AUGUST 21, 2026 | VOLUME 29 | ISSUE 17
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF AG LAUNCHES WILDFIRE DASHBOARD
Arkansans can now see where wildfires are burning and how the state is responding, as it happens. The Arkansas Department of Agriculture has launched an active wildfire dashboard to provide real-time information on wildfires the department is responding to. The dashboard offers the public a clearer, more accessible view of wildfire activity across the state. The dashboard displays current wildfire totals, current acreage affected, year‑to‑date wildfire totals and year‑to‑date acreage. It also provides details for individual wildfires, including their general location and acreage.
American Farm Bureau Intel, Farmland Values Climb , Page 2
Arkansas is home to more than 18.8 million acres of forests and over 11.5 billion trees. The department protects more than 15 million acres of nonfederal forestland through seven districts positioned across Arkansas. The Department has 175 wildland firefighters, 110 bulldozers, and an aviation detection and response fleet available to respond to complex wildfire incidents. The resource is designed to provide timely, reliable information to Arkansans and support public awareness during periods of elevated fire risk.
United States Department of Ag Presents Check to Mulberry, Page 3
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Fire risk is expected to increase across Arkansas in the coming weeks. Arkansans can monitor GET THE LINKS current conditions Scan the QR code on the department’s to access direct county-by-county links referenced wildfire map and in each article. view the new wildfire dashboard here. A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
FARMLAND VALUES CLIMB TO NEW HIGHS AS CASH RENTS HOLD NEAR RECORDS USDA-National Agricultural Statistics Services recently released the annual Land Values 2026 Summary. Updated cashrent estimates show U.S. agricultural land values reached another record in 2026, even as appreciation continued to slow. Average farm real estate value, including land and buildings, rose $150, or 3.4%, to $4,500 per acre. Cropland values increased 3.3% to $6,020, while pasture values rose 4.2% to $2,000 per acre. Since 2020, average farm real estate values have climbed nearly 44%, highlighting farmland’s continued resilience as an asset despite tighter margins across portions of the farm economy. Cash rents remained near historically high levels but moved little overall. Average cropland rent declined by $1 to $160 per acre in 2026, still 15% above its 2020 level. On a per-acre basis, irrigated cropland rent held at $244, nonirrigated rent declined by $1 to $146, and pasture rent increased by $1 to a record $16.50. Rather than signaling a broad shift in rental markets, the figures show that land costs remain elevated even as farm revenues and margins face pressure. The 2026 report is notable not simply because farmland values reached another record, but because the sharp post2020 increase is proving durable. Farm real estate values are now nearly 44% higher than in 2020, cropland values are up 48% and pasture values are up nearly 43%. Annual appreciation has slowed, but there is little evidence of a broad reset. Instead, farmland appears to have settled onto a substantially higher cost base. That shift is creating an increasingly divided experience within the farm economy. Farmers who own land benefit from stronger equity and collateral, while renters, beginning farmers and operations seeking to expand face record purchase prices and rents that remain near historic highs even as crop margins further weaken. Because land values reflect long-term agricultural potential as well as competition from development, energy and other uses, softer commodity markets do not quickly translate into cheaper access. The central issue may therefore be less about whether farmland values rise another 3% or 4% next year and more about who is able to farm it. Read the full American Farm Bureau Market Intel here.
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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PRESENTS CHECK TO CITY OF MULBERRY U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR) joined USDA Rural Development State Director for Arkansas David Branscum to present a check totaling $10 million to Mulberry to upgrade its water treatment plant, which has returned to full operations with the help of this federal investment. The USDA Rural Development grant and loan allowed the city to make critical repairs to the water treatment plant while also expanding its capacity to better serve the community. “Reliable access to clean, safe water is something every community should be able to count on. The investment was vital to make key repairs as well as expand Mulberry’s water treatment plant. Enhancing this facility will protect the community from the potential disruption of potable water access. I was pleased to support this federal assistance and will continue advocating continued rural water infrastructure improvements, including through Farm Bill 2.0, that are essential for every community to thrive,” Boozman said. Read more here.
Ag Appreciation Luncheon | Arkansas Farm Bureau ANNUAL AGRICULTURE President Dan Wright spoke about the challenges faces and the role attendees plays in serving APPRECIATION LUNCHEON agriculture the industry. Arkansas Farm Bureau hosted the annual Agriculture Agencies Appreciation Luncheon at the Chenal Country Club. The event brings together valued partners and supporters from across the Natural State and beyond to recognize their important contributions to Arkansas agriculture. The luncheon provides an opportunity to connect with those who play an important role in supporting the state’s agricultural community and to express appreciation for their continued partnership. ArFB is grateful for the many individuals, organizations and agencies who work alongside us throughout the year to support farmers, ranchers and the agriculture industry. See more photos from the event here.
Ag Appreciation Luncheon | Arkansas Farm Bureau Executive Vice President Jarrod Yates thanked attendees for their part in supporting the state’s agriculture industry.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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MARKET NEWS as of August 19, 2026 Contact Brandy Carroll
brandy.carroll@arfb.com
Tyler Oxner
tyler.oxner@arfb.com
Rice Rice futures appear to have topped for the time being. The September contract topped at $14.44 and November at $14.82 after making new 18-month highs in late July. Harvest has begun in Arkansas, with 7% of the crop in the bins as of August 16. The August Crop Production and WASDE reports added 90,000 acres to U.S. planted rice acres. This report uses FSA certified acres, crop insurance data, surveys, and ground and satellite observation to arrive at the total. That resulted in a total planted acreage of 2.112 million acres across the U.S. In Arkansas, the crop is estimated at 901,000 acres—780,000 acres of long grain, and 121,000 acres of medium and short grain. The expected yield estimate was lowered to 7,644 lbs/acre, partially offsetting the increased acreage and resulting in a production estimate of 158.4 million cwt. Beginning stocks were increased again to 53.8 million cwt. The import estimate was unchanged at 49.8 million cwt, resulting in a total supply of 262 million cwt. With few changes in the use estimates, carryout was increased to 36.0 million cwt. Down significantly year-over-year, but up from last month’s estimate. The expected on-farm price was unchanged, with an all-rice price of $14.90 and a long grain price of $13.50. Soybeans The August crop production and WASDE reports showed a sharp increase in projected soybean production. In the first report based on certified acreage and 4
observations as well as farmer surveys, the total U.S. planted acreage was pegged at 86.765 million. Arkansas acreage was increased to 3.45 million acres, up from 3.2 million in the previous report. The increase in the acreage estimate was partially offset by smaller beginning stocks and slightly lower yields. After charting sharp losses in recent weeks that appear to have confirmed a bottom, soybeans have rallied this week on ideas that excessive rains in parts of the mid-west have hurt the yield potential of the crop. November now has resistance at $12.25. A close above that would suggest a retest of the contract high of $12.56 ½ is back in play. Corn The August WASDE came in friendly overall for corn prices, signaling to the trade that weather conditions between now and the conclusion of harvest will be more critical than ever. The market could quickly transition from merely friendly to aggressively bullish if high temperatures continue to build across the western Corn Belt, where late-season rainfall will no longer offer much benefit to mature crops. Additional yield reductions will likely need to materialize to fuel an upward trend, though underlying domestic and export demand remains quite strong. From a chart perspective, corn is currently locked in a sideways trading pattern. Key resistance rests at the recent high of $4.93, a level that, if broken, could easily open the door for a push toward the $5.05 target. Cotton It has been a volatile stretch for cotton futures, which surged to a three-month high before stumbling downward in the wake of a bearish USDA report. However, prices have since mounted a modest recovery, fueled by renewed anxieties over deteriorating U.S. crop conditions alongside lingering production doubts in India and China. With the official supply data now digested, traders are refocusing on severe
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
weather that is heavily stressing crops from West Texas through the Delta. This hot and dry pattern is forecasted to persist over the coming week while expanding further into the Southeast. Chart support for December cotton currently stands at 84.75 cents, while resistance holds firm near 86.75 cents. Wheat Last week’s crop report delivered few unexpected surprises, keeping the market on track for a significant decline in carryover compared to the 2025/26 marketing year. Meanwhile, conflict in the Black Sea continues to stifle regional export activity, as persistent missile and drone strikes between Russia and Ukraine raise risks for international buyers and inflict lasting damage on critical port infrastructure. Restoring normal shipping operations in that corridor will take considerable time. On a more optimistic note for trade, the U.S. and Canada have established a temporary agreement to avoid tariffs, providing welcomed stability and removing immediate friction for North American grain movements. Livestock In the August WASDE, USDA raised their 2026 poultry production estimate, more than offsetting lower beef and pork production. Beef production estimates were lowered for 2027 as well, as a slower pace of marketings reduces total steer and heifer slaughter, offsetting increased placements. Beef exports were unchanged for 2026, while imports were increased, reflecting the reopening of the border with Mexico for the importation of live cattle. Cattle and poultry price forecasts were lowered for the remainder of 2026 on weaker demand forecasts.
EDITOR Shaylee Wallace Barber shaylee@arfb.com