DECEMBER 10, 2021 | VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 24
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU ELECTS LEADERS Rich Hillman of Carlisle was reelected as Arkansas Farm Bureau’s president, and Mike Freeze of Little Rock will continue as the agriculture advocacy organization’s vice president. Both were elected Dec. 3 at Farm Bureau’s 87th Annual Convention in Little Rock. Board action later resulted in the reelection of Dan Wright of Waldron as Secretary/Treasurer. Wright, 61, raises poultry and grows hay. He and his wife, Belinda, have two grown children, Dustin and Megan. They have five grandchildren.
Josh Cureton Earns Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award, page 3
The voting delegates reelected six board members to new two-year terms. They are Sherry Felts, Joiner; Jon Carroll, Moro; Joe Thrash, Houston; Terry Laster, Strong; Chase Groves, Garland City; and Jack Evans of Lonoke. Also elected were two new board members, Jason Henson of Mount Judea and Bob Shofner of Centerton. Both men raise livestock. A rice farmer, Hillman, 58, was first elected to as Farm Bureau’s president in 2019 and before that he served 11 years as the organization’s vice president. He first joined the organization’s board of directors in 2001. He is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 11th president since its founding in 1935. He is a sixth-generation farmer whose main crops are rice, soybeans and wheat. He and his wife Tina have two grown children, Collin and Caroline, and one granddaughter. Continued on page 2
Magnet Cove teacher is Farm Bureau’s 2021 Outstanding Ag Educator, page 3
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ArFB ELECTS LEADERS Continued from page 1
“I’m honored,” said Hillman. “Deeply honored. There have been many Farm Bureau leaders I owe a debt of gratitude to. I couldn’t do my job without them and their support.” Mike Freeze, 69, begins his third term as vice president. He operates the Keo Fish Farm, the largest hybrid striped bass hatchery in the world. He is a past chairman of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission. He and his wife Betty have two grown daughters, Rachael and Kelly.
STONE COUNTY NAMED TOP COUNTY IN 2021 Stone County was selected as the state’s top county Farm Bureau organization for 2021. Arkansas Farm Bureau President Rich Hillman and Vice President Mike Freeze presented the organization’s President’s Award to Stone County Farm Bureau President Larry Smith on Dec. 2 at the 87th Annual Arkansas Farm Bureau Convention in Little Rock.
“I appreciate the confidence put in me,” Freeze said. “Working with our president and board members to further the goals of Farm Bureau is a vitally important job, and I want you to know I don’t take that obligation lightly. I’ll do my best to fulfill my duties as vice president.” Voting delegates addressed a range of state and federal policy issues, including development of a statewide elementary school agricultural education curriculum; fully funding of the state meat inspection program; development of a statewide broadband map that identifies areas with service deficiencies; appointment of a broadband official by the governor to coordinate statewide broadband access; continued work to protect ag tax exemptions and low property taxes; opposition to increases in the federal capital gains tax; allow for the continued use of stepped-up basis; and beginning work to set priorities for the 2023 Farm Bill.
(From left) ArFB VP Mike Freeze, Stone County's Larry Smith and ArFB President Rich Hillman. “Receiving the President’s Award is quite an honor,” said Smith. “We work on it every year, and I think we’ve won it five of the last eight times it has been presented. The key to success is surrounding yourself with good people who are hardworking and have the same goals for agriculture. Winning the award feels good, and it’s certainly an honor for everyone in Stone County.” Counties competing for the President’s Award must earn a Gold Star designation in each of 10 measurement categories and be a top scorer in their respective membership category. The 10 Gold Star categories are membership acquisition, organization, public relations, commodity services, governmental affairs, women’s activities, Young Farmers & Ranchers activities, member services, safety and youth. The other finalists for the President’s Award included Benton, Boone, Cross and Jackson counties. The Membership Retention Award went to Bradley County. Bradley County had a retention rate of more than 96 percent.
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JOSH CURETON EARNS ArFB LEADERSHIP AWARD Josh Cureton of Cash is the 2021 recipient of the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award from the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation. Cureton accepted the award Dec. 2 during the organization’s 87th annual convention at the State House Convention Center in Little Rock. Arkansas Farm Bureau President Rich Hillman and Charlene Reed, widow of late ArFB president Stanley Reed, presented the award. Cureton has been on the Craighead County board for 16 years, serving as an officer for eight years and on the executive board for 12. He served as county board president from 2014-2016, and during his term, in 2015, the county received the state President’s Award. “Stanley Reed spoke at the very first YF&R meeting my wife Melissa and I attended,” said Cureton. “His words were very inspirational. I had grown up in Farm Bureau, and to hear him tell it, now it was my turn to be an active part of this great organization. Being part of that tradition was a very big deal to me those many years ago, and now to win this award just means the world to me.” Cureton also served on the state Young Farmers & Ranchers Committee for four years, including the positions of chair and vice chair. He has been ArFB’s state soybean chair for five years and, in 2017, he was recognized by Arkansas State University's ag school as an Outstanding Alumnus. He serves as a deacon at (From left) ArFB VP Mike Freeze, ArFB President Rich Hillman, Bono Church of Christ, a board member of Westside award recipient Josh Cureton and Charlene Reed. Consolidated School District, part of the County Extension Advisory Committee and is a member of the NEA District Fair Board. The Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award was established in 2011 to honor the memory of the man who was president of Arkansas Farm Bureau from 2003-2008. It is awarded to an active member, 36 to 45 years of age, for outstanding leadership within their county Farm Bureau and community. It is intended to honor a county leader who has demonstrated the leadership qualities that were evident in Stanley Reed’s life and will help lead Farm Bureau into the future. Cureton is a sixth-generation row-crop farmer. With the help of his wife Melissa, he raises soybeans and rice on 4,400 acres in Craighead County. The couple won the state YF&R Achievement Award in 2016. They have three children, Grayce, 20, Cole, 16, and Mattyx, 13, who are actively involved in church, school and sports.
ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FOUNDATION NIGHT IN The Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation hosted a Foundation Night In event during the Arkansas Farm Bureau 87th Annual Convention. The event was held Dec. 1 in Little Rock. Tickets included a meal catered by King Kat, entertainment and a silent auction. Entertainment was provided by Arkansas FFA & 4-H members and included Irish dancing, poetry reading and several musical performances. A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU HONORS WOMEN LEADERS The Women’s Leadership Committee from Scott County was named the Outstanding County Women’s Program award winner for 2021. The group was recognized Dec. 2 during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 87th Annual Conference at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock. It was a repeat win for the county, which also earned the honor in 2020. Committee chairwoman Regina Oliver of Waldron accepted the award for Scott County. “This means so much to our committee,” she said. “It takes the whole team to do this—to pull the wagon so to speak. And we all pulled the wagon. We did what we needed to do. 2020 was a real challenge for us, but we already had everything in line to accomplish what we set out to do. Then in 2021, we were asking ourselves, where do we go from here? I’m proud to say we made it happen.” Each year, Arkansas Farm Bureau honors the county Women’s Leadership Committee that exhibits exemplary support of its county organization, activities and goals. These committees are a vital part of the county Farm Bureau organizations as they plan and implement programs and activities that are an important part of Farm Bureau’s mission. They conduct community-based activities and programs involving Ag in the Classroom, farm tours, commodity promotion, safety, health, agricultural policy and more.
businesses and cooperatives. Their goal is to educate the students in their county about agriculture while creating an awareness and appreciation for farmers and their work. Debbie Moreland of Pulaski County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee received the Arkansas Farm Bureau Women’s Diamond Award, which honors a county Farm Bureau leader whose volunteer efforts are above and beyond the norm. She lives in Natural Steps with her husband Bart. “I’m just stunned,” Moreland said. “I never expected to receive such a great honor.” Moreland has spent close to four decades promoting agriculture in her county and on the state level. Her leadership skills have earned her positions on the State Women’s Leadership Committee as well as other boards and committees. She began her Farm Bureau leadership on the county Women’s Committee and became a county board member in Pulaski County in 2000. Her career path was originally nursing, but in 1992 with the encouragement of her father-in-law, her path began to shift to agriculture when she joined the Soil Conservation Board, where she later served as president. She is currently serving as president of the Pulaski County Farm Bureau and is program administrator for the Arkansas Association of Conservation Districts.
The members of the Scott County committee share their passion for agriculture and Farm Bureau through school programs, field days, involvement in school and community activities, advocating for student ag programs and educational outreach in classrooms, as well as building relationships with local agriculture-related
“To me, this shows the value of having good mentors like Betty Oliver who encouraged me and pushed me, even when it wasn’t comfortable,” she said. “Of course, no one does this alone, and I’m very grateful to all the people who helped me get here.”
(From left) ArFB President Rich Hillman, Magen Allen, Regina Oliver and ArFB VP Mike Freeze.
(From left) ArFB President Rich Hillman, Magen Allen, Debbie Moreland and ArFB VP Mike Freeze.
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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP LUNCHEON The Women’s Leadership Luncheon was held Dec. 2 during the annual ArFB Convention and featured Talya Tate Boerner as the keynote speaker. Boerner is an Arkansas author and blogger. Along with her novels and blog, she has been writing a regular
quarterly column, Delta Child, for Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Front Porch magazine. Awards were also presented to Women’s Leadership Committees across the state.
(Top row, from left) Women's Leadership State Committee member Doreen Antley presented the Membership Category 1 Top Committee Award to Lee County. Women's Leadership State Committee member Susan Bitely presented the Membership Category 2 Top Committee Award to Scott County Farm Bureau. (Second row, from left) Women's Leadership State Committee member Regina Oliver presented the Membership Category 3 Top Committee Award to Hempstead County Farm Bureau. Women's Leadership State Committee member Divella Gray presented the Membership Category 5 Top Committee Award to Craighead County Farm Bureau. Not pictured: Membership Category 4, Top Committee Poinsett County Farm Bureau.
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MAGNET COVE TEACHER IS NAMED AS FARM BUREAU’S 2021 OUTSTANDING AG EDUCATOR Arkansas Farm Bureau recognized Kristyn Sheets of Magnet Cove High School in Hot Spring County as its Outstanding Ag Educator. Harrisburg High School’s Levi Jones earned the Outstanding New Ag Educator Award, and Carlisle High School grabbed the top spot as the Outstanding Ag Education Program. All were recognized at Farm Bureau’s 87th Annual Convention, Dec. 1, at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock.
(From left) ArFB VP Mike Freeze, Harrisburg ag educator Levi Jones and ArFB President Rich Hillman.
(From left) Kristyn Sheets, ArFB President Rich Hillman and Vice President Mike Freeze. The Outstanding Ag Educator award recognizes a high school agriculture education instructor for efforts in teaching young people about agriculture, leadership and involvement in the National FFA Organization. The Carlisle High School program includes more than 60 students in ag education and FFA.
Carlisle High School was recognized for its ag education program that has 68 students participating. The program teachers include Carly Bokker and Caleb Shock. This program has built a show barn in partnership with a local cattle producer and created a livestock show team from scratch in addition to farming 20 acres to generate income for the FFA chapter. “This award means so much because it reflects the partnership between the school, our community, the FFA chapter and others,” said Kynlee Ball, Carlisle FFA chapter president. “We’ve worked incredibly hard to build a quality program in a short amount of time and we continue to grow.”
“It’s an honor to be recognized, especially since this is a peer nomination,” Sheets said. “I feel fortunate to teach the future leaders of our state’s top industry each and every day.” Jones earned the top New Ag Educator Award for his work at Harrisburg High School where he has more than 100 students involved. In three years, he has brought the chapter back to fiscal stability and took the group to national convention for the first time in nearly a decade. “We have made a lot of strides in the past few years and have a thriving chapter now,” Jones said. “That’s incredibly important considering the community’s relationship to agriculture. Behind every great teacher is a great community to have their backs.” 6
(From left) ArFB VP Mike Freeze, Carlisle High FFA members and ArFB President Rich Hillman.
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For a complete photo recap visit the ArFB Flickr page.
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MARKET NEWS as of December 8, 2021 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com
Hogs Hog futures have traded in an erratic pattern over the past week, charting sharp losses in nearby contracts. Most-active February gapped lower on Monday and losses continue, with little technical support above the recent low of $74.05. The uncertainty regarding the Omicron variant of Covid-19 has created instability in futures markets. Current wholesale pork prices are relatively weak, adding pressure to nearby contracts. Packer demand is expected to strengthen while hog supplies tighten in 2022, and that is providing support for deferred contracts. The June contract has charted losses this week, violating previous support at $94.40 before filling the chart gap left between $93.20 and $93.62½. Support is now around $90. Cattle Cattle futures continue to show strength, but prices have faltered a bit due to uncertainty regarding the Omicron variant of Covid-19. The most-active February contract set a new high of $141.85 at the end of November, only to close at the bottom of the day’s wide trading range. Prices have been chopping higher since, and the market remains on an uptrend, but that high could prove to be tough resistance. Strong 8
wholesale beef prices and plains cash cattle prices have provided support, and that is expected to continue, but packer demand could be limited by shortened holiday schedules in the coming weeks. Rice Rice futures have followed the rest of the grain complex lower. Most-active January has moved to 3-week lows and has closed below previous support at $14. The market has failed to find buying interest above $14.10 for the past 6 trading sessions. Export demand has been somewhat supportive, but last week’s sales were disappointing — down 47% from the four-week average. Shipments of 105,000 metric tons were a marketing year high, though, providing some support. Rice, as a staple food in many countries and cultures, is finding some support from concerns about food security and inflation. Soybeans The chart picture for soybeans continues to look bearish. The fundamental pictures is mixed, with demand, especially from China, disappointing so far this marketing year. The U.S. crop is expected to be smaller next year, as corn looks like the more profitable crop considering high input costs and current corn prices. The market was expecting some strength from the announcement of the EPA’s biofuels mandate but was disappointed when the mandate was not as high as expected. Nearby January has support around $12.14 with resistance starting above $12.75. November has support near $12.05 with
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resistance building at $12.40. Cotton The selloff in cotton has been sharp in recent weeks, but the market is attempting to find support and stability in recent days. Most-active March has found support at 102.5 cents while new crop December has bounced off support at 85 cents. March now faces resistance near 107 cents, while December has resistance below 90 cents. Sharp declines in crude oil and equities have not been supportive for cotton. Domestic demand from mills has helped to stabilize prices. Weekly export sales were also supportive, with net sales of 374,900 bales. Vietnam and China were the largest customers. Corn Corn futures continue to trend higher. Farmers are holding on to their crop, so the cash market is looking for corn. Ethanol producers are making strong profits, driving up demand for corn. However, the 2022 corn crop is likely to be a big one, as budgets favor corn over soybeans at this point. Favorable crop conditions in South America are adding to the supply-side concerns. The March contract has broken its steep uptrend, but the longer-term uptrend remains intact. The market is struggling to top resistance around $5.90 but is building support in the $5.60 area. The December contract has support near $5.40, with resistance at $5.65.
EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com