Farm Bureau Press | September 2

SEPTEMBER 2, 2022 | VOLUME 25 | ISSUE 18

Farm Bureau Press A PEEK INSIDE

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU NAMES LAMBERT AS STATE AFFAIRS DIRECTOR Mark Lambert has been named Director of State Affairs in the Public Affairs & Government Relations department. Lambert previously worked in Arkansas Farm Bureau’s Commodity & Regulatory Affairs department as a Director of Commodity Activities and Economics.

Lambert has been with Arkansas Farm Bureau for seven years, handling the Wheat & Feed Grains and the Forestry Divisions before taking over the Soybean and Wheat & Feed Grains Divisions. In his previous role, he provided administrative support to the Soybean, Corn and Grain Sorghum, and Wheat Promotion Mark Lambert Boards. In his new role, he will help guide efforts to develop, promote and implement Arkansas Farm Bureau’s membergenerated state policy priorities.

“Growing up surrounded by agriculture in East Arkansas, I got to see firsthand the impact Farm Bureau has on the industry and local communities,” said Lambert. “That experience gives me a strong sense of responsibility to help better our members' lives and work to ensure a brighter future for Arkansas farmers and ranchers.”

A native of Stuttgart, Lambert came to Arkansas Farm Bureau from Riceland Foods. He earned undergraduate and graduate degrees in agriculture economics from the University of Arkansas.

“Mark has both a strong background in and a passion for agriculture and we are excited that he will be taking on this important role in helping Arkansas Farm Bureau achieve its policy goals at the state level,” said Stanley Hill, vice president of public affairs and government relations.

National Agricultural Law Center Webinar: Carbon Contracts, Page 2

LEAD AWA R D S New ArFB Program: LEAD, Page 3

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GET THE LINKS Scan the QR code to access direct links referenced in each article.

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

ArFB COMMODITY AND REGULATORY AFFAIRS STAFFING ASSIGNMENTS With Mark Lambert’s move to the Public Affairs & Government Relations department, roles have been reassigned within the ArFB Commodity and Regulatory Affairs (CRA) department.

John McMinn will assume responsibility for the Soybean Division as well as the role of Administrator for the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board and will retain his assignment as Director of the Specialty Crops Division.

Johnson Co. Farm Bureau Scholarships | Johnson Co. Farm Bureau Agency Manager Marty Wilkins recently presented checks to each of the 2022 scholarship recipients: Jacob Key, Morgan Gentry, Braedyn Willis, Abby Frizzell and Jade Dillard (not pictured).

Jefferson Co. WLC | The Jefferson County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee recently presented pantry goods and a donation to Neighbor to Neighbor Food Bank. Pictured are Pat Tate (left), executive director, and Susan Bitely (right), JCFB Women’s Leadership co-chair.

Jake Cartwright will assume responsibilities for the Beef and Equine Divisions and will retain his assignment as Director of the Dairy Division.

The Aquaculture, Forestry, and Wheat & Feed Grains divisions is open.

NATIONAL AGRICULTURAL LAW CENTER WEBINAR: CARBON CONTRACTS The National Agricultural Law Center will host “A Farmer’s Guide to Carbon Contracts” webinar Sept. 28.

The webinar will briefly summarize the current market for carbon contracts. It will discuss relevant contract law briefly, and then take a close look at selected language taken directly from contracts being offered to farmers and analyze the meaning of that language.

More details and registration are available online.

ArFB HAS ONLINE SIGNUP ArFB now has an online membership application on its website to help people more easily join the organization.

Lonoke Co. Donation | Shon Evans, Lonoke County Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee member, recently presented school supplies to Carlisle Elementary School counselor Emily Shaw for the new school year.

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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.

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

NEW ArFB PROGRAM: LEAD ArFB has announced a new awards and recognition program known as the LEAD Awards. In the 2022/2023 membership year, LEAD will replace the Gold Star program as the way to recognize counties for their outstanding work in key areas.

LEAD has four main areas of activities: • (L) Leadership and Member Development • (E) Engagement and Outreach • (A) Advocacy • (D) Dissemination of Information The LEAD program will officially start Sept. 16 and go through Sept. 15, 2023. This will repeat every year with the same start and ending dates. This year’s Gold Star program runs through Oct. 31.

Activities counties undertake between Sept. 16 and Oct. 31 will count for Gold Star this year and for LEAD next year as well. This will be the only year for overlap due to the of ending one program and launching of another.

Two booklets that explain how the program will work will be sent to each county. The online platform should be ready in early 2023 for counties to officially record their activities.

The new system will include a check-box type program that will tabulate scores throughout the year. In addition to the check-box program, counties will also have the option to compete for the Excellence Awards and the President’s Award – narrative response questions that will require counties to write about activities with the option to include photos, videos and other media to support the activities.

ArFB is excited about the future of the LEAD Recognition and Awards Program, and the increased opportunities for each county to excel in their community by doing the important work of the county Farm Bureau. As we move into this new program, please don’t hesitate to contact Jeremy Wesson, OMP Director, your District Director or other appropriate state staff with your questions or concerns.

LEAD

2022 PLC Class | The Arkansas Farm Bureau President’s Leadership Council held its third and final training session August 19-20 in Little Rock. This session focused on advocacy. Participants started their day at the Arkansas Department of Ag, where they heard from Livestock and Poultry Commissioner Patrick Fisk and went on a tour of the veterinary sciences lab. After that, they had a full day at the State Capitol where they heard from Gov. Asa Hutchinson, former Congressman Mike Ross and state Sen. Ron Caldwell.

Participants in the 2022 Class include: (First row, from left) Ashlyn Ussery, Craighead Co.; Lauren Martin, White Co.; Monica Paskewitz, Izard Co.; Mike Sowell, Pulaski Co. (Second row, from left) Dustin Parsons, Saline Co.; Cole Jackson, Ouachita Co.; Monica Griffin, Independence Co.; and Nick Simon, Boone Co. (Third row, from left) Caleb Wall, Greene Co.; Kallem Hill, Perry Co.; Brian Jackson, Ouachita Co.; and Brad Peacock, White Co. (Fourth row, from left) Austin Brown, Pulaski Co.; Brandon Martin, White Co.; Jessica Angel, Cleburne Co.; and Robert Ray, Pulaski Co.

Sebastian Co. Farm Bureau WLC | The Sebastian Co. Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee teamed up with Tyson Foods in Waldron on Aug. 25 to feed the show kids and their families at the County Fair in Greenwood.

AWA R D S

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

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MARKET NEWS as of Aug. 30, 2022 Contact Brandy Carroll 501-228-1268 brandy.carroll@arfb.com

Rice Rice harvest is just beginning in Arkansas, with USDA reporting 4% of the crop in the bins as of Aug. 28. Nationwide, 18% of the crop has been harvested, mostly in Louisiana and Texas. The market is still worried about the crop here and abroad. The hot, dry summer could have an impact on field and milling yields in Arkansas.

It is being reported that India is considering rice export restrictions since the acreage is smaller due to a disappointing monsoon season there. Drought in rice growing regions in China and flooding in Bangladesh are also a potential factor. In the August Supply/ Demand report, USDA lowered its rice supply estimate by 4.1 million tons to 697.3 million metric tons.

World use is forecast at a record high of 518.7 million metric tons.

Projected 2022/23 world ending stocks are now forecast to be 178.5 million metric tons. Technically, rice futures opened the week by trading in an extremely wide range on Monday as traders roll positions out of September and into the November contract. November came within striking distance of previous support of $16.80 before turning higher. Resistance currently is at $17.82. A close above that level could signal further upside and a possible retest of the $18.15½ high.

Cotton December cotton futures are 4

seemingly locked into a sideways pattern between support at $1.11 and resistance at $1.20. A close below that support and the market could move quickly to close the chart gap to $1.08. 34% of the crop now has open bolls, and recent heavy rains in the South have the market concerned about the quality of the crop there. Only 34% of the crop nationwide is in good to excellent condition and 36% of the crop is in poor to very poor condition. In Texas, 53% of the crop is in poor to very poor condition, and many of those acres are expected to be abandoned.

Demand remains somewhat weak given high prices and uncertainty about the economy in China.

Corn New crop corn futures are in a short-term uptrend as the old marketing year comes to a close.

December has now completed at 50% retracement of the summer’s losses. Monday’s gap higher opened the door for a potential retest of resistance at $7. Support is building in the $6.31 area and longer-term support is near $6.

Recent strength comes from concerns about U.S. corn yields.

USDA has pegged average yields at 175.4, which is below the trendline yield. Private estimates are coming in below the USDA projection.

USDA says 54% of the crop is in good to excellent condition.

Soybeans Favorable weather for crop development and higher-thanexpected private crop estimates have pressured soybean futures.

While the market is trending higher, gains have been tempered by ideas that yields will be solid.

The current USDA estimate is 51.9 bushels per acre. USDA is not currently publishing export data

A PUBLICATION OF THE ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU FEDERATION

due to system issues, and without the demand piece of the puzzle, the market is lacking direction.

November beans have uptrending support near $14. Resistance begins at last week’s high of $14.84½.

Cattle Cattle futures have turned lower in the past two weeks. The August Cattle-on-Feed report pegged July feedlot placements at 102% of a year earlier. That was negative for prices in the short wterm, as it means higher slaughter rates soon and was above trade expectations.

It reflects the movement of cattle as farmers face drought conditions and longer term will contribute to tighter supplies. October futures look to have topped at $146.25.

The short-term uptrend has been violated and prices are expected to work lower. There is some chart support around $141.

Hogs Recent chart action in hogs has been extremely negative. The December contract charted a huge bearish reversal in MidAugust after setting a new high of $91.35. The market has found some support at $81.25 for the time being. Poor packer operating margins and weak exports have contributed to the downturn. The composite pork cutout value fell more than 14% last week, and the pork belly component was down more than 27%. The July 31 cold storage report showed frozen pork stocks 20% above a year ago, and pork belly stocks 53% above the previous year.

EDITOR Ashley Wallace ashley.wallace@arfb.com