contract. Nationally, water surface acres were down 5 percent year over year in
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Arkansas State University recently announced new grants aimed at studying crop residue burning. One grant is focused on considering the potential health effects of the practice on populations and the other is to consider better management techniques for b
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The USDA reported significant export purchases from China this week. Sales announcements from USDA included a Wednesday announcement of sales of 715,000 metric tons of U.S. soybeans to China, 649,000 tons of which are scheduled for delivery in the 2020-21
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On Monday, July 20th, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. The report provides the latest estimates for the 2020 crops at this stage in the growing season. According to the report, crop
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ArkansasReady, the Arkansas Economic Recovery Task Force, was formed to provide information to help Arkansans confidently and safely return to life and work. This industry-specific platform provides a single source for information and recommendations on h
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On Wednesday, July 15th, Arkansas Capital Corporation announced that is received an additional $35 million in federal New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) allocations. These credits will be deployed this fall for use in various economic and business development
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On Wednesday, July 15th, the Trump Administration released a new rule to ease the regulatory burdens associated with the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). The move was touted by the President as an effective way of slashing a web of needless burea
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The U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol, the U.S. cotton industry's sustainability initiative, recently announced that it was expanding its services to include brands and retailers after a successful launch of its pilot phase focused on growers. The Trust Protocol
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A recent report from Rabobank highlighting fertilizer market conditions showed fertilizer prices to be down significantly across the board. According to the report global price indicators find nitrogen, phosphate, and potash to be at or near ten-year lows
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On Thursday, July 16th, Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson announced that he would issue an executive order for a statewide mandate the use of face coverings in public. The order is aimed at slowing the spread of COVID-19. He plans to sign the order Monday.
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Senate Republicans are expected to introduce their COVID-19 aid package next week with what is said to be a roughly $1 trillion package. Ultimately, Senate Republicans will have to negotiate with a Democratic House plan that called for $3 trillion in aid.
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President Trump recently stated that he remains disappointed in China and is not interested in engaging with China to explore a second phase to the deal reached in January. Primary among President Trump's concerns were the ongoing pandemic, which originat
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According to a recent interview between USDA undersecretary for farm production and conservation, Bill Northey, and Agri-Pulse, farmers can soon expect additional Commodity Food Assistance Program (CFAP) payments in August. The payment will be on the othe
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On Tuesday, July 14, USDA announced more record breaking purchases of U.S. corn from China. According to USDA, China booked its biggest single-day U.S. corn purchase on record on Tuesday with 1.762 million tons of corn. It is the second major purchase in
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A new national federation was recently established to represent the various segmenets of the U.S. peanut industry, including growers, shellers, and buying points. The United States Peanut Federation (USPF) will serve as a unified voice in Washington D.C.
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On Tuesday, July 14th, AgLaunch and Farm Journal announced that they've opened applications for its 2nd Row Crop Challenge, which is designed to identify prospective startup companies and provide them with critical technical and potentially financial supp
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Arkansas-based AgTech startup, SolaRid, announced that it was awarded a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to continue developing its pest management product. The SolaRid system is designed to operate on solar power in and around agricultural fields
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Anheuser-Busch Foundation to donate $130,000 to Arkansas Discovery Farms Project By the U of A System Division of Agriculture Fast Facts: $130,000 gift part of a larger package supporting research at several institutions Other recipients include Unive
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On July 14th, the University of Arkansas announced that it will receive a $194.7 million grant from the Walton Family Charitable Support Foundation to support and strengthen the research capabilities of the University of Arkansas. The five-year grant will
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On Monday, July 13th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, Arkansas's crops continue to be in pretty good condition generally, despite lagging behind the
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Weather forecasts for the remainder of July and into early August are pointing towards significant increases in hot and dry air over important U.S. row crop production areas. Particular concern for drought include areas of Texas and areas of the Mid-West.
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This week, USDA announced that it was making the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) available to several other commodities. Most of the new commodities included are specialty crops. The new commodities include: alfalfa sprouts, anise, arugula, bas
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U.S. Senator John Hoeven (R-ND) recently joined Agri-Pulse to discuss ongoing efforts in the U.S. Senate to develop additional farm aid as part of the larger effort to provide COVID-19 pandemic aid. Hoeven is Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Appropriati
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Conservis, a sponsor member of the Ag Council of Arkansas and a global leader in enterprise farm management software, recently announced enhanced financial management capabilities to its already robust platform. The enhancements were developed in collabor
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On Friday, July 10th, the USDA released a new World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) report. The report provides the latest supply and demand estimates for primary agriculture commodities. More below: https://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde
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On Friday, July 10th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released a new Crop Production Report. According to the report, winter wheat production is forecast at 1.22 billion bushels, down 4 percent from the June 1 forecast and down 7
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USA Rice elected new leadership for its organization as did its affiliate organizations during its summer meeting, which was held in a virtual setting this year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Bobby Hanks, CEO of Supreme Rice in Crowley, Louisiana,
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On Friday, July 10th, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) announced new investments in ongoing regional surface water irrigation projects in Arkansas. The announcement includes $35.6 million for the Grand Prairie Demonstration Project a
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Arkansas's U.S. Senators (John Boozman and Tom Cotton) both signed a joint letter with other colleagues to Senate leadership calling for additional farm aid. In their request the Senators, primarily from cotton belt states specifically cited a need to ass
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American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall reportedly tested positive for COVID-19 following the 4th of July weekend. He reportedly cancelled a dinner celebrating the USMCA trade deal at the White House Wednesday after testing positive and experiencing s
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The Little Rock Port Authority, in partnership with federal, state and local officials, announced on June 6th, an $11 million in transportation infrastructure improvements planned for the industrial center. The Little Rock Port, which features rail, river
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Delta Solar, an Arkansas-based solar energy developer and service provider, recently announced a significant new equity investment and partnership that will help the company meet the growing demand of solar power in various market segments, including agri
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While the U.S. Senate is in a two week recess following the Fourth of July holiday, work is still underway as it relates to the development of a Senate aid package for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Likely to be included in such a package is additional fu
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The U.S. House of Representatives is making quick work of fiscal year 2021 spending bills in an attempt to keep the appropriations process on schedule to meet the start of the new fiscal year October 1. The Senate will return later in July to do its part
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On Monday, July 6th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, most of Arkansas's crops are in good to excellent condition at the moment as they enter key growth
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USDA Improves Crop Insurance Policies with New Options WASHINGTON, July 6, 2020 — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced changes to several crop insurance policies improving options for producers, including introducing a new Quality Los
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Nutrien Ag Solutions is planning to launch a new rice variety (DGL-263X) in 2021 that will be available to rice growers in 2021. The company claims that the long grain variety is high-yielding, high quality that will fall under the DynaGro brand. The comp
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This week, Congress finished work on legislation to extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for an additional 5 weeks. The PPP was established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act to assist businesses affected by the on
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Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge officially launched her candidacy for governor when she announced her plans to run for office on July 1st. Governor Hutchinson is term limited and his term will expire at the end of 2022. Rutledge is also term lim
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Entergy Arkansas, the state’s largest power company and an investor-owned utility, and a handful of other entitites including the Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation and Attorney General Leslie Rutledge recently filed appeals to the Public Service C
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The Arkansas Waterways Commission (AWC) named Phyllis Harden as its new chairperson. She is the first female chairman of the commission, and she's the first female member of the Arkansas Waterways Commission. Harden is an employee of Pine Bluff Sand and G
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On Thursday, July 2nd, the National Agricultural Law Center issued a web post update on pending litigation against Corteva's Enlist crop system. While the case is uniquely different from the dicamba case that the Ninth Circuit recently acted on against th
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After a 12-year joint venture with J.G. Boswell, Corteva has announced it plans to purchase the full ownership of PhytoGen Seed Company. PhytoGen markets Upland, Pima, and Acala cotton varieties. Corteva will own PhytoGen patents, trademarks, and propriet
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On Wednesday, July 1st, the U.S., Mexico, Canada Free Trade Agreement (USMCA) officially went into force. The rewrIte of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) was completed in 2019 and recently put into law among the three nations. The agreement
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Armor Seed will add cotton to its list of seed offerings through its relatively new partnership with Winfield United. The cottonseed will be available to farmers for the 2021 crop year. Based in Jonesboro, AR, Armor has long served farmers in the Souther
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Arkansas ended its 2019-2020 fiscal year June 30th with a better than expected revenue number. The COVID-19 pandemic certainly brought significant economic injury that continues today, but the effects on Arkansas's State budget were not as bad as initiall
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On Wednesday, July 1st, Governor Hutchinson at his daily briefing on the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic laid out a strong argument urging Arkansans to wear facial coverings (masks) to limit the spread of the COVID-19 virus. In recent weeks, since Memorial Day
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On Tuesday, June 30th, the USDA released its annual acreage report showing estimated plantings for the 2020 crop year. The USDA also released stocks reports for grains and rice. According to the reports, corn and soybean acres are increased over 2019 leve
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On July 1, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a comprehensive infrastructure bill (233-188) that would cover transportation infrastructure for all modes, water infrastructure, healthcare infrastructure, and broadband and energy infrastructure. The
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On Monday, June 29th the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. For Arkansas, most farmers are finished planting and crops appear to be in pretty good shape with a majority of crops in go
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At a June 24th business meeting, the Senate Agriculture Committee advanced a bill by a voice vote to reauthorize the U.S. Grain Standards Reauthorization Act for the next five years. The bill currently enjoys wide support from agricultural groups who depe
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Another bump in the road for U.S.-China trade relations came this week when China announced that it would prohibit imports of meat products from certain production facilities in the United States where COVID-19 infections were present. The arbitrary trade
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On Friday, June 26th, Governor Hutchinson announced a new appointee to serve on the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. Rob Finley, 54, of Mountain Home will serve a seven year term filling the seat vacated by commissioner Ken Reeves of Harrison. More belo
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The University of Arkansas recently announced that it would receive a $10 million gift from Ed and Michelle Fryar and the Fryar Family Charitable Foundation to support agriculture learning at the Bumpers School of Agriculture and the Division of Agricultu
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Ag Council of Arkansas sponsor member INTL FCStone announced it is rebranding itself under the name The StoneX Group. The StoneX Group is a comprehensive global financial services firm headquartered in New York City. The offer a wide array of services for
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The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, "Field to Market," and the U.S. Cotton Trust Protocol announced a new agreement that formalizes a partnership between the two organizations to document and accelerate sustainable outcomes for U.S. cotton productio
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USDA announced it was making a $75 million Rural Development investment in Arkansas to the Electric Cooperatives of Arkansas to finance the installation of over 2,000 miles of fiber optic cable to provide a backbone communications network for Smart Grid p
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Despite several conflicting statements between President Trump and several administration officials, the United State's chief agriculture trade negotiator, Gregg Doud, remains confident in the "Phase 1" trade deal with the U.S. and China, and he sees cont
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Another dicamba related decision in the ongoing Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals came on Thursday, June 25th, when a panel of judges denied a motion by BASF to stay and recall the court's June 3rd order to the EPA to vacate its registrations for Xendimax, F
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The U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing on Wednesday to consider a new bipartisan bill (S. 3894, The Growing Climate Solutions Act of 2020) aimed at developing ecosystem markets for farmers that could provide new revenue streams for American
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On Wednesday, June 24th, Bayer announced that it had reached settlement agreements to substantially resolve major outstanding legacy Monsanto litigation, which includes agreements to bring closure to the vast majority of the current Roundup™ product liabi
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On Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Seeborg denied an effort by Democratic attorneys general to halt new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rules defining what streams and wetlands should be regulated under the Clean Water Act. The attorneys g
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Two Virginia attorneys recently pled guilty to an extortion scheme aimed at seeking a $200 million contract with the Bayer/Monsanto in exchange for avoiding potential harm through litigation against the company and other acts against the company. The U.S.
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A federal judge has reaffirmed his earlier decision that the state of California cannot require a cancer warning label on glyphosate-based products such as Roundup under its Proposition 65 law. The State of California attempted to place the label on glyph
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Arkansas Department of Agriculture Launches New Website Existing division websites consolidated to form one streamlined experience LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – June 22, 2020 – The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has launched a new website that combines curated
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Scott selected as Arkansas extension director June 19, 2020 By Mary Hightower U of A System Division of Agriculture Fast facts Bob Scott named Arkansas extension director Scott has been with Division of Agriculture since 2002 (782 words) (Newsrooms:
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The Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation recently launched a new website that will provide information and insight into the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation and its active programs. In addition, the site will be able to provide interactive servic
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On Monday, June 22nd, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson declared the week, "Pollinator Week," in Arkansas. The action is intended to bring attention to the important role of pollinators to agriculture and the environment. In addition to Arkansas, similar e
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On Monday, June 22, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. For Arkansas, most crop plantings are complete and crop conditions have generally improved
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The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals denied a petition from plaintiffs for an emergency motion to override the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) order that suspended the registration of three dicamba products while permitting the use of existing stocks
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The National Ag Law Center will hold a webinar briefing on June 24th to provide an update on legal issues surrounding dicamba herbicide. With significant developments in various court cases and regulatory actions, the subject continues to evolve. The webi
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A U.S. District Court Judge recently ruled in favor of environmental and animal activist groups and against farm groups on a North Carolina state law intented to protect the privacy of farms and other small businesses from certain acts of trespass. A simi
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The Renewable Fuels Association (RFA) and other corn and ethanol advocacy groups expressed strong opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for considering additional small refinery waivers for oil companies in the United States. The U.S. et
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On Wednesday, June 24th, the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee will hold a hearing on a new bipartisan climate bill that would allow the USDA to coordinate the development of new greenhouse gas credit markets for farmers who adopt certain management pract
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MEMPHIS, Tenn., June 18, 2020 – The Seam, a leading provider of food and agriculture software solutions, today announced its approval as a Qualified Data Management Partner with Field to Market: The Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture, completing an inte
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Ag Council of Arkansas sponsor member, INTL FCStone Financial, Inc., is hosting a series of 90-minute webinars designed to provide a solid foundation of merchandising and price-risk management concepts and strategies. The Grain Merchandiser Education Webi
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Legislation recently introduced in the U.S. House and Senate known as the Paycheck Protection for Producers Act (H.R. 7175, S. 3918) is designed to help more farmers and ranchers participate in the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP, which was est
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The City of Forrest City announced plans to break ground on three new solar power plants in the community. The $5 million investment will power 100 percent of the city's government and municipal operations and consist of more than 7,000 panels. More bel
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On Wednesday, June 17th, U.S. Trade Represenative Robert Lighthizer addressed Congressional committees to provide updates on trade matters of the United States. Much the trade representative's time and attention was on agricultural trade and the World Tra
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On Tuesday, June 16th, many agricultural groups submitted a letter to President Trump urging an adherence to the "Phase 1" trade deal with China in order to maintain and expand upon trade of agricultural commodities to China. The letter praised the Presid
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On Monday, June 15th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued updated Crop Progress and Condition Reports. According to the report, most of Arkansas's crop acres were planted with soybeans up to 86
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The Governor's designated task force to determine how to utilize federal funds provided by the CARES Act made a recommendation to commit $21.6 million for broadband initiatives with $19.3 million for Gov. Asa Hutchinson's Arkansas Rural Connect program an
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The Arkansas Rice Federation is currently searching for a self motivated, high energy individual with a passion for agriculture to be the trade association's next Executive Director. The Executive Director will be responsible for the overall management of
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The Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) in July is expected to review and decide on a significant solar power project for Producers Rice Mill in Stuttgart. The $55 million project would establish a 20-megawatt solar farm that would provide almost 75
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On Monday, June 15th, Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson issued three executive orders related employer liability protection for Arkansas businesses for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The orders grant business and health care workers greater immunity from C
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Arkansas First District Congressman Rick Crawford recently joined Agri-Pulse for their "Open Mic" program to discuss agricultural issues in Congress. In his segment he addressed trade issues, the ongoing pandemic, the need for economic assistance for farm
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USDA Expands Farmers.gov Features to Help Manage Conservation Activities Contact: FPAC.BC.Press@usda.gov WASHINGTON, June 9, 2020 – New self-service features on farmers.gov will help farmers and ranchers manage their conservation activities online
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This week was another interesting week in relation to the Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals and dicamba as the court recently ordered the Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) and plaintiffs to communicate with the court in addressing an appe
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The same federal appeals court that on June 3rd sided with plaintiffs against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to immediately order the agency to vacate the registration of three new dicamba formulations is expected to consider an almost identica
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Call USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Today About 2020 Crop Year Eligibility WASHINGTON, D.C., June 11, 2020 – Agricultural producers who have not yet enrolled in the Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) or Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs for 2020 must do so
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The ongoing debate over the registration of dicamba took another turn as plaintiffs in the Ninth Circuit Court trial filed an emergency motion seeking to have the court order a stop use of dicamba following the EPA's actions to vacate the registration whi
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On June 11th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released new reports on Crop Production for 2020. According to the reports, Arkansas is expected to harvest 100,000 acres of wheat with an average yield of 56 bushels per acre. More below: https://ww
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Congressman Rick Crawford recently joined Agri-Pulse to discuss various issues facing the agriculture industry. He spoke specifically to federal aid for U.S. farmers in the midst of continued depressed commodity markets due to economic slowdown, trade dis
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Delta Peanut announced that it will soon build a new facility to supply its soon to open shelling facility in Jonesboro. The location of the site has not been publicly stated, but its expected to compliment the existing network and support an expanded acr
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This week revealed a significant purchase of U.S. soybeans by China, which offered some much needed positive signs for trade between the U.S. and China. In recent weeks, the rhetoric between the two nations intensified, and optimism had waned a little as
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The University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service recently hosted a webinar titled, "Farm to Freezer," to help address growing interest among cattle farmers and consumers to produce, process and market more locall
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On Wednesday, June 10th, Governor Asa Hutchinson announced that he was allowing the State to move towards a Phase II re-activation of the economy. The move will allow for more businesses to reopen and for open businesses to accept more customers in their
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On Thursday, June 11th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released an updated World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate (WASDE) Report. The report estimates supply and demand for most major agricultural commodities. More below: https://www.usda
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A new report from the University of Missouri released in early June indicated that American farmers are still in need of significant and continued aid due to economic hardships associated with the economic downturn, COVID-19, and ongoing trade disputes. T
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On Wednesday, June 10th, American Farm Bureau submitted a letter to congressional leaders urging a significant aid package for the U.S. agriculture sector to address economic injury caused by COVID-19, ongoing trade disputes, and the general global econom
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On Monday, June 8th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a new Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, Arkansas farmers were able to make significant progress as better plan
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On Monday, June 8th, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued an order related to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals' June 3rd decision to require the EPA to vacate three dicamba registrations (XtendiMax with vapor grip technology, Engenia, a
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PECO Foods, the 8th-largest poultry producer in the U.S. is expanding its Pocahontas location with plans to hire an additional 250 full time workers with hourly wages of $14-15. This continued growth is expected to provide more local demand for feed from
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The U.S. hemp industry is looking to its top advocate in Congress, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), to advance top legislative priorities in the next "must-pass" COVID-19 aid package. The hemp industry wants legislation to force the U.S. Food and D
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has indicated that an additional COVID-19 aid package would be negotiated between the Senate and the White House, and additional funding for the USDA Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) would be included to pro
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LeadAR opens applications for next leadership class By Tracy Courage U of A System Division of Agriculture Fast Facts: 22-month program includes bi-monthly seminars, week in Washington, D.C., international study, and community leadership project Applic
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A new bipartisan bill introduced in the U.S. Senate seeks to address climate issues by placing a high priority on putting USDA in the lead of supporting the development of incentives and marketplaces that support agricultural practices and land management
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The Ninth Circuit Federal Court of Appeals issued a decision Wednesday, June 3rd, that would require the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to vacate its registrations for three dicamba herbicides - XtendiMax (Bayer), Engenia (BASF), and FeXapan (Corte
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On Monday, June 1, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) walked back its restrictions on hand sanitizer produced by ethanol plants in an effort to allow companies to continue to help provide supply for the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The oil market c
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Rick Cartwright, who will retire June 30th from his position as Director of Extension Services for the University of Arkansas, was recently interviewed by Delta Farm Press to get his thoughts on the future of agriculture after he exits. He spoke of the po
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The University of Arkansas's Irrigation Yield Contest, known as the "Most Crop Per Drop" competition, is designed for farmers to compete and compare notes for utilizing the least amount of water for the greatest yield. It is anticipated that the winners w
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The United States Senate on Wednesday, June 3rd, approved H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Flexibility Act, which provides enhancements to the Paycheck Protection Program implemented under the CARES Act to assist small businesses impacted by the ongoing
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The United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has indicted four poultry executives for alleged anti-trust violations related to price fixing of broiler chickens. According to the DOJ, this case is the result of an ongoing federal antitrust investigation i
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Arkansas Secretary of Agriculture, Wes Ward, was elected President of the Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA) for 2020-2021 during its anual conference held June 1. Secretary Ward had served as Vice President prior to his elec
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Riceland Foods, a farmer owned cooperative based in Stuttgart, Arkansas, announced a new company and member wide sustainability initiative on June 1st. The new initiative, known as "Ingrain Good," is intended to create value through sustainability for the
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LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (June 1, 2020) - The application period for the 10th annual Arkansas Soybean Association (ASA) Grow for the Green Soybean Yield Challenge is officially open. All soybean producers in Arkansas are eligible to participate in this contest,
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On Tuesday, June 2nd, at the Arkansas State Plant Board's quarterly meeting, the board reviewed and denied proposals to extend the May 25th state-wide cut-off date for dicamba products. The first proposal was a petition from Mr. Franklin Fogleman* of Mari
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In a 591 page order, the Arkansas Public Service Commission (PSC) issued its regulations related to "net-metering" for solar power generation. According to initial reports, the ruling is said to be favorable to Arkansans seeking to deploy solar arrays as
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On Monday, June 1, news sources reported that China, in retaliation to the United States, has ordered national import companies to cease purchases of U.S. grown commodities. The order was reportedly issued in response to U.S. actions related to Hong Kong.
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Survey (NASS) announced that it would like producer feedback on its June Agricultural Survey to gain an accurate estimate on 2020 crops and stocks. The agency is currently conducti
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On Monday, June 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued new Crop Progress and Condition Reports. According to this week's report, Arkansas farmers are quickly approaching the finish line for plan
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On Monday, June 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued a Cotton Systems Consumption and Stocks Report. The report shows a significant decline in consumption of cotton in recent months as a resul
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On Monday, June 1, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) released an updated Fats and Oils Report as well as the Grain Crushing and Co-products Production Report. The reports show estimates for crush and
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The National Council of Farmer Cooperatives (NCFC) issued a letter directed at U.S. Department of Treasury and the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) urging them to withdraw from a new proposed tax rule that would raise taxes on farmers and
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USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is making further adjustments to assist producers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, Approved Insurance Providers (AIPs) are authorized to extend the deadlines for payment of premiums and administrative fees, d
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Indigo Agriculture and Anheuser Busch recently announced joint accomplishments in providing sustainability improvements in rice production by meeting and exceeding various targets related to water use, nitrogen, and greenhouse gas emissions. The announcem
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On Wednesday, May 27th, Tyson Foods released its 2019 Sustainability Report, which outlines the company’s progress toward its sustainability goal. The goals are related to five focus areas that include food, animal welfare, environment, workplace and comm
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is currently seeking nominations of domestic cotton producers from Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina and Texas, and importers of cotton and cotton-containing products for positions on th
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The U.S. - China relationship seems to have soured significantly since the two nations announces the "Phase 1" trade deal in January. Since then, China has yet to meet its commitments under the agreement, and President Trump has largely placed blame of th
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Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) indicated on Tuesday, May 26th, that the Senate was planning to unveil a new COVID-19 relief bill in the coming weeks. On May 15th, the House previously passed a new COVID aid package known as the HEROES Act,
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Three months into the "Phase 1" trade deal between the United States and China, it's clear that China is not on schedule to meet their commitments of purchasing U.S. commodities and products. However, they are back to consuming from the United States, and
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As farmers continue to feel the effects of the ongoing pandemic, economic slowdown, energy market collapse, and trade debate with China, it's clear that government aid to date, while helpful, is not sufficient. And that is not just the opinion of farmers
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The Arkansas State Plant Board is seeking nearly $600,000 in fines for alleged dicamba related violations, according to a May 24th article in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. The fines issued in settlement decrees were recently sent from the agency to farme
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For Arkansas row-crop farmers, May 25th marked the final day for legal applications of dicamba herbicides according to state regulations from the Arkansas State Plant Board. Violations of these rules may be considered egregious* and subject to fines of $1
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Farmers can now begin the process of applying for aid under the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) a new aid program funded by Congress through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Stability (CARES) Act. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (US
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U.S. Senator John Boozman recently joined Agri-Pulse "Open Mic" podcast. He spoke to the need to provide additional money and authority to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for purposes of providing direct aid to U.S. farmers. In addition, he spok
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On Tuesday, May 26th the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. For Arkansas, most crops remain behind the 5 year average with soybeans at 58 percent plan
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After several weeks of government restrictions on many parts of the state's economy to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), the state is now relaxing many measures on businesses in an attempt to re-activate the state's economy. The state w
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On Thursday, May 21, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that the Department is making available up to $1 billion in loan guarantees to help rural businesses meet their working capital needs during the coronavirus pandemic. Additionally,
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A new initiative spearheaded by Arkansas First District Congressman Rick Crawford is seeking to fill labor shortages in agriculture through the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative, known as Arkansas Farm Corps aimd to connect a ready, willing and ab
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Complete the 2020 Census in 10 minutes The Agricultural Council of Arkansas urges members to complete the 2020 Census. Taking only 10 minutes to complete, the nine-question census is available at 2020Census.gov. Once a decade, America comes together to co
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FSA Implements Set-Aside Loan Provision for Customers USDA’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) will broaden the use of the Disaster Set-Aside (DSA) loan provision, normally used in the wake of natural disasters, to allow farmers with USDA farm loans who are affec
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Bayer Crop Science is looking to promote use and participation in their mobile app HabiTally, which is designed to improve data collection about pollinator habitats. The app was developed as a collaboration between Bayer Crop Science and The Climate Corpo
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The University of Arkansas System's Division of Agriculture's Cooperative Extension Service continues to offer Arkansas growers with useful information related to crop production, crop marketing, verification research, and other pertinent issues. The blog
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After invoking the Defense Production Act (DPA) through Executive Order for meat processing facilities to keep them operating amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the administration is reportedly considering expanding the DPA to include other agriculture p
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The 7th Annual Mid-South Ag and Environmental Law Conference, which is usually held in Memphis, will now take place online June 4th and 5th from noon until 3:10pm each day. The conference will feature six hours of speakers covering an array of current leg
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On Monday, May 18th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. According to the report, Arkansas farmers continued to make planting progress recently, bu
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On Tuesday, May 12th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued its 2020 Cotton Ginnings Report. The report highlighted ginning data for every state. Last year in Arkansas, 29 gins were in operation,
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The White House Office of Management and Budget on Friday, May 15th, officially completed its review of the rule for the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program, and an announcement of the rule is expected this week as early as Tuesday, May 19th. The rule wil
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On Tuesday, May 19th, President Trump and Secretary Perdue announced the details of the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The $16 billion food aid program is aimed at supporting a broad range of farms and agriculture enterprises disrupted and in
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On Friday, May 15th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed another pandemic aid package, known as the HEROES Act. The measure, which provides roughly $3 trillion in additional aid to help cope with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on the ec
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Arkansas's Delegation in the U.S. House of Representatives joined a letter with their colleagues to the House leaders urging additional COVID-19 aid for the U.S. cotton industry. The bipartisan letter was sent from 61 House Members to Speaker Nancy Pelos
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On Thursday, May 14th, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced a final rule updating and modernizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) biotechnology regulations under the Plant Protection Act. The Sustainable, Ecological, Consistent
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The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, has opened online applications for the 2021 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. This national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies that are addressing challenges faced
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The Delta Regional Authority (DRA), an economic development authority serving an eight state region in the Mid-South established by Congress in 2000, is undergoing a new strategic plan for the agency that will establish the agency's priorities and actions
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On Tuesday, May 12th, the House Appropriations Committee announced the introduction of the HEROES Act, a new, phase four spending bill to provide aid related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The legislation includes a broad range of funding for agricultu
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On Thursday, May 14th, U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) hosted a webinar to unveil the details of the $16 billion Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP). The webinar provided a general overview for the program and expectations for signing up for
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Governor Hutchinson Appoints Alan McClain as Insurance Commissioner LITTLE ROCK – Governor Asa Hutchinson today announced that he has appointed Alan McClain as the state’s new insurance commissioner. McClain, who will assume the position on April 3, repla
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has partnered with other government agencies including the Department of Labor (DOL), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and Department of State to limit the disruption in the H-2A workforce caused by COVID-19
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The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently updated their website to incorporate COVID-19 information useful to those they serve. Much of the content is related to the impact of the pandemic to their ongoing activities and services. The website pro
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