Farm Bureau Press for Oct. 5

Fifth and sixth-grade students at Sheridan Intermediate School harvested sweet potatoes Oct. 2 from their school garden. The sweet potatoes will be delivered to the school cafeteria where students will enjoy sweet potato fries Oct. 17. Students planted the potatoes last spring and helped install an irrigation system for the garden as they are learning how to grow their own fruit and vegetables.

In Farm Bureau

In Arkansas Arkansas Ag Hall of Fame nominations The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame is seeking nominations from the public for

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Farm dog of the year Farmers are invited to submit nominations for the Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year contest, brought to you

by Nestlé Purina PetCare Company. The contest celebrates farm dogs who work alongside their people to bring nutritious food to our tables and our pets’ bowls.

The grand prize winner – Farm Bureau Farm Dog of the Year – will win a year’s worth of Purina dry dog food and $5,000 in prize money for the farmer and his or her spouse/family to offset travel costs to attend the American Farm Bureau Federation Annual Convention in New Orleans, Jan. 11-16, 2019. The winner will be recognized at the Farm Dog of the Year award ceremony at the convention. Up to four runners-up will win $1,000 each in prize money.

“Farm dogs play an important role on our farms and ranches, doing their part every day to help farm families,” said AFBF President Zippy Duvall. “They can lighten the workload and enrich our

lives by providing faithful and playful companionship. We’re excited for this special opportunity to honor these loyal members of our farm families.”

Desired attributes in the Farm Dog of the Year include helpfulness to the farmer and his/her family, playfulness and obedience.

Eligibility guidelines and submission requirements are available online at fb.org/2019farmdog.

its next class. The nomination deadline is Nov. 1.

The Agriculture Hall of Fame recognizes Arkansans who have contributed significantly to the state’s largest industry, while spotlighting their contributions to the state’s economic development. Since its first class was selected in 1987, a total of 164 men and women have been inducted.

Butch Calhoun, chairman of the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame, says anyone can nominate a person believed worthy of the honor.

“Agriculture is the heart and soul of the state of Arkansas,” said Calhoun, a former state legislator and Arkansas

These members of the University of ArkansasMonticello Collegiate Farm Bureau attended Drew County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting Sept. 17 at Pauline Baptist Church in Monticello.

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www.arfb.com

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A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

October 5, 2018 • Vol. 21, No. 19

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Agriculture Secretary. “And we know that heart and soul is reflected by countless men and women from every corner of Arkansas.

“The sole purpose of the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame is to honor the worthy individuals who made an impact on agriculture, our state’s largest industry.”

The Farm Bureau Center in Little Rock houses the Agriculture Hall of Fame, which is sponsored by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and Arkansas Farm Bureau.

Additional information and online nomination forms are available at www. arkansasaghalloffame.org. Forms can also be requested by calling Cindra Bell at 501228-1609.

The induction ceremony for the next class will be March 1, 2019 in Little Rock.

The Arkansas Beef Council created the Leo Sutterfield Leadership Award in Leo’s memory to present to those who provide dedicated service to the beef industry. At Stone Co. FB’s Annual Meeting, Caleb Plyler (center) and Gene Pharr (right) honored Leo’s wife, Linda Sutterfield, with the first award.

First Financial Bank is one of the nation’s largest poultry lenders and is proud to partner with SAU in the revitalization of its poultry studies program. The curriculum will improve instruction in poultry in south Arkansas and create more job candidates for the field. The new complex, which consists of three phases, will allow students to observe and interact with different aspects of poultry production – from breeder to hatchery, from broiler to processing. It will contain a feed storage room and a classroom/laboratory.

Berry said the bank made known its interest in the program just as SAU was exploring bringing poultry back to its agriculture curriculum.

“The timing was perfect,” he said. “We hope to meet the employment needs of the industry in this region and across the state.”

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SAU groundbreaking Emphasizing the importance of strong partnerships, as well as the future of education in south Arkansas, Dr. Trey Berry, president of Southern Arkansas University, led the groundbreaking ceremony of the First Financial Bank Poultry Education Facility on Monday, Oct. 1.

Berry welcomed leaders of regional poultry industries, as well as SAU alumni, Magnolia community leaders and representatives of First Financial Bank of El Dorado, to the ceremony on the north side of the Agriculture Center.

“This is an exciting day for SAU, for our students, and for the poultry industry in south Arkansas,” he said. “This day is about our students and it is also about partnerships. We are truly blessed to have such a great partner in First Financial Bank of El Dorado.”

Ten second-grade classrooms at Valley View Elementary School participated in ArFB’s Ag in the Classroom program. The students enjoyed the combine and milking the cow!

Mary K. Hardin-Stewart was honored for many years of dedicated service and leadership to agriculture

by Jackson Co. President Tommy Young, Oct. 2.

Dr. Jeffry Miller, Ralph Boulware, professor of agriculture and chair of the Department of Agriculture, said the facility will offer students an “experiential” opportunity. “We hope our program will interest them in the Arkansas poultry industry, and that they will go to work in this field.”

Poultry is becoming the “protein of choice” for the global market and will offer solid job opportunities for SAU agriculture graduates.

“We see this (facility) as a winwin for students and industry. We are helping provide food for a growing world population,” he said.

Chris Hegi, CEO of First Financial Bank, congratulated SAU on moving forward with the new curriculum. “We are interested in anything that promotes south Arkansas, and this is a great partnership.”

He said the bank was proud to help SAU make both the poultry industry and south Arkansas better.

Senator Bruce Maloch, who received his bachelor of Business Administration in Agricultural Business from SAU, also praised the partnership that has resulted in the new poultry facility. “This is a proud day for SAU, our students, the state of Arkansas and for me, personally. It is only right that SAU – with its historic roots in agriculture – should focus on an area so important to the future.”

Abandoned Pesticide Program

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Officials holding blue-and-gold shovels break ground Oct. 1 for the new First Financial Bank Poultry Education Facility at Southern Arkansas University.

• Nov. 15, Woodruff County at Woodruff County Fairgrounds • Nov. 16, Mississippi County at GreenPoint Ag

Elsewhere

Under $8 new-crop soybeans Farm Bureau people have traditionally identified themselves as the grassroots voice of agriculture in their respective communities.

This role was clearly apparent in September when a group of animal science researchers and production managers from Afghanistan visited with Florida Farm Bureau Federation staff members.

Animal science researchers and production managers from Afghanistan meeting with Florida Farm Bureau staff.

Credit: Florida Farm Bureau The foreign guests requested the meeting to discuss ways in which they

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The Arkansas Agricultural Abandoned Pesticide Program was developed as a way for farmers to safely and properly dispose of old or unwanted pesticides. Since 2005, the Agricultural Abandoned Pesticide Program has overseen the collection of 3,646,397 pounds of unwanted pesticide in counties across Arkansas. Participation in collection events is free and anonymous to farmers and other non-industrial landowners.

This program is conducted in cooperation with the Arkansas State Plant Board, the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, the Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Arkansas Natural Resources Commission, and the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality. Representatives from these agencies make up the Abandoned Pesticide Advisory Board.

The Abandoned Pesticide advisory board selects ten counties per year with a goal of holding at least one collection event in every county in Arkansas. The Advisory Board uses priority watersheds as a guiding principle when selecting counties for pesticide collections.

This year’s schedule is: • Nov. 5, St. Francis County at Herman and West Higgins Shop • Nov. 7, Lawrence County at Lawrence County Road Dept.

• Nov. 8, Monroe County at Grizzle Shop • Nov. 9, Crittenden County at Crittenden County Road Dept.

• Nov. 14, Jackson County at Helena Chemical

The William and Becky Blasdel Family was recognized as Marion County Farm Family of the Year, Sept. 24, at the Marion Co. FB annual meeting. From left to right are: daughter, Michelle, William, Becky and daughters Dellia and Tristen.

Members of the Norman Reynolds family accept a plaque honoring him for his years of service to Johnson Co. FB at its Oct. 4 county annual meeting. Norman served as county secretary for many years. He passed away last summer.

might develop an advocacy organization that supports farm enterprise in their home country. They wanted to learn more about how Florida Farm Bureau serves its members and maintains a substantial presence in the midst of a heavilyurbanized state.

G.B. Crawford, FFB director of public relations, along with Jaime Jerrels, director of agricultural policy, and Michele Curts, leadership program coordinator, greeted the visitors and offered overviews of various Farm Bureau operations while answering questions about specific matters raised by the Afghans.

The discussions addressed such topics as strategies that can mobilize citizens for lobbying initiatives, the differences in outreach programs for urban and rural Farm Bureau members and the relative balance of power between states and the federal government in this country.

One of the main challenges the Afghans said they must address involves their society’s lack of experience with private advocacy organizations. The central government’s direct role in local affairs has limited the emergence of such groups. But farmers there are seeking a more active role in shaping public policies.

“We were delighted to welcome this group of skilled animal science practitioners with us at our headquarters,” Crawford said. “I hope that the meeting reinforced our positive relationships with the Afghan people. We cheer them on as they make their way toward improving food production as well as the lives of farm families in their homeland.”

Editor Maddison Stewart

maddison.stewart@arfb.com

In the Market Rice Rice harvest across the country was 70 percent complete on Sept. 30, and the Arkansas harvest was at 77 percent. With harvest winding down we have a better handle on the size of the crop, and that has mostly been built in to prices at this point.

The September USDA reports increased the production estimate to 219.5 million cwt, up from the August estimate of 210.9 million cwt and the 17/18 crop of 178.2 million cwt. World production estimates have decreased, however, and global demand is expected to be strong during the 18/19 marketing year. Last Friday, November futures set a new contract low of $9.66, a penny below the previous low set on Sept. 19. This week futures bounced off that level, and have been building on that support, charting strong gains four days in a row, bringing resistance at $11 back into play. Strong weekly export sales helped support prices. Sales totaled 138,500 metric tons, with Mexico, South Korea and Honduras among the buyers.

Weekly shipments, however, were a disappointing 8,100 metric tons. Iraq issued a rice tender last week, as well, but then bought 90,000 metric tons of rice from Vietnam outside the tender process. The announcement that the U.S., Mexico and Canada had finally reached an agreement on trade was also a big factor in moving this market.

Cotton Cotton futures continue to work lower.

The market continues to be plagued with demand concerns. U.S.-China relations are impacting demand for U.S. cotton as the trade war rages on. A stronger dollar is also a factor, as it makes U.S. cotton less competitive in the global marketplace.

Weekly sales totaled a disappointing 70,300 bales for 18/19 delivery and 52,800 bales for 19/20. With 19 percent of the cotton crop harvested nation-wide, early yield reports are impressive, sparking concerns of a larger than expected crop.

The market facilitation payment of 6 cents per pound of cotton on 50 percent of a producer’s actual 2018 production, has

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As of Oct. 5, 2018

Rice harvest across the country was 70 percent complete on Sept. 30, and the Arkansas harvest was at 77 percent. the potential to reduce abandonment, increasing the total harvest even more.

Wet, messy conditions across the midsouth are sparking quality concerns.

December has some support at 75 cents on the weekly continuation.

Soybeans In the September Stocks Report, USDA confirmed the impact the trade war has had on soybeans. Old crop stocks of soybeans stored in all positions on Sept. 1, totaled 438 million bushels, up 45 percent from the same date last year. Add that carryover to projected 2018 production of 4.693 billion bushels and the challenge for the market is apparent. Export commitments are now 15.7 percent below last year’s pace. Demand from Mexico and Europe have provided some support.

November futures are now building on support at the contract low of $8.12 ¼, but with harvest moving into full swing and no end in sight to the trade war with China, that support could be tested in short order. Basis levels have also been impacted significantly, and USDA is projecting the average farm price for 18/19 to be $7.35$9.85.

Corn The trend in corn futures is mostly sideways. Harvest is progressing ahead of the 5-year average pace, with 26 percent of the crop in the bins. USDA is expecting an average yield of 180.5 bushels/acre, for total production of 14.827 billion bushels. The Sept.1 stocks report did increase to 2.140 billion bushels, and while the increase was bearish for the market,

that total is down 7 percent from a year ago. Export demand for corn has been supportive, as has ethanol production/ demand. December futures are building on support at the recent low of $3.42 ½.

Overhead resistance begins at $3.70, with additional resistance near $3.80.

Livestock Hog futures have moved to 3 month highs on strength from the cash market.

However, as plants in North Carolina resume operations after Hurricane Florence cleanup, that strength has weakened somewhat. Daily slaughter has increased in recent days and is now outpacing year-ago numbers a bit.

December futures failed at resistance at $60/cwt, which has sparked technical selling and speculative profit taking.

Chinese and Mexican import tariffs have been limiting U.S. exports, but the CME cash hog index remains strong.

Live cattle futures continue to trend higher. December is testing previous resistance at $119, but futures’ current premium to cash prices could limit the upside further. The Sept. 1 feedlot inventory came in above trade expectations, resulting is some selling pressure as well.

CONTACT Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com.