In Farm Bureau Farm families named District winners in the 70th annual Arkansas Farm Family of the Year Program have been selected, representing the diversity of Arkansas agriculture. They will now be judged to determine a state winner to be announced Dec. 7 at the Farm Family of the Year luncheon at the Wyndham Riverfront Hotel in North Little Rock. The district winners are: Chris and Heather Tharp of Floral in the North Central District. The Tharps operate on 850 acres and have a cowcalf operation, broiler houses and a commercial litter service. They have five children, Colton, Ainsley, Kylie, Lily and Reese. Gittlein Farms of Maysville in the Northwest District. Garrett and Amanda have a custom haying and spraying service and they raise registered black Angus cattle. Their operation also includes litter spreading and litter house cleanout. The Gittleins have two children, Mason and Colson.
On June 8, the new Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation donated $20,000 to the American Red Cross to assist Arkansans who experienced devastation from April floods. Attending the presentation were (left to right) ArFB Executive Vice President Warren Carter; Vice President Rich Hillman; President Randy Veach; Lori Arnold McFarlane, executive director of the Greater Arkansas Chapter of American Red Cross; and Steve Biernacki, regional philanthropy officer for Red Cross. Eddie and Annette Wray of Trumann in the Northeast District. Eddie and Annette have a diversified crop operation, raising soybeans, cotton, rice and corn. They have four children, Jamie, Stephen, Ashley and James. Brandon and Jessica Chapman of Scott in the East Central District. The family raises soybeans, watermelon, tomatoes and cantaloupes. Their operation also includes an agritourism attraction called Scott Pumpkin Patch. The Chapmans have two children, Raylei and Brantley. Cedar Corner Farm of Stuttgart in the Miller, Little River and Sevier Co. FBs held a joint appreciation dinner May 24 in Texarkana to recognize local legislators. Plaques were presented to (left to right) Sen. Jimmy Hickey Jr., Sen. Larry Teague, Rep. Carol Dalby and Rep. Lane Jean for their support of agriculture during the past year. Sixty-two Farm Bureau members from the three counties attended.
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Southeast District. Jason Smith and Chris Dickson are partners in Cedar Corner Farms. Smith and Dickson raise 2,689 acres of rice, soybeans and wheat. Smith and his wife Cheryl have two children, Jaycie and Jonathan. Dickson and his wife, DeAnne, also have two children, Kaylee and Dee. Rocking CK Farms of Garland in the Southwest District. Chase and Krystal Groves of Rocking CK Farms raise 360 acres of soybeans and corn. Their operation also includes custom grazing, registered and commercial cattle, and
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A Publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation
June 23, 2017 • Vol. 20, No. 12
Sixteen junior and senior students from Boone, Carroll, Marion, Newton and Searcy counties attended a Medical Applications of Science for Health (M*A*S*H) camp June 12-23 at North Arkansas Regional Medical Center in Harrison. The two-week camps, which began in early June at locations around the state, are designed to give students an inside look at various health professions.
Dan Chapman (center, yellow shirt), director of UA’s Fruit Research Station at Clarksville, led fruit and vegetable growers on a tour of the station’s orchards during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Specialty Crops Summer Division meeting June 14. Participants learned about the latest research and new varieties of peaches, blackberries, blueberries and apples.
winners, a mid-year update from ArFB President Randy Veach and advocates for agriculture Troy and Stacy Hadrick speaking on “Discovering Your Influential Power.” Leaders will be able to attend a variety of workshops Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning.
more about ArFB’s grassroots impact within the state and across the nation. Madison Powell from Beebe is studying animal science with a minor in agriculture business. She is interning with the Organization and Member Programs, Public Policy and Commodity and Powell Regulatory Affairs departments. Her parents are Cindy and James Powell of Beebe. Powell said she is honored to be selected as an intern for an organization “that strives to strengthen the agriculture industry.” “I am excited to experience this side of agriculture with a hands-on experience for future careers,” she said. Carlee Buckner from Alton, Missouri, is studying agricultural communications with a minor in agriculture leadership. She is interning with the Public Relations department. Her Buckner parents are Andrea Moore and Ben Buckner. “I am looking forward to merging my two passions — communications and agriculture,” Buckner said. “Arkansas Farm
Summer interns Two University of Arkansas students have joined Arkansas Farm Bureau for the summer as interns. They will assist several key departments within the organization and work to advance their skills and learn
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O&L Conference “Innovation Generation” is the theme for Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 69th annual Officers and Leaders Conference scheduled for July 24 and 25 at the Hot Springs Convention Center. Registration will begin at 10 a.m. July 24, followed by a noon luncheon at Horner Hall in the convention center, which will kick off the first general session. Highlights of the conference will include presentations of the YF&R Achievement and Excellence in Ag award
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and Cash. Luke and DeeDee Alston of Mena in the Western District. The Alston family has a diversified operation ranging from strawberries and sweet corn, to cattle, broiler houses and even honeybees. They also have a 6-acre corn maze. The Alstons have two children, Ryan and Drey. Will and Sydney Bailey of De Queen in the West Central District. The Baileys have a hay operation, a cow/calf operation and raise broilers. They have two children, Lynnlee and Benjamin. “The contributions made by our state’s farm families are beyond measure,” said Randy Veach, president of Arkansas Farm Bureau. “While collectively, agriculture makes up our state’s largest business sector, it is almost impossible to calculate the impact our family farms have on the economy, our rural communities and to the character of our great state.”
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pecans. The Groves have two children, Gentry
Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Team Challenge camp began June 19 at the C.H. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center near Ferndale. The four-day event, attended by 58 high-school students from 28 Arkansas counties, provided opportunities for attendees to learn about leadership and team building through hands-on activities and training sessions.
On May 26, Fulton Co. FB donated $1,250 to the Fulton County Sheriff’s Department for the purchase of search and rescue equipment. Attending the presentation at the county office were (left to right) Fulton Co. FB President Howard Burris, Chief Deputy John Cawvey and Fulton Co. FB agency manager Phillip Steed.
Bureau is an organization I have always admired and I am grateful to share the story of agriculture through their efforts this summer.”
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Apply now for scholarship Nursing and pharmacy students are encouraged to apply now for a $1,000 scholarship offered through the Nicky Hargrove Memorial Scholarship Fund. Each applicant must be an accepted or current student in a registered nursing or doctor of pharmacy program. They or their parents must be members of Arkansas Farm Bureau. Other criteria to be considered by the selection committee are the applicant’s community involvement and their leadership abilities. The scholarship recipient will be notified July 15. The family of Nicky Hargrove established the scholarship fund to honor Hargrove’s years of service to Arkansas Farm Bureau and Arkansas agriculture. A rice, soybean and wheat farmer from Stuttgart, Hargrove served as ArFB president from 1976-1986 and was inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame in 1999. Hargrove died in 2011 at age 79, and his family wanted to find a way to honor the people who cared for him throughout his years of illness while also ensuring his name is never forgotten.
On May 31, Gov. Asa Hutchinson (center) proclaimed June to be Dairy Month in Arkansas. Attending were (left to right) Ashley Anderson, Midwest Dairy; Mike Flagg, Hiland Dairy; Bruce Tencleve, Arkansas Farm Bureau; dairy farmer Susan Anglin, Dairy Ambassador Julie Griffin; dairy farmer Frederick Simon; ArFB President Randy Veach and Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward.
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In Arkansas
New Arkansas FFA state officers were elected June 9 at the state convention. Left to right: President Brady Gentry, Spring Hill; Secretary Stephanie Bennett, Brinkley; Southern District VP Ethan Angel, Centerpoint; Reporter Morgan Seymore, Beebe; Northwestern District VP Alyssa Johnson, Greenbrier; and Eastern District VP Brenna Cannon, Mountain Home. “Over the years of fighting lung cancer, heart problems, diabetes and lymphoma, some of the most important people to Nicky and his family were the registered nurses and pharmacists who participated in his care,” said Lori Dabbs, Hargrove’s daughter. “In honor of these special people and in memory of Nicky, a scholarship was established through the Stuttgart Memorial Hospital Foundation.” Scholarship applications can be requested by emailing hargrovescholarship@gmail.com. Applications, along with a resume, are due by July 1 and should be emailed to hargrovescholarship@gmail.com or mailed to 2001 S. Prairie, Stuttgart, AR, 72160. Dairy contest winners Luke Baker of Siloam Springs and Zarah Dean of Ozark were winners at the 60th annual Arkansas Dairy Foods Contest held May 31 at the state fairgrounds in Little Rock. Arkansas Farm Bureau helps sponsor the event. Luke Baker,15, son of James and Sondra Baker, took first place in the Main Dish competition with his “Cheesy Chicken Guacchi Explosion.” Zarah Dean, 14, daughter of Wes and Melanie Dean, took first in the Party Idea competition with “Cheesecake Bites.” Winners received $150 and a cookbook donated by Midwest Dairy. Contestants were judged on the use of dairy products, originality, availability of ingredients, serving technique and
craftsmanship of the dish. Arkansas Farm Bureau sponsored the event. In the Main Dish competition, Emma Ferren of Searcy took second with “Fire Cheese Stuffed Shells.” Trinity Farmer of Oark took third with “Simply Sensational Cheesy Chicken.” Caylee Turner of Ashdown took fourth with “Loaded Broccoli and Cheese Soup.” In the Party Ideas competition, Mikenly Travis of Pea Ridge took second with “Cheesy Artichoke Baguette Bites.” Abby Frizzell of Clarksville took third with Peachy Keen Cheesecake.” Anna Lamkin of Weiner took fourth with “Cinco Leches Cake.”
Elsewhere Cotton mag for children The American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture has released a new ag mag about cotton that can help students learn more about this important crop. Inside are sections on the history of cotton, cotton facts, cotton versus wool, from seed to shirt and a career corner. Other magazines in the series cover apples, bees, beef, biotechnology, careers, corn, dairy, energy, gardening, pizza, poultry, sheep, soybeans and specialty crops. Thirty-pack bundles of the Cotton Ag Mag sell for $5 each. To order, visit www.dmsfulfillment. com/FarmBureau/. Editor Keith Sutton
keith.sitton@arfb.com
As of June 21, 2017
exports to China range from 5-12 percent depending on the products. Additionally, most products are charged a 13 percent value added tax (VAT) or a 17-percent VAT on processed products.
China opens market to U.S. beef On June 13, the U.S. Department of Agriculture released the following overview of rules for U.S. beef exports to China. Beef exports to the People’s Republic of China must meet specified requirements under the USDA Export Verification Program. These requirements apply to U.S. companies—slaughterers, fabricators and/or processors—that supply beef and beef products as listed on the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service website. The specified requirements for exports to China include: beef and beef products must be derived from cattle that were born, raised and slaughtered in the U.S., cattle that were imported from Canada or Mexico and subsequently raised and slaughtered in the U.S. or cattle that were imported from Canada or Mexico for direct slaughter; cattle must be traceable to the U.S. birth farm using a unique identifier or, if imported, to the first place of residence or port of entry; beef and beef products must be derived from cattle less than 30 months of age; chilled or frozen bonein and deboned beef products are eligible for shipment; and carcasses, beef and beef products must be uniquely identified and controlled up until the time of shipment. In December 2003, China banned U.S. beef after the discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in the U.S. Before the ban, the U.S. was the largest exporter of beef into China. In 2003, China imported 57,000 tons of beef valued at $64.4 million, during which the U.S. was the largest exporter of beef to China. While U.S. exports have been banned, the Chinese beef market has seen substantial growth over the last 13 years as the market has grown to 600,000 tons valued at nearly $2.6 billion. Tariffs on beef
U.S. rolls back Cuba rules On June 16, President Donald Trump rolled back Obama era executive orders. The new policy of the United States toward Cuba is hoped to achieve four objectives: 1) enhance compliance with U.S. law, in particular the provisions that govern the embargo of Cuba and the ban on tourism; 2) hold the Cuban regime accountable for oppression and human rights abuses ignored under the Obama policy; 3) further the national security and foreign policy interests of the U.S. and those of the Cuban people; and 4) lay the groundwork for empowering the Cuban people to develop greater economic and political liberty. The new policy channels economic activities away from the Cuban military monopoly, including most travel-related transactions, while allowing American individuals and entities to develop economic ties to the private, small business sector in Cuba. The policy also enhances travel restrictions to better enforce the statutory ban on U.S. tourism to Cuba. The policy reaffirms the U.S. statutory embargo of Cuba and opposes calls in the United Nations and other international forums for its termination. It clarifies “that any further improvements in the U.S.-Cuba relationship will depend entirely on the Cuban government’s willingness to improve the lives of the Cuban people, including through promoting the rule of law, respecting human rights and taking concrete steps to foster political and economic freedoms.” Some policies will remain intact. For example, U.S. and Cuban embassies will remain open, Americans will continue to be allowed to bring back cigars and rum from Cuba, and Cuban-Americans will be
In the Market
able to continue to visit their family in Cuba and send them remittances. Senators want NAFTA poultry focus A group of senators is pushing for poultry issues to be addressed via the upcoming North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) 2.09 talks. “We write to urge strong consideration for American poultry farmers, processors and exporters in the negotiation process, both in eliminating trade barriers imposed by Canada against American poultry and in ensuring that our poultry trade with Mexico remains robust,” the lawmakers said. While NAFTA was to have resulted in a goal of eliminating tariffs in goods traded between the three countries, the lawmakers said, “Unfortunately, in practice, this goal has proven difficult to achieve. This has been particularly true for American poultry, which continues to face trade barriers in North America more than 20 years after NAFTA’s enactment.” Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross is downplaying the potential for the NAFTA 2.0 talks to be wrapped up yet this year. Tyson improving animal welfare In yet another sign that consumers’ concerns about animal welfare are impacting the industry, Tyson Foods Inc. announced it will launch a new animal well-being initiative as well as a pilot project to test using gas rather than electricity to stun chickens before they are killed as a possibly more humane solution. The company also announced a new video monitoring system that will track how live chickens are being handled. Tyson is also deploying animal well-being specialists across all of its beef, pork and poultry operations.
CONTACT
Matt King 501-228-1297, matt.king@arfb.com