News - October 2020

Consumer spending continues to increase; savings shrink slightly

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Consumer spending inched upward again while total savings began to shrink in September, according to the monthly Personal Income and Outlays report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Division of Agriculture to study mutual benefits of sheep, shade trees

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — If there was ever an animal who might appreciate a good shade tree, surely it is the sheep. Soon, the researchers will begin conducting research on the effect of shade trees on sheep pastures, investigating how the trees might benefit both the animals and the pastures themselves.

Use caution when grazing johnsongrass after frost

LITTLE ROCK — With the arrival of low fall temperatures hinting at the winter surely on its way, ranchers and pasture managers should be keeping an eye on what their cattle are grazing, experts with the University of Arkansas System Division of Arkansas cautioned this week.

U.S. shows robust third quarter rally

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — The U.S. gross domestic product grew 33.1 percent from the second quarter this year, making up nearly all the ground lost to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in the second quarter,  according to the October report from the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Research shows promise for microwave rice drying systems

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Microwave technology may offer a faster drying system for rice than conventional heated-air drying systems, said Griffiths Atungulu, associate professor of food processing and post-harvest system engineering for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

National search underway for dean, forest resources center director position at UA-Monticello

MONTICELLO, Ark. — A national search is underway to fill a position at the University of Arkansas at Monticello that would serve both as director of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s Forest Resources Center and as dean of the UAM’s College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Food science doctoral student places second in national oral presentation contest

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Asmita Singh, a food science graduate student in the University of Arkansas’ Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, recently placed second in the Rose Marie Pangborn Graduate Student Competition at the annual national meeting of the Institute of Food Technologists.

Cattle placements, marketing rise as season approaches peak

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The cattle industry seems to be shrugging off some of the disruptions brought by the COVID-19 pandemic with cattle placements and marketings on an upward swing as the industry approaches its seasonal peak, according to October’s Cattle on Feed report from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Want a fruitful strawberry crop? Scout now for pests

LITTLE ROCK — A majority of the state’s strawberries are in the ground and growing, but some growers may have more mites to contend with than in years past.

Division scientist wins $324K grant to examine new weed management tactics in furrow irrigated and conventional rice production

LITTLE ROCK — A team led by Tommy Butts, extension weed scientist for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will be exploring new ways to manage herbicide-resistant weeds in row rice and traditional flooded field production, thanks to a $324,000 grant.

With state fair canceled, Arkansas livestock show exhibitors have grounds to themselves

LITTLE ROCK — While most of the parking lots at the Arkansas State Fairgrounds have sat empty throughout October, the barns and livestock pens at the southern end of the grounds have been as lively as ever for the past 10 days.

Food science graduate student wins international scholarship for work in Division of Agriculture’s Sensory Science Center

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Ragita Pramudya, a graduate student in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, has been awarded the 2020 Rose Marie Pangborn Sensory Science Scholarship for her research with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.

State agricultural and biological engineers society honors Burcham

UNDATED – The new Engineer of the Year for the Arkansas Section of the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers says he’d glad to have traded his suits and dress shoes for muddy boots and dungarees.

UA System Division of Agriculture, Soil Health Institute announce virtual field days promoting healthy soils for sustainable cotton

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas cotton producers now have access to more information about soil health through a series of virtual field days provided by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Soil Health Institute (SHI), the nonprofit entity charged with safeguarding and enhancing the vitality and productivity of soils.

Undergraduate Student Research Highlighted in 2020 Issue of the Discovery Journal

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — University of Arkansas student scientists share their work in the latest edition of Discovery, the undergraduate research journal of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences.

Poultry industry sees modest recovery, but faces uphill slog through 2021

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The poultry industry, battered on multiple fronts by the COVID pandemic, is making modest gains, but recovery into 2021 may be its slowest in nearly a decade.

After brief rally for cotton harvest, Delta brings a slower week with minor damage

LITTLE ROCK — Winds and from Hurricane Delta, the 25^th named storm of 2020, blew through much of the southeastern half of Arkansas last weekend, again slowing harvest efforts in much of the state.

Day to Day with Diabetes offers virtual support heading into holidays

LITTLE ROCK — The end-of-the-year holidays are just around the corner, along with all the tempting goodies — from Halloween candy to Thanksgiving pies to Christmas cookies. With all this high-fructose cheer, maintaining a healthy diet can be difficult, especially for people with diabetes.

Great Pumpkin of 2020 arrives early

LITTLE ROCK — This year’s great pumpkin arrived in plenty of time for Halloween.

Arkansas 4-H youth from across the state trucked their home-grown pumpkins and watermelons to the Cooperative Extension Service headquarters in Little Rock on Oct. 10 for the annual Giant Pumpkin and Watermelon contest.

Director of Arkansas Forest Resources Center to retire

MONTICELLO, Ark. — Phil Tappe has announced he will retire from his post as the University of Arkansas at Monticello dean of the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources and the director of the U of A System Division of Agriculture’s Forest Resources Center. The move is effective on Dec. 31, 2020.

Cooperative Extension to offer webinars to assist small food businesses

LITTLE ROCK — The Cooperative Extension Service’s Local, Regional and Safe Foods Team will be hosting two no-cost webinars as part of a Lunchtime Learning Series in October to assist a growing number of small food businesses.

Mississippi County 4-H member to be voice of Oct. 15 national radio campaign on pollinators

LITTLE ROCK — Lauren Baugh, a Wilson, Arkansas, 4-H member will be the voice of a national radio campaign to promote the importance of pollinators and the role they play in our food supply.

Don’t let misconceptions deter you: Get a flu shot

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansans shouldn’t let the COVID-19 pandemic distract them from a more familiar fall and winter foe: Influenza.

After two weeks of solid harvest weather, Hurricane Delta may tap the brakes

LITTLE ROCK — After nearly two weeks of clear skies and dropping temperatures, producers across Arkansas have increased their harvest tempo as fields have dried, but now the year’s umpteenth weather system — Hurricane Delta — threatens to slow progress again.

Sustainable solutions to stormwater management: webinar to discuss green infrastructure design, construction, maintenance

LITTLE ROCK — As urban areas and developments in rural areas continue to expand, stormwater runoff and its management are becoming increasingly critical issues.

Cooperative Extension Service leads outreach effort in state’s feral hog eradication program

LITTLE ROCK — County agents with the Cooperative Extension Service, part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, will serve as a leading edge in educating Arkansans about damages posed by feral hogs, and the state’s efforts to eradicate them. 

Craft beer & the law: Webinar to discuss legal considerations for breweries

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Opening and running a small business can be a difficult process, with labor laws, taxes and other strains. However, when beer or wine is in the mix, things get much more complicated.

New rice breeder joins Division of Agriculture at Rice Research and Extension Center

STUTTGART, Ark. — Christian De Guzman has joined the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture as an assistant professor and rice breeder at the Rice Research and Extension Center.

Pandemic employment still gaining, but at a slower rate

LITTLE ROCK — The service sector, buoyed by a summertime boost in consumer spending on some recreational pursuits, led the way in job gains in September, though the overall growth rate has cooled some, according to an analysis of an Oct. 2 “Employment Situation” report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

As first frost of the season likely approaches, keep an eye on forage

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Arkansas’ summer has surrendered to fall, and within a few weeks, the first nights of frost will likely begin to occur. Pasture managers should begin making plans to care for grasses that may be susceptible to damage.

Mother-daughter collaboration leads to book, superheroes for students in a COVID year

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – The 2020 school year has been like no other. Alison Crane, Garland County extension agent, and her daughter, Anna, spent part of this summer with a plan to help teachers and students as they returned to class during a pandemic.

Personal income dipped in August; movie theater spending up more than 200 percent

LITTLE ROCK — Despite a decline in personal income between July and August, Americans increased their spending in a few places, including movie theaters, museums and campgrounds, according to the Bureau of Economic Analysis.