Farm Bureau Press
ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FOUNDATION DISASTER RELIEF EFFORTS
The Arkansas Farm Bureau (ArFB) Foundation has launched disaster relief efforts to aid counties affected by the March 14 storms. As of March 19, 13 tornadoes had been confirmed by the National Weather Service across the state. The communities affected by these storms are largely rural and have a significant agricultural presence.
If your county Farm Bureau would like to assist in these efforts, consider donating to the ArFB Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund. Donations earmarked for disaster relief will be directly used to aid Arkansas farmers, ranchers and rural communities affected by the storms. Donations can be made online or by mailing to the ArFB Foundation, P.O. Box 31, Little Rock, AR 72203. Please make note that the donation is for disaster relief. All donations are tax-deductible.
Ag in the Classroom | ArFB recently announced Jill Herrin of Arkansas Lighthouse Charter School as the 2025 Arkansas Ag in the Classroom Outstanding Teacher of the Year. This award recognizes teachers for exceptional dedication and knowledge, integrating agricultural concepts into classroom curriculum. Those recognizing Herrin include (from left) Margie Raimondo, Pulaski Co. Farm Bureau board member; Donette Spann, Ag in the Classroom director; Jill Herrin; Dr. Sarper Turker, Arkansas Lighthouse Charter School superintendent; Abbie Ribble, ArFB southeast district director; and Libbie Dougan, Pulaski Co. Farm Bureau president.
Announces Arkansas Farm Trail , Page 3 ArFB Foundation Trap Shoot, Page 2
A r FB FOUNDATION 7TH ANNUAL TRAP SHOOT
The Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation will be hosting its 7th Annual Trap Shoot on Friday, June 6 at the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville.
The theme of this year’s event is Aiming for the Future of Agriculture in support of both the Arkansas 4-H Foundation and the Arkansas FFA Foundation. Supporting youth in agriculture is at the heart of the ArFB Foundation’s mission. Investing in the future of Arkansas agriculture is a shared vision among our organizations. Half of the net proceeds from this year’s shoot will directly benefit the Arkansas 4-H and Arkansas
FFA Foundations, while continuing to support the goals of the ArFB Foundation.
There are several options for county Farm Bureaus to show support. One way is through the sponsorship of a local youth shooting team or by entering a county team. For information on all sponsorship opportunities, please refer to the enclosed flyer and registration forms or visit the ArFB Foundation website for additional forms.
For questions, contact Amanda Williams by email at amanda.williams@arfb.com or by phone at 501-228-1493.
REGISTRATION OPEN FOR 2025 M*A*S*H CAMPS
Applications are now open for Medical Applications of Science for Health (M*A*S*H), a summer program designed to introduce high school students to the wide variety of health care careers.
M*A*S*H is a free educational day camp being offered across the state. Participants will learn about a range of health care professions through hands-on activities, facility tours and interactions with health care practitioners.
Held each summer, M*A*S*H camps generally run for two weeks, though some locations will offer a mini-M*A*S*H version that offers sessions condensed into a single week. Camp dates and application deadlines vary based on location. For more information and to apply for these summer programs can be found online.
M*A*S*H camps will be held at UAMS Regional Campuses, local hospitals or colleges in 23 cities across the state. The program will be offered in Arkadelphia, Blytheville, Clinton, Conway, Crittenden, Crossett, DeWitt, Dumas, El Dorado, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Harrison, Helena-West Helena, Hot Springs, Jonesboro, Lake Village, Malvern, Mena, Monticello, Paragould, Pine Bluff, Rogers and Texarkana.
The M*A*S*H program is made possible thanks to a partnership with Arkansas Farm Bureau. In 2023, Arkansas Farm Bureau pledged a gift of $500,000 over five years to create the Farm Bureau Fund for Excellence, which will support health career recruitment efforts.
Last year, nearly 350 Arkansas high school students attended one of 27 different M*A*S*H events around the state.
Some of the 2024 Trap Shoot winners and participants.
A r FB ANNOUNCES ARKANSAS FARM TRAIL
Arkansas Farm Bureau (ArFB) recently launched Arkansas Farm Trail (AFT). AFT allows farmers to share stories, connect with consumers and increase visibility for ArFB members who produce direct-to-consumer products. This first-of-its-kind Arkansas program will connect consumers with local agriculture and teach about the state’s agricultural industry.
In its first year, AFT will include more than 20 farms across 16 counties. The farms on the list grow or raise at least one food product sold on the farm. This farm-toshelf experience allows farmers to showcase products and emphasize the importance of buying local, while teaching customers how food is grown and produced. Farmers in the program will offer fruits, vegetables, grains, meat, canned goods and more.
Consumers can get a passport at any farm participating in the program, at their county Farm Bureau office or by printing it online. With the passport, consumers visit farms to make a purchase and collect a stamp. Prizes will be available according to the number of stamps, with a grand prize for the first three participants submitting passports with stamps from every farm. The grand prize is a custom-made fire pit made by members of Arkansas FFA.
“With agriculture being the number one industry in Arkansas, this program is a long time coming,” said John McMinn, director of commodity activities at ArFB. “Over the past decade, farmers in the state have built a strong community of direct-to-consumer sales, which provides a unique opportunity to teach customers how their food is produced. We wanted to capitalize on that teaching opportunity while also promoting the state’s farmers. The Arkansas Farm Trail is a win for farmers and consumers.”
For more information, visit ARFarmTrail.com.
Snack Drive | For the third year in a row, Franklin Co. Farm Bureau hosted a Snack Drive for the Franklin County elementary schools during Farm Bureau Week. A local Ford dealership provided a new truck, which was placed in front of the Ozark office to help spread the word all week long. During Farm Bureau Week, more than 7,000 individually wrapped snacks were collected for local students.
Ag in the Classroom | Boone Co. Farm Bureau and 4-H recently teamed up for a great Story Time at the Boone County Library in Harrison.
Board Room Dedication | Jefferson Co. Farm Bureau recently honored Benny J. Fratesi (right) for his 50-plus years as a board member and his commitment to agriculture with a reception and the naming of the board room in his honor. Jefferson Co. Farm Bureau President Bryan Bonds (left) presented the Benny J. Fratesi Board Room plaque to Benny who was recognized as a mentor, ag legislative advocate and membership promoter.
MARKET NEWS
as of March 19, 2025
Contact Brandy Carroll brandy.carroll@arfb.com
Tyler Oxner tyler.oxner@arfb.com
Cotton
Cotton futures remain under pressure amid disappointing demand. Weaker crude oil prices add pressure as they result in cheaper synthetic fibers that compete with cotton for market share. The downside is limited by prospects for a smaller crop. At the annual Outlook Forum, USDA projected U.S. planted acres to be down almost 11% to 10 million acres. Assuming average abandonment of 16% and a trendline yield of 833 lbs/acre, USDA is projecting all-cotton production in the U.S. to be 14.6 million bales. This projection, however, is not based on producer surveys. That report will come at the end of the month. The National Cotton Council annual survey forecasted an even smaller crop, with just 9.6 million acres planted, down 14.4% from 2024. The March WASDE balance sheet was unchanged, but USDA did lower its expected on-farm average price by half a cent to 63 cents/pound. On March 18, USDA announced that signup is open for the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, which was approved by Congress late last year. Cotton farmers will receive a payment of $84.74/acre on 2024 planted acreage, subject to payment limits. Prevented planted acres will receive a 50% payment. The first tranche of payments will be made on 85% of certified acreage.
Rice
Nearby May futures are attempting to confirm a bottom in the market but need to close above $14 to confirm the signals. The bearish fundamental situation, however, is likely to limit the upside. In the March WASDE, USDA raised the long-grain carryout by 1 million hundredweight from last month,
meaning the carryout estimate is now 35.3 million cwt, up from 19.3 million only a year ago. The increase was due to a 1 million hundredweight increase in the import estimate. Despite that, though, USDA raised its season-average expected price forecast by 20 cents to $14.20/cwt. On March 18, USDA announced that signup is open for the Emergency Commodity Assistance Program, which was approved by Congress late last year. Rice farmers will receive a payment of $76.94/acre on 2024 planted acreage, subject to payment limits. Prevented planted acres will receive a 50% payment. The first tranche of payments will be made on 85% of certified acreage.
Corn
The latest WASDE report offered a neutral-to-positive outlook for the corn market. U.S. ending stocks for 2025 remained steady at 1.54 billion bushels, slightly above expectations by 25 million bushels. Globally, corn stocks were reduced by 1.4 million metric tons (mmt) to 288.9 mmt. While production forecasts for Brazil and Argentina were unchanged, Brazil’s export projection was lowered by 2 mmt due to increased domestic consumption. Additionally, China’s corn import forecast dropped by 2 mmt to 8 mmt, which could impact demand from major exporters, including the U.S. If global demand weakens further, U.S. exports may face additional pressure. New crop September 2025 futures have been rangebound between $4.40 and $4.50, with the primary resistance level at $4.50. Market activity remains quiet as traders await the next major USDA data release on March 31, which will include the March 1 Stocks report and the Prospective Plantings report. Further uncertainty stems from former President Donald Trump’s statements on April 2 regarding potential new tariffs, which could influence trade relations with key partners and weigh on the market.
Soybeans
The March WASDE report was largely neutral-to-positive for soybeans. U.S. ending stocks held steady at 380 million bushels, in line with expectations. However, global stocks saw a surprising 3 mmt decline, bringing
the total to 121.4 mmt. While Brazil and Argentina’s production estimates were unchanged, China’s soybean crush estimate increased by 2 mmt to 105 mmt, signaling stronger demand from the world’s largest importer. This could offer price support for soybeans, benefiting U.S. exporters and other major producers. New crop November soybeans continue to trade within a narrow range, struggling to break through downtrend resistance. Market movement remains limited as traders seek stronger catalysts.
Wheat
Wheat saw a more bearish outlook, with U.S. ending stocks rising by 25 million bushels to 819 million, surpassing expectations. This increase was driven by a 10-million bushel rise in imports and a 15-million bushel drop in exports. Globally, wheat stocks grew by 2.5 mmt to 260 mmt, mainly due to a 2.1 mmt increase in Australian production, which also boosted its export forecast by 1 mmt. Meanwhile, Russian exports were lowered by 0.5 mmt to 45 mmt, and China’s import forecast was cut by 1.5 mmt to 6.5 mmt. New-crop winter wheat has rallied, breaking near-term resistance at $5.80. However, as in previous rallies, speculative selling may limit further gains.
Livestock and Poultry
In the monthly Supply/Demand report, USDA raised the forecast for red meat and poultry production for 2025 on higher beef and chicken production. Lower pork and turkey production forecasts partially offset those increases. USDA will release the Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report on March 27, providing more information about production for the remainder of the year. Egg prices are forecast to decline due to reduced demand after HPAI-related reductions in production have resulted in record-high egg prices. The milk production forecast for 2025 was lower on expected output per cow. The all-milk price estimate for 2025 was lowered to $21.60/cwt.