News - July 2014

iOS, Android apps to guide you through the 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo 

STUTTGART, Ark. -- Let your smartphone be your guide thanks to the 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo app.  

Chef, food writers to judge this year’s Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest

STUTTGART, Ark.— Even for a man who has built a high-flying career in cuisine, the idea of judging the 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo Recipe Contest on Friday is just a little nerve-wracking.

National Agricultural Law Center receives USDA grant to support ‘farm to fork’ programs in Arkansas Delta

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Law Center has received a $225,000 grant from USDA Rural Development to lay the groundwork for the development of local and regional food industry in the Arkansas Delta and to assist ongoing efforts in the Arkansas Delta.

Crop Enterprise Budgets app simplifies Arkansas farmers’ finances 

LITTLE ROCK – When your office is hundreds of acres of cropland, being able to multitask without being tethered to a desktop computer has its advantages. Now growers can calculate crop enterprise budgets from an iOS device anywhere, with the CE Budgets app launched by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. 

Turn on the PHAUCET: Computer program that saves farmers money, time, water

LITTLE ROCK -- Farmers are encouraged to try out the PHAUCET calculation program if they want to save water and money, said a water quality expert. Users report water savings of up to 40 percent.  

‘Biggest Loser’ winner Becky Comet headlines wellness rally 

LITTLE ROCK -- Becky Comet, a winner on TV’s “The Biggest Loser,” will be the keynote speaker for the Extension Wellness Rally, Aug. 22, at the C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center. 

Red, orange, yellow, run! Rainbow Run and Kids Dash raise money for local youth program 

MONTGOMERY, Ark. –The first ever Rainbow Run will splash colors on runners and help fund the rapidly growing Montgomery County 4-H program. This youth development program has seen a huge increase in the number of kids in the past four years. 

Packing your own lunch doesn't always mean healthier: Pack a safer lunch to work 

LITTLE ROCK -- Packing your own lunch to work often means a “healthier and less expensive option,” said Serena Fuller, associate professor of nutrition for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. However, it can also mean a risk of foodborne illness if these foods aren't stored properly. 

Prussic acid: Nightmare for cattle farmers 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- High nitrate and prussic acid concentrations can be deadly for cattle, said Dirk Philipp, assistant professor for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.  

At Rice Expo: Janet Carson offers tips on growing your own veggies

STUTTGART, Ark. – The 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo will be a place for you to discover your green thumb.

Spread by firewood, tree-killing pest confirmed in Arkansas

HOPE, Ark. – The emerald ash borer, a tiny Asian insect responsible for the deaths of tens of millions of trees since its accidental introduction to the United States in 2002, has been confirmed in Hot Spring, Clark and Nevada counties, according to the state Plant Board and the Arkansas Agriculture Department.  

Rabies outbreak in the state: 103 cases so far this year 

LITTLE ROCK -- More than 100 cases of rabies were reported in Arkansas as of June 24, a number almost double the normal level that state health and animal science experts attributed to a greater awareness of rabies symptoms in infected animals. 

Extension agents: Lighter-than-expected rain more help than harm

LONOKE, Ark. -- Rainfall Thursday night into Friday was lighter than predicted in some areas, making cattle producers happy and allowing flooded fields more time to drain, said extension agents for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

Rain-weary east Arkansas farmers bracing for more water

STUTTGART, Ark. -- Arkansas’ abundant rainfall looks good on the latest U.S. Drought Monitor map, with less than 14 percent of the state in the least intense drought category, however the rain-filled forecast for Thursday and Friday is heaping more worry on the state’s farmers.

Walmart Foundation’s $1.05 million donation fuels 2^nd phase of strawberry initiative

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Ripening in mid-winter. Taking root in old cotton acres. Growing organic in conventional farms. America’s favorite berry is finding itself in places it’s never been before thanks to research, creativity and a donation from the world’s largest retailer.

Sugarcane aphids invade Ark sorghum; treatment options limited

MONTICELLO, Ark. – Grain sorghum growers in east Arkansas are discovering a new visitor: the sugarcane aphid has been showing up since June on the plant’s leaves in Ashley, Chicot, Desha and Phillips counties and it’s considered likely to spread to nearby areas. Its damage symptoms include sticky honeydew and yellow to reddish brown leaf discoloration.

Big Creek team releases 3rd quarterly report

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The Big Creek Research and Extension Team has posted its third quarter report.

Pigposium to feature weed control experts at NEREC

KEISER, Ark. – Control of resistant weeds is a moving target and crop producers need every advantage they can get to stay ahead of the issue, said Tom Barber, extension weed scientist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. 

Spaces still open at Rice Expo for farmers’ market, centerpiece arrangements

STUTTGART Ark. – Arkansas fruit and vegetable growers and gardeners will have the chance to show the results of their labor Aug. 1 at the Arkansas Rice Expo at the Grand Prairie Center.

New association chairman Tappe to emphasize recruiting forestry students

MONTICELLO, Ark. – The newly elected leader of the southern region of a national forestry organization is working on recruiting new forestry students, enhancing engagement with forest landowners, and increasing research competitiveness.

Fall and winter forage is expensive; plan stockpiling program now

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The month of July is the perfect time to start planning ahead for stockpiling forage that can save growers a lot of money during the winter.

Edamame Chicken Stir-Fry: 2014 Rice Expo cooks up true Arkansas products

STUTTGART, Ark. – Love edamame, but don’t know what to do with it? The 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo has the answer.

Avoid bringing home a disease with your blue ribbon

PINE BLUFF, Ark. –   As livestock producers and their children prepare for and compete in breed-sponsored shows and county fairs, they should be careful to avoid bringing home any diseases, cautions Dr. David Fernandez, Cooperative Extension Program livestock specialist at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.

Rainy growing season puts soybean producers in race against the clock

LITTLE ROCK – A rainy, cool spring; a summer punctuated by record-setting rainfall; and the length of time needed for soybeans to go from seed to yield is putting Arkansas farmers in a race against the clock.

Tomatoes at the Trotter: scholarship money, exceptional dinner, learning about tomatoes

MONTICELLO, Ark. -- The 2014 Tomatoes at the Trotter not only fed tomato enthusiasts, but also the University of Arkansas-Monticello School of Agriculture Scholarship Fund.

Managing phosphorus in pastures means saving fish, other water inhabitants 

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- Phosphorus is an essential nutrient for plants, but too much can mean trouble for waterways.  

July 15 crop certification deadline looms

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – July 15 is the deadline to certify spring-seeded crops, says Dr. Henry English, director, Small Farm Program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. 

Learn to make a difference for Ark water resources at 2014 Rice Expo

STUTTGART, Ark. – Farmers and growers are invited to speak up and give input at the 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo on the best ways to protect our water resources. 

Edamame Chicken Stir-Fry: 2014 Rice Expo cooks up true Arkansas products

STUTTGART, Ark. – Love edamame, but don’t know what to do with it? The 2014 Arkansas Rice Expo has the answer. 

Western dressage added to Arkansas 4-H State Horse Show

SEARCY, Ark. -- The 2014 Arkansas 4-H State Horse Show, already home to a wide variety of English and Western riding styles and horse-related activities, will feature a new riding discipline, western dressage, during its July 14-17 run at the White County Fairgrounds. 

Temple Grandin, Joy Mench to be featured speakers at symposium on food animal wellbeing

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Temple Grandin, a Colorado State University animal science professor and a designer of livestock handling facilities, and Joy Mench, director of the University of California-Davis Center for Animal Welfare, will be featured speakers during the Center for Food Animal Wellbeing’s fourth annual symposium Aug. 7 on advances and current issues in food animal wellbeing. The center is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville.

Ark Ag Dept: At least 75,000 acres under water

LITTLE ROCK -- At least 75,000 acres of row crops in five counties were under water following record rain last weekend, according to estimates compiled by the Arkansas Agriculture Department.

‘Shock and awe’ hits soybean market after Acreage Report

JONESBORO, Ark.  — Bears were running amok Tuesday through the corn, wheat, cotton and soybean markets in the wake of the annual Acreage Report from the National Agricultural Statistics Service.

Study finds karst keeps tight grip on phosphorus

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. -- The porous nature of the land that underlies the Ozark Plateau doesn't necessarily mean high-speed transport of phosphorus away from fields on which fertilizer has been spread to nearby streams, according to an article published in the Journal “Environmental Science and Technology.”

A Splendid Piece of Work author finds ‘amazing story’ at end of long journey