OCTOBER 2, 2026 | VOLUME 29 | ISSUE 20
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
STANLEY E. REED AWARD NOMINATIONS NOW OPEN Leadership has always been at the heart of Arkansas Farm Bureau. It is something that is developed, strengthened and passed from one generation to the next. Each year, the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award provides the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation an opportunity to recognize that tradition while honoring the legacy of one of the Arkansas Farm Bureau organization’s most respected leaders. Stanley E. Reed served as president of Arkansas Farm Bureau from 20032008 and was taken far too soon. His wisdom, integrity and commitment to agriculture left a lasting mark on Farm Bureau at the state and national levels. His legacy continues through the many leaders he influenced and through this award established in his honor.
2026 Young Farmers and Ranchers Discussion Meet, Page 2
The Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award recognizes a Farm Bureau board member between the ages of 36 and 45 who demonstrates outstanding leadership within his or her county Farm Bureau and community. Strong county leadership is essential to the continued success of Farm Bureau, and developing the next generation of leaders is one of the most important things for the future of Arkansas Farm Bureau. Arkansas Farm Bureau is asking for help identifying individuals in the county Farm Bureaus who are making a difference, stepping forward to serve and demonstrating the kind of thoughtful leadership this award represents.
Annual Convention Silent Auction Announcement, Page 2
The 16th recipient of the Stanley E. Reed Leadership Award will be recognized during a general session of the 92nd Annual Convention of Arkansas Farm Bureau in Hot Springs. Please consider nominating an outstanding young farm leader who is making a meaningful impact within Farm Bureau and their community.
FOLLOW US ONLINE
Nominations should include a description of 300 words or less highlighting the nominee’s leadership and impact on the county Farm Bureau and community. The deadline to submit nominations is Nov. 13.
GET THE LINKS
Nomination forms are available on the Farm Bureau intranet under Organization and Member Programs – Board Forms.
Scan the QR code to access direct links referenced in each article.
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
This competition is evaluated on an exchange of ideas and information on a pre-determined topic. The judges look for the competitor who offers constructive criticism, cooperation and communication while analyzing agricultural problems and developing solutions. The 2026 Discussion Meet will be held Dec. 2 and 3 at the Arkansas Farm Bureau Annual Convention in Hot Springs. The deadline to enter is Nov. 13. Applications can be found online, and Discussion Meet questions can be found here. The 2026 winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention. The convention will be held Jan. 8-13, 2027 in Charlotte, N.C.
Arkansas Farm Bureau Annual Convention
Applications are now open for the 2026 Young Farmers & Ranchers Discussion Meet competition. The Discussion Meet simulates a committee meeting where discussion and active participation are expected from each participant. By participating, young men and women build basic discussion skills, develop a keen understanding of important agricultural issues and explore how groups can pool knowledge to reach consensus and solve problems. The Discussion Meet provides young men and women opportunities to strengthen their ability to analyze agricultural issues and decide on solutions.
2026 YF&R Discussion Meet
2026 ARFB YOUNG FARMERS AND RANCHERS DISCUSSION MEET APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN
Dec. 2, 2026 | 10 a.m. Hot Springs Convention Center
Final round to be held at 10 a.m. Dec.3 on the trade show stage.
Deadline to return applications is Nov. 13, 2026. Applications & details are available at arfb.com and your county office.
Prizes
1st Place receives $7,000 3 Runners Up each receive $500 Prizes courtesy of Southern Farm Bureau Life Insurance.
Winner receives an all-expenses-paid trip to the American Farm Bureau Annual Convention. The convention will be held Jan. 8-13, 2027 in Charlotte, N.C. Discussion Meet questions, resource materials and other information can be found on arfb.com under the Young Farmers & Ranchers tab.
ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU CONVENTION SILENT AUCTION SUBMISSIONS Planning for the Arkansas Farm Bureau State Convention is underway, making now the perfect time to select and prepare a silent suction donation. Every item donated supports the Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation and Ag in the Classroom programs, making a lasting impact on agricultural literacy and youth education. Every county Farm Bureau is encouraged to donate an item valued at $25 or more. This is a great opportunity to showcase the products, traditions and experiences that make your community unique while supporting a meaningful cause. ARKANSAS Consider donating a locally made product, a basket of hometown favorites, handcrafted goods, event tickets, outdoor adventures or other one-of-a-kind experiences. For an even bigger impact, partner with neighboring counties, local businesses or community organizations to create a signature package that will catch bidders’ attention and generate excitement throughout the convention. Donations should be checked in by 9:30 a.m. Dec. 2, in the Arkansas Farm Bureau Convention trade show. Every donation tells a story. Every bid supports a student. Every gift helps strengthen agricultural education in Arkansas. Start planning your donation today and help make the 2026 Silent Auction one to remember while investing in the future of Arkansas agriculture! 2
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
EXECUTIVE ORDER PROVIDES TEMPORARY DIESEL RELIEF FOR ARKANSAS AGRICULTURE Arkansas farmers and ranchers are receiving temporary relief from rising diesel costs under a new executive order signed by Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. The order declares a state of emergency and temporarily suspends certain penalties associated with the use of dyed diesel fuel in qualifying agricultural and forestry vehicles. The order allows eligible Arkansas farm and forestry operations to use dyed diesel in qualifying registered vehicles on state highways without facing the normally applicable penalties. The relief applies to Class 2 through Class 8 vehicles primarily used for agricultural or forestry operations and is in effect from Sept. 30 through Oct. 30, unless amended or extended. The move comes as diesel prices have risen significantly above the fuel price assumptions used in the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service’s 2026 crop budgets. With harvest continuing into the fall and fuel playing a critical role in planting, harvesting, hauling and other farm operations, the temporary relief provides Arkansas farmers, ranchers and timber operators with another tool to help manage higher operating costs. Agriculture and forestry are vital to Arkansas with more than 37,000 farms and ranches across all 75 counties. The executive order recognizes the importance of keeping Arkansas agriculture and forestry operations moving during a challenging period for fuel costs.
ARKANSAS RICE MONTH CELEBRATED THROUGH ARKANSAS FOODBANK DONATIONS September brought a special celebration of Arkansas Rice Day and an opportunity to recognize the generosity of Arkansas rice farmers. During the celebration, Arkansas rice farmers donated 201,500 pounds of rice to the Arkansas Foodbank. Their contribution will provide an estimated 2 million servings of Arkansas-grown rice for families and communities across the state. The generous donation was a meaningful reflection of the dedication Arkansas farmers have to growing food and giving back to the communities they call home. Their hard work reaches far beyond the farm, helping put nutritious food on tables while supporting neighbors across Arkansas. The celebration brought together Gov. Sanders, Arkansas Rice and the farmers who made the donation possible to pack rice and recognize the important role rice farmers not only in farming one of the state’s most important crops, but more importantly in feeding communities throughout Arkansas.
Rice Month Celebrated | September was celebrated as Arkansas Rice Month with Gov. Sanders presenting a Rice Month proclamation during the Arkansas Foodbank honoring Arkansas rice farmers and their contributions to feeding families across the state. A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
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MARKET NEWS as of September 30, 2026 Contact Brandy Carroll
brandy.carroll@arfb.com
Tyler Oxner
tyler.oxner@arfb.com
Addie Stamps
addie.stamps@Arfb.com
Report, released Sept. 30, showed 315 million bushels in storage, down 3% from the previous year. However, the meeting between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping did not yield the news soybean farmers were hoping for. China will not lift the 10% tariff on soybeans and is reporting that weak animal feed demand and negative crush margins will limit China’s soybean purchasing in the coming months.
Rice Rice futures remain near contract high levels, with most-active November moving mostly sideways below the contract high of $16.63. Futures aren’t feeling harvest pressure like in a typical year, as the El Nino weather pattern and wars in the Middle East and Ukraine threaten global food security. India is expected to have a smaller crop as their monsoon season provided inadequate rains to achieve optimum yields, and prices are at 12-month highs as a result. Current export demand remains steady and is outpacing the previous marketing year by 13%, which should help as the market works through the higherthan-expected carryover stocks reported in the Aug. 1 stocks report. USDA says 90% of the Arkansas crop was harvested as of Sept. 27, well ahead of the 5-year average of 73%. While prices on the board remain near contract-highs, basis in Arkansas is running $2.00-$2.50 under the board price.
Corn December corn futures continue to face persistent pressure as prices drift back toward the Aug. 24 chart gap around $5.09 to $5.10, leading many analysts to forecast that the seasonal top is already in. While China dropped its 10% tariff on corn, there is no indication of an immediate need for additional imported feedgrains, suggesting any future Chinese buying may wait until prices drop to bargain levels. Harvest is accelerating smoothly at 18% complete, though early field results show disappointing yield data, prompting some traders to anticipate a 2.0 to 2.5 bushelper-acre cut in upcoming reports. Meanwhile, the Sept. 30 USDA Grain Stocks report pegged old-crop corn supplies on Sept. 1, at 2.10 billion bushels, up 35% from last year, with 787 million bushels stored on-farm and 1.31 billion off-farm. Indicated June through August disappearance reached 3.20 billion bushels, compared to 3.10 billion during the same period last year.
Soybeans November soybean futures continue to show signs that a major top has been put in. The Sept.11 high of $13.35¼ was charted as part of a bearish key reversal. While followthrough selling has been limited, a second bearish outside day was charted on Sept. 28. Previous support at $12.92 was broken Monday, suggesting additional weakness is likely. Arkansas farmers have already harvested 61% of the soybean acres in the state, well ahead of the 5-year average of 35%. Nationwide, harvest progress is running even with the 5-year average of 17%, and given the forecast, the slow pace of harvest in parts of the Midwest could limit losses in futures. Tightening stocks are also a supportive factor. The Sept. 1 Stocks
Wheat Wheat futures have surrendered $1.00 this month alone, capping off an extraordinary four-month run that saw March Chicago futures rally from $6.00 to $8.00 before retreating to $7.00. From a technical view, $7.00 on the December Chicago chart represents a key 50% retracement of that entire $2.00 surge. Fundamentally, demand remains weak with year-to-date export sales down over 30% from last year, marking the sluggishness since the 2023/24 season. It appears the market overshot on Black Sea conflict headlines and global supply fears. The Sept. 30 USDA report set total wheat stocks on Sept. 1, at 1.85 billion bushels, down 14% from last year, with 547 million stored on-farm
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A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
and 1.30 billion off-farm. June through August disappearance totaled 608 million bushels, down from 710 million during the same period a year ago. Cotton The cotton market suffered a steep selloff recently, with several contracts hitting limit-down as a combination of bearish factors reached a head. In addition to normal seasonal harvest pressure and sluggish global demand, sentiment was heavily weighed down by a scathing national news article detailing alleged missteps in the cotton export industry. Prices have fallen to their lowest levels since mid-July, giving back roughly 84% of the gains made since the June lows. Domestically, U.S. crop condition ratings ticked up slightly last week but remain well below historical norms with little room for late-season recovery. Harvest progress is moving along smoothly, sitting at 17% complete and running slightly ahead of the five-year average. Livestock The September Cattle on Feed report showed record-low feedlot placements and pegged the September 1 feedlot inventory below trade expectations, and futures gapped higher as a result. However, the market has been working lower ever since. Ample supplies of marketready cattle in the near term could limit the upside. One of the most surprising parts of the report showed that the supplies of cattle on feed for more than 180 days were up 63.1% from a year earlier at more than 2 million head, and ICE operations in feedlot areas continue to back up supplies. Hog futures remain under pressure from weak cash hog and wholesale pork prices. The market appears to be in the process of bottoming as futures trade near contract-low levels. The recent UDSA inventory report showed a total inventory down 1.5% from a year ago, and the breeding heard down 1%.
EDITOR Shaylee Wallace Barber shaylee@arfb.com