GROWN

A GUIDE TO THE STATES FARMS, FOOD AND FORESTRY

ARKANSAS

Ripe for the Pickin'

Arkansas produces superior tomatoes

Saving Water
FARMERS HAVE SUCCESS WITH CONSERVATION AND RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
Sponsored by the Arkansas Agriculture Department // www.AR-agriculture.com // 2014

Arkansas Grown Globally Known

Bruce Oakley Inc. has had the privilege of calling Arkansas home since 1968. From our home office in North Little Rock, we continue to expand, working with customers across the U.S. and around the globe. Bruce Oakley Inc. operates multiple divisions including trucking, barge, fertilizer and grain. These services allow us to offer the ag community a variety of options. When it comes to marketing your crops and purchasing fertilizer for your farming operation, we will be there to meet your needs. Oakley Grain operates five river grain elevators on the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers and one inland elevator in central Arkansas. Oakley Fertilizer offers a full line of fertilizer products that may be supplied in vessel, barge, truckload or by the bag. From Bruce Oakleys humble beginning in El Paso, Arkansas, until today, we have always been committed to you, the customer. While we continue to broaden our geographical scope, our companys roots will always be deeply imbedded in the Natural State remaining loyal to our values and customers.

BRUCE OAKLEY INC.

3700 Lincoln Ave. | North Little Rock, AR 72114 800-662-0875 | Fax 501-945-6970 www.bruceoakley.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

7 Governors Welcome Letter 9 Secretarys Welcome Letter 10 Arkansas Agriculture Overview 13 Arkansas Top Ten

GROWN
A GUIDE TO THE STATES FARMS, FOOD AND FORESTRY

ARKANSAS

2014

Crops, Plants & Forestry

14 High Cotton
Commodity bolsters jobs and income in Arkansas Corn acreage continues to increase in Arkansas Arkansas conservation districts focus on fundamental needs Arkansas women realize successful careers in agriculture Arkansas produces superior tomatoes

19 Gaining Ground

21 Focus on Natural Resources 22 Ms. Farm Family

26 Ripe for the Pickin 32 Bountiful Trees

Specialty crops make up a valuable part of farm economy Sustainable practices keep industry whole

37 Healthy Forests

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

arkansas AGrICULTUrE 2014

Animals & Livestock

38 Beyond the Egg 45 Showin Off
Chickens provide an economic staple Arkansas State Champion Horse Show brings prestige to the state The Helms family dairy farm has adapted over the past century Arkansas farms plan to rebuild herds after drought NASS Arkansas Field Office helps track U.S. agriculture

Local Food
68 Seeds of Change 72 Home Grown
Pea Project helps minority farmers grow and market products Local food movement spawns Arkansas niche products

46 Centennial Farm Prospers 50 Cattle comeback

Agriculture Education
76 Deere Degree
ASU-Beebe Ag Tech program grows technicians for equipment dealers The University of Arkansas Extension Service celebrates a century

55 Counting on Agriculture

81 100 Years of Service 83 Legal Foundation

Environment and Conservation

56 Every Drop Counts
Farmers strive for water conservation in Arkansas

National Ag Law Center a clearinghouse for research and information

On the Cover Pivot sytem at Keith Calhouns farm.

PHOTO BY FRANK ORDOEZ

The Business of Agriculture

62 Spreading the Wealth 67 Square Deal
Like farm equipment, states agribusiness has a wide variety Bureau of Standards protects buyers and sellers

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Visit us online at

GoVernors WelcoMe

Welcome to

Digital
Edition
OpTIMIZED fOR ONlINE
Each article can be read online, as a web article or in our digital magazine.

GROWN
Agriculture remains the bedrock of our states economy, employing more than a quarter of a million people, and accounting for approximately one of every six jobs in our state. As one of our states largest industries, agriculture generated $8.4 billion in 2011 cash receipts, ranking Arkansas fifteenth in the nation, with additional billions generated by related agribusiness economic activity. The men and women working in the agricultural sector make a vital contribution to the well-being of this nation by providing high-quality food, fiber and fuel at reasonable costs. During my tenure as Governor, one of my top priorities has been accelerating our economic growth by expanding Arkansas-based exports, and agriculture is leading the way. I am pleased to note that Arkansas is the largest producer and exporter of rice in the nation and the second-largest exporter of poultry products. Nationally, we rank fourth in the export of cotton and ninth in soybeans. Arkansas literally feeds and clothes the world. Secretary of Agriculture Butch Calhoun is focused on promoting all facets of Arkansass agriculture. This magazine, Arkansas Grown, is just one of many efforts to showcase our agricultural producers and the industry. Even in the ever-changing business of farming, Arkansas remains constant in its unwavering commitment to agriculture, part of the economic backbone of our state. I salute each of our farmers, ranchers, forest landowners and all those in agri-business who make Arkansas agriculture second to none. Keep up the good work. Sincerely,

ARKANSAS

FARMING IN A RKANSAS IS OLDER THAN THE STATE ITSELf.

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2014

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GROWN
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ARKANSAS

Governor Mike Beebe State of Arkansas

Visit us online at

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GROWN
2014 EDITION, VOLUMe 2 JOURNAL COMMUNICATIONS INC.
Project Manager LISA SCRAMLIN Marketing Director SARA QUINT Agribusiness Content Team RACHEL BERTONE, HANNAH PATTERSON, JESSY YANCEY Proofreading Manager RAVEN PETTY Contributing Writers CAROL COWAN, KERI ANN BEAZELL, MATTHEW D. ERNST, CHARLYN FARGO, LAURA FERNANdEZ, JILL CLAIR GENTRY, SUSAN HAYHURST, KEITH LORIA, JOHN MCBRYdE, JESSICA MOZO, JOANIE STIERS, BLAIR THOMAS Senior Graphic Designers STACEY ALLIS, LAURA GALLAGHER, JAkE SHORES, KRIS SEXTON, VIkkI WILLIAMS Graphic Designers JACkIE CIULLA, LINdSEY HIGGINS, kACEY pASSMORE, MATT WEST Senior Photographers JEff AdkINS, BRIAN MCCORd Staff Photographers MICHAEL CONTI, WENdY JO OBARR, FRANk ORdOEZ, MICHAEL TEdESCO Color Imaging Technician ALISON HUNTER Ad Production Manager KATIE MIddENdORf Ad Traffic Assistants KRYSTIN LEMMON, PATRICIA MOISAN Chairman GREG THURMAN President/Publisher BOB SCHWARTZMAN Executive Vice President RAY LANGEN Senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing KIM NEWSOM HOLMBERG Senior V.P./Agribusiness Sales RHONdA GRAHAM Senior V.P./Operations CASEY HESTER Senior V.P./Journal Digital MICHAEL BARBER V.P./External Communications TEREE CARUTHERS V.P./Sales HERB HARpER Controller CHRIS DUdLEY Senior Accountant LISA OWENS Accounts Payable Coordinator MARIA MCfARLANd Accounts Receivable Coordinator DIANA GUZMAN Sales Support Coordinator CHRISTINA MORGAN IT Director DANIEL CANTRELL Web Creative Director ALLISON DAVIS Web Services Team dAVId dAY, NELS NOSEWORTHY, RICHARd STEVENS Photography Director JEffREY S. OTTO Creative Services Director CHRISTINA CARdEN Creative Technology Analyst BECCA ARY Executive Secretary kRISTY GILES Human Resources Manager pEGGY BLAkE

ARKANSAS

SecretarYs WelcoMe

Welcome to

GROWN
Arkansas is blessed with fertile soils, temperate climate and incredibly hard working farmers and ranchers. These attributes create the strong and diverse agricultural industry that is our states largest industry and contributes more than $17 billion to our economy. Arkansas Grown is sponsored by the Arkansas Agriculture Department and is designed to give you a glimpse of Arkansass agricultural industry and the lives of the families across the state who produce the food, fiber, timber and energy that sustain our global community. Because our agriculture industry is so diverse, it is impossible to cover every commodity or product in one issue. Please rest assured we will feature additional products, commodities and people from other areas of the state in future issues. We have chosen to feature water on the cover of this edition to highlight its vital importance to every sector of agriculture. As one of many users of water in the state, the agriculture industry takes seriously its responsibility to protect and conserve our abundant but finite water resources for future generations. Several articles in this issue discuss the update of the State Water Plan currently underway and focus on the measures producers are taking to protect and conserve this invaluable natural resource. It is easy to take what we have for granted. I hope the articles in this magazine will help you gain a greater understanding and appreciation of Arkansass rich agriculture heritage, what it takes to keep the industry successful, and the economic benefits that ripple across the state and the world. One of the most popular bumper stickers we have at the Arkansas Agriculture Department says No Farms, No Food. Tell a Farmer Thanks! I hope this edition of Arkansas Grown helps you appreciate even more the contribution of Arkansass producers and encourages you to tell a farmer thanks. Sincerely,

ARKANSAS

DEAR R EADERS,

Arkansas Grown is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed by the Arkansas Agriculture Department. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at info@jnlcom.com.

ARkANSAS AGRICULTURE dEpARTMENT:

Secretary BUTCH CALHOUN Deputy Secretary CYNTHIA EdWARdS Director of Marketing ZACHARY TAYLOR For more information about the Arkansas Agriculture Department, contact: Cynthia Edwards, Deputy Secretary 1 Natural Resources Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205 (501) 219-6362 or by email at cynthia.edwards@aad.ar.gov. Copyright 2013 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent. Member Member The Association of Magazine Media Custom Content Council

Butch Calhoun Secretary of Agriculture State of Arkansas

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oVerVIew

Arkansas Agriculture
An in-depth look at the states varied industry
T HE NATURAL STATE LIVES
nation for broilers, and exports chicken meat throughout the state and country. The poultry industry employs more than 38,000 people in Arkansas annually. A booming aquaculture industry ranks Arkansas first in the nation for baitfish production and third for catfish. Close to 8,200 acres are used for catfish production. Arkansas also produces grass carp, goldfish and crawfish. Arkansas ranks No. 5 in the nation for softwood lumber. Forests cover about 57 percent of the state, and more than half of those belong to private landowners. Trees of another sort are also prevalent in the state. Nut and fruit trees are abundant in the orchards of Arkansas. The state is ranked No. 10 in the nation for pecan production. Arkansass largest fruit crop is the peach, with more than 10 million pounds produced annually. The broad agricultural industry affords employment opportunities to farmers, salespeople, food processors and more. Arkansas depends on the diverse industry for both sustenance and livelihood. Hannah Patterson up to its nickname by utilizing its bountiful natural resources to produce high-quality agricultural products. As the largest industry in the state, agriculture is a $17 billion industry ranging from fields to forests to fish. The landscape and climate vary throughout the states six regional land types: the Ozark Mountains, the Arkansas River Valley, the Ouachita Mountains, the West Gulf Coastal Plain, the Mississippi Alluvial Plain and Crowleys Ridge. Arkansass growing season varies from region to region. In the northwest, the growing season is 180 days, while in the southwest it can be as long as 240 days. Farmland covers 13.5 million acres of the 33.3 million total acres in the state. There are roughly 47,800 farms in Arkansas, with an average size of 282 acres. Top commodities include broilers (chicken for meat), soybeans, rice, cotton, cattle and calves, and turkeys. The biggest commodity in Arkansas is poultry, generating 40 percent of the total cash receipts in 2012. Arkansas is ranked No. 2 in the

oF aLL U.s. BaITFIsH arE prodUCEd In arKansas.

80%

Arkansas became the first state in the nation to begin growing commercial edamame in 2012.

Since 2005, the state has gained more than

new farmers markets.

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Whats Online
Access more agriculture facts at AR-agriculture.com.

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THE sTaTEs FarMErs HarVEsTEd

18,000
aCrEs oF pEanUTs In 2012.

Arkansas is the No. 10 producer of soybeans and grain sorghum in the nation.

18.9 million acres

oF ForEsT.

arKansas Has

to the value of the states agritourism industry in 2010.

$21M
1

The Arkansas wine industry brought

ArKansas FarMErs prodUCEd EnoUgH wHEaT To MaKE 2.2 BILLIon LoaVEs oF wHoLE wHEaT BrEad In 2012 aLonE.

arKansas ranKs No. 1 In THE naTIon In rICE prodUCTIon. 3

LoUIsIana

2
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4
MIssoUrI

5
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arKansas

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The Agricultural Council of Arkansas

Promoting Agriculture Since 1939

Celebrating 75 Years of Commitment to Agriculture in Arkansas!

Promotion Advocacy Public Relations Market Development Leadership Networking Marketing Information Insurance Products We are the only organization in the state that strictly represents the row crop industry, and we serve an important role for our members and their businesses. This organization gives us a strong and united voice among policy makers in Little Rock and in Washington, D.C. Herrick Norcross, Ag Council President 2012-2014 Producer, Tyronza, AR
The Agricultural Council of Arkansas is a coalition of farmers, landowners, agriculture-related businesses and individuals committed to a strong agriculture industry. We promote the row crop agriculture industry and advocate for policies that benefit farmers, agricultural businesses, and the communities in which we live. We invite YOU to help us make agriculture profitable and sustainable.
P.O. Box 250909 Little Rock, AR 72225 501.376.0455 www.agcouncil.net @AgCouncilofAr

Join Us Today!

http://agcouncil.net/become-a-member

Arkansass top commodities, based on cash receipts

1. BroILErs
The No. 1 commodity in Arkansas, broilers, earned $ 2.9 billion in cash receipts in 2012. Chicken meat is the No. 4 export in Arkansas.

Arkansas Top Ten

6. Corn

Two-thirds of corn grown in Arkansas is designated to feed the poultry industry. Corn production earned $ 636 million in cash receipts in 2012.

2. soYBEans
The No. 2 commodity in Arkansas and the No. 2 export in the state. The production of soybeans represents 20 percent of the total value of Arkansas crops.

7. CHICKEn Eggs
Chicken eggs contributed $439 million in cash receipts to the state economy in 2012 and ranked Arkansas No. 7 nationally.

3. rICE
As the largest rice-producing state in the U.S., Arkansas earned $1.2 billion in cash receipts in 2012. Rice is also the top agricultural export in the state.

8. TUrKEYs
Arkansas is ranked No. 4 nationally for turkey production, producing about eight percent of total turkey cash receipts in the U.S.

4. CaTTLE and CaLVEs

In 2012, there were 1.67 million head of beef cattle and calves in Arkansas, generating $ 686 million in cash receipts.

9. wHEaT
Arkansass estimated 2013 winter wheat yield is 59 bushels per acre. In 2012 wheat brought in $172 million in cash receipts.

5. CoTTon
Arkansas is ranked No. 5 for cotton nationally. Cotton lint and cottonseed generated $ 658 million in cash receipts in 2012.

10. Hogs
More than 1.8 million pigs are produced in Arkansas each year. In 2012, the hog industry generated $ 87 million in cash receipts.

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High Cotton
Commodity bolsters jobs and income in Arkansas
A RKANSASS STAKE IN COTTON
reaches far beyond its borders. Did you know U.S. paper money is actually made of 75 percent cotton and 25 percent linen? And that 150 yards of cotton are contained in every baseball? Ranking third nationally in cotton production, Arkansass 2012 crop-year produced 1.3 million bales from nearly 600,000 acres valued at $420 million, according to the National Cotton Council of America. More than 900 farms statewide, representing approximately 5,100 jobs, grew and harvested the crop. For 2013, statewide acreage is estimated to have dropped to 300,000 acres. While the states cotton production has declined, Andrew Grobmyer, executive vice president for the Agricultural Council of Arkansas, is confident the state will remain a powerhouse in U.S. cotton production. Though we are experiencing a down cycle in cotton prices relative to other commodities, I believe we will be structurally able to quickly respond to future price increases, says Grobmyer. With a growing world population and increasing wealth in developing nations, it appears demand for clothing and other cotton products will see continuous growth over the coming decades. Its also a blessing that we have recently eradicated the boll weevil (an insect that feeds on cotton), which placed a tremendous drag on cotton for many decades. he says. No one knows cottons merits better than multigenerational farmers like Larry McClendon and Trent Felton, both of Marianna. McClendons grandfather was a sharecropper and his dad was a

A HERITAGE CROp

Trent Felton (right) with sons Jason (middle) and Trent Jr. (left) in their Marianna cotton eld.

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Cotton picker (top left) and cotton boll in the eld (top right) at Felton Farms in Marianna. PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ORDOEZ

In 2012 Arkansas farmers produced 1.3 million bales of cotton.

OnE BaLE oF CoTTon Can MaKE

1,217

MEns T-sHIrTs.

tenant farmer. Today, McClendons 25,000-acre operation, Soudan Farming Co., includes 10,000 acres of cotton with the balance in other row crops. John J. Felton, Trent Feltons great-great grandfather, purchased his first ground in 1882. Trent Felton continued his familys legacy until he retired in 2006. His sons, Trent Jr., owner of T and M Farms, and Jason, owner of JLB Farms, together now farm approximately 7,800 acres consisting of 1,400 acres of cotton and the rest in grains and peanuts. Cottons resiliency in the market and producers adaptability make for a solid business team. We went through a tough spell in the 70s and made a roaring comeback, McClendon says. The industry as a whole is very vibrant but is becoming regionalized to the Southeast and

Texas. These are areas where cotton shares a comparative advantage. Innovation and creativity also abound in the industry. Huge strides have been made recently in seed science, pest management, irrigation systems and harvesting machinery, Grobmyer says. Farmers today are experiencing a renaissance of sorts with technology, and those who accept new technology will likely be the ones who succeed in the future. Friends since fifth grade, McClendon and Felton both operated cotton ginning businesses but decided to merge their industries in 1994. Larry and I reached a conclusion that it would be beneficial for the future of our customers and the gins to combine our ginning

FRIENDSHIp BREEDS BUSINESS

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operations, Felton says. The merging of gin crews resulted in more experienced and capable employees. About 60 cotton gins machines that separate the seeds, hulls and foreign material from cotton employ nearly 1,500 people, bringing $98 million in income to the state. Overall, the state benefits from its cotton industry with more than 7,200 jobs worth $884 million. I am always encouraged by the resiliency of farmers and others in agriculture, Grobmyer says. They work in one of the riskiest professions, but they love the land, and they are committed to growing the food and fiber that keeps America going. They seem to have an innate ability to adapt and a fierce commitment to keep going in spite of challenges. Susan Hayhurst

McClendon, Mann & Felton Gin Company facilities in Marianna.

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crops, plants & forestrY

Gaining Ground
T
ommy Young and his nephews Blake and Jim grow rice, corn, wheat and soybeans on their farm in Northeast Arkansas. Out of all the grain crops that we grow on our farm, were most passionate about corn because it gives us so many other benefits, he says. And hes among many Arkansas farmers to realize it. The states corn acreage has more than doubled since 2010 to reach 855,00 million acres in 2013, according to data from the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Meanwhile, cotton acres as of 2013 are estimated to have declined to 300,000 acres, a 73 percent drop from the 20-year high of 1.17 million acres in 2006. Even rice acreage in the last four growing seasons has dropped 41 percent from its 20-year peak in 2010. Basic economics and agronomic benefits put corn in a more prominent place in Arkansass rural landscape. By comparison, cotton and rice are expensive to plant and require more equipment and labor to grow. Corn has shown more profitable opportunities in recent years. And as Arkansas farmers add more corn acres to their farm, they praise the agronomic and management results they see. Farmers like corns benefits to other crops including: its reduced tillage options; improved weed control; and their farms slimmer demands in labor, equipment and management. Corn actually increases the yield on all three crops, says Young, whose family rotates corn,

Corn acreage continues to increase in Arkansas

PHOTO BY BRIAN MCCORD

Field corn ready to be harvested.

wheat and soybeans in their fields. Soybean and wheat yields have increased 50 and 65 percent respectively in 10 years, he says. Meanwhile, their corn yields have doubled since they started planting the crop in 1981. Likewise, Davis Bell, who farms with his sons, Ryan and Greg, in East-Central Arkansas, says corn in rotation with soybeans has increased production, improved weed control and provided new opportunities for profitability. The family once grew rice and soybeans, adding corn to the

rotation in 1985. Today, they grow just corn and soybeans. When their corn acreage expanded, they added more irrigation and on-farm grain storage. They haul corn to a feed mill that serves the poultry industry, a big consumer of Arkansas corn. Bell and Young agree: Corn will remain an important segment of Arkansas agriculture in the future. As far as I can see, corn is here to stay in the state of Arkansas, Young says. Joanie Stiers

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Focus on Natural Resources

Arkansas conservation districts center on fundamental needs

rkansas produces a wide variety of crops, and their agriculture industry is a significant contributor to the state economy. But with the focus on the big picture, smaller factors that are still important to help grow those crops, such as water and soil, can get pushed to the background. Thats where Arkansass conservation districts come in. Initially founded in 1937, conservation districts are local governments at work, specifically managing soil and water resources in the state. The idea behind the groups is to keep decision making on these issues at a local level. Currently, Arkansas has 75 conservation districts, all of which are separately managed by a board of five directors. Two directors are appointed by the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission and three are elected by resident landowners. Their purpose is to address water and soil concerns, helping farmers and local landowners in the process. Conservation is locally led and addresses concerns on a local level, and thats why we are effective, says Charles Glover, president of the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts. So many entities in government operate on a top down theory, but conservation districts work from the local level and go up. Currently, Glover is part of a team within the state conservation districts that is working on

rewriting the State Water Plan. There are two components the demand side and the availability side, he says. The first step was to determine water demand throughout the state. We held several meetings to forecast the agricultural demand for water as far as 2050. That phase is almost complete, and now were working on water availability. While the State Water Plan is a significant undertaking, conservation districts are available for help in lesser but equally important ways as well. For example, conservation districts aid in matters including beaver population control, watershed
Conservation district hosts clinic to train students on the management of family owned forests.

plans, water well registration, conservation education programs and more. The groups are committed to working with local landowners to address their natural resource concerns, and even hold locally led group meetings with landowners and state agencies to address them. Were working hard to get our name out in the community, says Glover. Even though weve been around for a long time, we tend to do our work without a lot of publicity, and some people, especially in urban areas, lack an understanding of what we do. Rachel Bertone

PHOTO COURTESY OF CRESTON SHRUM. NRCS PUBLIC RELATIONS

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Family
Ms.
Arkansas women realize successful careers in agriculture
on a farm, Allison Gurley of Biscoe never intended to become a farmer. My parents farmed rice, cotton and soybeans, and Im an only child, so I always worked like a son, says Gurley, laughing. But I later got my masters degree in speech pathology, and I planned to live in a condo in Little Rock. I did not plan to move back to a farm. Then, Gurley married Jarrett a farmer and found herself back on the farm. She and Jarrett and their 20-month-old daughter Kemmer raise soybeans, wheat and rice on 700 acres in Monroe County. They live in Jarretts grandparents farmhouse in Prairie County. Ive heard people say farming gets in your blood, and it does, Gurley says. Its very rewarding to see the

Farm

EVEN THOUGH SHE GREW UP

process from seed to harvest and to know youve done it with your own hands. Its not an easy lifestyle though, not knowing how much money you are going to make and leaving the house at 5:30 a.m. and not getting home until 10:30 p.m. Gurley is one of nearly 20,000 Arkansas women who work in agriculture, a field traditionally dominated by men. Agriculture is not just a mans world anymore, although it was for a long time, she says. There are plenty of women who work out in the fields, too. I feel responsible to grow the business end of our farm because my name is on the paperwork along with Jarretts, and Im just as responsible to pay off our crop loan as he is. I lose sleep over things just like he does, and I hope for the biggest crop yield like he does.

Allison and Jarrett Gurley with daughter Kemmer at their farm in Biscoe, Arkansas.

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Agriculture is not just a mans world anymore, although it was for a long time.
PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ORDOEZ

ALLIsOn GUrLEY, arkansas FarMEr

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Left: Allison and Jarret Gurley at their rice eld. Above: Rice from Gurley Farm in Biscoe, Arkansas.

In 2007 and again in 2011, Gurley took part in Annies Project, an educational program dedicated to strengthening womens roles in modern farm enterprises. Launched in 2003 by University of Illinois Extension, the program is now offered in more than 25 states and fosters problem solving, record keeping and decision-making skills in farm women. I have seen many women who have struggled to maintain their farm operations after losing their spouse, says Carrie Hirmer, Annies Project State Coordinator for Arkansas. Gaining access to information has also been an issue for women. Annies Project teaches the business end of farming and provides resources women can use for years to come. Gurley says the program placed resources and knowledge in her hands, which she put into practice on her farm the next day. The general public sees tractors in the fields and has a romanticized

ANNIES PROJECT

view of farming, but its actually a risky business, Gurley says. You need a business plan, good record keeping, marketing, insurance and you have to know your assets, liabilities and net worth. Mary Frances Perkins of Carlisle grows rice, soybeans and corn on 2,000 acres with her husband Gary, a third-generation farmer. She completed Annies Project with her 16-year-old granddaughter. It was fantastic. We learned about marketing, budgeting and how farmers get paid, Perkins says. I took my granddaughter because this is her heritage, too. We changed a lot of things on our farm because of Annies Project. Perkins is a board member and past president of Arkansas Women in Agriculture, a nonprofit organization that provides educational programs and networking for women involved in agriculture. Formed in 2005, Arkansas Women in Agriculture holds an annual conference in March

WOMEN IN AGRICUlTURE

averaging 200 attendees. They provided funding for Annies Project workshops in Arkansas from 2007 through 2011. Women are the fastest growing sector in agriculture, Hirmer says. According to the 2007 Census of Agriculture, there are more than 19,000 female farm operators and more than 6,000 female principal farm operators in Arkansas. Women are the backbone of most farm operations and not only nurture their families, but are also an integral part of their farm operations. By educating and empowering women, we not only make a positive impact on women, but also on farm families, which is great for agriculture in our state and nation. Jessica Mozo

Whats Online
See more photos of women in agriculture at AR-agriculture.com

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Ripe
Workers pick a bumper crop of tomatoes in a eld at Triple M Farms.
pHOTOGRApHy by LANCE MURpHEy

Pickin
Arkansas produces superior tomatoes
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The packing house for Triple M Farms produced as many as 18,600 boxes of tomatoes in one day during the bumper crop of 2013. Photo by Lance Murphey

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guy, is all about Arkansas tomatoes. Just ask Scott Strzelecki, Development Agent for Subway. I am sure if we asked Jared, hed prefer an Arkansas tomato, Strzelecki says. They are simply a superior product in the U.S. They really are. Three years ago, Subway, the largest franchise in the world, made a decision to use locally-grown Arkansas tomatoes. Ive been with Subway 30 years in June, Strzelecki says. Throughout the years, we bought tomatoes and food from whoever we could, from the back of a truck. Back then, the food safety regulations werent as strong. Now, we buy from accredited farms that go through an extreme audit process for safety measures and equipment. Three years ago, a member of the Independent Purchasing Cooperative for Subway approached Strzelecki and others in the company about visiting a southern Arkansas tomato farm. The idea was for us to buy locally, he says. In touring a few farms, I learned that how to grow a tomato is a lot more complex than I thought. I didnt expect to see the amount of generational knowledge and the difference in an Arkansas tomato.

SUBWAYS fAMOUS JARED, THE WEIGHT-LOSS

James Meeks, co-owner of Triple M Farms, knows a thing or two about farming knowledge passed down through generations. My family has been farming the same ground for four or five generations now, Meeks says. Triple M Farms sells tomatoes and bell peppers to Del Monte. Everybody likes a good tomato, Meeks says. [In Arkansas] we have a combination in the kind of ground and our weather that allows us to vine ripen the tomatoes, which really enhances the taste. Tomatoes that have to travel from either coast arent the best quality for inland United States, Strzelecki says. But because Arkansas tomatoes are grown locally, they can be picked ripe, and have a better flavor and taste. Customers know the tomatoes are from Arkansas from the Arkansas Grown sticker on the doors of Subway restaurants and on table tents highlighting growers and their farms. Growers for Del Monte, like Triple M Farms, began supplying Arkansas tomatoes for 336 Subway stores in four states Arkansas, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana. Were the only territory in the nation doing this, Strzelecki says. And while its only for about six weeks in the summer, (June to the end of July or early August), it makes a difference. Were currently getting tomatoes and
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Michael Hensley (center) with his family grows tomatoes on their farm in Hermitage, Arkansas.

bell peppers, and we hope to expand to having Arkansas cucumbers as well. The tomato that Subway prefers is smaller (to fit perfectly on a sandwich when sliced) than what many in the market prefer. They dont produce a smaller tomato on purpose, but they do get some smaller tomatoes, and before this, they didnt really know what to do with them, Strzelecki says. Theyd either sell them for a lower price or throw them away. Were able to put more money into the economy by buying those smaller tomatoes. Michael Hensley of Hermitage, Ark., grows tomatoes and purchases them from other farmers to sell to Del Monte and Wal-Mart. My father-in-law and I started the business 20 years ago buying tomatoes at auction, Hensley says. We would buy them from local growers and resell them. After a few years, Hensley decided to buy directly from growers with the goal of offering them a higher price. At auction, a purchaser didnt know what he would have to pay, and a grower didnt know what price hed receive, Hensley says. Its tough to do business that way. Prices were very up and down. Over time, Michael increased from one distribution center to eight. He and his wife, Beth, also began raising

tomatoes themselves. He took his cattle pasture land and turned it into tomato production. Weve seen a lot of changes in the industry from the varieties to the food safety processes, Hensley says. Nine years ago the biggest seller was a round slicer, now its a Roma. We are required to be certified for food safety they come and audit us every year. I hired a full-time person just for food safety. He still helps a lot of other growers market their crop as well. Sometime in February, youll find Hensley and his crew planting tomatoes in the hot houses. By the end of March or first of April, the plants are moved to fields. Harvest, which is done by hand, begins in June and lasts through July. Del Monte and I have become a business partnership unlike anywhere else, Hensley says. Their commitment to me is extremely high, and I have a high opinion of the people I work with. We respect each other. Each crate of tomatoes from Arkansas is clearly labeled with a blue sticker in the shape of the state of Arkansas. Its pretty identifiable, Hensley says. And were proud of it. Weve had folks tell us theyve found our tomatoes all the way in South Dakota. Charlyn Fargo

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Double Duty

Tomatoes are official in Arkansas

Fruit or vegetable? The Arkansas General Assembly decided both in 1987 when it recognized the tomato as both the ofcial state fruit and vegetable. It was argued that although it was technically a fruit, it was generally eaten as a vegetable. Tomatoes have been a cornerstone of the agricultural industry in Arkansas for many years. Numerous varieties are grown for local use, shipping and processing. According to the United States Department of Agriculture Economic Research Service, Arkansas produced an impressive 28,000 pounds per acre of fresh-market tomatoes in 2012. In particular, Arkansas celebrates the South Arkansas Vine Ripe Pink Tomato, also known as the Bradley Pink. This variety of tomato has a translucent skin which reveals the color of the esh beneath. The Bradley Pink was released in 1961 by Dr. Joe McFerran at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. It was developed to resist wilt and react well to staking or caging. It has been speculated that the variety was named after Dr. McFerrans father, Bradley McFerran, or Bradley County, where an annual tomato festival is held. The demand for the Bradley Pink tomato was instant, and it became the most popular tomato in Arkansas soon after its release. Despite new disease- and crack-resistant cultivars becoming more favored for shipping, the Bradley Pink is still considered a delicacy among tomato acionados. They are a delicious alternative to the thick-skinned varieties that are picked and shipped before ripening. Bradley Pink tomatoes are often enjoyed in salads and mater sandwiches.

PHOTO BY BRIAN MCCORD

Hannah Patterson

crops, plants & forestrY

TrEES
Specialty crops make up a valuable part of farm economy
T HEY SAY MONEY DOESN T

Bountiful
grow on trees. While that might be true, the Census of Agriculture reported $50 million in sales from Arkansas nurseries, greenhouses and Christmas tree farms for 2007. Sales from this industry create an additional economic impact and employment from landscape and tree care businesses. If youre looking for a local business to help with these needs, especially involving big trees, Bemis Tree Farm can help. We stock 50 varieties, up to 30 feet tall, and sell all over Arkansas, says Donna Bemis, who has operated the Little Rock business since 1992 with her husband, Tracey. Their spade truck can transplant trees with trunks up to seven inches

ArKansas pECans wErE VaLUEd aT

$3M
In 2012.

wide, allowing for preservation of fully grown trees. Maintinaing mature trees can provide a variety of benefits for urban busniess districts and residential areas. Developments that leave large native trees intact and plant healthy, mature trees are just more inviting, Bemis says. During the construction slowdown, Bemis noticed more homeowners choosing to preserve and renovate existing trees. Renovating existing plantings could mean more than just a financial savings; consumers are more interested than ever in the growing experience, says Ron Rainey, a University of Arkansas Extension economist who studies the green industry. The consumers strong desire to engage in experiences, as

Donna Bemis at Bemis Tree Farm in Little Rock Arkansas. PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ORDOEZ

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well as support their local producers, continues to drive the market for green industry sector participants, he says. Bemis Tree Farm recently added honeybees and beekeeping supplies for such customers. Weve just really enjoyed the honeybees, says Donna, who says the farm first started keeping them to help with pumpkin pollination. Bees can help homeowners establish flowering trees that require more pollinators, such as golden rain tree, chaste tree and sourwood. Arkansas nurseries generate income by selling trees, while other Arkansans harvest tree fruits and nuts, such as pecans, for income. Pecans are one of the favorite nuts, says Dan Chapman, director of the University of Arkansas Fruit Research Station in Clarksville. Once people try pecans, theyre stuck on them. In 2007, more than 11,000 acres of pecan trees were counted in Arkansas. Robert Carruthers, who grows 3,108 pecan trees on 165 acres near Morrilton, says acreage is increasing due to international demand. There was a walnut crop failure in Asia in 2007, Carruthers explains. So China imported U.S.

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Tree transportation (far left) and Christmas tree trimming (top left) at Bemis Tree Farm in Little Rock Arkansas. Above: Jeremy Bemis checks bee hives at the farm.

pecans, and Chinese consumers loved them. His pecan buyer ships more than half of Carruthers production to China. Pecan trees demand deep, rich soils. Carruthers planted his trees on bottom ground near the Arkansas River in the 1990s, sowing wheat in between rows of maturing trees. That grain generated some income while the trees matured; raking wheat straw around the trees mulched out weeds. I also had good access to affordable water for irrigation, he says. Even with ideal soils and irrigation, Arkansas tree fruit and nut producers incur multiple risks. You have to plant good, diseaseresistant rootstock, fertilize, monitor pests, Carruthers says. You really have to pay attention to these trees.

He has an Integrated Pest Management plan, using insect traps to monitor bugs such as the pecan nut casebearer, whose worms can enter the nut and ruin its value. Insect data from his orchard is collected by University of Arkansas entomologists to help forecast when insect pests may reach other parts of the South. Growing trees involves much science and lots of risk. People look at how profitable pecans can be, but you start out with many years where you dont make anything, Carruthers says. Still, Arkansas tree businesses can reap sustainable incomes as the trees reach marketable or fruit- and nutbearing ages. Pecans have been very, very good to me, Carruthers says. Matthew D. Ernst

Arkansas nurseries, greenhouses and Christmas tree farms reported $50 million in sales.
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crops, plants & forestrY

Healthy Forests
harles Purtle returned to his familys Prescott farm in 1980 after years as a Baptist missionary in the Dominican Republic. Studying the 1200-acre farm, he was drawn to its indigenous crop: trees. I started to learn everything I could about forestry and tree health, remembers Purtle. Arkansas has 18.9 million acres of forest, about 57 percent of the states total land area. Depleted by timbering practices of the early 1900s, Arkansas forests began recovering in the 1930s, as landowners, government and industry realized the necessity of forest health. Everything we do in the timber and forest products industry has to go back to perpetuating the healthy forest, says Max Braswell, Arkansas Forestry Association executive vice president. From the person who is growing the trees to the logger to the forest products manufacturers those folks are contributing to sustainable forests in Arkansas, he says. Sustainable forests can create economic health. Forest product businesses supported more than 26,000 jobs in 2012, generating almost $2.9 billion in annual economic impact. More and more consumers are looking for forest products that can be certified as sustainably grown, says Braswell. Woodland owners, timber harvesters and manufacturers participate in a variety of sustainability certification programs. These include the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), American Tree Farm System, and Programme for the

Sustainable practices keep industry whole

Endorsement of Forest Certification all well-known and respected, nationally and globally, with stringent standards that ensure sustainability. Purtle, whose property is a certified Tree Farm, also received FSC certification in 2012. We didnt have to change our management practices at all for the certification, says Purtle, we just have to document more what we were already doing. Most of what he was already doing focused on forest health. I like to plant tree varieties selected for disease and insect resistance and straight, healthy growth, says Purtle. In 1980, the farm had 400 acres of open ground; he has since planted most of that back

into trees. Though pruning young pine planting may be labor-intensive, he says pruning improves tree health and timber quality. Such efforts make sense. As long as you continue to invest in good sound forest management, youre going to have healthy forests providing everything that anyone who loves our Arkansas forests is looking for, says Braswell. For Purtle, that means managing forests not only as a sustainable source of farm income, but also for guests to visit and explore at their own pace. We do enjoy sharing the farm, he says. I like to think we hold the land with an open hand, so that everyone might benefit. Matthew D. Ernst

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CONTI

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anIMals & lIVestock

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the EGG
H AVE YOU HAD YOUR EGG
today? The average American consumes 20 dozen eggs a year thats 240 eggs in 365 days. This nutrient-dense food provides 13 essential nutrients to the human diet and 438 million dollars to the Arkansas economy. There are 3,050 family farms in Arkansas with some type of laying hen, says Marvin Childers, Poultry Federation president. These family farms have contracts with companies such as Cal-Maine Foods, the largest table-egg distributor in the U.S. Started by Fred Adams in 1957, Cal-Maine Foods hatches their own chicks, and grades and packages three types of table eggs in Arkansas: conventional white eggs, cage-free eggs and nutritionally enhanced eggs eggs from chickens that are fed an enhanced diet with foods such as flax. The demand for specialty eggs, such as nutritionally enhanced, cagefree and organic, has grown dramatically over the last 10 years, says Alan Andrews, Cal-Maine Foods Marketing Director. The retail demand for specialty eggs is up 14 percent compared to 1.5 percent for conventional white eggs. Specializing in specialty eggs such as organic, free-range, pasture raised organic, pasture raised non-organic and pasture raised non-GMO eggs is the focus of Arkansas Egg Company, a family-owned, vertically integrated egg company. Arkansas Egg Operations Manager Ashley Swaffar says that while the 450,000 eggs that are produced daily are mostly organic, they also all come from hens that are given one to 108 square feet of grass per bird. We focus on being a leader in the egg industry with our commitment to the welfare of our hens and to our farmers, Swaffar says. Not all eggs are for eating at least not directly. Keith-Smith Company,

Beyond

Chickens provide an economic staple

Eggs traveling on a conveyor, ready to be packaged for human consumption.

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Good Eggs

HEns LaY Eggs For a VarIETY oF ConsUMEr UsEs

Some hens lay eggs that will be sold directly to markets for human consumption.

Some hens lay eggs that will be hatched and raised to be breeding stock layers, hens bred specially for laying eggs.

Once fully grown, these mature hens will lay eggs to be sold at markets for human consumption.

Other hens lay eggs that will be hatched and raised into broilers, chickens used for meat.

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the largest independent producer in Arkansas, produces parent-stock for broilers. Keith-Smith purchases the hens and roosters with the genetics for producing the best broilers, chickens raised for meat production, for their customers. Were producing around 400,000 dozen eggs a week, says Jim Smith, owner of Keith-Smith. The eggs are collected daily and cooled down to 65 degrees. Cooling the eggs arrests the incubation period, allowing six days for KeithSmith to ship eggs to broiler companies around the world. Smith says there is a lot of strategy involved: Our customers tell us today how many of a specific type of bird they want to purchase next year, he says, explaining that the genetic traits for birds that produce good chicken strips are different than the genetics for rotisserie birds.

The genetics for broiler parentstock come from companies like Cobb-Vantress, a world leader in poultry genetics. Cobb-Vantress selects birds with the best genetics based on 55 traits such as meat yield, feed conversion and health. Staying ahead of consumer trends is another vital part of the breeding program according to Dr. Mark Cooper, Cobb-Vantress director of genetics. The U.S. traditionally is a white meat country, he says, explaining that the majority of consumers worldwide now desire dark meat, which means breeding for a different type of bird. Using technology, Cobb-Vantress evaluates birds on a variety of traits including cardiovascular fitness, meat mass and bone structure. From geneticists to farmers to truck drivers, the Arkansas poultry

A FDA inspector inspects egg samples before they are sold for human consumption.

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The Poultry Federation

Poultry is the largest agricultural product in Arkansas in terms of cash receipts, providing 40% of the total in 2012.* Poultry contributed $3.7 billion to Arkansas economy in 2012.* Arkansas is ranked second in the nation for total pounds of broiler meat produced, yielding typically 6 billion pounds. Nearly 1 billion chickens were produced with a production value of more than $2.8 billion. Arkansas is ranked third in the nation for turkey production, raising nearly 30 million turkeys per year, yielding almost 580 million pounds. The production value is more than $416 million. Arkansas is ranked 10th in the nation for egg production, producing more than 3 billion eggs per year with a production value of more than $438 million.
*www.thepoultryfederation.com/industry/poultry-and-egg-industry-facts

About us
The Poultry Federation (TPF) is a tri-state trade association (Arkansas, Missouri, Oklahoma) representing the poultry and egg industry. TPF promotes and protects the interests of the industry and represents a unified voice in state governments. TPF membership consists of every segment of the poultry and egg industry including, but not limited to, feed milling, live production, hatchery, processing, further processing, packaging, commercial egg, marketing, and all service and support activities. Established in Little Rock in 1954, The Arkansas Poultry Federation consolidated with Missouri and Oklahoma in 1998, to become The Poultry Federation.

P.O. Box 1446 Little Rock, AR 72203 501-375-8131 office 501-375-5519 fax

www.ThePoultryFederation.com

industry provides approximately 80,000 jobs according to Childers. Its the job of the Poultry Federation to monitor and lobby issues that can affect the industry. These issues include allowing feed trucks to add an extra 5,000 pounds of feed per truckload, and passing a bill to lower tax on utility bills for contract growers. We are constantly looking for ways to promote and protect the egg industry, Childers says. Laura Fernandez

The total value of poultry production (including broilers, eggs, turkeys and other chickens) in Arkansas was about $3.7 billion in 2012.

80,000
JoBs In arKansas.
Whats Online
Find out more about the poultry industry in Arkansas at AR-agriculture.com
pHOTO by JEffREy S. OTTO

THE poULTrY IndUsTrY proVIdEs approXIMaTELY

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BE READY
Progressive Solutions for Progressive Farmers
Heritage Agriculture is your authorized dealer for CASE IH. We offer a large variety of: New and used CASE IH tractors, harvesters and implements A full parts-and-service department, well stocked with genuine manufacturer parts A full line of residential lawn mowers

COME VISIT US AT ONE OF OUR FIVE CONVENIENT ARKANSAS LOCATIONS Carlisle Stuttgart DeWitt Hoxie Pocahontas
HERITAGE AGRICULTURE of Carlisle
1420 W. Park St. Carlisle, AR 72024 (870) 552-7557 T (870) 552-3493 F

HERITAGE AGRICULTURE of Stuttgart

603 E. Michigan St. Stuttgart, AR 72160 (870) 673-1688 T (870) 673-2592 F

HERITAGE AGRICULTURE of DeWitt

1680 S. Jackson St. DeWitt, AR 72042 (870) 946-4616 T (870) 946-4619 F

HERITAGE AGRICULTURE of Hoxie

1974 Hwy. 63 Hoxie, AR 72433 (870) 886-6663 T (870) 886-1921 F

HERITAGE AGRICULTURE of Pocahontas

3937 Hwy. 67 S. Pocahontas, AR 72455 (870) 892-2511 T (870) 892-4271 F

Or visit us online at www.heritageag.net.

anIMals & lIVestock

Showin Off
hen it comes to horse shows, it doesnt get any more prestigious than the Arkansas State Championship Horse Show. The four-day show, held over Labor Day Weekend in Little Rock, is 50 years old and home to 1,700 competitors and horses. This is the granddaddy of all the horse shows, says Mack Hayden, who is in charge of the show and has competed in it himself as well as his children. A competitor cant just decide to enter they have to qualify to get there. Some 12 associations offer competitors a chance to qualify in 35 events ranging from barrel racing to dressage. Points are kept throughout the year on various events, and the top competitors go to the finals. It all started in 1963 when the Central Arkansas Horse Show Association, Hillbilly Horse Show Association and the Northeast Central Arkansas Horse Show Association joined efforts to hold an Arkansas equestrian championship competition. Over the years, the partnership has expanded to include 12 horse show associations from across Arkansas. For the past 50 years, the top five contenders from each association compete to earn the honor of being named the Champion Rider of Arkansas. The show is a natural for competitors as well as those who love to watch the competition. Tickets are $8 for adults and children, with a portion of

Arkansas State Champion Horse Show brings prestige to the state

Arkanas State Championship Horse Show top ten horse.

proceeds benefitting the Arkansas Childrens Hospital. This show has quite an economic impact, Hayden says. Besides at the show itself with vendors selling everything from feed to jewelry to saddles the city benefits too. A lot of folks shop in the Little Rock area while theyre in town for the show. Like their football, Arkansans take their horse riding seriously. Horses are owned for sport and pleasure, and horse shows across the state attract fans who want to see first-hand the athleticism and agility of the horses as well as the riders.

While riders may make competitions look easy, horse riding requires a great deal of balance, coordination and physical strength, Hayden says. And each rider must exemplify self-discipline, responsibility and patience with their horse. Riding is something we all take seriously, Hayden says. My family has been in the top 10 several times. My granddaughter has won champion pony poles, and my daughter won as well. Weve been showing horses for 38 years. And when it comes to showing, this is where its at. Charlyn Fargo

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anIMals & lIVestock

Farm Prospers
Centennial

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The Helms family dairy farm has adapted over the past century
Richard Helms can be found most days tending to their herd of 325-plus cattle on Helms Dairy Farm in Arkadelphia, a practice that has been passed down from one generation to the next. Were proud to be farmers, Marvin Helms says. I just love to farm and I love cows. Originally founded in 1907 by the Helms grandfather, today the farm is thriving thanks to the brothers willingness to stay ahead of the times. The brothers also grow their own corn for silage and grain to feed their cows. We have been selling Grade A milk since 1949. We increased the original 200 acres my grandfather had to more than 1,500 acres, Marvin Helms says. Farming is a tradition both brothers would like to pass on to their own sons.

BROTHERS M ARVIN AND

When the dairy was first in operation, the milk was separated and the cream was sold. In the later years, when the milk was cooled in vats filled with cool water, it was then delivered to the cheese plant. These days, the milk is packed into a 3,000-gallon refrigerator tank and a refrigerated tanker truck picks up the milk and carries it to the milk plant. From time to time we have changed things up, Marvin says, such as installing a waste management system in 1993 that pumps water to the pasture to help in fertilization. By increasing the number of cows this year and increasing production, we hope to produce over 3.5 million pounds of milk this year. In 2013, Helms Dairy Farm qualified for the Arkansas Century

PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ORDOEZ

THE CENTURy FARM PROGRAM

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We are the third generation on the farm and hopefully, a fourth generation will carry on  the operation.

MarVIn HELMs, Arkansas DaIrY FarMEr

Left to right: Richard Helms with son Zack,11, Marvin and Jane Helms with son Jody Helms at their dairy farm, Helms Dairy Farm, in Arkadelphia, Arkansas.

Farm Program, which recognizes Arkansass rich agricultural heritage and honors families who have owned and farmed the same land for at least 100 years. According to Cynthia Edwards, deputy secretary for the Arkansas Agriculture Department, all Arkansas Century Farm Program farms must have been owned by the same family for 100 years or more, must be 10 acres or more of the original farm, and must make a financial contribution to the overall farm income. In our first year, we had 83 farms qualify. We had even more interest this year, with 102 achieving the Century Farm Program distinction, Edwards says. They receive a special certificate and get a personalized metal sign with their farm name on it at a special presentation. There have been some rough times for the dairy industry in Arkansas of late, with decreasing production and fewer operations across the state. As the number of dairies continues to decline, transportation cost will

INDUSTRy CHAllENGES

increase due to the distance trucks will have to travel between dairies across the state, says Mike Fisher, chairman of the Arkansas Milk Stabilization Board. More milk will be coming from out of state to meet the processing needs, making them less dependent on the local producers milk. This will lessen the bargaining power of the local producers. Still, dairy remains a valuable industry to the state, with annual receipts from milk sales coming in at approximately $27 million in 2012. An active dairy farm can stay productive in todays times, Fisher says, by putting the herd on a monthly Daily Herd Improvement program, starting an artificial insemination program using the top bulls in the breed and raising as much feed as possible on the farm. Keith Loria

Whats Online
See more photos of century dairy farms at AR-agriculture.com

$27M
In 2012.
AR-aGrICULTUrE.COM

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anIMals & lIVestock

Comeback
Arkansas farms plan to rebuild herds after drought
Marcus Creasy, with son Caleb, sets up pens at their cattle ranch in Heber Springs, Arkansas. pHOTOGRApHy by fRANK ORDOEZ

Cattle

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cattle farm, Marcus Creasy moved his beef cows to the greenest pastures he could find. He relied on piped water to keep them hydrated. And he thinned the herd, keeping only the top performers. Meanwhile, feed, fuel and fertilizer prices spiked. Still, this third-generation farmer fresh into his 40s wasnt about to give up. But he watched drought force retirement on a 62-year-old cattleman to the north, who sold his entire herd. He wasnt going to fight it anymore, Creasy says. We have a lot of those stories across the state of Arkansas. Arkansass beef cattle numbers dropped 16 percent from 2010 to 2013. Numbers plummeted from a 10-year peak of 1.91 million cattle in 2010 to a decade low of 1.6 million in January 2013, according to the National Agricultural Statistics Service. It will take a few years for the industry to fully recover from the droughts impacts, says Adam McClung, executive vice president of the Arkansas Cattlemens Association. Drought struck Southwestern Arkansas in 2011 and spread throughout the state in 2012. Some parts of the state still dealt with drought in

WHEN THE 2012 DROUGHT THREATENED HIS

summer 2013, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. We need at least two or three years of Mother Nature being on our side and input costs playing in favor of our margins, McClung says. If that can line up you will see some of the pastures, open now because of the drought, possibly filled back in with cattle. We have the numbers that show that cattlemen are optimistic, and they are looking toward a building period. He expects that dedicated beef producers like Creasy will be instrumental in the states cattle comeback. Arkansas is known for its family-owned cow-calf operations, in which mama cows give birth to calves. About 80 to 90 percent of those calves later sell through livestock auction barns, McClung says. The calves enter feedlots, where they are fed to market weight. A smaller percentage of farms also sell purebred breeding stock or may feed calves longer before they head to feedlots, he says. Some even retain ownership in calves that enter feedlots out West. Young beef cattle producer Mindy Clark sells breeding stock from her familys farm in Northern Arkansas. She grows her own hay. But drought limited production in 2012, leaving her to buy high-cost, lower-quality hay.

oF ArKansass CaTTLE FarMs arE FaMILY ownEd.

Arkansas cattlemen produce more with less. Particularly in the last decade, farmers have used genetics, innovation and improved production practices to produce more beef per animal while being mindful of the environment.
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MorE THan

Zachary Creasy helps move cattle on the familys ranch in Heber Springs.

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Marcus Creasy with wife Janet, sons Zachary, 13, and Caleb, 3, at their cattle ranch.

Costs nearly tripled in 2012 for the price of an average round hay bale, from $25 to about $65. In response, she reduced her herd by one third in 2012. She plans to rebuild from her current 50 Angus and crossbred cows. And she credits a new leadership program for giving her the knowledge to improve the herd selection process. Clark graduated from the Young Cattlemens Leadership Class, a one-year program that exposes young cattlemen to the infrastructure of the beef industry. The programs primary sponsors include the Arkansas Agriculture Department and Arkansas Cattlemens Foundation, says Creasy, one of the programs founders. The class familiarizes participants with the legislative

and regulatory processes and media interaction. The final stage focuses on beef quality, a true gate-to-plate experience involving even doctors and dietitians. Clark says the program allowed her to see the beef industry beyond her farm. She hopes programs like this help sustain and improve Arkansas agriculture for the next generation. Thats certainly the intention at Creasy Farms, where Marcus and wife Janet care for 60 cows and two sons, ages 14 and 3. From a personal perspective, my intentions are that we work exceptionally hard so that our boys have the opportunity to be able to raise beef cattle, he says. Joanie Stiers

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anIMals & lIVestock

Counting on Agriculture
he U.S. Department of Agricultures National Agricultural Statistics Service helps provide timely, accurate and useful agricultural statistics in service to American agriculture. This information includes how much agriculture is grown in America, where it is grown, and what is changing in the future of the industry. The Arkansas Field Office became the Delta Regional Office in March 2013 and is one of the 12 regional offices of the U.S. Department of Agricultures National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). The Delta Regional Office in Little Rock serves the agricultural industries in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. The true value of our surveys and of the Census of Agriculture is in the information it provides, says Becky Cross, director of the NASS Delta Regional Office. The information published from our surveys and the Census can be used to chart trends in agriculture over time, find out what industries are new to the region, which ones are growing and which ones are reducing their acreage, inventory or output. The Census of Agriculture data provides the only source of uniform, comprehensive data for every county in the nation, which provides a complete source of agriculture information for the entire nation. The NASS conducts hundreds of surveys every year and prepares

NASS Arkansas Field Office helps track U.S. agriculture

reports covering every aspect of U.S. agriculture. These help capture a complete count of the countrys farms and ranches and the people who operate them. The Census, which is conducted every five years, provides facts and figures for agriculture across the country including number and types of farm operations, the economic aspects of farm production and the demographics of farm operators. The data is used by everyone interested in the amount of food and fiber produced, where it is produced, and the demographics behind who is producing the abundance coming out of America, Cross says.
NASS provides statistics on soybeans, along with a variety of other agricultural commodities.

The 2012 Census of Agriculture data along with the other data published by NASS are valuable tools to help farmers and ranchers make informed decisions about the future of their operations. The information is also used by government agencies, community planners, agribusinesses, lenders and trade associations, Cross says. This sort of data is essential for keeping a pulse on agriculture in the Delta Region, and helps us with information needed to maintain the future of agriculture and make predictions about where the agriculture industry and others associated with agriculture will go in the coming decades. Blair Thomas

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leaDInG InDUstrIes

Every

Drop Counts
Farmers Strive for Water Conservation in Arkansas

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ORDOEZ

Isabell Farms (left and above), a third generation rice farm, uses the zero-grade irrigation method to increase water efciency.

MORE PRECIOUS THAN OIL OR

gold is water to the farmer even in Arkansas, where abundant rivers, lakes and streams help keep many fields regularly hydrated. But as agriculture remains heavily dependent on this finite resource, the state and its farmers are already taking important measures toward water conservation. Mike Sullivan, a farmer growing rice, soybeans, corn and wheat on 8,500 acres in Northeast Arkansas near Osceola, is utilizing new technologies to become more water efficient. We are trying to get everything automated, says Sullivan of the

AUTOMATED WATER

farms irrigation system, which has computer monitoring on all irrigation wells to prevent over-pumping. These same controls keep up with how many gallons are pumped during the growing season [and since] we can quantify how much were using, theres lots of potential for savings and reduced waste. Additionally, Sullivan has equipment in place to study alternative ways to flood fields and identify times when flooding is not necessary. Although data is still being gathered, the results could mean a significant greenhouse-gas footprint reduction in addition to improved water conservation for Arkansas farmers.

Water is one of the gifts that Arkansas has, and it should encourage good economic health for the state going into the future.

EDWarD SWaIM, Arkansas NaTUraL REsOUrCEs COMMIssIOn

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Pivot irrigation sytem and poly pipe irrigation (above) at Keith Calhouns farm in Des Arc Arkansas. Right: Mark Isabell checks a pump water sytem to ensure proper usage.

Just north of Humnoke in Central Arkansas, Isbell Farms is home to three generations of rice farmers, and as far back as the 1970s, the family has been using the zero-grade method to increase water efficiency. With the help of laser equipment to level the fields and remove slopes, you can just open a pipe on one end of it and flood the whole field, farmer Mark Isbell explains. Based on recent research done at the University of Arkansas, it is at least 30 percent more efficient to use the method we use by having the fields completely flat, and added to that, its a lot less labor, Isbell says. The Isbells are also supporters of irrigation projects like the Bayou Meto Water Management Project, which proposes to preserve groundwater resources by rerouting water from the Arkansas River to farms and then redirecting that runoff water back to the river farther downstream.

LEVElING THE PlAyING FIElD

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From Americas Farms to the Table

518 E. Harrison St. | P.O. Box 1248 | Stuttgart, AR 72160 | (870) 673-4444 www.producersrice.com

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We see this project as important not just for farmers, but for the economy and agriculture in this region, Isbell says, demonstrating that staying involved and educated on water issues is equally critical to conservation efforts. As irrigation is a profitable, reliable solution for farmers, we dont see the use of irrigation going down, says Edward Swaim, Arkansas Natural Resources Commission (ANRC) Water Resources Management division manager. Instead, ANRC works with farmers by providing education and promoting water saving techniques, financing water management projects and issuing tax credits for conservation. As of late 2013, ANRC is also half way to updating the Arkansas Water Plan and has held several public meetings to engage individuals and groups interested in water use. One area of concern is groundwater because its such a huge resource 84 percent of the water for agriculture comes from the ground we cant afford to lose it, Swaim says. Extensive work is already underway to examine the accomplishments and shortfalls since the last Water Plan update in 1990, as well as to quantify how much water is used, what it is used for and where it comes from. These trends in water usage will have a huge impact on future water infrastructure in Arkansas. In fact, this research on water usage has already forecasted a 13 percent rise in overall demands in the next 40 years, Swaim says. By planning ahead, Swaim is confident that Arkansas and its farmers can work together to prevent future scarcity. Water is one of the gifts that Arkansas has, and it should encourage good economic health for the state going into the future. Keri Ann Beazell

Poly Pipe irrigation at a rice eld

2014 WATER PlAN

Whats Online
Learn more about water conservation at AR-agriculture.com

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leaDInG InDUstrIes

Spreading theWealth
Like farm equipment, states agribusiness has a wide variety
A S THE OWNER Of A DAMS
Fertilizer Equipment in DeWitt, Billy Claude Adams would tell you there is no real secret behind his companys success. The formula is pretty simple, says Adams, who purchased the business when it was barely hanging on in 1975. I would have to say the big thing to our growth is treating people right, Adams says. Its offering good service and good quality equipment, keeping your word and doing the right thing for people. You know, people do business with people. If you treat people right in whatever youre doing, you will usually do all right. Of course, it didnt hurt that the type of business Adams decided to own manufacturing and sales of fertilizer and chemical equipment was on the cusp of vast development. The company began in 1966, and had just one production line of fertilizer spreaders when Adams purchased it nine years later. It now produces just about any kind of machinery used in the agriculture, poultry and turf industries. It was very small when I bought it, Adams says. It had about six or seven employees in one little building. We started with just one little piece of equipment, making about 30 of them a year, to now the place covers 35 acres and 300,000 square feet under roof, with 239 employees Its just been moving forward with help from lots of other people. Adams Fertilizer Equipment is one of many businesses that are part of the agribusiness industry in Arkansas. And the scope of the

SIGNIfICANT fOR ARKANSAS

Adams Fertilizer equipment. PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADAMS FERTILIZER EQUIPMENT

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JoBs, wHICH Is approXIMaTELY onE In EVErY sIX JoBs In ArKansas.

259,243

AgrICULTUrE proVIdEs

The three top employers in the state - Wal-mart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt Transportation Service - are within the agribusiness sector.

wIdE rangE
Jobs in agriculture can range from farming to manufacturing and transportation to equipment sales.

$17 billion
sector is wide-ranging and far-reaching, according to Zach Taylor of the Arkansas Agriculture Department. The definition of agribusiness is being in a business that feeds or clothes people, and all those businesses that are related to that, says Taylor, director of marketing for the department. Agriculture is worth about $17 billion, and thats value added to the state economy. Thats significant for Arkansas. Its also telling that the states top three employers Wal-mart Stores, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt Transportation Services are within the agribusiness sector. Pilgrims Pride Corp., the nations secondlargest poultry company, and Georgia-Pacific Corp. are also among Arkansass top 30 employers. About one out of every six jobs in Arkansas is in the agriculture sector, Taylor says. And during the downturn in the economy a few years ago, agriculture actually added jobs while manufacturing and other industries did not. The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture is doing its part to prepare students for careers in agribusiness. The Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in the field, focusing on the production and distribution of agricultural products, the use of natural resources and the needs of rural people, according to the programs overview. Some of those graduates could end up at Adams Fertilizer Equipment, which has customers throughout the country as well as some in Canada, South America and Mexico. It sells

Arkansas agriculture is worth about

LOCAl IMpACT

mostly to large operations, producing equipment for material handling, mixing and application. Adams impact on the local economy is far and wide, according to its owner. We have a very large payroll, the largest in this community, Adams says. We hire people from this county and town, and some from 50 miles away and farther. We obviously purchase a lot of material, and we buy as much as we can in Arkansas. We buy worlds of steel, bearings, hydraulic components, and lots of those come from Arkansas. Were the largest customer for the local petroleum company with all the service trucks we have, company vehicles, numerous forklifts and tractors. This company puts a lot of money back into the state. John McBryde

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Financial Focus

Whats new in sales tax for agriculture

Several changes have been made to the Arkansas sales tax that affect farmers and agriculture. Below are a list of new tax law updates. Additional resources and information can be found at www.dfa.arkansas.gov. Act 483: Allows for the direct shipment of wine by an in-state Arkansas winery or an out-of-state winery to a residence in Arkansas when the purchaser has physically visited the winery and made a purchase. The winery is limited to shipping one (1) case per calendar quarter from the winery location to an Arkansas consumer. A permit issued by Alcoholic Beverage Control is required.

Effective August 16, 2013

Effective October 1, 2013

Act 1392: Exempts farmers engaged in commercial farming operations on the purchase of baling twine, net wrap, silage wrap, and other similar products that are used for baling, packaging, tying, wrapping or sealing animal feed products. Animal feed products include hay, straw, grass, fodder and silage. Act 1441: Exempts utilities used for qualifying agricultural structures and qualifying aquaculture and horticulture equipment. Visit www.dfa.arkansas.gov for denitions and utility eligibility.

Effective January 1, 2014

Effective July 1, 2014

Act 1401: Exempts utilities used for commercial grain drying and storage. Act 1402: Exempts eligible purchases of timber harvesting equipment for state and local sales and use tax. The current exemption is limited to the rst $50,000 of the purchase price. Act 1411: Reduces the state sales and use tax rate for electricity and natural gas used in manufacturing by eligible manufacturers.

Subway Restaurants use locally grown products wherever possible. During the months of June and July, our restaurants use tomatoes and green peppers grown on Triple M Farms in Ashley County, Arkansas. Triple M Farms is a fourth-generation family farm that creates summer jobs, which stimulate the local economy, while also reducing food miles and sustaining an agricultural growing area in southern Arkansas. Subway restaurants are proud to partner with Triple M Farms to bring about an exciting innovation and collaboration to bring the freshest product possible to our local restaurants.

For more information, visit www.subway.com/homegrown.

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leaDInG InDUstrIes

Square Deal
o matter where inspections might take field representatives from the Arkansas Bureau of Standards and locations are indeed varied their goal can be summed up succinctly. Our mission is to make sure everybody gets a square deal, says Tom Pugh, director for the Bureau of Standards. We are the front lines for fraud and error in the state as it relates to packaged goods, and we enforce net contents accuracy in labeling. The Bureau, a division of the Arkansas State Plant Board, is responsible not only for protecting the interest of consumers and buyers but also the sellers. These include manufacturers, packers, processors, wholesalers and retail merchants. With 32 employees, most of them inspectors located throughout Arkansas, the Bureau performs a variety of services such as handling complaints on advertising, pricing scanners, labeling violations and even accuracy of firewood volume. It also does a good bit of scales testing at grocery stores and other retailers selling fruits and vegetables. When you put your produce down on a scale at any store in the state, we have made sure that scale is accurate, Pugh says. Agencies that are contracted by the store certify the scales annually. What our bureau does is make sure the service agencies are actually doing their job properly. Our team goes behind the service agencies to make sure scales are accurate. Another big part of the Bureaus job is enforcing petroleum quality at gas stations.

Bureau of Standards protects buyers and sellers

PHOTO BY MICHAEL CONTI

A weight to ensure scale accuracy.

We have a crew that does nothing but that, Pugh says. They go out unannounced in whatever territories they cover. In addition to checking the gasolines quality, the Bureau inspects gasoline pumps for accurate measurements. Its especially diligent during high-travel periods such as holiday weekends. Were rolling up to gasoline stations unannounced, taking 5-gallon measures and making sure its within a tolerance of 3 cubic inches, plus or minus,

Pugh says. We find almost no short measure on petroleumdispensing devices in the state. Its not a systemic problem. Findings from a typical monthly report on gasoline stations are usually on the order of expired calibration, incorrect ethanol stickers posted and water coming through premium nozzle. Pugh says most violations of Bureau regulations are found at heavy truck scales, deli and meat counters, and in petroleum contamination. John McBryde

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local fooD

Change
Pea Project helps minority farmers grow and market products

Seeds of

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L.C. Velma and Martha Irby in one of the pea elds at the UAPB Agriculture Demonstration and Outreach Center in Marianna, Arkansas.

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L.C. Velma gathers peas at the UAPB Agriculture Demonstration and Outreach Center in Marianna, Arkansas. PHOTOGRAPHY BY FRANK ORDOEZ

small as a pea can make a big difference in the world. But in the Arkansas Delta, thats exactly what is happening, thanks to The Pea Project. A project of the Arkansas Delta Seeds of Change, The Pea Project is helping minority farmers in five counties in the Arkansas Delta grow, package and sell peas to Wal-mart. Forty-two community-based entities and individuals came together to form the Arkansas Delta Seeds of Change program, which is part of the overall Seeds of Change effort started by Heifer International. The Pea Project is one part of the Seeds for Change program and is run in partnership between the East Arkansas Enterprise Community (EAEC) and the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB). Our goal is to help minority farmers identify markets for their products and enhance their livelihood, says Dr. Mildred Griggs, director of Arkansas Delta Seeds of Change. We provide expertise to help growers grow sustainably and environmentally-friendly peas. These are small-scale, low-income producers who may have two acres or five acres. Growers can hand-pick or machine-pick the peas they grow with our equipment, then bring them

IT S HARD TO IMAGINE THAT SOMETHING AS

to be shelled, packaged and shipped to Wal-mart. Organizers hope The Pea Project will help reduce poverty in the Arkansas Delta, one of the most impoverished regions of the United States. Its still too early to assess the benefits, but The Pea Project is already creating jobs for those growing peas, picking peas and processing peas, Griggs says. I grew up here in the Delta, went away in the 1960s and then came back. I was surprised to see there was still a lot of poverty here. It takes a lot of human effort to create change, and its exciting to see people interested in improving their lives. The UAPBs role in The Pea Project is to educate farmers on the production, post-harvest physiology and economics of Southern peas. The university provides educational meetings, conducts one-on-one farm visits to assist with production and the use of specialized equipment. One of the barriers to vegetable production is identifying markets, and this project identifies new markets, says Dr. Henry English, director of the Small Farm Program at the UAPB. The Pea Project was born after the UAPB, the EAEC, area farmers and the USDA met with Wal-mart officials to talk about marketing specific vegetables to them.

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Above: Packaged peas at the Heifer International Seeds of Change processing facility in Marianna, Arkansas. Below: Pea plant at the UAPB Agriculture Demonstration and Outreach Center.

The group decided to test Southern peas as a pilot project the first year, since the farmers, the EAEC and D&S Produce a small father-and-son semi-processing business in Pine Bluff had experience growing Southern peas, says English. Heifer Internationals Seeds of Change project focuses on ending hunger and poverty in Arkansas and Appalachia by improving access to nutritious food and increasing income through business and community development. The goals of Seeds of Change include increasing agricultural production, thereby improving financial security and improving nutrition through increased access to healthy food. Another project were working on is Farm to Schools, where the EAEC will buy watermelons and produce from farmers and sell them to schools, Griggs says. A survey of school cafeterias found that while students would often throw away apples and oranges, they enjoyed eating watermelon, cantaloupe and cherry tomatoes. The Farm to Schools project cuts down on waste, Griggs says, and gives kids the healthy fruits and vegetables from local growers that they really like. Jessica Mozo
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local fooD

Grown
Local food movement spawns Arkansas niche products
FROM SMALL BUSINESSES TO
I have not met a farmer yet who enjoys plowing his product into the ground, says Michelle Shope, director of food sourcing and logistics for Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. If someone can eat it, thats what they want. So over the past five years, Shope has worked with local farmers to transport millions of pounds of unmarketable produce fruits or vegetables that are too small, too large or slightly blemished to seven regional food banks that serve 800 agencies. So far this year, weve done about 1.3 million pounds, and our long-term goals are 5 to 6 million pounds per year, she says. And although the Hunger Relief Alliance is able to keep transport costs down to 3 cents per pound, Shope says she knew as the program universities and humble vegtables to artisan cheeses, the state of Arkansas is brimming with local agricultural products, and residents are eating them up. The local food movement has made room for niche products, and those products are in high demand not only at farmers markets, but also in grocery store chains and restaurants. One new local product in Arkansas is solving two problems: farm waste and fundraising. In 2008, the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance began working with local farmers to get unmarketable produce out of the fields and into the hands of people who cant afford fresh produce.

Home

GROWERS GIfT

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Growers Gift spaghetti sauce is produced from Arkansas tomatoes and all proceeds from its sales will benet huger relief activities.

grew, it would need additional funding. So she started brainstorming. Something the organization had plenty of each season was tomatoes because of their delicate nature, many dont make the cut to leave the farm, so the Hunger Relief Alliance is usually inundated with them. When fresh produce comes all at once, you can get a little saturated, Shope says. We were looking for ways to preserve all those tomatoes, and it hit us spaghetti sauce. Shope contacted the University of Arkansas at Fayettevilles food

science department, and it agreed to process and jar the spaghetti sauce, named Growers Gift. A local chef provided a delicious recipe, and the Wal-mart Foundation awarded the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance a grant to make the idea a reality. In 2014, Shope says about 12,000 jars of Growers Gift spaghetti sauce, labeled with the Arkansas Grown label, will be available to the public. All proceeds from the spaghetti sauce will go back to help fund further growth of their gleaning project.

The local food movement isnt restricted to fruits and vegetables. Another sector that has plenty of room for niche products is dairy. What started as a hobby for cheesemaker Kent Walker has grown into a successful small business that provides an outlet for dairy farmers across the state. Our commitment to using local products is a complete commitment, Walker says. We get cow and goat milk from several local sources. Its all high-quality milk, because if the
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Kent Walker Artisan Cheese produces tasty local cheese in Little Rock. PHOTO COURTESY OF KENT WALKER ARTISAN CHEESE

ingredients are bad, then youre not going to have a good product. Starting with good milk is the key, and we have that here in Arkansas. Walker began making cheese using his stovetop and the vegetable crisper in his refrigerator. Now, he makes 350 pounds of cheese weekly five artisan cheeses year-round in addition to several seasonal cheeses using a 700-gallon cheese vat and a walk-in cheese cave. In the future, Walker will offer tastings and tours in his new downtown Little Rock location. Arkansas is one of the only places in the United States that you can find

EDAMAME

local edamame. Eda-Zen Super Premium Shelled Edamame are grown, harvested and processed in Arkansas. The soils are very rich in Arkansas and that comes through with a better tasting edamame, says Raymond Chung, co-owner and CFO of American Vegetable Soybean & Edamame, Inc. producer of Eda-Zen. The benefit of growing edamame in Arkansas is that we can control how they are grown and cultivated. In many foreign countries they use unauthorized chemicals that can leave a residue on food. Producing better edamame in Arkansas led to Eda-Zen being a 2013 sofi finalist for outstanding new

product. These outstanding, locally grown edamame can be enjoyed on their own or in soups, salads and much more. Whether its spaghetti sauce, artisan cheese, edamame or local fruits and vegetables, Arkansas farmers and consumers are embracing the local food movement, and everyone is benefiting. Jill Clair Gentry

Whats Online
Learn more about Arkasas local foods at AR-agriculture.com

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Eda-Zen Super Premium Shelled Edamame are grown and harvested in Arkansas, where the soils produce a sweeter edamame that is rich in protein, ber and antioxidants. Non-GMO Project veried and gluten-free, the edamame is packaged in two 8-ounce steam-heating bags and include salt packets.

A custom-designed harvester used for harvesting edamame in Arkansas. Pictured in a test eld at University of Arkansas System Division of Agricultures Vegetable Research Station.

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aG eDUcatIon

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Degree
is more high-tech than ever, so if something breaks, farmers depend on highly skilled technicians to get them up and running again in a hurry. Because of this, demand for trained technicians is projected to reach 10,000 over the next 15 to 20 years. The John Deere Agricultural Equipment Technology degree program was created to help meet that demand. The program a partnership between the John Deere Company, John Deere dealerships and select universities across the country, entered its 19th year at Arkansas State University-Beebe in 2013. The Ag Tech program is open to high school graduates who meet basic college entrance criteria and demonstrate mechanical aptitude.

Deere

ASU-Beebe Ag Tech program grows technicians for equipment dealers

FARM EQUIPMENT THESE DAYS

Prospective students must also secure a sponsorship from a John Deere dealer, which usually involves a paid internship and often includes partial or full payment of the tuition. John Deere realized in the 1990s that dealers were going to have to grow their own technicians, says Rick Bormann, senior vice president of Greenway Equipment Inc., which has 21 dealerships in Arkansas and southeast Missouri. When we say sponsorship, we add in their tuition, which right now is about $17,000 to $18,000 plus room and board, so its about a $30,000 per student total cost. Since 1995, Greenway has sponsored 57 students in ASU-Beebes Ag Tech program. We currently have 35 freshmen and 17 sophomores; its a little larger this year, says Roger Long, an

Ive pretty much known since I was a kid that I wanted to work for John Deere.

CUrTIs ArnOLD, JOhn DEErE AGrICULTUraL EQUIPMEnT TEChnOLOGY sTUDEnT

Clockwise From Top Left: Arkansas State University -Beebe John Deere Agriculture Technology Program student Anthony Key; Program students get hands-on agriculture equipment experience; Program instructor Stephen Yokley (center) with students Cody Jackson (left) and Colt Chance (right) look at GPS hardware for a John Deere tractor.

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Arkansas State University -Beebe John Deere Agriculture Technology Program student Jesse Herron operates a GPS system from a John Deere Tractor.

instructor and the department head of the Ag Tech program at ASU-Beebe. The program was developed to get qualified technicians into the dealerships. Any John Deere dealer can participate. For students, it opens up a career opportunity. Students Curtis Arnold, Hunter Owen and Cody Jackson are all in their second year of the program. They agree that the opportunity was too good to pass up. Ive pretty much known since I was a kid that I wanted to work for John Deere, Arnold says. [The Ag Tech program] is just a good opportunity for anybody who has mechanical skill and really does love to work on stuff. The teachers really know what theyre talking about, and theyll do anything to help you. Cody Jackson agrees, Ive always

liked working on farming equipment, and then I found out about the program and took up the opportunity. Over the course of the two-year associate degree program, students learn the basics of hydraulics, electrical systems, air conditioning and safety. They study controls and instrumentation, small engines, large equipment and diesel engines, and harvesting. Their final semester covers advanced diagnostics and certifications. The guy today thats working on this equipment has to be trained to use a laptop with his tools now. Without their laptop, they cant diagnose the problems of these tractors, combines or equipment, says Tommy Hall, vice president of service operations for Greenway Equipment Inc. and program

advisory board member. A lot of the training is geared toward diagnostics of the equipment, which is actually very deep in the technology piece. Todays computer-savvy students are primed to grasp the technology aspect. Ive learned a bunch about all the satellites and new technology on the equipment, says Hunter Owen, one of the students sponsored by Greenway. For dealers, the program represents a significant investment and significant returns. Technician retention rate is high, and their training provides a customer-service advantage. It gives us a leg up on taking care of our customers, Hall says. And we get highly trained individuals who arent afraid of todays technology. - Carol Cowan

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Cultivating the Future

University of Arkansas at Fayetteville

Post-secondary agriculture and forestry education

The Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences offers 13 inter-related majors and 21 minors to prepare students for rewarding professional careers developing sustainable solutions for food, family and environmental issues. Bumpers College graduates lead careers in agriculture, business, science, education and public service related to the human environment or the natural environment, as well as the production and care of plants and animals. Graduates also pursue graduate and professional degrees in business, law, medicine, veterinary medicine and many other elds. Learn more at bumperscollege.uark.edu.

University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff

Arkansas Tech University

Dating back to its earliest days as an institution more than 100 years ago, Arkansas Tech University has proudly provided educational opportunities in agriculture. Today, that tradition continues through bachelors degree programs in agriculture business and agricultural education as well as a pre-professional program in veterinary medicine. To learn more, visit www.atu.edu/agriculture.

The Aquaculture/Fisheries Center at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff provides research and extension support to solve problems of the Arkansas aquaculture industry and the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. The 18 scientists in the UAPB Aquaculture/Fisheries Center specialize in disciplines including aquaculture and hatchery production, sheries management, fish nutrition, water quality, aquaculture engineering, sh pathology and farm pond management to economics and marketing, among others. Students can enroll in the undergraduate program in sheries biology, or the M.S. or Ph.D. degree programs in aquaculture/sheries. For more information, visit www.uaex.edu/aq.

University of Arkansas at Monticello

Southern Arkansas University

Southern Arkansas Universitys multifaceted agriculture program reflects the complexity of the vast industry, which provides food and ber to the world. SAU equips students with the knowledge base to cover all disciplines of agriculture to help graduates meet that important challenge. SAU continues to produce outstanding graduates in agriculture education, agriculture business and agriculture science. With the addition of the Agriculture Center in 2012 and plans for further expansion, the traditions of SAU agriculture are certain to grow well into the future. Visit web.saumag.edu/science/ departments/agriculture/ for more information.

The Arkansas Forest Resources Center has the mission of developing and delivering superior programs in education, research and extension that enhance and ensure the sustainability of forest-based natural resources. The School of Forest Resources produces tomorrows natural resource leaders through undergraduate and graduate education programs in forestry, wildlife management and spatial information systems. They also provide continuing education opportunities for natural resource management professionals and support county extension agents in all 75 counties. Learn more by visiting www.afrc.uamont.edu/sfr/.

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Ahead of the Curve. Behind our Promises.

16 locations in Arkansas Five locations in Southeast Missouri

www.gogreenway.com

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AG EDUcatIon

University of Arkansas Extension Service celebrates a century

rom reviving historic downtowns, to improving agriculture and establishing the 4-H youth development program, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service has always been there for the community. And its been serving Arkansas for more than 100 years. This year marks the 100-year anniversary of the Smith-Lever Act, which established Cooperative Extension Services nationwide in 1914, but extension work in Arkansas actually predated the law, according to Dr. Tony Windham, associate vice president-agriculture-extension for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The first agent, J.A. Evans, was assigned to work in both Arkansas and Louisiana back in 1905, he says. Three years later, extension workers organized the first corn club to teach boys how to grow a better crop. Since the early 1900s, the extension service has achieved some significant milestones. We feel our key accomplishment over the last century has been to help improve the quality of life in Arkansas, Windham says. In the earliest years, home demonstration agents taught canning and other food safety measures. In the 1930s, county extension agents organized farmers into co-ops, helping with electrification in rural areas. The 1950s brought aid to WWII veterans, helping them integrate labor-saving machinery into their farming operations. In the 1960s,

100 Years of Service

F

extension agents aided in economic development by creating county councils, while the 1980s brought the first use of computers, the LeadAR program and the Master Gardeners program. At the end of the 1990s, the extension service moved into a home of its own in Little Rock, a building designed to accommodate the unique educational needs of its faculty and staff. In the 21st century, the extension service began developing desktop software to help farmers, and later created apps for use on platforms such as smartphones and tablets.

Windham says that in the next hundred years, its even more important for the extension service to not only be where their clients are, but to be there when they need them. We create and embrace new tools that enable us to deliver our services when and where were needed, he says. We listen to our county advisory councils and make sure we never lose sight of the problems and issues important to the people the extension service was created to serve. Our public value is our ability to serve individuals, families and whole communities. Rachel Bertone

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Visit Our

advertisers
Armor Seed LLC www.armorseed.com Board of Trustees University of Arkansas Cooperative Extention www.uaex.edu Bruce Oakley Inc. www.bruceoakley.com Greenway Equipment Inc. www.gogreenway.com Heifer International www.heifer.org Heritage Agriculture www.heritageag.net Matthews Ridgeview Farms www.arsweetpotatoes.com Producers Rice Mill Inc. www.producersrice.com Riceland Foods Inc. www.riceland.com Subway Development Inc. www.subway.com The Poultry Federation www.thepoultryfederation.com Tyson Foods Inc. www.tysonfoods.com University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture http://division.uaex.edu

Ag-Pro Companies www.agprocompanies.com AgHeritage Farm Credit Services www.agheritagefcs.com Agriculture Council of Arkansas www.agcouncil.net Arkansas Beef Council www.arkansasbeef.org Arkansas Cattlemens Association www.arbeef.org Arkansas Corn & Grain Sorghum Board www.corn-sorghum.com Arkansas Farm Bureau www.arfb.com Arkansas Forestry Association www.arkforests.org Arkansas Game & Fish Commission www.agfc.com Arkansas Grown www.aad.ar.gov Arkansas Natural Resources Commission www.anrc.arkansas.gov Arkansas Parks & Tourism www.arkansas.com

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www.arsweetpotatoes.com

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grow, cook, eat, learn

Serving up recipes, tips and food for thought

farmflavor.com
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aG eDUcatIon

Legal Foundation
f all the law-related topics listed at the National Agricultural Law Center in Fayetteville, some keep the staff busier than others. And then there are the topics that are particularly front and center. Estate planning is one, says Beth Rumley, staff attorney at the center. Thats something that comes up a lot, especially in agriculture, and a lot of times people just arent sure what to do with it. Regardless of the topic it might address, the National Agricultural Law Center (NALC) is the nations leading source for agricultural and food law research and information. Founded in 1987 and funded with federal appropriations through the National Agricultural Library, it is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. I also do a lot of work with animal agriculture, and animal welfare issues are really hot right now. Laws are being passed regarding farm animals, both on the state and federal level. Similarly, Rusty Rumley, also a staff attorney at the center, has a list of topics that receive a particularly heavy amount of his attention. The right-to-farm issues, and lawsuits that can come against farmers thats been a hot-button issue for the past five or six years, he says. Another issue is agritourism, helping people diversify their farming

National Ag Law Center a clearinghouse for research and information

operations. Theyre either setting up an agritourism venture or leasing out part of their land for hunting or other projects along those lines. Though the center is not a law firm and does not advocate in any way, if someone is in need of information and wants to research an agricultural or a food law topic before consulting an attorney, its an ideal resource. Whether its farmers, attorneys, state and federal policy makers, cooperative extension professionals, students and others who have an interest at any given time in one or more areas of agricultural or food law, we serve as a clearinghouse for

research and information, says Harrison Pittman, the centers director. We do a lot of outreach as well. In addition to Pittman and the two staff attorneys, the NALC has several research assistants and student interns on staff. The reading rooms on the centers website lists around 50 topics of interest everything from aquaculture to pesticides and climate change to international trade. We try to touch on every conceivable legal area that affects food, fiber and production across the country, Rusty Rumley says. We have a wide range. John McBryde

RESOURCES AVAIlAblE

FUlly STAffED

INfORMATION LEADER

The National Center for Agricultural Law Research was founded in 1987 when Congress called for its creation.

THE NaTIonaL AgrICULTUraL LIBrarY wEBsITE LIsTs aroUnd

TopICs oF InTErEsT EVErYTHIng FroM aQUaCULTUrE To pEsTICIdEs and CLIMaTE CHangE To InTErnaTIonaL TradE.

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