Arkansas Agriculture - Spring 2019

S PRING 2019

Weathering

Storms: Facing and Managing Stress in Agriculture

FE ATURES Weathering Storms Rob Anderson | Page 6 FieldWatch Program Ken Moore | Page 14 Go Green Gregg Patterson | Page 24

COLUMNS

Farm Bureau Perspective Randy Veach | Page 3

Policy Update

Michelle Kitchens | Page 20

Ag Law Update

Harrison Pittman | Page 32

COVER DESIGN

by Bryan Pistole

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SPRING 2019

Edition 53

Farm Bureau Perspective

by Randy Veach | President, Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation

“Arkansas farmers need rain except when they don’t, and they need customers always. Right now they have too much water and their markets are in question.”

– Steve Barnes, host, AETN’s Arkansas Week.

With the record flooding that hit the Arkansas River Valley in late May, what I have been referring to as a “quiet” disaster, has morphed into a full-on disaster. Farmers, of course, have been dealing with a very difficult situation that combines weather-related planting delays and impacts to livestock with a troubling trade environment.

Our row-crop farmers are facing several months of planting delay because of the rain. And this is on top of the problems caused by rutted-up ground and pastures from the rough harvest of 2018. That created ground-preparation challenges and further delayed this year’s planting. The huge amount of water that has moved down the Mississippi and Arkansas Rivers will only compound those problems. The situation is now critical. Crops need to be in the ground and growing so that we can get our best yields possible.

Each week of delay results in decreasing yields and increasing pressure from pests and other variables, brought on by what will likely be a delayed harvest, which brings the threat of damage from early frosts. This situation could have an impact of several hundred million dollars on the $20 billion Arkansas agriculture economy. In fact, it is not too difficult to imagine this having an impact of more than $1 billion.

With this as a backdrop, ArFB Vice President Rich Hillman, ArFB national affairs director Matt King and I recently made a trip to Washington, D.C. to bring the voice of Arkansas’ farmers and ranchers to members of our Congressional delegation. We need them to understand the severity of this disaster, as we seek their help in securing support that might soften the body blows our farmers and ranchers are absorbing. Thankfully, they understand we need some help.

It would be best if that help came in two specific forms: Through expedited trade agreements which would provide a needed jolt to our commodity markets and an additional market facilitation payment for all of agriculture to balance the impact of the tariff wars with China. It would also be best if both came as quickly as possible. Thankfully, each member of our congressional delegation understands producing food, fiber and shelter domestically, and not relying on foreign countries, is a matter of national security.

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2019

Having a consistent food system in place in the United States requires that we help keep our farmers and ranchers in business, particularly when the government is the one intervening in our markets.

There are immediate and on-going challenges facing Arkansas’ farmers and ranchers. The immediate challenge is the weather. Some parts of Arkansas have already seen a normal year’s rain total in the just the first five months of the year. The floodwaters along the Arkansas and other rivers may not recede to the point the farmers could get into their fields and pastures until late June or July. Crops planted late will see significant yield loss. There will likely be thousands of acres in our state that will not get planted this year. It will likely be too late for them to plant a crop at that point.

The on-going problem to fix would be our trade agreements. There is a necessity in finalizing the United States Mexico and Canada agreement, opening markets with Japan, the European Union, the U.K. and the other countries involved in the TPP agreement we pulled out of, and nailing down an agreement with the Chinese that more cleanly levels the playing field. Timing on these trade agreements is critical. To stabilize our markets, we must get them settled quickly.

Arkansas agriculture had a very fragile economy after last year. We desperately needed to have positive news about prices and yields. Unfortunately, we are not seeing that positive news. When you are talking about the state’s largest industry sector, this is a message that should trouble everyone, from the governor on down to those who earn their living from the land.

We are in a very critical time for all of agriculture – a slow disaster that is a matter of national security. It reminds me of the early 1980s. During that time, we lost a number of our multigenerational family farms and now we’re in danger of losing more.

In the end, of course, it’s all in God’s hands. That’s why all of our farmers and ranchers are in our prayers. God bless you and your families. God bless our farmers and ranchers.

And God bless Arkansas Farm Bureau. * 3

EST.1974 An official publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation distributed to more than 43,000 farming and ranching households in Arkansas.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Included in membership dues ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU OFFICERS:

President • Randy Veach, Manila Vice President • Rich Hillman, Carlisle Secretary/Treasurer • Joe Christian, Jonesboro Executive Vice President • Warren Carter, Little Rock

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Arkansas Agriculture is published quarterly by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation 10720 Kanis Rd., Little Rock, AR 72211 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Arkansas Agriculture, P.O. Box 31, Little Rock, AR 72203 Issue #53 Publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising requests.

Send comments to: arkansasagriculture@arfb.com

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2019

Weathering Tackling Stress and Mental Health Challenges in Agriculture

by Rob Anderson

It has been a disastrous spring for Arkansas farmers. From the seemingly endless rains and the flooding Arkansas River to the impact of ongoing tariff and trade battles, 2019 is shaping up to be an extremely difficult year for those who make their living off the land.

In short, it’s a time of tremendous stress for almost everyone involved in agriculture – stress that could lead to personal struggles and even tragedy for individuals and families around the state. Unfortunately, this is part of a significant and, until recently, rarely discussed problem throughout rural and farming communities in the U.S. Farmers and farm workers surveyed for a recent study by research firm Morning Consult on behalf of the American Farm Bureau said financial issues (91%), farm or business problems (88%) and fear of losing the farm (87%) influence farmers’ mental

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health. Other factors that impact mental health included stress, weather, the economy, isolation and social stigma.

“I feel like the gravity of the situation makes the farming profession very, very stressful. You’re trying to provide for your family, but you aren’t in control,” says Jennifer Sansom, a fifth-generation rancher in Little River County. “Your attitude is tied to the market in a lot of ways. You feel successful or unsuccessful based on the markets and that could mean feelings of failure if prices are too low.”

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Storms: According to the American Farm Bureau/Morning Consult survey, a strong majority of rural adults – some 91 percent – say that mental health is important to them or to their families and three out of four said it’s important to reduce stigma about mental health in the agriculture community. In addition, the survey said about two in five rural adults believe stress and mental health have become more of a problem in their communities in the past five years.

Tisha Deen, a licensed clinical psychologist in Little Rock, was raised in rural Arkansas and has studied perceptions of and access to mental health care in rural communities. She is very familiar with both the reasons for mental health issues in the farming community and why the problem has proven so difficult to address.

“With farmers, your livelihood is completely dependent on things beyond your control, like the weather,” Deen says.

She explains that, while the causes are generally well understood, finding ways to address the problem remains a major challenge. continued on page 8>>

Rain and flooding mean wet fields and pastures that will make things difficult for farmers and ranchers heading into summer, delaying planting and leading to difficulty with everything from fences to forage and increasing input costs.

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<<continued from page 7

“We know that in the general population overall, the stigma around mental health is pretty high, though this has been going down. However, people in rural populations are generally high in ‘stoicism’ – taking care of their own problems and not talking about them or asking for help,” she says.

“There’s also a problem of access in rural communities and much less anonymity and fewer resources, which means they have to travel farther for treatment. Research has shown less willingness to travel long distances for mental health treatment.”

American Farm Bureau and Arkansas Farm Bureau have both committed resources and time to exploring the problem and seeking ways to address it.

“In dealing with this burgeoning mental health crisis in agriculture, we have to recognize that the stresses of farm life are not likely to change. However, management of those stresses can be addressed,” says Jennifer Craig, director of leadership development at Arkansas Farm Bureau.

“That’s why American Farm Bureau is urging Congress to authorize funds for the Farm and Ranch Stress Assistance Network, a program that would provide funding for states to provide support and mental health resources to farmers and ranchers.”

Meanwhile, there has been effort within the state to begin tackling the issue at the local level. The University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service has published a booklet titled “Managing Farm Stress and Pursuing Wellness,” as well as a companion pamphlet, drawing on materials developed by the North Dakota State University Cooperative Extension Service. In addition, county agents have been trained on the materials and established as local points of contact.

“People don’t want to talk about it,” says Brittney Schrick, assistant professor for family life with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, and the driving force behind the Extension’s rural and farming mental health efforts.

“Particularly among this population, where there’s a very self-sufficient, ‘I’ve got this’ (attitude) and there’s generally not interest in reaching outside the community.”

Jennifer Sansom (left), with her father Dale (right) and grandfather Norman. Her family has been raising and marketing cattle in Little River County for decades and she credits her father, a field representative for online cattle marketing firm Superior Livestock Auction, with her understanding of cattle markets.

Source: Managing Farm Stress and Pursuing Wellness, UA Division of Agriculture Research and Extension

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Schrick, who earned her undergraduate degree in psychology and her masters and doctorate in human development and family studies, initially worked with adolescents and young women. Last year, she learned about the program focused on farm stress offered by the North Dakota Cooperative Extension when some Arkansas county agents saw a presentation at a conference.

“Our agents took pictures of the presentation and sent them to me and said ‘we need this.’

So, we licensed some of the material and made it appropriate for Arkansas,” she explains.

“Honestly, I sort of fell into this, but it was something I saw as a big need. We’ve always done stress management programs, so that gave us the understanding and opening to start this effort.” continued on page 10>>

Even before the recent Arkansas River flooding, Arkansas farmers had been dealing with heavy spring rains. Many have even been unable to plant their crops and, for some, 2019 will be a total washout.

Physical

Mental

Emotional / Spiritual

• Get a medical checkup

• Take 10 minutes and reflect on your blessings

• Tell a loved one what you appreciate about him/her

• Write your thoughts in a journal or notebook

• Play with a child or grandchild

• Eat a healthful breakfast • Drink four to eight glasses of water daily • Eat more fruits, vegetables and healthful snacks • Exercise at least 20 minutes daily (walk, swim, ride a bike, etc.)

• Listen to relaxing music • Spend 30 minutes doing something with your hands (draw, carve, etc.)

• Volunteer to help with a cause important to you • Go out for a meal with a friend or loved one

• Read a book you enjoy

• Reflect on and forgive yourself for mistakes

• Get at least seven to eight hours of restful sleep

• Watch TV or videos that make you laugh

• Share concerns with a counselor or other professional

• Receive a neck or back massage

• Do a hobby

• Take a relaxing bath or shower

• Attend a class or seminar to learn something new or of interest to you

• Explore your spiritual life and activities

• Hug a loved one or friend • Practice restful, deep or slow breathing • Abstain from alcohol, tobacco or other drugs • Do gentle stretching during a break or to warm up or cool down

• Visit with a counselor or spiritual leader • Reach out to someone for support or help • Spend 10 minutes to plan your day and priorities

• Pray or meditate • Do random acts of kindness • Express “thank you” to someone daily (send a note, etc.)

• Write down three things you are grateful for daily • Go for a walk or drive in nature

• Take regular five- to 10-minute breaks in your day to relax and recharge

Source: Managing Farm Stress and Pursuing Wellness, UA Division of Agriculture Research and Extension

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<<continued from page 9

The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service licensed materials from the North Dakota State University Extension Service to produce pamphlets and booklets about managing farm stress. The materials are distributed through county Extension offices.

She says the primary goals of the farm stress program, is identifying stressors and providing healthy coping strategies and helpful resources. Schrick explains that the program is handled by county Family and Consumer Science agents because, “they have a background in teaching about stress management that our agriculture agents might not have” and they also have the interest. She and the Cooperative Extension team is relying on on-theground reports from county agents to guide their efforts.

The county agents, she says, are an excellent source of information because they are connected to communities and often hear about those facing challenges or tragedy.

“We are primarily relying on our county agents’ understanding of their communities to gauge the need, but we also know that we have gaps in mental health services, especially in the delta and in the southwest part of the state,” she says. “There are whole counties that don’t have a doctor, much less a mental health professional.

“So, a lot of our effort is just educating people about what resources exist and what national resources exist and what remote resources exist. If they can’t or won’t travel, you have to share what options there might be for

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calling to talk or going online. But, of course, there are whole swaths of the state that don’t have reliable internet coverage, so it’s still a challenge.”

Schrick says she believes it’s “a blessing and a curse” that people typically have a phone with them at all times, but for those facing overwhelming stress, it could prove a lifesaver.

“If you are made aware of some of the resources that exist for calling and talking to somebody and you have access to a phone in the moment, you may have the opportunity to call right when you hit bottom and get the help you need,” she explains. “A lot of what I hope to accomplish with this program is to make people aware of what resources there are and help them identify some healthy coping strategies for stress.”

Schrick says that all of the Cooperative Extension’s 75 county offices and all of family and consumer science agents have access to the resources for the Farm Stress program and the materials at various community and group meetings around the state. She says that they are currently developing a webpage and a social media distribution plan for the program, but the best way to

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learn more or take part is by contacting local agents.

For her part, Deen says there may be other ways to address the issues of stigma and access to care in the future. She mentions that there have been programs to help veterans that involved training local pastors and clergy to recognize mental health issues and utilize available resources. “Clergy are trusted in local and rural communities and there is less stigma around talking to them, so they can be a help,” she says.

She also says that more “telehealth” – services over the phone or internet connections – could be an option in the future, but this will require improvement to internet infrastructure.

“Growing up in a very rural community in Arkansas, I can see the challenges based on attitudes and the lack of anonymity. If I were to set up shop in my hometown, I probably wouldn’t get any patients,” she says with a laugh.

As a farmer, Sansom says she knows from personal experience how this stress can lead to tragedy.

“I knew someone who committed suicide,” she says. “It was someone very involved in the cattle market – someone we considered a ‘big timer’ who could make any situation work.”

She called the unexpected loss a “slap in the face” that made clear to her the dangers of stress in her profession.

She believes that there should be an effort to educate those interested in or new to farming about the economic realities of the industry, as this will help them be better prepared when they do face adversity.

“Growing up, I heard about the markets all the time. My dad is my best asset. He taught me a lot … and I can bank on what he tells me,” she says.

“I’m more prepared than some. Not everyone has this asset.

“That’s why I wish there were some kind of meetings or training for new farmers and ranchers that teaches on issues such as pricing options, dealing with stress and the markets – something that helps them understand the harsh realities, so they’re more mentally prepared and have the tools necessary when the stressful times arrive.”

Sansom, who also worked in agriculture lending, points out that being under too much stress or not getting help with it can also have a negative impact on the business success of a farm.

“When we are under pressure, we often perform at our worst. When dealing with your livelihood, the pressure is intense and that can lead to bad decisions.”*

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The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is one of the resources available to those in crisis. It’s supported by a suicide prevention network of 161 crisis centers that provides a 24/7, toll-free hotline available to anyone in suicidal crisis or emotional distress.

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Below is list of resources from the Research & Extension’s “Managing Farm Stress and Pursuing Wellness” publication that may be useful for those in the agriculture industry and rural communities who are dealing with stress and seeking support or information.

For additional information, visit uaex.edu.

— Contact your county or state office of the Cooperative Extension Service for information and programs on farm and financial management.

Link: https://nifa.usda.gov/extension —

Link: https://www.fsa.usda.gov/

— http://articles.extension.org/pages/70313/production-agriculture-and-stress www.mentalhealthamerica.net/live-your-life-well www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL89017F264C488BC5

— (10 short videos) —

— http://calminthestormapp.com/

— Most states have a toll-free, 24-hour helpline for health and human services information and referral.

— If you or someone you know needs help, contact and connect with a local professional such as a clergy member, medical professional, law enforcement, school counselor or social worker. Link: https:// healthfinder.gov/ — Online confidential system for locating support or treatment resources in your area.

Call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or link: https://findtreatment.samhsa.gov/ — Online resource center providing information on daily physical and emotional well-being. Link: www.apa.org/helpcenter/ — National Institute of Mental Health.

Link: www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/men-and-mental-health/men-and-depression/index.shtml 1-800-273-8255 (TALK)

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Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2019

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FieldWatch Program

Helps Applicators Control Drift, Protect Crops

by Ken Moore

Thanks to a unique online platform called CropCheck, Arkansas pesticide applicators working row and field crops will be able to more effectively identify herbicide and pesticide-sensitive crops and adjust their spraying accordingly. CropCheck is a pilot program being offered in partnership between FieldWatch and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Before CropCheck, there was the “Flag the Technology” program, which involved farmers using brightly colored flags to warn of seed technology sensitive to potential off-target pesticide drift.

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ccording to the Division of Agriculture, FieldWatch is a not-for-profit company that hosts registries that map locations of pesticide-sensitive crops and bee hives. The effort is meant to help farmers prevent damage to their neighbors.

“FieldWatch is a platform where farmers use a Google Earth-type interface and they can demark their field, whether that field is a row crop – cotton, corn, soybeans, rice – or specialty crops, like berries, vegetables and that kind of thing,” said Dr. Vic Ford, associate director for agriculture and natural resources for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “It allows an applicator to know where the sensitive crops are. For years, we have used ‘Flag the Technology,’ where farmers put out flags in their fields designating different herbicide technologies for row crops.”

Ford said that, when it came time to update the program, they determined it was better to partner with FieldWatch.

“This is the first full year of us cooperating with them,” Ford said. “We’ve had one full growing season. This year we’re really pushing it. We’ve also been tied in with the 10 years of FieldWatch, using what is referred to as DriftWatch, which is for specialty crops, and BeeCheck for beehives.” continued on page 16>>

BeeCheck is a voluntary communication tool that enables beekeepers and pesticide applicators to work together to protect apiaries through a unique mapping program.

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Extension Weed Scientist Bob Scott stands in front of flagged crops during a field day at the Northeast Research and Extension Center.

<<continued from page 15

Ford said there are 21 states and Canadian provinces that are cooperating with this program and it gives applicators a “one-stop shop” to identify where the sensitive crops are located and where they will be spraying.

“In fact, when an applicator registers into FieldWatch, they will receive a notification any time a new field is signed up in an area where they operate,” Ford explained.

Pesticide applicators will have different options for viewing locations on the new system but all users in Arkansas – applicators, producers, and beekeepers – will need to go to https://ar.driftwatch.org/ to create an account and get started.

“This is a voluntary program and free-ofcharge,” Ford noted. “It really is an opportunity for our farmers to protect their neighbors and … protect themselves. It’s a great opportunity for the state to be able to help us prevent off-site movement of pesticides. I think all of us agree that’s where we need to be and takes just a few minutes to sign up.”

A sample image from FieldWatch showing some farms where the service is being used.

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Ford said the website for row crops is ar.cropcheck.org. For specialty crop farmers it is ar.driftwatch.org and if you register to protect beehives, it’s ar.beecheck.org. For applicators it’s fieldwatch.com.

Ford says while a significant number of producers have registered their crops during the first year of the program, they still need to reach more.

“We’re over 97,000 acres and more than 200 producers. That’s about 1,200 fields, but if you look at the fact we’re growing about 5 million acres of crops, we’ve got a long way to go to get everybody signed up.

Our objective is to push this so we can get more producers registered.

Once you put your fields in there, you don’t have to re-enter them. You just get a notification to ‘re-up’ your fields the next growing season, designate your boundaries and state which crops you’re growing.”

Ford explained that technology is changing the way farmers grow their crops and treat their fields, but he stressed just having a few farmers and applicators taking advantage of new technology and programs is not enough.

“I hope to get everybody involved. One person alone can’t solve the problem of chemical drift, but it will take all of us working together to protect ourselves and protect our industry,” he said. “I think this is going to have a great impact. We’re already seeing a lot of buy-in to the program and we are excited to be able to offer this tool to our producers.” *

“We’re over 97,000 acres and more than 200 producers.

That’s about 1,200 fields,” says Dr. Vic Ford. “But if you look at the fact we’re growing 5 million acres of crops, we’ve got a long way to go to get everybody signed up.”

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PolicyUPDATE Michelle coordinates the policy development process for Arkansas Farm Bureau and regularly updates the membership on legislative and regulatory issues. She grew up on a cattle and poultry farm in southwest Arkansas and earned a degree in communication management from Harding University.

By Michelle Kitchens, Assistant Director, ArFB Public Affairs & Government Relations

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rkansas Farm Bureau had a very productive and successful legislative session this year, and a number of bills were passed that will have a positive impact on agriculture and rural Arkansas. Here is a brief update on the priorities established by the Arkansas Farm Bureau State Board of Directors and the legislation that corresponds with them.

Protection of agriculture sales tax exemptions After thorough review of Arkansas tax code, the legislature confirmed the continued need for agriculture sales tax exemptions. Act 819 makes various changes to the state’s tax code including requiring the Department of Finance and to issue a report before each regular session on the effect of each exemption, discount, credit, and deduction relating to state income, sales, and use tax. It also includes new procedures for the agriculture exemption for all-terrain vehicles. Buyers who want to claim the exemption must submit more information at the time of purchase to receive the exemption.

Funding for UA Division of Agriculture The governor added $1.1 million in base funding for the Division of Agriculture, a victory over previous sessions when it was all one-timemoney. The Division will receive $3 million total above its previous base, but $1.9 million will be one-time funds. Many legislators remain staunch supporters of the Division of Agriculture and many signed onto a letter requesting more base funding.

Highway Funding Gov. Asa Hutchison’s proposed plan will add approximately $300 million in state dollars to the highway budget annually. HJR 1018 referred to the November 2020 ballot an extension of the ½ cent sales tax for highway funding that citizens are already paying. The tax will generate approximately $200 million annually. The legislature also adopted SB 336, now Act 416. The Act levies an indexed wholesale tax

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on motor fuel and diesel and places revenue from that and other sources in the State Highway Fund for maintenance of streets, highways and bridges.

The tax does not apply to off-road diesel. It also adds annual fees to hybrid and electric vehicle registration and transfers casino tax revenues to the State Highway Fund.

Preserve the structure and purpose of the commodity promotion and research programs The governor committed early in the transformation process that the promotion and research programs would not be part of his transformation plan.

Truth in Labeling Rep. David Hillman’s “truth in labeling” bill is now Act 501. The bill creates a fine for mislabeling of agricultural products. The fine is $1,000 per violation for misbranding or misrepresenting an agricultural product that is edible by humans, including: affixing a label that is false or misleading or selling the agricultural product under the name of another food. The bill includes specifically inaccurate labeling of meat products and rice.

Sen. Bruce Maloch also passed Act 741, which allows the Department of Agriculture to draft regulations for food labeling.

Advocate for our policy in regards to the proposed government reorganization Passed late in the session, Act 910 is the comprehensive transformation of state government. The governor and his staff were the architects of the plan, with the stated goal of improving efficiency. The act consolidated state agencies from 42 to 15.

After review, Arkansas Farm Bureau supported the bill and subsequent amendments. The act becomes effective July 1, and initial heads have been announced. The full list can be found at bitily/AgencyHeads.com.

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Right-to-Farm Real Estate Disclosure Act 515 will require a closing agent to include notice of Arkansas’s Right-to-Farm law in all real estate transactions. The bill will raise awareness of the right-tofarm law and the protection that is conveyed under it.

Support the transfer of regulatory authority of agriculture non-point source pollution to Arkansas Department of Natural Resources SB 550, which would transfer the regulatory authority of non-point source pollution from the Arkansas Department of Environment Quality to the Arkansas Department of Natural Resources, has been referred to interim study by the House Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Committee New Farm Machinery Quality Assurance Act Act 588 creates the New Farm Machinery Quality Assurance Act, commonly known as a “lemon law.” The act gives farmers the right to a refund or replacement equipment if a new piece of farm machinery is repaired three or more times for the same issue (or five times for different issues) or 30 days of “out” time in the first 12 months or 600 hours from delivery. The act applies to

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2019

self-propelled farm machinery purchased after Jan. 1, 2020.

Reorganize the membership of the Livestock & Poultry Commission with more industry and farmer representation SB 536, which would have made the majority of the seats on the Livestock and Poultry Commission active producers, lacked momentum to advance this session.

The General Assembly also adopted other bills supported by Farm Bureau, including bills that made changes to the State Plant Board fines and the makeup of the board, created a Farm-toSchool coordinator, and increased access to solar power and broadband internet. There was also a grain grading act, a bill that created civil immunity for crimes involving stolen farm equipment, and legislation to create new licensing opportunities for veterinarian technologists and technicians. You can read more about these bills and many others in our legislative summary at www.arfb.com. *

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New program looks to improve health perception of Arkansas’s beef herd

by Gregg Patterson

Photos by Nick Kordsmeier U of A System Division of Agriculture

Green-tagged calves are shown to potential buyers at Cattlemen’s Livestock Auction in Harrison.

S

hane Gadberry is on a mission. He’s spreading the gospel of healthy calf management to cattle ranchers throughout Arkansas via the Natural State Preconditioned Calf Program. Known as the GoGREEN or green-tag program, it’s an effort started last year by the state’s extension service to improve herd health throughout the state.

Gadberry is a professor and ruminant nutrition expert with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. He says the program will improve the overall perception of cattle health statewide.

“The value of the cattle in the state is related to the perception of the health of our cattle as they move west,” Gadberry said as he spoke to western Arkansas Rivers Valley beef ranchers during a conference in February. “That perception is related to … how many calves get sick, how many calves show up (at the sale barn) with testicles still intact and how many heifers are showing up pregnant in feed lots. Those are all industry challenges.”

The great majority of cattle ranches in Arkansas are cow-calf operations. Calves are born, raised to sale age, then sold at sale barns and shipped west to out-of-state feed lots where they’re grain-finished and

slaughtered for market. The state has about a million cattle and sales of $750 million annually.

Travis Justice is the chief economist and beef industry analyst for Arkansas Farm Bureau. He says securing an adequate price for calves raised in Arkansas is still a challenge for some of the state’s producers. The out-of-state perception of Arkansas cattle is there are too many herd health variabilities that keep the price producers get lower than it could be.

“Some of those challenges are still there, particularly in the general area of marketing and … being able to produce the type of cattle to gain a reputation on those cattle as being worthy enough to command adequate market prices,” Justice said.

“In order to consistently produce in the top range of whatever market prices are, the producers sense that they need to adopt better production practices.

They need to engage in an overall quality upgrade in their cattle in order to command those types of market prices.”

According to Gadberry’s GoGREEN gospel, these better production practices simply include what are commonly called “best management practices,” or BMPs, such as: castration, horn removal, continued on page 26>>

Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2019

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Producers must follow certain best management practices before being awarded green ear tags for their cattle.

<<continued from page 25

vaccinations, treating for internal parasites and keeping calves for at least 45 days after weaning before marketing them. This is nothing new. These BMPs have all been known for years, but they have not been consistently and universally practiced as part of responsible cattle production.

Participating GoGREEN ranchers are required to be Beef Quality Assurance certified and then develop a calf management plan that tracks health product purchases and documents when they are administered to the calves along with the other BMPs. The ranch enrollment fee is $10 and is good for three years along with a $2 per calf qualifying fee. Calves can then be tagged with green UA Division of Agriculture ear tags signifying they are part of the Natural State Preconditioned Calf Program. The fees cover the cost of tags and program administration and promotion.

“We know that cattle bought out of sale barns that are high risk are three times as likely to get sick then cattle that have a good health history behind them,” Gadberry said. “What we’re trying to do is increase value of cattle by creating that health history.”

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Arkansas Agriculture

The first calves raised in Arkansas according to the Natural State Preconditioned Calf Program went to auction on Jan. 16, 2019 in Harrison.

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2019

Justice says quality assurance programs like the GoGREEN program are being done throughout the country.

“Producers recognize the need to continually work toward quality improvement.

It’s going to take that to be viable in today’s marketing system,” Justice said. “There are opportunities overall to continue to upgrade the quality and, hopefully the reputation Arkansas cattle has with out-of-state buyers. Our industry in Arkansas is based on our ability to ship cattle out of state.”

Gadberry agrees.

“We’re trying to increase the value of cattle by creating that health history. We’re all about the consumers’ needs and making sure of the wellbeing and the welfare of our cattle are taken care of,” Gadberry said. “We want to emphasize the quality of the meat we’re producing, as well as the safety of the beef we’re producing.”

Gadberry says the preconditioned calf GoGREEN program is an attempt to get cattle to market where buyers are specifically looking to buy those animals because of their known health history. And the care and effort ranchers make to do that will result in better sale prices.

“In the market today, those cattle are bringing about $4-$6 per hundred weight.

Last fall, we saw some moving for as much as $9 per hundred weight,” Gadberry said.

“So there is some added value by preconditioning and having that known health history. But in addition to that, the animal that’s grown out correctly is going to gain some weight along the way, and there’s value added into just growing out a bigger animal for the market place.”

Ranchers can GoGREEN by contacting their county extension agent for more information about the Natural State Preconditioned Calf Program, or they can visit the GoGREEN website at uaex.edu/gogreen. *

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Farming is more than just seed in the ground or livestock on the land.

It’s a complex financial ecosystem; your profitability and farm success can depend upon local prices, global trade disputes, and a million other factors as well. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s agricultural economists have compiled the most comprehensive set of budgeting tools for use by Arkansas field crop and livestock producers. These include budgets for:

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Ag LawUPDATE Harrison M. Pittman heads the National Agricultural Law Center, which serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The Center deals with legal issues around the country that impact agriculture at the state and federal levels.

by Harrison Pittman, Director, National Agricultural Law Center University of Arkansas System, Division of Agriculture

T

his spring has been a challenging one for farmers and a very busy one on the policy and legal front. In this edition, we explore just a few of the major, national issues that will have an impact on agriculture in the coming months.

Ag Trade The U.S. is embroiled in a series of high-stakes trade issues, the outcome of which will define the long-term market structure and supply chains for all sectors of the agricultural economy. And that outcome will not be fully known for quite some time.

The tit-for-tat tariff battle between the U.S. and China is arguably the most significant issue for the shortand long-term. Unless the situation de-escalates in the coming days and weeks, tensions are very likely to continue for at least the next few months, if not longer. Another major issue is two-fold: whether Congress, Canada, and Mexico all approve the “new NAFTA” – United States Mexico Canada Agreement (USMCA) – and whether President Trump follow through with the threat of withdrawing from NAFTA in the event USMCA is not tri-laterally approved.

Additionally, it remains to be seen whether the U.S. and Japan can agree to a bilateral agreement that would put U.S. producers on par with what it would have obtained had the U.S. entered into the Trans Pacific Partnership.

Finally, we are waiting to see whether agriculture will be included in planned upcoming negotiations between the U.S. and the European Union. All of this, of course, is happening against the backdrop of historically negative weather conditions and the 2020 Presidential election.

On a brighter note, Arkansas Sen. John Boozman recently proposed the Agricultural Export Enhancement Act of 2019, a bipartisan measure designed to facilitate increased agricultural trade with Cuba.

Pesticide Litigation Two widely used crop protection products – glyphosate (Roundup) and chlorpyrifos (Lorsban) – continue to be 32

bombarded with a number of legal and policy attacks, both in the U.S. and overseas. These developments could impact the types of crop protection tools available to producers in Arkansas and across the country.

In recent days, a jury awarded $2 billion – yes, that’s with a “b” – to a husband and wife who allege that their exposure to glyphosate was the cause of their non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. This is the third lawsuit in a row in which a jury awarded financially significant judgments in similar litigation, with more than 10,000 additional legal actions filed throughout the United States.

With respect to chlorpyrifos, EPA was recently directed by a federal appeals court to make a determination by 2022 about the future registration of chlorpyrifos. Additionally, in recent days, the state of California has begun the process to cancel registration and, therefore, the future use of products containing chlorpyrifos.

Industrial Hemp Building on changes in the 2014 Farm Bill, the 2018 Farm Bill ushered in landmark changes for the production of industrial hemp in the United States. The 2018 Farm Bill redefined “industrial hemp,” thereby removing it from regulation under the Controlled Substances Act of 1970 as a Schedule I narcotic. Among other items, the new law mandates USDA to issue regulations for approving states’ industrial hemp plans, as well as creating a separate USDA plan that hemp producers may use as an option.

Currently, USDA intends to issue regulations in time for the 2020 growing season, so expect a lot of activity in this area in the coming months. In the meantime, producers and processors in Arkansas and other states can operate under authority of 2014 Farm Bill and in conjunction with applicable state law. Expect this to be an area of continued interest, development, and, at times, controversy over the coming months. * Arkansas Agriculture

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