Farm Bureau Press | June 10

JUNE 10, 2022 | VOLUME 25 | ISSUE 12

Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE

CARTWRIGHT JOINS ArFB COMMODITY TEAM ArFB announced Jake Cartwright has joined the Commodity and Regulatory Affairs Department as a director of Commodity Activities and Economics. In his role, he will assume duties and responsibilities associated with the Aquaculture, Dairy and Forestry Divisions.

His work will include the implementation of Farm Bureau policy affecting each of the agricultural commodities and he will be responsible for economic analysis and commodity-specific programs and activities surrounding Aquaculture, Dairy and Forestry.

Arkansas Farm Bureau Selects Summer Interns, Page 2

Jake Cartwright

A native of Harrison, Cartwright is currently working on his graduate degree in agribusiness economics from Southern Illinois University (SIU). Cartwright came to Arkansas Farm Bureau after working as manager of the university beef center, which is part of the SIU Farms. In that position, Cartwright oversaw four other graduate student workers and advised the administration on decisions related to farm goals, including herd and forage management, hay production and breeding decisions.

Cartwright earned his bachelor of science degree in agriculture business and animal science from the College of the Ozarks and pursued graduate studies in animal science at the University of Arkansas before transferring to Southern Illinois. While working on his undergraduate degree at College of the Ozarks, he served as treasurer and then president of the college’s Collegiate Farm Bureau chapter.

"Jake's agricultural economics background coupled with his experience in production agriculture will allow him to immediately connect with our farmers," said Evan Teague, vice president of commodity and regulatory affairs. "And being a native Arkansan, he understands the state and the challenges faced by our members as well as the opportunities that result."

Senate Ag Committee Field Hearing, Page 3

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HUNTER VS. LANDOWNER NATIONAL AG LAW CENTER WEBINAR A New Hampshire hunter who was seriously injured when a tree stand collapsed in 2009 sued the landowner. The hunter dropped the suit when he learned another party owned the tree stand, but how do you determine who is liable for injuries or other legal issues on leased land?

The National Agricultural Law Center will host a webinar focusing on the legal risks and other practical issues of land leases on June 15 at 11 a.m.

Two college students have joined Arkansas Farm Bureau for the summer as interns. The interns will work with various departments to expand their skills while developing a better understanding of the agriculture industry in Arkansas.

Ayden Massey is interning with the Public Relations Department. Her role consists of generating content for social channels, creating print materials, assisting with video production and additional fieldwork.

Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney at NALC, will be the webinar presenter. Rumley’s areas of expertise focus on land use, including landowner liability, leasing and agritourism.

Massey is from Lincoln and graduated in May from the University of Arkansas Ayden Massey with a bachelor’s degree in agricultural communications and a minor in agricultural leadership.

“It is important for all parties to realize that leases for hunting are different from a typical agricultural lease,” Rumley said. “It is essential to consider issues such as liability and managing shared access to the property.”

“Starting my professional career at an organization that has such a tremendous impact on the agriculture industry in Arkansas is an incredible opportunity,” said Massey. “I can’t think of a better place to transfer the skills I developed from the classroom to a professional setting.”

Potentially expensive disputes between landowners and lessees illustrate the risks of leasing land without fully considering the terms of the agreement, Rumley said. Other issues for landowners to consider include insurance, the number of people granted access to the property and restrictions on certain hunting or other land-use practices.

Mary Eichenberger is interning with the Commodity and Regulatory Affairs, Organization and Member Programs and Public Affairs and Government Relations Department. Her role consists of conducting research and collecting commodity and industry data.

“According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, during COVID there were almost three million new hunting licenses, tags, permits and stamps issued. With the influx of newly licensed hunters, it is essential that both parties know the legal risks of leasing land,” Rumley said.

Harrison Pittman, director of the National Agricultural Law Center, said, “In Arkansas alone, almost 90 percent of land is privately owned.

Demand to hunt that privately owned land is high, and knowing how leases work will set landowners and hunters up for successful seasons.”

Learn more and register for the webinar here.

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU SELECTS SUMMER INTERNS

Eichenberger is from Mary Eichenberger Clarksville and is a senior at the University of Arkansas, studying agricultural business with a pre-law concentration. She currently serves as the vice president of Collegiate Farm Bureau and vice president of operations for Delta Delta Delta.

“I am excited to be working with Arkansas Farm Bureau and looking forward to learning how to best serve the agricultural community of Arkansas,” said Eichenberger.

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SENATE AG COMMITTEE FIELD HEARING U.S. Senators John Boozman (R-AR), Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, and Debbie Stabenow (D-MI), Chairwoman, will hold a field hearing in Arkansas to gain input from Arkansas ag producers as the process of writing the 2023 Farm Bill begins.

The committee held its first field hearing in Senator Stabenow’s home state of Michigan earlier this year, and this is the chance for Arkansas farmers and ranchers to make their voice heard. It’s important to participate in the hearing to ensure the issues and opportunities for Arkansas producers are considered when drafting the new Farm Bill.

Grant Co. Scholarships | Grant Co. Farm Bureau presented its 2022 scholarship recipients May 17 at the Sheridan High School Awards. Agency Manager Carey Autrey presented the three $1,000 scholarships to (from left) Jordan Thomas, Ruthie Reaves and Abby Stockton.

The committee hearing will be held June 17 from 9 – 11 a.m. at the Fowler Center on the campus of Arkansas State University in Jonesboro. If you aren’t able to attend, the hearing will be streamed live at ag.senate.gov.

FIELDS CONFIRMED AS UA VP-AGRICULTURE On May 25, The University of Arkansas System Board of Trustees confirmed Deacue Fields as vice president for agriculture based on a recommendation by System President Donald R. Bobbitt.

Bobbitt recommended Fields to lead the System’s Division of Agriculture in April following a national search.

Fields, currently dean of the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences, will begin his new job July 1.

Baxter Co. FFA | Mountain Home FFA students recently presented the ArFB Ag Trailer to students at Hackler Elementary. The visit included demonstrations with the Germination Station, the dairy cow and the Ag Experience trailer.

Fields was appointed Bumpers College dean in 2017. He came to Arkansas after serving as professor and chair of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology at Auburn University since August 2013. He joined the faculty at Auburn in 2002 and was promoted to associate professor in 2007, an appointment that also included Extension duties. He has also worked as an assistant professor and director of small farm outreach at Florida A&M University and as a graduate research fellow in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness at Louisiana State University.

He earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, in 1993, his master’s degree from the University of Missouri in 1995 and his doctorate from LSU in 2002, all in agricultural economics.

Sharp Co. Book Donation | Sharp County Farm Bureau President Ken Billiot (left) recently presented ag literacy books, “How To Grow A Monster” and “Barn at Night,” to the Cave City Librarian, Jill Care.

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MARKET NEWS as of June 8, 2022 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com

Corn The corn market had been receiving support from ideas that Russia had destroyed a lot of the agriculture infrastructure in Ukraine, but the Ag Ministry has announced that 89% of expected spring plantings are indeed in the ground, for a total 14.159 million hectares. As June 5, USDA says 94% of the U.S. corn crop is in the ground and 78% has emerged as the crop gets off to a favorable start. In the first week of crop conditions reporting, USDA says 73% of the crop is in good to excellent condition. It does look like the uptrend that started in 2020 is coming to an end. Both old crop and new crop contracts have broken multiple levels of support.

The market has rebounded a bit in recent days, though. For July, support is at $7.20½, and resistance is at $7.77. New crop December is building support at the recent low of $6.82. Failure to hold above that support could lead to a rapid selloff. Resistance is as $7.29¾.

Soybeans Technical signals for soybeans have been mixed. The market charted a huge key reversal early last week but has seen little follow through selling. Old crop beans have been supported by tight supplies and strong cash markets and are still trending higher. Resistance is at the contract high of $17.59¼.

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November needs to close above the high of $15.60½ to negate the reversal, and that hasn’t happened yet. Weakness in soy meal is a negative, but soy oil prices remain in an uptrend, providing some support. As more renewable diesel plants are built, the demand for soybean acres will continue to increase. The crop is off to a good start despite early delays. Arkansas farmers are 86% planted, ahead of the 5-year average of 79%, while nationwide 78% of the crop is in.

Rice Rice futures remain in an uptrend, but have fallen back from recent contract highs. U.S. planting is mostly done, with farmers catching up late in the season. The crop is reportedly in good shape, with 78% of Arkansas acres in good to excellent condition. Nationally, 72% of the crop is rated good to excellent. A lack of export demand continues to be a negative factor. Net sales last week were only 20,500 metric tons, which is bearish for prices, and in-line with the four-week average. Concerns about food security have been supportive, but with exports from Ukraine set to resume and farmers there back in fields in some instances, those concerns are waning and carryover weakness from wheat futures has impacted rice prices as well. September futures have support between $16.75 and $17.

Cotton The cotton crop is mostly in the ground, with Arkansas farmers having seeded 97% of the crop at home, and 84% in the ground nationwide. While the mMidsouth crop is off to a good start, Texas farmers are facing a severe drought. USDA reports that 78%

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of the Arkansas crop is in good to excellent condition. USDA says that 48% of the U.S. crop is in good to excellent condition. In Texas, only 27% of the crop is rated good to excellent. Cotton futures look like a top has been put in. December is now trading around 15 cents below the contract high of $1.33 set in mid-May. Support begins at $1.15.

Cattle Live cattle futures are struggling to recover from a huge bearish reversal that sent the market to new long-term lows. June futures now have support at $130.22, while October support is now at $139.90. Key resistance for October is in the $180 area in the event of a more dramatic rebound. Reports of good Memorial Day beef sales and technically-driven buying have helped the market recover.

Feeder futures have rebounded, with August setting a new longterm low of $162.80 before turning higher.

Hogs The rally in hog futures looks to be running out of steam. Gains have been limited by negative packer operating margins and ongoing concerns about the U.S. economy.

The composite pork cutout set has improved since mid-May, but is still over 13% below the year ago value.

The upside potential of the market is uncertain, with rough resistance for June around $111.60. The market is building support around $107, and that’s keeping futures in a narrow trading range. October futures have resistance at $95.

EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com