Arkansas’ Rainey recognized with Lifetime Achievement Award
Feb. 10, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Rainey’s work focuses on risk management education
- Rainey a native of Center community in Conway County
(519 words)
Download photos of presentation
LITTLE ROCK — The Southern Agricultural Economics Association has recognized Ron Rainey’s three-decade career, distinguished by a national reputation for coalition building, with its Lifetime Achievement Award.
The award was presented Feb. 3 at SAEA’s annual meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.
Rainey is an assistant vice president for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture as well as director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center, whose mission is to educate farmers and ranchers to manage the unique risks of food production. SMREC is based within the Division of Agriculture and serves 13 states across the southeast U.S. He is also a professor of agricultural economics for the Division of Agriculture.
“It’s extremely gratifying to see Dr. Rainey receive this national recognition for his tremendous contribution to the agricultural economics profession,” said Deacue Fields, head of the Division of Agriculture and past president of SAEA. “Ron has a passion for the land-grant mission, and he is excellent at connecting people and leveraging relationships to get results. We are very fortunate to have him on the UADA team.”
“I have had the pleasure to travel a 30-year journey that I enjoy immensely,” Rainey said. “I love the ability to create meaningful impact for businesses and communities. I have and continue to be on a journey of gratitude because of the relationships that support and deliver my programs across the region and nationally.”
A native of the Center community in Conway County, Rainey joined the Division of Agriculture in 1993 as an assistant extension specialist in economics. He focused on marketing strategies, including value-added tactics, all to enhance financial outcomes for farmers and ranchers. All of Rainey’s degrees came from the University of Arkansas. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in agricultural economics and his Ph.D. in economics.
“Ron Rainey is eminently deserving of the Lifetime Achievement Award from SAEA,” said John Anderson, a fellow agricultural economist who leads the Cooperative Extension Service for the Division of Agriculture. “Under his leadership, the Southern Risk Management Education Center has become the unquestioned national leader in extension risk management education.
“He continues to build and lead coalitions across academia, industry and government that are delivering innovative and effective extension programs not only in Arkansas but across whole country,” Anderson said.
“On a personal note, I was particularly honored to be able to present Ron with his award in my capacity as past-president of SAEA,” he said. “I have known Ron since the earliest days of my career, and it was really gratifying to be able to play a part in recognizing the outstanding professional contributions of my friend, colleague and fellow Razorback.”
Rainey lives in Little Rock with his wife, Jenel, and their daughter.
Southern agricultural scientists
The SAEA is part of the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists, an organization dedicated to representing and supporting agriculture in the South. In addition to the section on agricultural economics, SAAS is home to discipline-specific sections focused on agricultural education, agronomy, animal science and more.
Fields is president of SAAS and current chair of its Administrative Heads Section, which is comprised of administrators from southern land-grant universities.
To learn about extension programs in Arkansas, contact your local Cooperative Extension Service agent or visit uaex.uada.edu. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture, visit uada.edu. To learn more about ag and food research in Arkansas, visit the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station at aaes.uada.edu.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption of best practices. Through the Agricultural Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service, the Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work within the nation’s historic land-grant education system.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on three campuses.
Pursuant to 7 CFR § 15.3, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture offers all its Extension and Research programs and services (including employment) without regard to race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, marital or veteran status, genetic information, sexual preference, pregnancy or any other legally protected status, and is an equal opportunity institution.
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Media contact:
Nick Kordsmeier
nkordsme@uada.edu