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Ag Council Annual Board of Directors Meeting a Success

The Ag Council of Arkansas held its annual board of directors meeting at the Capital Hotel in Little Rock on December 13th and 14th. It marked the first in-person annual meeting since December of 2019. By all accounts it was a success thanks to meeting sponsors, meeting participants, and guest speakers.

Meeting Sponsors: Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas (Reception & Dinner); Riceland Foods (Luncheon); and general sponsors: Greenway; AGUP - Arkansas Ag; GreenPoint Ag; Delta Plastics; StoneX; and Pivot Bio

The first day allowed for the Ag Council board of directors to conduct annual business that included updates to policy resolutions, a modification to the organization's by-laws, and establishment of a 2022 budget. In addition, the Ag Council board of directors heard from First District Congressman Rick Crawford who provided an update from Washington that included a broad range of subject matters important to Arkansas and agriculture. The business session was followed by a welcome reception that allowed for attendees to relax and socialize. Following the reception, special guests including guest speakers and several past presidents of the Ag Council, joined for the annual presidents' dinner, which recognized past presidents and recipients of the presidents' scholarship operated by the Ag Council of Arkansas Trust. Seven students at the University of Arkansas and Arkansas State University received financial aid for the 2021-2022 school year.

The second day offered a diverse group of guest speakers who covered a range of subject matters important to Arkansas's row crop industry. Guest speakers included Ted Nelson with StoneX who provided an overview of commodity markets and perspective on crop input markets; Don Parker with the National Cotton Council who provided an overview of EPA issues related to crop protection registrations and water; Cynthia Edwards with the Arkansas Department of Agriculture who provided an update on activities at the department; Harrison Pittman with the National Ag Law Center who provided an overview and update on carbon markets and policy proposals related to carbon markets; Ernie Sanders with Pivot Bio who provided an overview of their soil microbe crop nutrient product; and Carley Esser and Macie Kelly who provided an overview and update of all things related to the Senate Agriculture and Forestry Committee where they work under Vice Chairman, Senator John Boozman.

Slide presentations from some of the speakers are available below:

Ted Nelson (StoneX)

Harrison Pittman (National Ag Law Center)

Don Parker (National Cotton Council)

Ernie Sanders (Pivot Bio)

Photos of speakers below:

Board of Directors Business Session

Ag Council of Arkansas President John King III of Helena

First District Congressman Rick Crawford

Ted Nelson with StoneX

Don Parker with National Cotton Council

Cynthia Edwards with Arkansas Department of Agriculture

Harrison Pittman with the National Ag Law Center

Ernie Sanders with Pivot Bio

Carley Esser with Senate Ag Committee Republican Staff for Vice Chairman, Senator John Boozman