Farm Bureau Press - July 11, 2014

In Farm Bureau District farm families named District winners for the 68th Annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program have been selected. They will now be judged to determine a state winner, which will be announced at the Dec. 11 Farm Family of the Year luncheon at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock.

The district winners are: • Richard and Jennifer Broach of Vandervoot in the Western District. The Broachs farm poultry, cattle and hay on 465 acres. They have three children: Tyler, Trevon and Tayden.

• Keith and Jill Forrester of Tyronza in the Northeast District. The Forresters grow a variety of crops, including tomatoes, melons, asparagus and strawberries, on 200 acres. They have one child: Fox. • The Gross Family of Hot Springs in the West Central District. Steve and Stacy, Scott and Kay, and Billy and Mary farm timber, hay, beef cattle, swine, poultry and

Lily Herndon of Moro (left) and Ashton Goodin of Helena (center) participated in a hands-on CPR demonstration led by Sherry Johnson, a simulation education specialist at UAMS in Little Rock.

The students visited UAMS simulation laboratory as part of the Medical Applications of Science for Health (M*A*S*H) camp held June 2-13 at UAMS East in Helena.

Twelve junior and senior high school students from Phillips, St. Francis, Monroe and Lee counties participated in the program to learn about medical professions. equine on 1,280 acres. Steve and Stacy have two sons: Colton and Seth. Scott and Kay have two children: Lauren and Allan.

• Sloan and Rhonda Hampton of Stuttgart in the Southeast District. The Hamptons farm rice, soybeans and timber on 4,500 acres. They also have 500 acres in CRP. They have one child: Avery Claire.

• Nathan and Kristin Reed of Marianna in the East Central District. The Reeds grow cotton, corn, soybeans and milo on 6,000 acres. They have three children: ArFB President Randy Veach (center) spoke to a joint session of the Arkansas House and Senate Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development and City, County and Local Affairs committees June 30, outlining issues with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s proposed critical habitat designations for the Neosho mucket and rabbitsfoot mussels.

KEITH SUTTON photo

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Jane-Anne, Stanley “Eldon” and Katherine.

• Roy and Suzanne Runsick of Melbourne in the North Central District.

The Runsicks farm cattle and grow forage on 150 acres. They have four adult sons: Stewart Runsick, Scott Runsick, Bradley Bangs and Keith Bangs.

• Warren and Becky Webster of Washington in the Southwest District.

The Websters produce approximately 1.4 million chickens per year. They have three children: Logan, Nolan and Katie Ella.

STEVE EDDINGTON photo

A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

July 11, 2014 • Vol. 17, No. 13

Amy Parkhurst (left) of Waldron and Katherine Wright of Helena tackled the climbing wall at ArFB’s Teen Challenge Camp June 17. Sixty students participated in the camp at the Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale where they completed the 4-H ExCel program, attended leadership training, learned about Arkansas agriculture and enjoyed a variety of recreational activities.

O&L Conference “Engage” is the theme for the 66th annual Officers and Leaders Conference July 21 and 22 at the Holiday Inn & Northwest Arkansas Convention Center in Springdale (1500 South 48th Street).

Registration will begin at 10:30 a.m. July 21 at the Holiday Inn. The opening of the general session will begin with a luncheon at 12:30 p.m. July 21 in the convention center. In addition to President Veach’s summer address during Monday’s general session, Dr. Mark Cochran, vice president for agriculture, will be giving a UA Division of Agriculture update. Kevin Murphy, owner and founder of Food-Chain Communications, will be speaking on the food morality movement.

Two workshops and a technology expo are scheduled for Monday afternoon at

the Holiday Inn. Workshops, a technology expo and a question-and-answer session with gubernatorial candidates Mike Ross and Asa Hutchinson will highlight Tuesday’s program in the convention center. The conference is scheduled to conclude at approximately 11 a.m.

Tuesday.

ArFB wins national video award Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Public

KEN MOORE photo

KEN MOORE photo

JON CARROLL photo

LINDSEY MITCHELL photo

• Billy Joe and Courtney Wilkins of Lamar in the Northwest District. The Wilkins farm Bermuda grass and cattle on 255 acres.

They have three children: Josie, Abby and Mayci.

“I am more amazed every year at the amount of passion Arkansas’ families have for agriculture,” said Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach. “What a great honor to recognize the men and women of agriculture, and their families, for their hard work and success.”

Rusty Smith of Des Arc, chair of ArFB’s soybean division, led discussion of policy development topics during the soybean, wheat and feed grains summer commodity division meeting July 1. About 50 farmers participated in the meeting at the Lon Mann Research Station in Marianna, which also featured a demonstration of how cameras on drones may be used on farms.

The Arkansas Agriculture Department reports tens of thousands of acres of soybeans, rice, cotton, corn and sorghum in 10 east Arkansas counties sustained damage from flooding due to record rainfall in late June. Gov. Mike Beebe has asked U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to make a disaster declaration that would make emergency loans available to eligible farmers.

Relations Department recently received national recognition at the American Farm Bureau Federation Strategic Policy, Advocacy, Resources and Communications Conference in Kansas City, Mo. Each year, state Farm Bureau staff members submit their organizations’ news stories, publications, photos, advertising campaigns, websites and other communications projects in a competition.

This year, ArFB’s “For Every Season” video won first place in the “Best Promotional or Education Video or Documentary” category. The video was produced by Arkansas Farm Bureau staff with help from Gabe Gentry of Mindful Media Productions.

In Arkansas John Gavin, staff chair for the Bradley Co. Cooperative Extension Service, demonstrated how to graft tomatoes for those attending a horticulture field day at the Southwest Research and Extension Center in Hope June 19. Grafting the top of an heirloom tomato plant to a disease-resistant rootstock has proven successful for preventing root-knot nematode and other diseases.

AETN to premiere “Agri Arkansas” The Arkansas Educational Television Network will premiere a new monthly series dedicated to Arkansas’ agricultural heritage July 27 at 1 p.m. “Agri Arkansas” is a celebration of agriculture in Arkansas, featuring experts, innovators and challenges all present in the state’s largest industry. “‘Agri Arkansas’ is not your granddad’s farm report,” AETN producer Kevin Clark said. “Our segments will reintroduce our audience to the source of their food. We

Rice Expo set for Aug. 1 The Arkansas Rice Expo will be held Aug. 1 at the Grand Prairie Center in Stuttgart. Hosted by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, the event will feature lots of activities for families and agriculture professionals.

A panel of agricultural experts will discuss the features of the new farm bill and offer insights into the bill’s impact on Arkansas. The panel will begin at noon in the auditorium of the Grand Prairie Center on the campus of Phillips Community College.

Visitors can tour research plots at the division’s Rice Research and Extension Center, or watch virtual tours in the comfort of the air-conditioned Grand

WIEGHAT GRAPHICS photo

will illustrate how Arkansas is in the top 25 states in the production of 24 agricultural commodities. Arkansas is the top producer in the U.S. for rice and baitfish, second in broilers and third in catfish and turkeys.

‘Agri Arkansas’ will celebrate Arkansas’ successes and illuminate issues important to both farmers and consumers.”

Each episode will feature segments from around Arkansas and discussions with experts. Former news anchor and veteran reporter Tony Brooks will host the series.

“Agri Arkansas” will air the last Sunday of each month at 1 p.m. Additional information is available at aetn.org/ agriarkansas.

Arkansas FFA’s 2014-15 officers were installed during the FFA convention in Hot Springs June 5. In the back row (l to r) are 2013-14 officers Sunni Wise, Megan McMahen, Taylor McNeel, Caleigh Sue Moyer, Mason Strayhorn and Lindsey Triplett.

New officers in front are Becca Burrow, Marke Dement, Bryce Rohr, Matthew Smith, Mark McAfee and Morgan Faulkner.

Prairie Center. Workshops will feature aids for making farm bill decisions, an agriculture markets outlook and horticulture seminars. There will be indoor and outdoor youth activities, including a hands-on science, technology, engineering and math event.

The expo also will feature cooking and food preservation demonstrations and a rice recipe contest. A walk-in plant disease clinic will be available to help farmers and gardeners diagnose problem plants.

Vendors will display products and services, including Arkansas Farm Bureau’s combine simulator.

The expo will open at 8 a.m. and conclude with lunch. For more information, visit www.uaex.edu/riceexpo/.

UA photo

Elsewhere University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture extension agents waded through flooded rice fields July 2 as they toured rice-seed treatment plots near Lonoke. The exercise was part of a seed treatment field day where UA specialists shared their expertise with cooperative extension agents who work in counties throughout the state.

Faces of Farming & Ranching The U.S. Farmers & Ranchers Alliance is looking for the new “Faces of Farming & Ranching.” To help put a real face on agriculture, later this year, USFRA will select standout farmers and ranchers who are proud of what they do, eager to share their stories of continuous improvement and who are actively involved in sharing those stories in public and on social media.

Farmers and ranchers who grow and raise an assortment of foods through various

methods, on differing scales and across all regions of the country are encouraged to apply, as it is important to show American agriculture and all of its diversity.

To apply, visit FoodDialogues.com to complete an application entry form, and to submit a video no longer than three minutes that shows your operation and your role on the farm/ranch. Entries will be accepted beginning July 10 through Aug. 10 at midnight Central. Finalists will be announced by USFRA in early September. The general public will be able to vote for their favorite in late October through early November Nominations open for rice awards Rice Farming magazine is now accepting nominations for the 2014 Rice Awards.

The three categories are Rice Farmer of the Year, Rice Industry Award and Rice Lifetime Achievement Award. To access the nomination form, visit ricefarming. com/home/pdf/Nomination_Form_2014. pdf. It also is helpful to send letters of recommendation for the nominee from other individuals in the rice industry who are familiar with his/her accomplishments.

A panel of judges from across the Rice Belt will select the award recipients. The deadline for submitting nominations is July 25, and the award recipients will be honored at the December 2014 USA Rice Outlook Conference in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Editor Keith Sutton

keith.sutton@arfb.com

In the Market As of July 10, 2014

USDA acreage report pushes grains to new lows The old saying, “The cure for high prices is high prices,” seems to be playing out this year. On June 30, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its June acreage report, which showed little change in corn acreage but big changes in soybeans, cotton and rice.

Great weather conditions across much of the U.S. have analysts expecting record yields in most crops as the quality of many crops is near its highest levels in years. After five years of tight supplies, the U.S. is poised for record supplies in just about all the crops it plants. These forecasts for larger crops have prices falling sharply. New-crop corn, wheat and soybean prices are all at or near contract lows and are likely to move even lower as we head toward harvest.

Third quarter stocks higher than expected In addition to acreage report, the Department of Agriculture also released its quarterly stocks report, which showed higher soybean and corn stocks than the market was expecting. This means demand was slower than anticipated in the third quarter and will likely lead to increases in 2013-14 stocks. Larger stocks this year and forecasts of bigger supplies next year continue to pressure prices lower. The thing to watch for now is whether or not current price declines will spur additional demand in the fourth quarter.

Not too early to start looking at 2015 The record supplies forecast in 2014 will replenish tight supplies in most crops. Corn stocks will likely exceed 2 billion bushels. Soybean stocks could

almost triple to more than 300 million bushels. Cotton stocks could be more than 5 million bales. Rice stocks could top 40 million cwt.

While these markets are always only one weather event away from disaster, the plush stock situation this fall is going to put significant downward pressure on prices. We have already seen soybean prices for 2015 decline more than a dollar for next year. We are likely to see these prices fall even more as this forecast record crop is harvested. Given the current situation, now is the time to begin marketing the 2015 crop. As producers have the opportunity, they should strongly consider marketing some of their expected production for next year as prices have a strong potential to be even lower at that time.

Cattle prices continue to rally Live cattle prices have again put in new all-time highs in recent days.

While prices have retreated from those highs, the fundamentals remain strong, which will limit technical weakness.

Strength should continue in this market for the next couple of years as producers work to rebuild the herd.

Providing additional support to cattle prices are the lower feed prices, which are improving the margins on fed cattle and improving the demand for live cattle.

Drones coming to agriculture Over the next few years, producers will begin to see more information about how they can use drones, also known as unmanned aerial vehicles, on

their operations. Drones will be able to help producers monitor irrigation, crop quality, cattle and other aspects of their operations. While these products, like most new products, have the potential to help producers, there will be some red tape users must deal with in order to operate drones used for agricultural purposes. In November, the FAA should release new rules to govern unmanned aerial vehicles. These rules will likely require commercial users, which include farmers, to pass the written flight-school test and obtain a medical certificate.

Federal Reserve agrees to end bond-buying program The new definitive closing date marks the end of the quantitative easing and controversial central-banking approach. The plan will decrease bond purchases in three increments until October, when the last $15 billion reduction is scheduled, according to minutes of the last Federal Reserve policy meeting.

El Niño remains likely this summer The National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center issued a report Thursday morning that showed subsurface ocean temperatures are cooling in some areas while surface temperatures, particularly in the Eastern Pacific, are warmer than average.

Given the findings, scientists still predict there’s a 70-percent chance that an El Niño will develop this summer. The El Niño event will bring milder temperatures and increased precipitation across much of the U.S.

CONTACT • Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268, brandy.carroll@arfb.com • Bruce Tencleve 501-228-1856, bruce.tencleve@arfb.com • Matt King 501-228-1297, matt.king@arfb.com