On Thursday, July 28th, the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture held a hearing to consider the state of the hemp industry. The hearing was aimed at learning about opportunities and challenges facing the fledgling industry. The purpose was to consider pote
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On Thursday, July 28th, Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-VT) released all twelve spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins October 1. In total, the proposed spending bills would increase defense spending by 8.7% an
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On Thursday, July 28th, the U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a nomination hearing for Doug McKalip who is nominated to serve as chief agriculture negotiator under the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR). The hearing offered an opportunity to discuss trade
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On Monday, July 25th, USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued an updated Crop Progress and Condition Report. The report for Arkansas indicated additional slippage of crop condition due to lack of rainfall and excessive heat that has ca
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On Friday, July 29th, the U.S. Senate approved the H.R. 7776, the Water Resource Development Act (WRDA) of 2022. The measure was approved as amended in the Senate 93-1 after previously being passed by the House 384-37. The measure will next go to conferen
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A new weather system in Arkansas has provided much needed drought relief for significant areas Arkansas with cooler temperatures and rainfall. Several areas in Arkansas have faced major drought with minimal rainfall since May. The rainfall expected in the
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On Friday, July 29th, the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) issued new reports highlighting farm expenditures and farm prices. The reports highlighted the ongoing challenges facing farmers as input costs continue to place pressure on pr
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The U.S. Internation Trade Commission (USITC) recently decided to deny new tariffs on imported urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) fertilizer products from Russia and Trinidad and Tobago. The news was welcomed by farmers who've dealt with dramatic increases to fe
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The City of Marion, Arkansas, will receive an additional $1 million in federal grant funds for the development of the new museum that will commemorate the sinking of the Sultana, a Civil War steamboat that sank near the town in the Mississippi River on Ap
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The U.S. House of Representatives recently approved a legislative package of six appropriations bills for the upcoming fiscal year, including funding proposals for USDA and the FDA. The measures passed on a party line vote of 220-207. The current fiscal y
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The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bipartisan CHIPS Act sending the measure to President Biden for his signature. The legislation is aimed at increasing the United States capacity in the production of semiconducter technologies and reducing de
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USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is seeking applications for Conservation Innovation Grants (CIG) for on-farm conservation innovation trials. The USDA announced that $25 million is available for the On-Farm Conservation Innovation Trials
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