On Wednesday, December 16th, the Board of Directors for the Ag Council of Arkansas held its annual meeting to make preparations for the upcoming year. This year's board of directors meeting was different than most due to the ongoing pandemic. The meeting was held via Zoom and was only focused on essential business matters of the organization. The board of directors approved its annual resolutions document (here) and made appointments to the organization's executive officers (below).
John King III of Helena, who'd previously served as First Vice President was named President. He replaces Matt Hyneman of Jonesboro, whose term as president expires December 31st. King previously served the Ag Council of Arkansas as First Vice President. He is also currently serving as a member of the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board and the Arkansas Rice Council. He's a past president of the USA Rice Council as well, and he currently serves in a variety of community organizations including the Helena Airport Commission and the Helena Health Foundation. He farms rice, corn and beans on his family's farm of roughly 6,500 acres. His father also served as president of the Ag Council in 1984.
In addition to Mr. King, the organization appointed Nathan Reed of Marianna to serve as Second Vice President. Reed farms 6,500 acres of cotton, rice and soybeans. He serves on the Cotton Incorporated Board of Directors and is Vice Chair for Arkansas's Cotton State Support Group. He also serves as a state and regional leader of the American Cotton Producers group of the National Cotton Council. Reed was named 40 under 40 by Arkansas Business in 2019. Reed is the son of the late Stanley Reed, an inductee to the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame, who served as Farm Bureau President and as a member of the University of Arkansas Board of Trustees.
Dow Brantley of England was elevated from Second Vice President to First Vice President. Brantley farms cotton, rice, soybeans and corn over 10,000 acres in Lonoke County with his father Laudies. They also run a regional grain marketing business. He's served as Chairman of USA Rice and the Arkansas Rice, and currently serves as a board member for Ag Heritage Farm Credit Service, president of the Arkansas Rice Council and as a board member to Arkansas Rice and USA Rice. He also serves on Agriculture Policy Advisory Committees for USDA and USTR. He is a past recipient of the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award from the Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation and was named 40 under 40 by Arkansas Business in 2014.
Rick Bransford of Lonoke will continue to serve as Treasurer of the Ag Council. Bransford farms cotton, rice, soybeans, and other crops on his 3,000 acre family farm. He currently serves on the Arkansas Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation Board and as a producer delegate to the National Cotton Council for Arkansas. He's previously served as President of the Ag Council of Arkansas and as a member of the Cotton Board, the National Cotton Council's American Cotton Producer board, and the Arkansas State Plant Board.
More information on the leadership of the Ag Council here.
