JULY 22, 2022 | VOLUME 25 | ISSUE 15
Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE
ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU COUNTY SCHOOL SUPPLY DRIVE The start of a new school year is fast approaching and teachers are busy restocking their classrooms. According to the Kids in Need Foundation, 90% of students arrive for class without all the needed school supplies and 99% of educators use their own money to purchase supplies for their students and classrooms. As part of the Health and Wellness Program, ArFB state Women’s Leadership Committee (WLC) and Young Farmers & Ranchers (YF&R) Committee will be sponsoring a statewide school supply drive July 15–Aug. 31. County committees can participate in several ways:
Boozman To Be Awarded Golden Plow, Page 2
• Purchasing schools supplies to donate; • Organizing a school supply drive at the county office; • Donating gift cards to teachers to purchase supplies. ArFB will reimburse dollar for dollar, up to $200 per county, This is in addition to the $400 reimbursements for food donations and other activities in the Health and Wellness Program. Please submit a copy of check and/or receipt(s) to lori.croy@arfb.com for reimbursement. Each county that donates will receive a printed copy of the Ag in the Classroom book, "Bringing Farming to the Classroom." These books will be distributed in September. A list of suggested classroom and educator supplies can be found on the ArFB Leader Portal, but counties should check with their local schools for a specific list. We encourage counties to take this opportunity to educate students about agriculture, while providing needed supplies to schools in your county. As an activity that falls under the Health and Wellness program, participation in the School Supply Drive will count towards the Women’s Leadership, YF&R and Youth Education portions of Gold Star. ARKANSAS
New Coalition Launches to Help Close Arkansas’ Digital Divide, Page 3
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BOOZMAN TO BE AWARDED GOLDEN PLOW U.S. Senator John Boozman of Arkansas will on Friday be presented with the Golden Plow award by the American Farm Bureau, the highest honor the organization gives to sitting members of Congress. Boozman becomes the third Arkansan to earn the Golden Plow, following Sen. David Pryor (1989) and Sen. Blanche Lincoln (2008). He will receive the award during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s annual Young Farmers & Ranchers conference, set for the Embassy Suites in Rogers. American Farm Bureau President Zippy Duvall and ArFB President Rich Hillman will present the award. Boozman serves as ranking member of the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee. In his second term as senator after five terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, he is a 10-time Friend of Farm Bureau, awarded to members of Congress who have supported Farm Bureau’s policy position issues.
Marion D. Fletcher Dedication | More than 250 FFA supporters and ag teachers from across the state gathered July 13 at Camp Couchdale for the Marion D. Fletcher Leadership Center ribbon cutting and dedication. Arkansas Farm Bureau was involved in funding the renovations, including the updated Troy Buck Auditorium. Fletcher is the long-time administrator for Arkansas FFA, while Troy Buck is a retired ag education teacher and longtime Clark County Farm Bureau Board member and State Board member for Arkansas Farm Bureau.
ArFB HAS ONLINE SIGNUP Arkansas Farm Bureau now has an online membership application on its website to help people more easily join the organization. Just visit www.arfb.com and find the "Join Now" link at the top of the page, or go directly to www. arfb.com/join. When a member joins Arkansas Farm Bureau online, they also join their county Farm Bureau and they will have access to all the same benefits, connections and information. Joining online is a convenience and a tool for counties to promote membership growth and encourage people to become champions for agriculture, youth leadership, education, rural health care and their community! 2
ARKANSAS DAIRY FOODS CONTEST WINNERS ANNOUNCED Caitlin Cooper, 14, of Romance (White County) and Lauren Powell, 15, of Lowell (Benton County) are the winners of the 2022 Arkansas Dairy Foods Contest. The contest is divided into two categories – the “Main Dish” and “Party Ideas” competitions. Cooper’s Three Cheese Spinach Alfredo Pasta recipe won in the Main Dish category, while Powell’s Mini Cinnamon Roll Cheesecakes recipe took first place in the Party Ideas category. Each contestant was required to send in a copy of their recipe, a summary of why they chose it and a video of them making the dish. Judges then reviewed each contestant’s submission before deciding. Cooper and Powell were selected over three other finalists in their categories, and each received a $150 gift card as a prize. The finalists in the Main Dish category were 16-year-old Andrew Huett of Elizabeth, second place; 13-year-old Colton Loving of Delaware, third place; and nine-year-old Hannah Evans of Jonesboro, fourth place. The finalists in the Party Ideas competition were 12-year-old Charlotte Roberts of Lonsdale, second place; 18-year-old Savannah Loving of Delaware, third place; and 11-year-old Penelope Samons of Pencil Bluff, fourth place.
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NEW COALITION LAUNCHES TO HELP CLOSE ARKANSAS’ DIGITAL DIVIDE A group of more than 15 local organizations gathered July 15 and committed to expanding internet access announced the formation of the Arkansas Connectivity Coalition. This is a group created to help support the state and local communities plan and secure the federal dollars needed to expand access and ensure high-speed internet is more accessible and affordable across the state. Convened by Heartland Forward, the coalition is made up of nonprofits, advocacy organizations, thought leaders and philanthropies, including the Arkansas Black Mayors Association, Arkansas Community Foundation, Arkansas Electric Cooperatives Inc., Arkansas Farm Bureau, Arkansas Impact Philanthropy, Communities Unlimited, Diamond State Networks, Forward Arkansas, Holman Strategies, Runway Group, University of Arkansas-Department of Communication, Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, Winrock International and Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation. The first major effort of the coalition is the launch of Accelerate Arkansas, a planning and capacity building program developed with the Benton Institute for Broadband & Society. This organization will help Arkansas communities learn how to plan and use the historic broadband infrastructure funding for community-driven broadband expansion. The inaugural pilot cohort of the program includes Cleveland County, Elaine, Hughes, West Memphis and Keo, and will begin on July 14.
Accelerate Arkansas will provide local leadership teams with expert support in developing broadband visions and implementation plans for their communities as new infrastructure dollars are made available through the historic passage of the federal infrastructure program as well as by the state. The opportunity is made possible through a collaboration between the University of Arkansas, which will coordinate survey research and oversee administrative support, and a series of organizations across the state that will provide technical support to cohort teams. Arkansas communities stand to receive a significant amount of funding for broadband infrastructure enhancement, thanks to the recent passage of the $1 trillion federal infrastructure plan. Community planning support offered through initiatives like Accelerate Arkansas will help even the playing field so that more cities and counties – regardless of size or staffing – can prepare to submit for capital dollars to help transform broadband in their communities. The program works to prepare communities for establishing and implementing a full-scale broadband connectivity vision. Through over 30 hours of expert counsel provided by the Benton Institute, the program offers structured engagement for communities to identify broadband goals, gather data, understand available funding options and target capital dollars to support implementation.
RICE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS The Rice Leadership Development Program gives future leaders a comprehensive understanding of the rice industry, with an emphasis on personal development and communication skills. The program has been in existence for more than 30 years and most of the current leaders of the U.S. rice industry are alumni. The deadline for application to the 2023-25 class is Sept. 9. Class members attend four one-week sessions over a two-year period that encompass studies of all aspects of the rice industry through firsthand observation. They also attend seminars and workshops designed to strengthen leadership skills.
Eligible applicants must be between the age of 25 and 45, and derive their primary livelihood as rice producers or from a rice industry-related profession or firm, including rice mills, rice product marketers, sales officials, suppliers, dryers, extension services, or research facilities. Participants from the industry-related category must serve the rice industry in their primary job responsibility. Those interested can apply online. A special committee of rice industry and agribusiness leaders evaluate the finalists to determine who will make up the class. The 2023-25 Rice Leadership Development Class will be announced at the Annual Awards Luncheon at the USA Rice Outlook Conference.
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MARKET NEWS as of July 19, 2022 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com Livestock and Poultry In the July Supply/Demand report, USDA lowered the forecast for 2022 red meat and poultry production, as higher beef and turkey production forecasts were more than offset by lower pork and broiler production estimates. Pork production is expected to be lower on slower-than-expected slaughter pace in June and expectations for lower carcass weights. Broiler production was lowered on second-quarter slaughter data but was partly offset by higher expected production in the third quarter. Lower beef production in the third quarter is projected to be more than offset by higher fourth-quarter slaughter. Beef imports for 2022 were unchanged from last month while export forecasts were raised on firm international demand. Pork import forecasts were raised and export forecasts were lowered based upon the current pace of trade. Both broiler and turkey export forecasts for 2022 were increased based upon recent data. Dairy In the July Supply/Demand report, USDA lowered milk production forecasts for 2022 and 2023 due to slower expected growth in milk per cow. Imports on a fat basis were raised for 2022 on stronger expected imports of butterfat containing products, but imports on a skim solids-basis were unchanged. Exports on both a skimsolids and a fat basis were also raised for 2022, indicating stronger demand for butter, cheese, whey, skim milk powder, and lactose. The 2022 butter price forecast was raised from last month on firm demand, and the cheese price forecast was lowered as stocks are more 4
than ample to cover demand. The Class III price was lowered on lower cheese prices, while Class IV was raised on higher butter prices. The all-milk price for 2022 was lowered to $26.15 per cwt. Corn Corn plantings were pegged at 89.921 million acres in the June acreage report, which was near the average of trade expectations and up 431,000 acres from the March 1 estimate. Arkansas farmers have seeded 710,000 acres of corn this year. USDA also reported corn stocks of 4.346 billion bushels, up 6% from the previous year. The July supply/demand report showed higher beginning stocks, increased production, and ending stocks up 70 million bushels at 1.47 billion bushels. The average on-farm price was lowered 10 cents to $6.65. Exports continue to be disappointing, with weekly sales of only 16 million bushels reported today. That is up from an abysmal 1.8 million bushels last week, however. The December contract is trading at six-month lows and has support at the recent low of $5.66 ½. Soybeans USDA surprised the market with a soybean acreage estimate of 88.325 million acres, down from a March 1 planting intentions estimate of 90.955 million acres, and below the lowest pre-report trade guess. Arkansas farmers have seeded 3.2 million acres to soybeans. Stocks were estimated to be 971 million bushels, up 26% from the previous year. In the July Supply/ Demand report, production was pegged at 4.5 billion bushels, down 135 million bushels on lower harvested acreage. Weak demand let to a cut in export projections, especially considering a weakening economy in China. The U.S. season average soybean price for 2022/23 was pegged at $14.40, down 30 cents from last month. Weekly export sales were negative 9.1 million bushels as cancellations of 13.3 million bushels outpaced sales of only 4.2 million bushels. Despite hot, dry conditions, 12% of the crop remains in good to excellent condition. In Arkansas 69% of the crop is rated good to excellent. November is building support just above $13, and longer-term support is
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at $12.75. Resistance begins at $14.40. Rice Rice acreage was pegged at 2.343 million acres nationwide, with 1.151 million of those acres in Arkansas. In the July supply/demand report, USDA forecast higher domestic use, lower exports, and larger ending stocks. Supplies were raised slightly on increased beginning stocks and imports, which more than offset the lower production estimate, which was reduced 8.2 million cwt to 174.5 million cwt. Most of the reduction was in medium- and short-grain, as California, in a severe long-term drought, has cut production to the lowest level since 1958. The crop condition ratings showed a five-point drop this week, providing support to futures as the ongoing drought puts the yield potential and quality of the crop into question. September futures gapped higher on Monday amid high volume as the market worries about the crop in the U.S. and India. September is finding some resistance around $17.30. Cotton Cotton plantings are estimated to be 12.478 million acres, up from the March planting intentions estimate of 12.058 million and near the top of the range of pre-report estimates. Arkansas acres are pegged at 500,000. Despite the increase in planted acres, continued drought has increased the number of acres expected to be abandoned, and harvested acres were down 600,000 acres in this month’s supply/demand report. Lower production, exports and ending stocks are now projected. The production estimate was down 1 million bales from the June report, now pegged at 15.5 million. Crop conditions deteriorated slightly last week, with 38% of the crop rated good to excellent. Despite the condition of the crop, futures have lost 50 cents in two months. December has found support at 82.5 cents in the process of charting a bullish reversal on Friday.
EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com