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Arkansas Game, Fish Commission Celebrates Successful Partnerships

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Game and Fish

At a recent meeting in Texarkana, the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission celebrated investments made by many of its partnerships with other organizations and agencies that make possible conservation of the state’s fish, wildlife, and their habitats. The meeting followed three days touring and working in Southwest Arkansas to see exactly what those conservation efforts have achieved.

One such successful partnership involves the Arkansas Department of Transportation (ARDOT). ARDOT has contributed over half a million dollars from taxes collected on boat fuel, enabling the AGFC to approve three new projects at the meeting. These efforts include (1) a new ramp and parking area on the White River in Independence County, (2) improvements to the boat ramp and parking area at Lake Conway in Faulkner County and (3) chipsealing for the road and parking area at the White River in Izard County. 

Another AGFC partnership is with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has assisted with the Millwood-Tri Lakes project, providing thousands of acres of public opportunities for hunting and fishing.

“We have everything from trout to giant alligator gar swimming in our waters here in southwest Arkansas,” said Dylan Hann, AGFC fisheries supervisor. “We do a lot of conservation and aquatic habitat projects in this district with the help of the Corps, Arkansas State Parks and other partners here.”

The AGFC also partners with private landowners, from whom it leases 308,000 acres, an area nearly four times the size of Little Rock, to provide hunting and wildlife habitat protection and improvement opportunities in areas otherwise  closed off to the public – land portions known as the Commission’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA). Leased private land accounts for approximately 9% of the WMA system. 

The meeting concluded with recognition of the service of ex-officio Commissioner Dr. Steven Beaupre, who has held an advisory role with the AGFC for the last seven years, as a result of his position at the University of Arkansas. Several commissioners spoke up in appreciation of his contributions, professionalism and collegiality.

 

Photo courtesy of AGFC

“Conservation is a conversation that includes talk, and theory and science, but it also includes action,” Beaupre said in his farewell address. “People are going to look back 10, 20, 50 years from now and recognize you all for the heroes you are.”

 

READ ALSO: HOT SPRINGS BASEBALL WEEKEND RELEASES FINAL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

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AGFC Commissioner Denounces Popular Weed Killer Dicamba

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Arkansas Game and Fish Commissioner Stan Jones made an impassioned presentation on Aug. 30, in which he and a number of other speakers condemned the use of a popular herbicide, dicamba – a substance they argued had caused extensive ecological damage across much eastern Arkansas in a way that cannot be effectively regulated. Designed to kill broadleaf weeds and commonly used with dicamba-resistant varieties of soybeans and cotton, the herbicide frequently spreads to areas other than those to which it has been applied. 

 

Stan Jones

Before 2015, dicamba’s primary use in row crop agriculture was to aid field clearing after cold winter months, killing the weeds that had sprung up in the meantime, to make way for crops. Since 2015, the chemical has become more commonly sprayed directly onto the crops, to eliminate weeds creep around them much later into the year, including summer. The real concern with dicamba is not its ability to kill plant life, but` its volatility and “off-target” impact: when sprayed on a field, dicamba does not remain on the plants and the ground as a liquid like most other herbicides. Rather, it floats suspended just above the ground as a gas overnight. In the morning, during hot summer months, warm air lifts the herbicide back into the air, where it can be carried wherever the wind transports it, traveling potentially for miles. This migratory pattern is termed “chemical trespassing” – an illegal phenomenon. Even worse, dicamba does not leave the same kind of obvious trail of other herbicides. As a result, its provenance can’t be easily traced back to any particular individual, making laws against such chemical trespassing extremely difficult to enforce. 

 

According to the presentation, one study estimated that dicamba affects 1.5 times more area than it is used to treat. As it is frequently used by farmers all across the highly agricultural parts of eastern Arkansas, vast swaths of woodlands, wildlife conservation areas and other farms and gardens full of plants vulnerable to dicamba have been chronically damaged by the chemical over several years’ use. Jones recounted a personal experience in which a family member’s garden full of tomatoes were rendered inedible, and a pecan tree that had produced large quantities of nuts for decades was now yielding none whatsoever. He compared the use of dicamba to secondhand smoke or asbestos, questioning why everyone else is forced to suffer for the convenience of large-scale farmers who unlawfully employ the herbicide.

 

READ ALSO: ARKANSAS GAME, FISH COMMISSION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

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Six Arkansas Exporters Win Governor’s Award for Excellence

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Governor's Award for Excellence in Global Trade

Governor Asa Hutchinson will be presenting the 12th annual Governor’s Award for Excellence in Global Trade on Wednesday, Oct. 5, 2022.

The gala awards dinner, hosted by the Arkansas District Export Council (ARDEC), will start at 5:30 p.m. with a networking reception for the Arkansas business community at the Governor’s Mansion. The Award recognizes the export successes and excellent quality among Arkansas’ manufacturing and agricultural companies actively trading in international markets.

Governor Hutchinson and Jonathan Bricker, Chair of ARDEC, will present each company with a trophy and certificate during the awards ceremony. The companies will be profiled throughout the year as the Winners of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Global Trade on the ARDEC website and social media.

This year, the keynote speakers are Governor Asa Hutchinson and Secretary of Commerce Michael Preston. Roby Brock of Talk Business & Politics will serve as Moderator of a roundtable discussion not only of Arkansas exports, but of all the economic successes of Governor Hutchinson’s past eight years in office. Arkansas PBS will be livestreaming the event and several media outlets will be in attendance.

The award ceremony will immediately follow the roundtable discussion. These companies have developed innovative approaches to international business, consistently growing market share and expanding their global presence.

The Winners of the 2022 Governor’s Award for Excellence in Global Trade are:

  • Riceland Foods, Inc, Stuttgart–Agricultural Exporter Award
  • Slim Chickens, Inc, Fayetteville–Franchise Development Exporter Award
  • Power Technology, Inc, Alexander-Innovation & Impact in Manufacturing Exporter
    Award
  • Virco Manufacturing Corporation of Conway–Resilience in Manufacturing Exporter
    Award
  • White River Hardwoods-Woodworks of Fayetteville–Rising Star Exporter Award
  • Smart Repro of Jonesboro–Woman-Owned Exporter Award

For more information, visit the ARDEC website. To purchase tickets or sponsor the award, contact Heidi Whitman, Administrative Coordinator.

READ ALSO: SEVEN ARKANSAS ORGANIZATIONS HONORED WITH GOVERNOR’S QUALITY AWARDS

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Climate Change: A Supermarket Struggle?

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Hallie Shoffner

We’ve gotten accustomed to being able to find the foods we want no matter the season. Does our picky toddler request strawberries in the dead of winter? No problem. Can we make a recipe that calls for butternut squash in early spring? What if we’re craving a taste of pineapple in November? Often, all it takes is an extra trip to the grocery store.

Our agricultural sector makes our access to safe, nutritious and delicious foods possible. Every day, farmers and ranchers put in the hard work, often from sunup to sundown, to ensure our favorite products remain on our grocery store shelves and tables. But right now, the industry is facing incredible challenges in delivering the crops we count on. 

Extreme weather, driven by climate change, is to blame. This year alone, Arkansas agricultural producers experienced record-breaking input costs. Early on, they faced heavy rains that delayed planting. Next, they battled the effects of severe summer drought. Then, the rains came—just as harvest started. They’re now in a holding pattern, keeping their fingers crossed for the best yields possible.

Fortunately, relief for the agricultural industry—and consumers—is on the horizon. In February, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) unveiled its Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities to help combat the effects of extreme weather. As part of this, the USDA recently announced it would invest $2.8 billion to support one to five-year pilot programs across the country, including 20 in or benefitting Arkansas. The selected projects will promote practices that help farmers “build soil health, sequester carbon, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance [their] productivity.”

This infusion of USDA funds comes on the heels of the Inflation Reduction Act, which allocated nearly $20 billion in federal funding for sustainable agricultural programs. The bill, signed into law in August, boosts existing conservation programs, such as the Environmental Quality Incentives Program, commonly known as EQIP, and Regional Conservation Partnership Program.

Funding for climate change mitigation is a critical step, but a more significant effort is needed to coordinate these financial resources. In Arkansas, we’ve seen agricultural producers unsure how to navigate potential grant opportunities. Others are hesitant about whether they are eligible for funding. Our state agencies provide invaluable, on-call tools for farmers and ranchers. But even they are sometimes left in the dark about what’s available or when to apply for it. 

Consumers want foods to be readily available and affordable. Extreme weather is putting that at risk. We must continue to push forward with commonsense initiatives like the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities. We must also ensure agricultural producers can leverage them in their operations. By allocating funding for and maximizing the use of these financial resources, we can fight back against climate change before shoppers feel the pain at the grocery store checkout.

A recently named Champion of Conservation, Hallie Shoffner is a sixth-generation Arkansas row crop farmer and the CEO of SFR Seed, a soybean and rice seed production farm. For more information, visit farmherhallie.com or email hallie@sfrseed.com.

READ ALSO: ARKANSAS GAME, FISH COMMISSION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

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Arkansas Center for Forest Business Ribbon Cutting Attended by Governor

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Forestry

The Arkansas Center for Forest Business was officially opened Sept. 29 in a ribbon cutting ceremony which featured Governor Asa Hutchinson as the keynote speaker.

Located on the campus of the University of Arkansas in Monticello, the center is part of the U of A College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and is geared toward providing information to support Arkansas communities and industry.

According to Peggy Doss, Ph.D., chancellor of UAM, the center was devised as an answer to the needs and wasted resources of the state’s forestry industry.

“And so they had the idea of a center that could really study these concepts and look at the needs, do research, and promote the economic development of the state and the region,” Doss said.

“Having a really detailed analysis of the amount of timber that’s out there in all the major regions of Arkansas is really essential for shoring up our existing businesses that depends on that forest biomass as well as potential investors who would like to bring new facilities into Arkansas,” Dr. Michael Blazier, Dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources, said.

Gov. Hutchinson said on twitter following the ceremony, “I was on the campus of @UAMonticello today to celebrate the grand opening of the Arkansas Center for Forest Business. This center will ensure our forest products remain sustainable and our timber industry has continued success here in the Natural State!”

READ ALSO: ARKANSAS GAME, FISH COMMISSION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

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Sheridan High School Teacher Wins Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize

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Taylor Donnelly Sheridan

Taylor Donnelly, a high school agricultural mechanics teacher from Sheridan, has been named a winner of the 2022 Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence. She won $15,000 for herself and $35,000 for her program.

The Sheridan High School teacher is one of 20 prize winners across the country who won.

According to a press release, the mission of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools is to increase understanding, support and investment in skilled trades education in U.S. public high schools.

“We cannot overstate the impact that high school skilled trades teachers are having in the classroom. Hands-on skilled trades classes are making a comeback, and we couldn’t be prouder to celebrate the accomplishments of these remarkable teachers and their programs,’’ said Danny Corwin, executive director of Harbor Freight Tools for Schools.

There were 19 other winners, hailing from Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Nebraska, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wisconsin – with skilled trades in automotive, construction, carpentry, industrial technology, welding, agricultural mechanics, and machining.

The 2022 prize drew a record 768 applications from all 50 states and included three rounds of judging, each by an independent panel of experts from industry, education, trades, philanthropy and civic leadership. The application process, which included responses to questions and a series of video learning modules, was designed to solicit each teacher’s experience, insights and creative ideas about their approach to teaching and success in helping their students achieve excellence in the skilled trades.

In June, the field was narrowed to 50 finalists. The high school skilled trades programs of the 30 finalists who were not named winners will each receive a $1,000 gift card from Harbor Freight Tools.

READ ALSO: ARKANSAS GAME, FISH COMMISSION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIPS

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Op-Ed: Recreational Marijuana Would Cause Local Workforce Issues

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Stanley Hill Arkansas Farm Bureau

Arkansas Farm Bureau has advocated for the agriculture industry and rural communities for nearly 90 years, and we represent more than 180,000 member families across the state. On November 8, Arkansas voters will be asked to cast ballots that would have an incredible impact on our state’s constitution.

Few of our state’s citizens may know that the current constitution, adopted in 1874, is actually the state’s fifth. It’s also the most significant. The cornerstone of that constitution, signed in the late 19th century, were the steps taken to transfer power from state government to local governments. The ballot issues reflect a similar crossroads of balancing power in government.

As a grassroots organization, guided by policy that is developed by our members at the county level, Arkansas Farm Bureau strongly believes in the power of local control. It’s for this reason that our members have taken an official position on Issues 1, 2 and 4.

Our constitution is sacred and the first lawmakers across this state had a clear and present vision to ensure that consequential decisions stay in local communities. We ask that you consider the magnitude of these proposals and oppose Issues 1 and 4 while supporting Issue 2.

Issue 1 would allow the Arkansas legislature to call themselves into special session, changing the current system that only allows the sitting governor to call a special session. Our organization opposes Issue 1 because it would limit the number of Arkansas citizens who have time to serve and threatens the balance of power between the branches of government.

Issue 2 would require a 60% vote to approve a ballot issue and our organization supports a more stringent process because we believe amending our constitution should meet a higher threshold than a simple majority.

Issue 4 would legalize recreational marijuana in the state and our organization opposes production or use of recreational marijuana in Arkansas. In November 2016, Arkansas voters approved medical marijuana by a slim margin and now more than 95,000 Arkansans have been granted access to medical marijuana.

If approved, Issue 4 would bring concerns of workforce challenges for farmers and ranchers already burdened with labor issues. Compounding that would be detrimental to our state’s top industry.

Finally, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has presented data that shows car crash rates have spiked in other states that have legalized recreational marijuana. These are statistics that have a real impact on every Arkansan’s insurance premium at a time when most pocketbooks can’t take another price increase.

Farm Bureau members define our organizational policies as part of a year-long, grassroots policy development process. These policy positions were developed and implemented with significant and thoughtful input from our members, and we stand behind that policy.

This Op-Ed is written by Stanley Hill, Vice President, Public Affairs & Government Relations of Arkansas Farm Bureau.

READ ALSO: HUTCHINSON OPPOSES BIDEN’S PROJECT LABOR AGREEMENT PROPOSAL

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Riceland Foods Donates to Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie

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Riceland Foods Foundation

Kevin McGilton, Executive Director of the Riceland Foods Foundation, presented a $2,000 check to Fara Foster, the new Executive Director of the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie located in Stuttgart.

“Preserving our history and telling the stories of the people who were critical to the success we enjoy today is a worthy endeavor,” McGilton said. “I am excited Mrs. Foster has taken the reins of the museum and look forward to her future success as she strives to take the museum to the next level.”

The Riceland Foods Foundation is a regional philanthropic organization supported by Riceland Foods, a family farmer-owned cooperative serving rice farmers in Arkansas and Missouri. Riceland farmer-members individually support community activities and projects that are important to them. Each year the Riceland Foods Foundation provides a limited amount of grant funds to improve the quality of life in the farming communities of Riceland’s service area.

For more information regarding the Riceland Foods Foundation, please contact Kevin McGilton at kmcgilton@riceland.com.

READ ALSO: BILL CLINTON JOINS AMFA FOR ANNOUNCEMENT OF OPENING EXHIBITIONS

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Wild Turkey Population Growing, Conservation Areas to be Expanded

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Wild Turkey Population AGFC

The AGFC found good news for turkeys and hunters alike at its monthly meeting held at the J.B. and Johnelle Hunt Family Ozark Highlands Nature Center, pertaining to the growth of the wild turkey population and the AGFC’s Private Lands Program.

The 2022 Wild Turkey Population Survey has so far been showing some of the best growth in a decade in some parts of the state, with an average rate of 1.79 “poults per hen” throughout spring and summer (poults being young turkey). According to Turkey Program Coordinator Jeremy Wood, biologists usually want to see rates in the ballpark of 1.8 to 2 poults per hen, and rates across Arkansas were consistently positive, ranging from 2.21 in the Delta to 1.46 in the Ouachita Mountains. This year’s “gobbler to hen” ratio decreased, but that is common in years of significant growth.

“We also continue to see increased participation throughout the state in the survey,” Wood said. “Five years ago, about 50% of our turkey survey participants were in seven counties, but we’re seeing more widespread reports thanks to increased efforts to recruit observers. We are seeing some decreased participation per observer, and we want to figure out a way to get more observations from each participant, but we are getting increased awareness overall.”

Wood credited good weather conditions during the turkeys’ nesting and brood-rearing seasons as the main reason for this strong growth. Human-controlled factors have played less of a role, but he hopes to improve upon and fine tune the tools they do have. The most important of these is season structure, as a shorter and later hunting season gives turkeys more time to take advantage of natural factors like good weather.

Turkeys aside, AGFC Director Austin Booth placed a strong emphasis at the meeting on the Commission’s Private Lands Program, which will be playing a major role in its future conservation efforts. As part of the Commission’s strategic plan, The Natural State Tomorrow, the Private Lands Program will be turned into a major division of the agency, which Booth announced would be led by longtime wildlife biologist and AGFC assistant chief Garrick Dugger.

“We all know that success in conservation ultimately depends not just on the landscape, but more importantly on how much people treasure the landscape … ” Booth said. “… If we achieve absolute perfection on the 10% of land the AGFC controls in Arkansas, we only have 10% success. The only way to increase that is to take our amazing private lands effort that we have now and to elevate it. The Private Lands Division will be absolutely critical in delivering to the private landowners of Arkansas the assistance, the education and the incentives to help carry on the flame of conservation.”

Dugger has worked with the agency for 23 years, and has already been authorized to enter into a real estate conveyance agreement with the city of Benton to open a section of property, the Cherry Gingles Duluth Saline River Access, to the public. This property was donated to the commission by the Demuth family and the Hastings family, and plans are being made to build campsites, RV parking, yurts and more. 

A full video of the meeting is available on the AGFC’s YouTube.

READ ALSO: THE QUIVER CELEBRATES INAUGURAL FALL LEAGUE WINNERS

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2022 Arkansas State Fair Ranks 2nd Largest in State’s History

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Arkansas State Fair

The 82nd Arkansas State Fair ended with a record number of fairgoers on the last Sunday, propelling this year’s event to ranking as the second largest fair the Natural State has seen thus far. 

A tremendous day of weather and a capacity crowd at the Lotto Main Stage enjoyed highly-spirited and festive national Hispanic bands throughout the evening.  

A Sunday record-setting crowd of 59,844 came through the gates, catapulting the Fair to an overall attendance number of 476,114. This late surge propelled the fair to ranking it as the second largest in their 82-year history.  

“It was one of the best fairs we have ever had,” said interim General Manager Tiffany Wilkerson. “Eight days of good weather, innovative promotions and a widespread marketing campaign helped us attract and entertain fairgoers from across the state.” 

This year’s State Fair boasted three all-time daily attendance records – Wednesday,  Thursday, and Sunday all posted 82-year bests.  

Attendance numbers were not the only noteworthy achievements to report,” said Wilkerson. “The Sale of Champions livestock auction raised over $136,000 for youth 4-H and FFA scholarships. Our dedicated staff, volunteers, corporate and media sponsors, and advertising agency helped us once again put on a first-class event.”  

For more information, visit www.ArkansasStateFair.com.

READ ALSO: WILD TURKEY POPULATION GROWING, CONSERVATION AREAS TO BE EXPANDED

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