Powell joins National Ag Law Center in communications role
July 14, 2026
By Mary Hightower
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Fast Facts
- Powell a Hendrix, Northwestern alumnus
- Powell joins NALC after two years on agriculture beat
(375 words)
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — A love for making complex issues understandable drew Phillip Powell first to journalism and has now called him to a new job as communications coordinator for the National Agricultural Law Center.
Powell came to NALC from the Arkansas Times, an outlet he joined in June 2024 as a Report for America Corps member. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and government from Hendrix College in 2023. Powell was a staff writer for The Profile and editor in chief of the Aonian Literary Magazine at Hendrix.
Powell earned a master’s in journalism with a focus on investigative reporting from Northwestern University in 2024.
“I wanted to be a journalist because I loved meeting new people, writing and breaking down complex topics for myself and others,” Powell said. “I was ready to step into a role where I could exercise a broader communications skillset while continuing to work on agricultural and environmental policy topics.”
The National Agricultural Law Center, established 39 years ago, provides agricultural, environmental and food law research and information to attorneys, policymakers, industry members and the general public. Though this particular area of law may seem somewhat niche, it isn’t really, Powell said.
“We all have to eat! Agriculture and farmers serve as the backbone of our entire society, producing almost all of the raw food and fiber commodities that we need,” he said. “I find the experiences of farmers and the different laws, policies and economic factors that shape their experiences to be the most interesting part of agriculture.”
NALC Director Harrison Pittman said, “Effective communication is fundamental to our mission of providing objective, timely agricultural law research and information. We're excited to welcome Phillip and look forward to expanding the reach and impact of our work through his talents and experience.”
In his new role, Powell said he hoped to “make legal information more accessible to NALC’s diverse stakeholders and audience.”
“Making the transition to the NALC will be a new challenge for me, but what I learned as a working journalist in Little Rock is that when there is a will, there is a way, and that tenacity pays dividends in the future,” Powell said.
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 National Agricultural Law Center
Created by Congress in 1987, the National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, agribusinesses, state and federal policymakers, lenders, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, students, and many others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas 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 22 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 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.
# # #
Media Contact:
Nick Kordsmeier
nkordsme@uada.edu