APRIL 23, 2021 | VOLUME 24 | ISSUE 8
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
CULVER NAMED 2021 AITC OUTSTANDING TEACHER
Jessica Culver, an economics instructor at Ozark High School, has been named the 2021 Arkansas Farm Bureau Ag in the Classroom (AITC) Outstanding Teacher. Matt Jackson, Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Director of Education, along with Franklin County Farm Bureau insurance agent Susan Holman, High School principal Jordan Price and Superintendent Jim Ford made the presentation to Culver at the school April 12. Culver received a check for $1,500. Due to lingering concerns over Covid-19 she will attend the National Ag in the Classroom Conference in Saratoga Springs, NY next year as the state’s National Ag in the Classroom nominee. “Economics plays a vital role in the success or failure of a farm,” Jackson said in explaining why Culver was recognized this year. “Having a teacher who understands this and developed projects for her students which combine agricultural concepts with economics was notable. This allowed her students
Greenway Equipment makes donation for NE Rice Research and Extension Center, page 2
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Arkansas Ag Hall of Fame sets Aug. 20 induction ceremony, page 3
FOLLOW US ONLINE 2021 AITC Outstanding Teacher | Left to right, back row: Students Carter Crane and Bryar Yates. Left to right, front row: Student Jameson Hall, Farm Bureau Insurance Agent Susan Holman, ArFB’s Matt Jackson, Culver, Principal Jordan Price, and Ozark Public Schools Superintendent Jim Ford.
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2021 AITC OUTSTANDING TEACHER Continued from page 1
to build an understanding of the profit-loss margins farmers deal with in today’s economy and Jessica has done an outstanding job of this.” Culver has been teaching economics and social studies at Ozark High School for 15 years and won the Economics Arkansas Bessie B. Moore Award for Excellence in Economics Education for her 2019-2020 project, “The ARKANSAS Economics of World War II and a Modern Pandemic.” In that unit she had students plant “victory gardens” in the school greenhouse to better understand the war. “Living and teaching in a rural, highpoverty school, it is important to me that I give my students connections that bring the subject matter to life within the classroom,” Culver said in explaining her project. “Agriculture is already such a meaningful topic for students in a rural, farm-based community, so adding agriculture to my subject matter of economics was a great way to bring economics to life.”
AFBF SUPPORTS NEW GROWING CLIMATE SOLUTIONS ACT American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall commented on the re-introduction of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. “AFBF welcomes the introduction of the Growing Climate Solutions Act, which builds on the strong foundation of environmental stewardship in American agriculture by providing more clarity and guidance for farmers and ranchers as they explore or expand participation in carbon markets,” he said. “This bill is evidence lawmakers can come together in a bipartisan manner to find solutions to environmental challenges while respecting the role of farmers and ranchers as they feed families around the globe. I commend Sens. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) for working with Ranking Member John Boozman (R-Ark.) to introduce an improved Growing Climate Solutions Act. “AFBF will continue to work with lawmakers, directly and through the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance that we co-founded, to advance policies and programs that are science-based, voluntary and market-driven.” Highlights of the Growing Climate Solutions Act: • Creates an online “One-Stop Shop” for farmers, ranchers and foresters interested in carbon markets to help them get their foot in the door. • Establishes a USDA Certification for private parties that farmers work with to generate and ultimately sell their carbon credits. • Commits to including farmers and other climate stakeholders on USDA’s Advisory Council. 2
A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION
GREENWAY EQUIPMEN NE RICE RESEARCH A
The new Northeast Rice Research and Exten Center in Poinsett County is getting a $2 mil boost from Greenway Equipment.
Greenway executives John Conner, Jr., Chairm Marshall Stewart, Chief Executive Officer, Ste Smith, Chief Financial Officer, and Bill Midkiff President, announced the donation April 16 check presentation at the station in Poinsett about 8 miles south of Jonesboro on Arkans Highway 1.
The $2 million gift provides $1 million for agricultural equipment at the station and $1 toward the construction of the NERREC exhi hall, which will be a community resource.
The center is being built by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and provide new research into rice production p for northeast Arkansas and beyond. Arkansa nation’s leading rice-growing state, and grow are expected to plant more than 1.2 million a this year. Over the last few years, rice produc Arkansas has expanded northward. Differing in northeast Arkansas require different prod practices from the rest of the state and that’s the challenges researchers will tackle at the
Marshall Stewart, Greenway’s Chief Executive said he believes that the Northeast Rice Rese and Extension Center will provide great ben the rice industry.
WESTERMAN REINTRO
Arkansas Fourth District Congressman Bruce Westerman, the Ranking Member of the Hou Committee on Natural Resources, announce reintroduction of the Trillion Trees Act. The T Trees Act is a bipartisan bill that will solidify United States as a global leader of the One T Trees Initiative to conserve, restore and grow trillion trees worldwide. Studies show that re 1 trillion new trees globally would sequester gigatons of carbon, an amount equivalent to thirds of all manmade emissions remaining i atmosphere today.
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“It will also open doors to new segments for our community to gain a better understanding of the importance that agriculture, specifically rice, plays in our region, state and world,” he said. “Greenway is proud and honored to have the opportunity to help promote the positive narrative of agriculture.” “This generous gift from Greenway is foundational for the new station to begin its research and outreach missions,” said Tim Burcham, director of the NERREC, which is part of the Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station. “I greatly appreciate the commitment Greenway has made to enhance the division’s programs that provide Arkansas producers with the unbiased information they need to continue to lead the nation in rice production.” Burcham said that when complete, the station will also have “research labs, facilities for community and industry meetings, and importantly, a learning space dedicated to educating grade school children and the general public on rice production in Arkansas.” Research to be conducted at the center includes water management from both surface and ground sources, remediation of fertility of recently leveled fields and the coordination of rice production practices to meet goals associated with conservation and sustainability. The center is being built in partnership with the Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board, through the use of TRQ funds.
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Arkansas is one of the United States’ leading producers in timber, harvesting more than 24 million tons per year, worth an estimated $445 million to landowners. The Trillion Trees Act uses a three-pronged approach of regeneration, management and utilization to grow more wood and store more carbon globally. By motivating the use of wood as a renewable resource through sustainable building tax credits and incentivizing the growth of more trees on the land currently utilized, new timber markets will be created in Arkansas and the nation.
ARKANSAS AG HALL OF FAME SETS AUG. 20 INDUCTION CEREMONY The Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame (AAHoF) has announced Aug. 20 as a target date for the induction ceremony for its next class of inductees. The ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Embassy Suites in Little Rock. The six-person class was announced in January, though at that time the AAHoF’s board of directors chose to forego its traditional early March induction ceremony to allow time to further evaluate health guidelines, vaccination rates and public health trends surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. “We are still very cautious, though optimistic, that by late August the public health situation in Arkansas will be such that we can safely gather to celebrate these outstanding selections for the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame,” said board chairman Butch Calhoun of Des Arc, a former secretary of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. The class announced in January includes: • retired Cooperative Extension Service Director Rick Cartwright of Fayetteville; • long-time ag educator Joe Don Greenwood of Hermitage; • the late Russell Roy Reynolds, the director of the U.S. Forest Service Crossett Experimental Forest for 34 years; • former Arkansas Farm Bureau President Randy Veach of Manila; • Mark Waldrip of Moro, founder of Armor Seed Company; • and Andrew Wargo III of Watson, farm manager for the 15,000-acre Baxter Land Company for more than 50 years. “This newest class, our 34th group of inductees, represents agriculture education, the seed industry, agri-business, row-crop production, agricultural/political advocacy, timber management, as well as agricultural research and outreach,” said Calhoun. “This group reflects the same tenets of success and impact that connect everyone previously selected for the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame. The new selections will bring to 176 the number of honorees in the AAHoF, begun in 1987.
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MARKET NEWS as of April 21, 2021 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com
April Livestock, Poultry, and Dairy Supply/Demand Report The 2021 forecast for total red meat and poultry was reduced from the previous report on lower than expected pork and turkey production. The beef production forecast was raised on higher slaughter estimates for the second half of the year, but gains were limited by expectations for lighter carcass weights. Pork production was lowered on a slower pace of slaughter through the rest of 2021, but it was partially offset by heavier hog weight estimates. USDA’s March Quarterly Hogs and Pigs report estimated that the December 2020 – February 2021 pig crop was approximately 1% smaller than the previous year and producers have indicated intentions to farrow 3% fewer sows during the March-May time frame. The annual broiler production estimate was unchanged from the previous report, while both turkey and egg production was lowered in the April report. For 2021, the beef import forecast was reduced on weakness in imports from Australia while exports were unchanged. The pork export forecast was raised on expectations for firm global demand for U.S. pork products. The pork and turkey import forecast was also raised. The 2021 cattle price forecast is raised on current price strength and 4
firm demand. The hog price forecast was raised on recent strength and lowered supply expectations. The broiler price forecast was reduced, reflecting a lower first-quarter price and weaker demand while the turkey price forecast was raised slightly on lowered production.
to see higher planting intentions to fill demand. USDA says that 3% of the U.S. crop has been seeded, and 12% of the Arkansas crop is in the ground. Technically, November futures are trading at contract high levels and challenging resistance at $13.
Dairy production for 2021 was raised from last month, on increased cow numbers. Product price forecasts were raised on improving demand, both domestically and internationally. Prices of cheese, butter, nonfat dry milk, and whey were raised, boosting both Class III and Class IV prices. The 2021 all milk price forecast was raised to $18.40 per cwt.
Cotton All cotton acres are pegged at 12.036 million for 2021, which was mostly in line with trade expectations. Arkansas’ crop was estimated to be 490,000 acres. Drought conditions in West Texas could result in a decrease in acres or increased abandonment if the acres do get planted. Demand for cotton has rebounded significantly since the lows seen during 2020. The U.S. dollar is relatively soft compared with other currencies, making U.S. cotton more competitive. New-crop December is now trending higher, but resistance at the contract high of 89.28 cents looks solid at this point.
Corn Corn futures continue to climb higher, setting a new contract high on a daily basis. May closed above $6 on Tuesday, the first corn contract to do that since July 2013. Supplies are tight, and that is not currently forecast to change. Corn plantings are estimated by USDA at 91.1 million acres, up less than one percent, or 325,000 acres from last year. In Arkansas, intended plantings are pegged at 700,000 acres, up 13% from 2020. 2020-21 ending stocks are expected to be tight, so expect to see prices supported through spring. Acreage could, of course, still increase, especially if we see dryer conditions early, but less than ideal temperatures could keep farmers from planting. As of April 18, 8% of the U.S. crop was in the ground. Soybeans Soybean planted acreage for 2021 was pegged at 87.6 million acres, up 5% from 2020. In Arkansas, acres are estimated to be three million, up 6% from last year. Total acres here were also less than expected. Soybean stocks are also expected to be tight, and traders were expecting
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Rice All rice acres are estimated to be 2.71 million acres, down 11% from last year. Arkansas farmers are expected to plant 1.13 million acres of long grain and 121,000 acres of medium and short grain, for a total of 1.251 million acres, down 14% from 2021. USDA says 33% of the crop is in the ground across the country, and Arkansas farmers have seeded 26% of the crop here. Sluggish demand is pressuring prices lower despite the sharp drop in anticipated supply. May has fallen below previous support at $12.90 which opens the possibility of a retest of support at $12.50.
EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com