Farm Bureau Press | May 12

Farm Bureau Press

A r FB FOUNDATION 2023 TRAP SHOOT

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Foundation's 5th Annual Trap Shoot will be held June 9 at the Arkansas Game & Fish Foundation Shooting Sports Complex in Jacksonville. The deadline for registration is May 26.

The ArFB Foundation is "Aiming for the Future of Agriculture" by teaming up with the Arkansas 4-H Foundation and the Arkansas FFA Foundation. Half of the net proceeds from this year's shoot will directly benefit both the Arkansas 4-H and Arkansas FFA Foundations, while continuing to support the goals of the ArFB Foundation.

Aiming for the Future of Agriculture

There are several options for those wanting to support these organizations. For more information on all sponsorship opportunities, please visit ArFB Foundation section of the Arkansas Farm Bureau website for registration options and additional forms. Each level of sponsorship is vital to the success of this fundraiser.

For more information, contact ArFB Foundation Director Amanda Williams at (501) 228-1493 or by email.

USDA ANNOUNCES SIGNUP FOR RICE PRODUCTION PROGRAM

USDA announced that Farm Service Agency (FSA) will begin mailing prefilled applications to rice producers for the Rice Production Program (RPP). The program, authorized in the Consolidated Appropriations Act, will provide up to $250 million in assistance to rice farmers based on 2022 planted and prevented planted acres.

Once received, producers should take their application to their local FSA office no later than July 10. FSA will make an initial payment to eligible producers at the rate of one cent per pound. If funds are available, a final payment will be issued to eligible producers.

More information is available by going online or contacting your local FSA office.

A PEEK INSIDE

ArFB Young Farmer & Rancher Award Finalists Announced, Page 2

Northeast Arkansas Research Station Ground Breaking, Page 3

ArFB YOUNG FARMER & RANCHER AWARD

Arkansas Farm Bureau Young Farmers & Ranchers recently announced three finalists for Excellence in Ag and Achievement Award. The contests are designed to provide opportunities to give recognition for achievements in agriculture, business, and leadership to our young farmers and ranchers.

The Excellence in Ag award recognizes the accomplishments of contestants who derive the majority of their income from efforts other than agriculture but are involved in farming. The three finalists are:

• Chris and Brooklyn Heiser, Johnson Co. The Heisers have a cow-calf operation where they run predominately commercial angus and sim angus, as well as a small herd of registered angus cows for seedstock.

Brooklyn manages the family’s restaurant, Sweet Treats in Lamar. Along with their herd, Chris manages Wilkins Cattle and Poultry, Inc.

• Reed and Sarah Kelley, Faulkner Co. The Kelleys have a commercial cow-calf operation in Conway, where Reed is an agricultural instructor at Conway High School. Sarah works at UAMS as a Labor and Delivery and NICU nurse. They have one daughter.

• Hannah Walker, Baxter Co. Hannah and her husband have mixed cow-calf pairs, replacement heifers, bulls, and feeder calves on their farm in Henderson. She is the financial secretary for the Mountain Home Public Schools Special Education Department. She and her husband have two children.

PRODUCE SAFETY TRAINING FOR FRUIT

Keeping produce free of microbial contamination and reducing foodborne illness is critical to the success of commercial growers. To support these efforts, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture will offer a remote, two-day produce safety training workshop for fruit and vegetable growers.

The workshop will provide important information on best practices, worker health and hygiene, risk management and more. The training will take place 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. May 24–25 via Zoom. Participants can register online.

Registration is $25 per person for Arkansas residents and $100 per person for out-of-state residents. The deadline to register is May 17. Gaby Sanders, extension program associate for local, regional, and safe foods for the Division of Agriculture, said the Arkansas Produce Safety team is looking forward to hosting their only remote training of 2023.

The training, developed by the Produce Safety Alliance and

Farm Bill | ArFB President Rich Hillman served on a panel of farmers speaking earlier this month to the Senate Ag, Nutrition & Forestry Committee in D.C. Hillman's testimony focused on addressing crop insurance, conservation and commodity programs in the upcoming Farm Bill.

Jackson Co. Strawberries | Sarah Hardin, Jackson Co. Farm Bureau YF&R co-chair and Women’s Leadership Committee member, read the American Farm Bureau Book of the Year, “I Love Strawberries” to a preschool class in Newport. Students were also treated with strawberries from Berries by Bill in Newport.

Jackson Co. Board Member | Jackson Co. Farm Bureau board member Tommy Young was recently selected as President of the Arkansas Association of Quorum Courts.

AWARD FINALISTS ANNOUNCED

The Achievement Award recognizes young farmers and ranchers in Arkansas who have excelled in their farming and ranching operations and exhibited outstanding leadership abilities. The award is designed for those involved full-time in production agriculture.

The three finalists for the Achievement Award are:

• John Michael and Rachel Bearden, Hot Spring Co. The Beardens have a cow-calf operation in Friendship. They also raise performance horses, hay, sheep, and timber. Rachel is an extension agent in Hot Spring County, serving as Staff Chair. They have one daughter.

• Dayton and Lauren McCarty, Stone Co. The McCartys have a cow-calf operation in Mountain View, where they have 12 commercial pairs and 12 registered black angus. They also have 6 broiler houses. They have three children.

• Justin and Laycee Story, Scott Co. The Storys have an 851acre farm in western Scott Co., where they run a 145-head cattle operation and150 Black Belly and Dorper Cross sheep. They operate a liquid feed business while Justin also works part-time for other cattlemen in the area. They have three children.

The winner of the awards will be announced in July at the Officers and Leaders Conference in Hot Springs.

FRUIT AND VEGETABLE GROWERS

presented by the Cooperative Extension Service’s Arkansas Produce Safety Team, teaches growers about regulatory requirements of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule. FSMA is the first federally regulated standard for growing, harvesting, packing, and holding fresh produce. For more information, contact Sanders at gsanders@uada.edu or at 501-671-2046.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS RESEARCH STATION GROUND

BREAKING

The Northeast Arkansas Rice Research Station ground breaking was held May 9 in Arkansas, with more than 200 people in attendance.

The new headquarters building will serve as a rice research and education hub, featuring offices, labs, a demonstration kitchen and public meeting spaces.

The facility is the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s newest agricultural research and extension center and will focus on rice production practices that maximize farm income while conserving natural resources.

Casting for Recovery |

Kids Foundation enriches the lives of children with special needs, supports their families, and strengthens communities through the sport of fishing. Arkansas Farm Bureau Insurance has partnered with the organization for its four events in the state this year. The first was held May 6 at Reynolds Park in Paragould.

The C.A.S.T. for

MARKET NEWS

as of May 10 , 2023

Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 | brandy.carroll@arfb.com

Oxner

Rice

Rice planting continues to move along with, 72% of the crop being planted for this year. This is 9% more than last week, last year, and the five-year average. Arkansas is reporting that 79% of its crop has been planted, 11% more than last week and 16% ahead of the fiveyear average. Technically, July is trending sharply higher. However, the market could be running out of steam with prices above $18. If the bears succeed in pushing the market below that level, there isn’t much support above the $17 level. September futures, however, are trading is a sideways pattern just below resistance near $15.50.

Cotton

The roller-coaster ride in cotton futures continues. Daily movement has seen some wide swings. This week has seen sharp gains, only for futures to be stopped cold by trendline resistance drawn off the January high. For July, that resistance is near 85¢ and new-crop December it’s near 84¢. Recent strength in the dollar continues to have a negative impact on demand, but last week’s export sales totals were a bright spot in the market. Cotton planting has reached 22% completion for 2023, a 7% increase from last week and 1% behind last year's progress and the five-year average. Arkansas has planted 30% of its cotton crop, ahead of the five-year average of 21%. The market continues to watch the weather in west Texas, as conditions

there remain dry. Combined with reduced acres in the mid-south, a short crop in Texas could have a big impact on the market this fall.

Corn

Farmers have made impressive progress in recent weeks, according to USDA. The May 8 progress report indicates 49% of intended acres are now seeded. That is up from 26% the week prior, and well ahead of the five-year average of 42%. In Iowa, farmers planted 40% of the crop last week. They are now 70% planted compared with a five-year average of 53%. This kind of progress has not been favorable for futures prices. New-crop December charted a bullish reversal last week, and it looked like the market was trying to establish support at that low of $5.12. The market then found resistance at $5.37 two days in a row and is again testing support at $5.12. Failure to hold that support would negate the bullish chart signal and suggest that further losses are possible. Market focus will shift to the supply/demand report at the end of the week. Pre-report estimates are predicting an increase in ending stocks for both the 2022/23 and the 2023/24 marketing year.

Soybeans

Soybean farmers have also taken advantage of good weather and have seeded 35% of planned acres, an increase of 16% from last week and 24% from last year. We are now well ahead of the five-year average of 21%. In Arkansas, 58% of the crop is in the ground, which is 22% higher than last year and 24% higher than the five-year average of 34%. Just like corn, planting progress and good weather continues to weigh on soybean prices. New-crop November is testing support at the low of $12.47½. Weakness has carried over into the product markets as well, with both oil and meal posting

sharp losses this week. The supply/ demand report is expected to show a significant increase in the 2023/24 carryout, adding to the negative undertone.

Wheat

July wheat futures charted a bullish reversal last week, signaling that the market has finally found its low at $6.03 ¾. However, the market has found some resistance at $6.70. Carryover weakness from other markets is affecting wheat futures. USDA is reporting 59% of the Arkansas wheat crop is in good to excellent shape while only 7% is very poor to poor. Nationwide, only 29% of the crop is in good to excellent shape while 44% is poor to very poor.

Hogs

June hog futures have moved to new contract lows after charting a bearish reversal last week. As future’s premium over cash prices narrows, selling interest will likely diminish. Stronger wholesale pork prices this week has helped the market find some support. On Tuesday of this week, June charted a bullish outside day, potentially establishing support at the low of $82.72½.

Cattle

Live cattle futures look to have charted a significant top in mid-April. Follow-through selling has been somewhat limited, with June moving higher after finding some support around $161.50. Weaker cash trade and general concerns about the U.S. economy are contributing to the negative undertone. A recent rally in wholesale beef values has slowed, and packer demand is expected to be slower in the coming week.

EDITOR

Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com