Arkansas Agriculture Winter 2020 issue

WINTE R 202 0

The Chairman Plus:

Prepping for Pests

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Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • FALL 2019

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Arkansas Agriculture

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FE ATURES Guest Column AFBF President Zippy Duvall | Page 3 Passionate about soybeans Ken Moore | Page 6 Get Ahead of Bug Problems This Winter: A Guide for Arkansas Farmers Keith Sutton | Page 14 ArFB 2020 Presidents Leadership and Advocacy Tour Highlights Matt King, Jessica Clowser Burkham | Page 30

COLUMNS

Policy Update

Jessica Clowser Burkham | Page 24

Ag Law Update

Harrison Pittman | Page 34

COVER DESIGN

by Bryan Pistole

Cover photo courtesy of the United Soybean Board n

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WINTER 2020

Edition 56

GuestCOLUMN Vincent “Zippy” Duvall, a poultry, cattle and hay producer from Greene County, Georgia, is the 12th president of the American Farm Bureau Federation.

By Zippy Duvall | President, American Farm Bureau Federation

twitter.com/@ZippyDuvall

Weary but Unwavering in Quest for Ag Labor Reform

S

pring is almost here, and that has many in agriculture getting ready to plant crops. It also has them weary of facing yet another year without enough workers to help them plant and harvest.

“Weary” is an appropriate word for talking about agricultural labor. Occasionally, a legislative proposal or opportunity comes along that gets everyone excited, only to leave us in the same situation the following spring.

Most bills are flawed in one way or another. That’s no indictment of those who put the proposals forward and try to address this challenge.

It’s difficult to negotiate a proposal that is just right.

Farm Bureau is grateful to the members of Congress, present and past, who have introduced thoughtful and well-intended legislation.

“Many days, when I was in the dairy business, there was too much to do and not enough capable, reliable hands to do it.”

That said, the agricultural labor bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives late last year recognizes this critical issue. But the bill came with serious weaknesses that we’re working to fix in the Senate.

The House bill would create a visa program for farms and ranches with year-round, versus just seasonal, needs, such as dairy farms. That’s great, but the arbitrary cap on year-round visas is so low it will not meet demand. How can I look that farmer or rancher who didn’t get a yearround visa in the eyes and explain why the American Farm Bureau didn’t work harder to ensure that he or she finally got a solution? I can’t, and that’s just one reason why we’re working to ensure there is no cap for year-round visas in a Senate bill. After all, why would you want to limit food production in our country?

The complicated wage structure in the House bill would only continue the problems with the Adverse Effect Wage Rate. The American Farm Bureau is working

to make changes in the Senate to provide a marketbased, competitive wage that is affordable, that works for farmers and farm workers, and that takes into consideration the current economic pressures farmers face.

The bill also would increase farmers’ risk of facing frivolous lawsuits. The expansion of the “private right to action” to farm workers gives them the ability to sue employers even though they currently have administrative means of having employment claims addressed and resolved.

The House bill would grant additional legal rights above and beyond existing rights.

You can just imagine what a field day the trial lawyers would have with that one.

Those are just a few of the issues in the current ag labor bill that we are working on. Your American Farm Bureau is advocating for real solutions to meet agriculture’s labor needs. In fact, AFBF is in the best negotiating position today to make improvements to the agricultural worker program.

To all farmers and ranchers who are, understandably, feeling weary about agricultural labor, I want to say I have been in your shoes. Many days, when I was in the dairy business, there was too much to do and not enough capable, reliable hands to do it. Farmers’ and ranchers’ labor pressures are on top of many others you face, from markets to weather. You’re running at 90 miles an hour.

That’s exactly why it’s critical that the American Farm Bureau Federation is your voice in our nation’s capital.

While you keep working from sunup to sundown to get all the work done on your farms, your Voice of Agriculture will keep working around the clock to enact legislation that helps all agricultural producers, regardless of what they produce or where they produce it, meet their labor needs. We must fix this, and we will. *

“Many days, when I was in the dairy business, there was too much to do and not enough capable, reliable hands to do it.”

Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

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EST.1974 An official publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation distributed to more than 43,000 farming and ranching households in Arkansas.

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Included in membership dues ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU OFFICERS:

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Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

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Pa Jim Carroll has a family history of service.

As USB chair, he is continuing a legacy established by his grandmother, who was active in Arkansas Farm Bureau, and his mother, who served 26 years as chair of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Women’s Committee.

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Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

assionate about Soybeans

By Ken Moore Photos courtesy of the United Soybean Board

A

t its annual meeting last December, the 78-member United Soybean Board made Jim Carroll III of Brinkley the first Arkansas farmer to serve as its chair. That’s a big deal. Though he had served as vice-chair the previous year, his election as chair was not a sure thing.

Votes and board positions are based on soybean production, and as Carroll explained it, “production is greater up north,” and membership on the board is dominated by the “I-states,” meaning Indiana, Illinois and Iowa. So, for the next year, the 68-year-old Carroll has an opportunity to represent soybean farmers in Arkansas and across the Mid-South where production and yields are more dependent on irrigation and water is a bigger issue. This is a role he didn’t necessarily expect but has been preparing for during his 13 years on the board, even dating back to his youth when his parents and grandparents were involved in Farm Bureau.

“My Grandmother Carroll taught school in the 1940s and believed in education, public service and volunteering,” Carroll said. “She had a light generator after the Depression and knew what electricity could do for people, so she, with a lot of other Farm Bureau members, went to Washington, D.C. to lobby for rural electricity in Arkansas. We now have those co-ops in our state because a few volunteering people, including my grandmother, stood up for something they believed in.”

Later, his mother, Ella Mae Carroll, served as chair of the Arkansas Farm Bureau Women’s Committee (now called the Women’s Leadership Committee) for 26 years. That example led her husband James H. Carroll Jr. to serve on the Monroe County Farm Bureau board, and later her sons Jim III, his brother Jon and their sister Janice Marsh did the same. (Jon is currently representing District 2 on the state board, while Janice served three years as chair of the Farm Bureau State Women’s Leadership Committee and continues to serve as cochair of the Woodruff County committee).

“My mother (Ella Mae) learned from Grandmother Carroll and followed in her footsteps by volunteering. She believed in education and the need for better equipment.

Her commitment led her to seek a position on the state Farm Bureau Board. Janice, Jon and I thought our vacations were going to Arkansas Farm Bureau summer meetings or the national Farm Bureau Convention,” Carroll recalled.

“The (Monroe) County Farm Bureau board asked me to serve after I graduated college, and Rhonda (Jim’s wife) and I moved home. Daddy was on the county board and told me if I would take his place he would step down,” he remembered. “I did, and as I got more involved with Farm Bureau, my friend and Farm Bureau President Stanley Reed asked me to consider being on the Arkansas Soybean Research Board.

I accepted his offer, and a few years later, continued on page 8>>

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<<continued from page 7

I took over David Felke’s position on the United Soybean Board. He had to step down before his term expired, and I filled his spot. That allowed me to be able to serve 13 years, more than the normal nine that are allowed, and led me to where I am today.”

Jim Carroll recalls the days of his ancestors when most farms in the delta were smaller and included a combination of animal and crop production.

“The original Carroll Farm was located southeast of Brinkley near Lee County and was started by my great granddaddy,” he said.

“I have been fortunate to have worked side-byside with both my grandfather and father. Not many people get that experience. Those days farms were different. We had cattle, horses, and mules. There were long days and no high-tech equipment. Most farms were small (20 or 30 acres) with cotton as a cash crop, corn and hay for feed, cattle and a pig to eat. Soybeans eventually came south as a highprotein source of feed and forage crop. Farmers and industry finally realized soybeans had more value than just as a feed crop and acreage started to increase. As a result, farms grew, as did the need for better equipment. We saw a huge reduction of labor with tractors, cotton pickers and crop protection chemicals. Many people left the farms and moved to northern states for better jobs. Our farm expanded, as did many others, and finally animals left as production changed from livestock to row crop farming,” he explained.

Arkansas historically harvests more than three million acres of soybeans, making it the largest crop by acreage in the state. For promotional purposes soybeans are marketed as the “Miracle Bean” because of their many diverse uses and products from cooking oil, biodiesel, insulation foam, crayons and much more.

USB is part of an umbrella organization that includes the American Soybean Association and the more recently created United States Soybean Export Council, which oversees trade and development of new markets for soy products. Derek Haigwood of Newport is chair of the USSEC and was enthusiastic about his fellow Arkansan’s election as chair.

“I know he’s very excited and incredibly honored to have this position,” Haigwood said. “Knowing him personally and being able to work with him these past six years at USB, this is going to be a very beneficial time for soybean farmers. Jim Carroll comes to the table with a logical, common-sense approach.

Rest assured, all decisions he makes he has the U.S. soybean farmer at the forefront of his mind. His goal continued on page 10>>

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

Carroll farms with his brother Jon, who is a member of the Arkansas Farm Bureau board of directors. He hopes to use the post to draw more attention to the needs of Mid-South soybean farmers where water and the need for irrigation are bigger issues.

Carroll talks to visitors to his farm about growing soybeans. Arkansas historically harvests more than three million acres of soybeans, making it the largest crop by acreage in the state.

Photo by Keith Sutton Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

Carroll holds up a handful of soybeans to show visitors to his farm. “We’ve made great strides to innovate beyond the bushel and infuse every opportunity we can into growing markets and creating new uses for soybeans,” he says.

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<<continued from page 8

is for this to be as beneficial as possible, both price wise, soy use, investigation and research. Jim Carroll will put a logical spin on every decision he makes for the soy industry.”

USB leadership, with oversight from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, guides the activity of the national soy checkoff in accordance with the strategy outlined by the board. It continues to focus on three priority areas for investment: meal, oil and sustainability.

“We’ve made great strides to innovate beyond the bushel and infuse every opportunity we can into growing markets and creating new uses for soybeans,” Carroll said following his election. “We have a lot to be proud of, but also have tremendous potential to increase demand as we continue our progress through wise and strategic investments. One of my priorities as chair is to recognize the performance and sustainability of U.S. soy and show our customers its many capabilities as a renewable alternative.

“The soybean industry is in great shape. In Arkansas we have the highest protein levels of any state and are always in the top 10 in production nationally. Arkansas is also home to the largest meat company in the country – Tyson Foods. As we increase our production, the industry will do well, and with China coming back into the market (after the signing of the Phase One trade pact), the future looks bright.”

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Carroll said the self-imposed producer checkoff is the way soybean growers fund promotion, research and new uses for soy products. He is especially enthusiastic about the potential of high-oleic soybean oil.

“It is a soybean oil that has different characteristics such as higher frying temperatures and longer life than other cooking oils. This would mean less waste oil. USB also has a project using this oil with Goodyear Tires because it helps improve traction in colder temperatures.

It also has some good characteristics as an additive in asphalt. USB thinks this will grow because it is replacing petroleum oils and is less likely to harm our environment,” Carroll said.

“We spent millions working on it. It’s supposed to be healthier for us. We’re trying to get a heart-healthy deal going. The oil’s got some attributes that amaze me. They think that in processed beef and sausage the shelf life can be longer by having this oil in their fat, so we’re checking out the life cycle in hogs and chickens to see what this high-oleic does to the animal itself as far as fat content,” he said.

Recent congressional approval of the U.S.-MexicoCanada (USMCA) trade agreement bodes well for all of U.S. agriculture and the soybean industry.

“Why shouldn’t we be trading with our neighbors?” Carroll asked rhetorically.

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

“It’s cheaper to ship our goods to these markets on our border. In our meeting this past week, we’re hearing that a Mexican company is trying to open a crusher for higholeic beans, and we don’t have beans (with that trait) in the South yet. But we can get them down here and start growing them pretty fast, so if this comes to fruition, it’s going to open up another market for our beans that we haven’t seen in the South. We’re just waiting on word from that company, and I believe this agreement will help them decide whether they will build this crushing facility. When they do, we’ve got to be ready to start producing that bean.”

Carroll will serve a one-year term as chair of the USB, then his time on the board will come to an end.

He wants to make the most of this opportunity and says developing more unity with other commodity groups is important.

“I hope I can showcase our soybean industry and how it supports the swine, poultry, beef and dairy industries, and hopefully the new imitation meat products,” he said.

“I won’t say agriculture has been fragmented, but the poultry and swine industries work on their end, and we work on our end. We need to position ourselves as an industry because we’re a very good source of protein, and we have to be careful not to alienate our poultry and swine producers.”

It’s been a different lifestyle for Carroll, having people with the USB office arrange speaking engagements for him and handle his travel schedule. In just the two months since assuming the chairmanship, he’s been to New York City for a biodiesel tour and spent a week in Orlando. He’s also conducted several on-farm interviews with national agriculture publications as the chief spokesperson for the soybean industry. Pretty heady stuff for a farmer from rural Monroe County.

“Someone asked me back before Christmas what my Christmas wish was,” he said.

“My wish is that we see $10 beans in the next month or so. I know it would relieve a lot of stress for some of these farmers who put their heart and soul into their farms, and it seems that sometimes we just work for nothing. Any good news at Christmas time is a Godsend, and I appreciate that.”

Carroll said the board has voted to conduct its February 2021 meeting in Arkansas. He also hopes to bring the USB executive committee to Arkansas this year to see what is being done in the area of research through the Poultry Science Center at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville.

“I think some of the growers on the board from other parts of the country underestimate what we’ve got here in Arkansas sometimes, and I want to promote that as best I can.” *

As a leader in the soybean and agriculture industry, Carroll often entertains visitors to his farm who come for business, trade and educational purposes. This photo was taken when an international trade team from southeast Asia joined Arkansas Farm Bureau staff and leaders on a visit sponsored by the U.S. Soybean Export Council.

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CONGRATULATIONS to our newly elected United Soybean Board Chair: Jim Carroll III from Brinkley, Arkansas.

“We’ve made great strides to innovate beyond the bushel and infuse every opportunity we can into growing markets and creating new uses for soybeans,” Carroll said following his election.

United Soybean Board’s 78 volunteer farmer-directors work on behalf of all U.S. soybean farmers to achieve maximum value for their soy checkoff investments. These volunteers invest and leverage checkoff funds in programs and partnerships to drive soybean innovation beyond the bushel and increase preference for U.S. soy. That preference is based on U.S. soybean meal and oil quality and the sustainability of U.S. soybean farmers. As stipulated in the federal Soybean Promotion, Research and Consumer Information Act, the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

unitedsoybean.org

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Get Ahead

of Bug Problems

This Winter:

A Guide for Arkansas Farmers

by Keith Sutton

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU â&#x20AC;¢ WINTER 2020

Jenna Martin, who farms with her father, Dennis, on land in Cross, Jackson and Woodruff counties, hunts for rice stinkbugs in one of her fields. photo by Keith Sutton

I

nsect problems may be the last thing on farmers’ minds during the cold months of winter. But minimizing harm caused by six-legged pests starts before planting season. Three entomologists with the Cooperative Extension Service — Dr. Gus Lorenz, Dr. Nick Bateman and Dr. Ben Thrash — shared some of the things they believe growers need to know.

“The winter we’ve just been through was fairly mild,” said Lorenz. “We haven’t had a lot of really cold temperatures, particularly in the south part of the state. That has a huge impact on the survival of overwintering insect pests here in Arkansas.

Generally speaking, in years of light winters, more of these pests survive, so we anticipate that a lot of our native species like rice water weevils, corn earworms and tarnished plant continued on page 16>>

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Dr. Gus Lorenz 15

<<continued from page 15

Rick Wimberley (left), Cross County extension agent and Ron Baker (right), Rice Research Program Coordinator for the Cooperative Extension Service, help Jenna Martin identify what she’s caught. photo by Keith Sutton

bugs will have survived through this winter, and as we go into the growing season, we can expect to see pretty good populations of these pests starting out. The winter weeds that are growing right now provide food for those insect populations to build up on, and those insects will move right from there into the crops when growers start planting. Because the winter has been mild, we expect to see larger numbers of insects and substantial pressure from them as we move through the year.

“A big one for us is the red-banded stinkbug in soybeans,” Lorenz continued. “That’s one that normally doesn’t overwinter. If we have a good cold winter, they don’t survive and so we start from zero. During years like this one, however, when you have a mild winter, there’s been some survival of those stinkbugs and that creates problems. For example, we had a mild winter going into the 2017 growing season, and survival of red-banded stinkbugs created tremendous problems. We had a lot of growers who had to treat three times for stinkbugs in their beans. This growing season we could see a similar situation.”

Are there things farmers can be doing now to help prepare for insect problems as we go into the warm seasons?

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“Yes,” said Dr. Bateman. “For example, seed treatments are something that should be considered for all of our crops. With the use of seed treatments, we see yield increases for corn, rice, soybeans and cotton. And that’s something to start considering now — making sure you have an insecticide treatment on that seed. On rice, for example, we’ve been looking at combination seed treatments recently, and some work better on rice water weevil than others. Those types of things need to be considered by growers as we go into planting season.”

Dr. Thrash notes, “We have a lot of concern with cover crops, too. One of our big messages we always talk about is burning that cover crop down three weeks before you plan on planting into it. A lot of weed guys don’t like to hear that, because the more cover you have, the better you can suppress weed populations. Even so, burning down that cover crop and giving time for those insects to disperse before you plant is one of the most important things you can do if you’re trying to manage insects in a cover crop. If you have a cover crop, you need to get out there and scout and see what types of insects you have and prepare yourself before you plant into the cover.”

When asked to name some of the worst insect pests in Arkansas, the team was quick with answers.

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

That’s been hard to do the past two springs, however, because of all the wet weather we’ve had.”

Dr. Thrash points to corn earworms as the most serious soybean pests. “In fact, we like to call it the number one and number two pest because it’s such a serious pest of soybeans in Arkansas,” he said. “They infest cotton, sorghum and other crops, too. They get in everything, and we have to deal with them every year. Soybean loopers have been pretty serious in some areas the past couple of years, too, but their populations seemed to have come and then crashed pretty quickly.

Another pest we’ve already mentioned is the red-banded stinkbug. It can be very costly to control because repeat applications are necessary to reduce quickly growing populations. We’ll conduct surveys soon to determine just how serious problems with stinkbugs may be this year.”

Results of those surveys can be found by visiting the Cooperative Extension Service website, www.uaex.edu.

Also available there are several publications that can help farmers make decisions on what actions they should take to contro control insect pests. For additional information, visit your county Extension office. *

“From a rice standpoint, the two worst are rice water weevils and rice stinkbugs,” Dr. Bateman said. “They’re the two biggest pests we have in Arkansas. Weather can help us, but every year we’re going to deal with large populations of both those species. When the rice starts heading, you have to scout it and scout it closely.”

In cotton, thrips can be a huge problem.

“Thrips are everywhere,” said Lorenz. “They’re in every cotton field out there. And with the resistance we’ve seen to some of our insecticide seed treatments, you may have to start with a treatment like Gaucho, and then foliar applications may be called for. A lot of farmers use in-furrow rigs, and they can get out of a lot of trouble with thrips. But foliar applications in a bad thrips year are just part of the game, and picking the right product to make a foliar application can have a huge impact on secondary issues like mites.”

Plant bugs are another big problem for Arkansas cotton farmers, with many growers making treatments four to six times a year just for this species.

“Plant bugs are always a major concern for us,” said Lorenz. “We tell growers to plan on planting early to avoid having to make one or two of those treatments.

Pea Leaf Weevil

Green Stink Bug

Corn Earworm

photos provided by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture

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T he Landscape of 2020

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Arkansas Agriculture

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PolicyUPDATE Jessica Clowser Burkham grew up on a registered Angus cow/calf operation in Nebraska. She spent six years in Washington, D.C., working as a legislative assistant for U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer of Nebraska, where she advised on legislative issues for the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. She also managed the senator’s legislative priorities in agriculture, energy and environment, water infrastructure, biofuels and trade policies and worked to negotiate and advance priorities for the 2014 and 2018 Farm Bills.

By Jessica Clowser Burkham Director of Policy Development and Legislative Research for Arkansas Farm Bureau

Just Don’t Sign

A “

ll politics is local,” as they say, and March 3 marked Arkansas’ Primary Election, in which Arkansans traveled to the polls to cast their vote for local, state and national races. While the General Election is not until November, the primaries kicked off the democratic process of representative government unique to the United States.

Twenty-seven states, including Arkansas, enables citizens to vote directly on initiatives and referendums on the General Election ballot in November. To date, eleven ballot issues have been submitted to the Arkansas Secretary of State (https://www.sos.arkansas.gov/elections/ initiatives-and-referenda). To be included on the ballot, constitutional amendments require 89,151 signatures from Arkansas residents located in at least 15 different counties. Subsequently, for a statewide referendum, 53,491 signatures from at least 15 different counties are required.

Currently, the submitted ballot issues include: 1. Arkansas Term Limit Amendment 2. Arkansas Adult Use Cannabis Amendment 3. Arkansas Marijuana Expungement Amendment 4. he Arkansas Recreational Marijuana Amendment of 2020 5. The Coin Operated Amusement Machine Amendment to Article 19, Section 14 of the Arkansas Constitution 6. The Arkansas Felon Voting Restoration Amendment of 2020 7. The Arkansas Recall and Removal of Governor and All Elected State Officers, Members of the General Assembly, Judges of the Supreme and Circuit Courts, Chancellors and Prosecuting Attorneys Amendment 8. Amendment to Prohibit Levying a State Sales Tax and Tax on Personal Income and Impose a Fixed County and Municipal Tax

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9. The Arkansas Abolishment of Slavery and Involuntary Servitude as Punishment for a Crime Amendment 10. Arkansas Cannabis Industry Amendment 11. An Amendment to Establish the Arkansas Citizens’ Redistricting Commission Regarding the ballot initiatives (#2, #3, #4 and #10) seeking to place the legalization of recreational marijuana on the 2020 General Election Ballot, Arkansas Farm Bureau has joined a robust coalition of businesses, health professionals, first responders and other safety advocates to promote the “Just Don’t Sign” campaign. This campaign is focused on encouraging fellow Arkansans to not sign any of the marijuana related petitions to ensure these measures are not on the 2020 General Election ballot.

Additionally, this campaign is focused on providing educational material about the very real cost and harmful consequences of legalizing marijuana.

The move to legalize marijuana in Arkansas is actually a move to commercialize marijuana for a profit. This movement is occurring all over the country and is being pushed by out-of-state investors from California and other states. Moreover, efforts to legalize marijuana are being shoved through way too fast, without taking into consideration the cost to society. For example, for every $1 received in tax revenue from legal drugs, there is a $10 loss in social costs. These costs include workplace losses, car crashes, homelessness, increase in enforcement criminal justice, and other reasons. As these costs accumulate, it will quickly out-pace any tax revenue raised, leading to a net loss in state revenue.

In addition to the social cost of legalization, there are significant health impacts. For example, according to the National Institutes of Health, regular marijuana use can reduce IQ by eight points, which may be irreversible; it also impairs memory and learning. Marijuana can also be a

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

pathway to other drug abuse. Today’s marijuana is also much more potent and is included in more products like pot edibles, candies, cookies, etc.

Furthermore, legalized marijuana states have experienced an increased crime rate as well as more marijuana-influenced driving fatalities. Finally, in the workplace, marijuana positivity rates have skyrocketed, which is a risk for employers and the public.

The push to legalize marijuana in ballot initiative states across the county is a trend that is unlikely to subside. However, it’s important to understand these initiatives cannot even get on the General Election Ballot without 89,151 signatures. While it is important to not sign these marijuana petitions in the first place, it is equally important to vote yes on Issue 3 in November. Issue 3 is an amendment to the Arkansas Constitution to amend the process for the submission, challenge, and approval of proposed initiated acts, constitutional amendments and referendum. Issue 3 strengthens the criteria for initiatives to be on the General Election by mandating additional counties to be included in the

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

Remember in November: “For ballot issues 1, 2, & 3 ‘yes’, and ‘no’ on all the rest.” collection process of signatures, streamlining cutoff dates, and increasing the number of votes needed by the General Assembly to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

Arkansas Farm Bureau strongly supports Issue 1 (highway funding), Issue 2 (term limits) and Issue 3, which are all constitutional amendments and were approved by the General Assembly during the 2019 Legislative Session.

It is clear marijuana legalization comes with a host of consequences. Further, the legalization efforts are funded by investors located in other states, not Arkansas. We should not cater to the agendas of non-Arkansas residents. If you are approached to support recreational marijuana petitions, remember Just Don’t Sign. *

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU â&#x20AC;¢ SUMMER 2019

ADVERTORIAL

I

QUAIL: What’s Important

t is widely known that Northern Bobwhite (quail) have declined substantially in the last 60-70 years throughout its entire range. In specific, the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Breeding Bird Count shows a 5.81% decrease in the number of bobwhites heard per year in Arkansas during 2005-2015. Years of research indicate that much of this decline can be attributed to changes in land use/land cover that have eliminated or severely degraded millions of acres of habitat once available for quail.

In 2017, quail management efforts were heightened with intensive management occurring on six focal areas within the state (Figure 1). Since that time 39,034 acres of habitat have undergone some form of management. This figure includes 11,104 acres of habitat work on the AGFCowned quail focal areas (Figure 1).

In addition to work on Commission-owned lands, partner agencies such as the Forest Service, USACOE, National Park Service, and The Nature Conservancy have implemented 5,980 acres of habitat restoration on their respective properties using funding from AGFC. However, with only 17% of Arkansas’s land mass under public-ownership, that leaves 28 million acres of habitat (home to the majority of Arkansas’ wildlife) under the management of private individuals. With that extensive amount of area under their management control, the influence private landowners have on the existence and condition of populations of species such as quail is tremendous. AGFC realizes the magnitude of affect landowners have on our state’s wildlife and thus have 11 agency private lands biologists and eight Quail Forever farm bill biologists available to provide technical assistance. Providing guidance to landowners on private lands, especially surrounding AGFC quail focal areas and other intensively managed areas, is of utmost importance to creating suitable landscape-scale habitat conditions for quail and other species associated with quail habitat.

Quail typically do not range over a few miles, so to better facilitate expansion of populations, habitat restoration should, ideally, occur as close to areas of existing quality habitat (with birds) as possible.

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Prescribed burning, timber thinning, and grazing are three of the main methods for improving conditions for quail. Over time, vegetation within fields become dense or overtaken by grass. In order to remedy this, landowners should conduct prescribed burns to remove dead thatch, increase bare ground, and stimulate forbs.

Forbs are broadleaf plants that attract insects and produce seed that quail feed upon. Thinning dense stands of timber allows sunlight to reach the forest floor which stimulates ground level vegetation to grow and serve as food and cover. If landowners have cattle, they can accomplish the same conditions that result from prescribed burning by utilizing their cows. Every time a cow takes a bite it is shaping habitat for wildlife that reside in and around that pasture. Leaving some overhead cover (8-14”), allowing forbs and shrubby thickets to remain in and around fields, and adequately grazing vegetation to promote open space/bare ground at ground level should be objectives for landowners who want to maintain or entice quail to their property.

If you are interested in improving habitat on your property for quail, give the private lands or Quail Forever Biologist that covers your county a call to set up a site visit.

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

Arkansas Forever Arkansas Quail Quail Forever Farm FarmBill Bill Biologists Biologists

Quail Forever Bill Biologists

Counties

s

ies

Find A Private Lands Biologist

Ryan Diener, Arkansas CoordinatorArkansas RyanState Diener, RDiener@quailforever.org m. (636) 399-8733 | p. (501) 301-3129

Fowler, Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator StateLeslie Coordinator LFowler@quailforever.org RDiener@quailforever.org m. (208) 431-5233 | p. (501) 301-3169 m. (636) 399-8733 | p. (501)Dillon 301-3129 King

Wesley Tucker Pulaski, Faulkner, White, Conway, Van Buren Counties WTucker@quailforever.org Wesley Tucker m. (205) 412-9205 | p. (501) 758-2544 ext. 3

Izard, Stone, Baxter Counties JKing@quailforever.org m. (817) 564-2420 | p. (870) 368-4413 ext. 3

Pulaski, Faulkner, White, Conway, Van Buren Counties Kelly Bufkin Robert Scott WTucker@quailforever.org Garland, Hot Spring, Clark, Nevada Counties Yell, Logan, Scott, Sebastian, Franklin Counties RScott@quailforever.org m. (205) 412-9205 | p. (501)KBufkin@quailforever.org 758-2544 ext. 3 m. (601) 218-8940 | p. (501) 624-2574 ext. 3 m. (870) 751-7045 | p. (479) 495-2441 ext. 3 Austin Klais Jessica Cox Robert Scott Drew, Ashley, Bradley Counties Boone, Newton, Carrol, Marion, Searcy Counties Yell, Logan, Scott, Sebastian,AKlais@quailforever.org Franklin Counties JCox@quailforever.org m. (479) 206-3836 | p.

(870) 741-8600 ext.

3 RScott@quailforever.org m. (501) 425-1985 | p. (870) 367-8400 ext. 3

Alex Hilburn m. (870) 751-7045 Arkansas, Prairie, Monroe, Counties AHilburn@quailforever.org m. (501) 733-9416 | p. (870)Cox 255-3573 ext. 3 Jessica

| p. (479)Ciera 495-2441 ext. 3 Rhodes

Randolph, Sharp, Fulton Counties CRhodes@quailforever.org m. (731) 439-0027 | p. (870) 892-3623 ext. 3

Searcy Counties Arkansas Pheasants FBoone, orever and QuailNewton, Forever Farm Bill WiCarrol, ldlife Biologist poMarion, sitions are funded in partnership cooperation with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Natural Resources ConJCox@quailforever.org servation Service, and Quail Forever Chapters in Arkansas m. (479) 206-3836 | p. (870) 741-8600 ext. 3 Alex Hilburn Arkansas, Prairie, Monroe, Counties AHilburn@quailforever.org m. (501) 733-9416 | p. (870) 255-3573 ext. 3 Leslie Fowler, Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator

Leslie Fowler, Monarch and Pollinator Coordinator LFowler@quailforever.org m. (208) 431-5233 | p. (501) 301-3169 Dillon King Izard, Stone, Baxter Counties JKing@quailforever.org m. (817) 564-2420 | p. (870) 368-4413 ext. 3 Kelly Bufkin Garland, Hot Spring, Clark, Nevada Counties KBufkin@quailforever.org m. (601) 218-8940 | p. (501) 624-2574 ext. 3 Austin Klais Drew, Ashley, Bradley Counties AKlais@quailforever.org m. (501) 425-1985 | p. (870) 367-8400 ext. 3 Central Ciera Rhodes Jason Honey - 501-580-5390 Randolph, Sharp, Fulton Counties East Central CRhodes@quailforever.org m. (731) 439-0027 | p. (870) 892-3623 ext. 3 Daniel Greenfield - 870-569-8124

Arkansas Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever Farm Bill Wildlife Biologist positions are funLFowler@quailforever.org ded in partnership cooperation with the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission, Natural m. (208) Resourc431-5233 es Conserva| tiop. n S(501) ervice, a301-3169 nd Quail Forever Chapters in Arkansas

Dillon King Izard, Stone, Baxter Counties JKing@quailforever.org m. (817) 564-2420 | p. (870) 368-4413 ext. 3 Kelly Bufkin Garland, Hot Spring, Clark, Nevada Counties KBufkin@quailforever.org m. (601) 218-8940 | p. (501) 624-2574 ext. 3 Austin Klais Drew, Ashley, Bradley Counties AKlais@quailforever.org m. (501) 425-1985 | p. (870) 367-8400 ext. 3 Ciera Rhodes Randolph, Sharp, Fulton Counties CRhodes@quailforever.org m. (731) 439-0027 | p. (870) 892-3623 ext. 3

life Biologist positions are Fish CommisArkansas sion, Natural apters in Arkansas

Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU â&#x20AC;˘ WINTER 2020

North Central Ben Field - 501-442-6197 West Central Clint Johnson - 501-270-1926 Northeast Bo Reid - 870-291-1281 Northwest Hugh Lumpkin - 479-353-7674 East David Graves - 870-319-0668 Southeast Bubba Groves - 870-224-3334 West Michelle Furr - 479-222-5894 Southwest Ricky Chastain - 870-331-1297

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WELCOME AFBF President Zippy Duval welcomed the group to Washington D.C. and talked about three priorities: an improved H-2A system that gives agriculture better access to a workforce, rural broadband and funding for Land Grant universities.

ENVIRONMENTAL Administrator Anthony Wheeler, and high-level staff of the Environmental Protection Agency, met with the group and thanked them for their efforts to reduce the regulatory burden on farmers and ranchers. Owen McDonough from the Office of Water spoke to the group regarding the new WOTUS definition. He described in detail the four categories of jurisdictional waters and how they might impact agriculture. The group thanked McDonough for providing clear definitions and expressed hope EPA will continue to listen to agriculture when implementing the new rules. The group also had a short discussion on 404 permitting and McDonough went over which states are in the process of obtaining delegated authority to issue 404 permits.

Next, we spoke to Ed Messina from the Office of Pesticides and he described the process for pesticide registration. Members asked if there is a way to continue to rely on sound science while also streamlining the process. They explained that farmers need as many products in their toolbox as possible in order to control pests and 30

manage the development of resistant pests. Messina stated EPA is currently working on streamlining the registration process.

Lastly, our team spoke with Administrator Wheeler about environmental groups’ tactic to “sue-and-settle” and explained that what farmers really need is true reform to the endangered species act that effectively keeps species off the endangered list and limits litigation.

IMMIGRATION Michael Marsh, president and CEO of the National Council of Agricultural Employers (NCAE), spoke on the status of immigration legislation and the H-2A program. Marsh discussed H.R. 5038, which passed the House of Representatives last fall. However, the bill failed to address the underlying inefficiencies and frustrations with the H-2A program like the Adverse Effect Wage Rate (AEWR), increased liability concerns for employers, and placed a cap on the number of H-2A workers. Marsh mentioned efforts by Senator Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) to introduce immigration/H-2A legislation in the Senate later this spring, but it remains unclear what this legislation will look like in comparison to the House passed bill.

Kristi Boswell, senior advisor to Secretary Perdue, discussed the Secretary’s initiatives to address ag labor concerns. She said the Secretary is committed to streamlining the program and has instructed his staff to work closely with their counterparts at the Department of Labor and the State Department to find solutions. Boswell noted that over the last several months, several bilateral labor agreements with Arkansas Agriculture

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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • WINTER 2020

Latin American nations have been signed to improve the H-2A visa program operations. Moreover, Boswell shared the goal is to provide the best customer service and USDA has created a H-2A checklist and portal at www. farmers.gov to provide producers with the necessary tools to navigate the program.

TRADE U.S. Agricultural Trade Ambassador Gregg Doud encouraged the group to read the 24 pages of the U.S. China Phase 1 Agreement, in which the U.S. and China agreed to 57 specific agriculture issues, put a timetable in for each, and created an strong enforcement mechanism. He noted that, over the last two years, the USTR has been able to negotiate agreements that will overhaul more than 47% of ag trade. Doud said farmers should watch Mexico, as the new administration in Mexico has rejected the import license for glyphosate and have not approved a new biotech traits since taking power two years ago.

Doud has also outlined how U.S. trade policy has changed:

Old policy: If you don’t do this I’m going to do this to you

New policy: I’m taking this away and I might give this back

if you do what I want.

He also said one of the most important things Farm Bureau should be doing is helping educate farmers on managing risk, as he sees profitability as an ongoing challenge to farmers.

INFRASTRUCTURE Emma Benjamin and Rebecca Lewis with the USDA Rural Utilities Services Office discussed the ReConnect Program, which offers rural communities – working with internet providers – other funding to expand broadband access. They walked members through the grant process and encouraged them to make their local officials aware of the program and to coordinate with internet providers. While the application is complex, there have been a few awards granted in Arkansas and the USDA is encouraging more to apply in the future, especially since Arkansas lags behind the nation in providing high-speed internet to its citizens.

Gib Owen and Charles Camillo, with the Assistant Secretary of the Army Civil Works, U.S. Corps of Engineers (Civil Works) Office, discussed levee and drainage issues with our members at the Pentagon. A variety of issues were discussed, including dredging in the White and Arkansas Rivers, and expediting the repair of damaged levees from the 2019 flood.

Additionally, they discussed ways to improve the ability of local farmers to receive waivers to clear out Corps-controlled drainage channels and the implementation of the new WOTUS rules. They encouraged our members to help them by being engaged and going on the record at public hearings in order to move projects “up the chain” in priority.

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USDA CROPS USDA/NASS Undersecretary Scott Hutchins, Joe Parsons, Chair of the Agricultural Statistics Board and Lance Honig, Chief, Crops Branch walked the group through how NASS collects data and the importance of farmers answering surveys. They highlighted the fact the agency is impartial in its forecast and showed numerous charts that illustrated how its farmer surveys were able to predict crop size earlier than private estimates.

AMS Undersecretary Greg Ibach discussed grain grading with the group. He noted that GIPSA inspects every grain that leaves the country. Members addressed the challenges with the graders who receive farmer grain and the Undersecretary made a distinction between the official USDA graders and those who work in the scale house. This distinction helped AMS realize there is an issue with the people who grade farmer grain at the elevator. Staff offered to follow up with AMS and others to examine ways to improve consistency for farmers.

FSA Undersecretary Norsworthy discussed staffing issues and Farm Bill implementation with the group. He did not know what an MFP3 program might look like or even if farmers would get one. He empha-sized the Secretary’s focus on customer service at the county offices and talked with members about problem areas and places where the system is working.

RMA Undersecretary Barbre brought several of his staff in to discuss the crop insurance program in Arkansas. The agency noted that one of the reasons premiums are higher in Arkansas is because the loss rate in Arkansas is greater than 1. The loss rate has increased as more farmers enter the system. The group discussed challenges with individuals who game the insurance system and ways that this can be controlled.

USDA LIVESTOCK MEETINGS USDA Undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Greg Ibach, was present and provided the leaders with USDA’s outlook on livestock specific programs. Bruce Summers, Administrator for USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and Erin Morris, Associate Admin-istrator with AMS, offered an update on Livestock Mandatory Reporting (LMR), specifically discussing AMS’s role in collecting data from packers. Given that LMR expires on September 30, 2020 ,and is the only law mandating packers report prices and volumes, its reauthorization is critically important for livestock producers. During the meeting, several ideas were discussed to bring greater transparency to LMR, particularly for cattle bought and sold through formula pricing mechanisms.

Confidentiality concerns are a factor due to the limited number of packers in the nation and the concentration of the packing industry.

Without direction from Congress, AMS cannot pick and choose which data to collect and report.

Next, the group heard from Janet Bucknall, Deputy Administrator for Wildlife Services under APHIS. The Deputy Administrator provided an update on depredation permits for black vultures. The permits are good for one year and, because the black vulture is protected under 31

the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, producers cannot be granted unlimited takes. The Administrator discussed the status of the black vulture permit pilot programs overseen by Kentucky and Tennessee Farm Bureaus. Under these pilot programs, the state Farm Bureaus are the general permit holders and can provide producers a subpermit to take black vultures. This allows producers to go directly to Farm Bureau, rather than the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) for a permit. USFWS is pleased with this pilot program and is interested in expanding the program to other states.

The Feral Hog Eradication Program was also discussed. The Deputy Administrator shared the agency’s efforts to administer the program in accordance with the provisions included in the 2018 farm bill. The agency is working closely with counterparts in Arkansas to assist with feral hog eradication efforts.

Next, leaders heard from Dr. Burke Healey, Deputy Administrator for Veterinary Services, who discussed Animal Disease Traceability (ADT). Currently, USDA is working with cattle industry stakeholders to develop an industry-driven, voluntary framework for the purpose of collecting ADT information on sexually intact cattle, 18-months and older. The focus will not be collecting ADT information on cull bulls and cows, but on animals that will enter the breeding herd. USDA is still focused on the 2023 timeline to roll out an ADT program Finally, the group heard from Blake Rollins, Deputy Chief of Staff for Secretary Perdue. A native Arkansan, Rollins shared the Secretary’s mission to provide farmers and ranchers with a strong voice in the administration. He discussed the Secretary’s mission areas of trade, risk management tools and elimination of unnecessary red tape to enable producers to be successful.

SENATORS VISITS Senator John Boozman spoke to our leaders about the agriculture priorities he is working on in the U.S. Senate. These include working with the Trump administration to advance trade opportunities for Arkansas’ farmers and ranchers across the globe. He praised the passage of the USMCA, as well as the Phase 1 agreement signed between the United States and China, because these agreements demonstrate the importance of market access for our high-quality ag products. Boozman also discussed the implementation of the 2018 Farm Bill and his work as a senior member of the Senate Ag Committee to ensure USDA is following the law and intent of Congress. Finally, the Senator focused on broadband and the need to provide rural Arkansans with access to reliable internet service. He is a member of the Rural Broadband Caucus and is working with both the USDA and the FCC to update inaccurate maps and deploy broadband across rural Arkansas.

Senator Cotton spoke to leaders about his agriculture priorities, which include depredation permits for cormorants and black vulture, 32

as well as ensuring agriculture has the necessary resources to combat feral hogs. He noted how good it is for Arkansas that Senator Boozman could be the next Senate Agriculture Committee chairman. During his question and answer session, the Senator was asked to help with the agriculture labor situation. Cotton asked a number of questions about what farmers need and ways he can help.

CONGRESSIONAL VISITS Constituents of the 1st District had the opportunity to visit Congressman Rick Crawford. Several issues were discussed, including crop insurance for livestock producers, trade, immigration and several other issues the Congressman brought up. On programs, the Congressman hopes to maintain what currently exists and hopefully alter some of the structure of crop insurance to cover more issues. However, he noted the same groups that came after direct payments are active again and groups like Farm Bureau will be needed to stop their advances when the next Farm Bill is written.

Constituents of the 2nd District visited Congressman French Hill.

Several issues were discussed, with the main topic being broadband and the issue of getting it to the rural areas of the state. They discussed the problem of black vultures and getting clearance to eradicate them in a timely and cost-effective way, along with repairing levees and helping with the feral hog issue.

Constituents of the 3rd District had the opportunity to visit Congressman Steve Womack.

Several livestock and infrastructure issues were discussed, including depredation permits, animal disease tractability, feral hogs, broad-band and the rebuilding of levees along the Arkansas River.

Constituents of the 4th District visited with Congressman Bruce Westerman. Several issues were discussed, including the importance of levee structural integrity, communicating with the Corps to ensure flood control projects are funded and deployed, Arkansas’ timber industry and the feral hog eradication program. Congressman Westerman also discussed the Trillion Tress Act, which he introduced to create opportunities to sequester carbon, while also providing new opportunities for domestic timber producers.

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Ag LawUPDATE Harrison M. Pittman heads the National Agricultural Law Center, which is part of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. The Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural and food law research and information and deals with legal issues around the country that impact agriculture at the state and federal levels.

by Harrison Pittman, Director, National Agricultural Law Center

T

his year may be off to an unusual and rocky start globally, but there has been some positive news for the agriculture industry, from the rework of the WOTUS rules to some success with international trade deals. Nonetheless, there are still some critical issues we’ve been tracking at the National Agricultural Law Center that will likely have an impact on agriculture at the state and federal levels throughout the remainder of the year. Here’s the latest on just a few of those issues: Pesticide/Herbicide Issues Multiple noteworthy industry and legal developments have occurred in the world of pesticide and herbicide litigation and regulation. In February, the first dicamba-related lawsuit concluded.

In that case, Bader Farms, a Missouri peach grower, brought an action against Monsanto Company (which has been acquired by Bayer) and BASF Corporation, alleging that dicamba caused significant commercial injury to his operation. On Feb. 14, the jury awarded the plaintiff $15 in actual damages. The following day, the jury awarded a whopping $250 million in punitive damages against the defendants. The matter will be appealed, but will also spawn numerous new legal filings throughout the U.S. Additionally, hundreds of related dicamba claims already filed, consolidated from Arkansas and seven other states, are set to go to trial in the same Missouri court as the Bader Farms case later in 2020.

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Meanwhile, Bayer continues settlement negotiations related to more than 45,000 lawsuits nationwide alleging that glyphosate has caused the plaintiffs’ NonHodgkin’s Lymphoma. Three such cases have been decided so far, with initial verdicts in those three cases totaling more than $2 billion.

Those verdicts were reduced to approximately $200 million and are currently being appealed.

Finally, Corteva Agriscience announced that it would no longer manufacture chlorpyrifos due to lack of demand for the product.

Importantly, this announcement occurred in the wake of continuing legal pressure on chlorpyrifos, including state-level bans established in a handful of other states, including California.

USDA Guaranteed Loans In January, the Trump Administration released a proposed overhaul of regulations under the National Environmental Policy Act. NEPA requires federal agencies to consider the environmental impacts of their proposed actions prior to taking those actions, which has significant implications for agriculture. One of the proposed changes would change the law to now exempt USDA Farm Service Agency (and Small Business Administration) guaranteed loans from NEPA. This provision, if it becomes effective, would essentially prohibit legal challenges brought against USDA over the environmental review conducted as part of the guaranteed loan process, such as the action that occurred in Arkansas in 2014 involving C&H Farms.

Arkansas Agriculture

Hemp In October, USDA Agricultural Marketing Service issued its much-anticipated rules governing industrial hemp production under the 2018 Farm Bill. The rules were issued as an interim final rule and will be finalized after additional comments are received following the 2020 growing season. It is important to note that many states, including Arkansas, continue to operate under the hemp provisions set forth in the 2014 Farm Bill and, therefore, are not directly impacted – yet – by many of the interim final rule provisions. Producers, lenders, and others interested in hemp production would be wise to work closely with the Arkansas Agriculture Department and consider submitting comments about suggested changes to USDA ahead of the issuance of the final rule following the 2020 growing season.

To learn more about these and other issues impacting agriculture in Arkansas and the nation, be sure to visit the Center’s website at www.nationalaglawcenter.org. * |

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ALL IN A SINGLE SUPER POWERFUL LIGHT COMPARE TO

ITEM 63878/63991 64005/60566/69567 63601/67227 shown

13

PERFORMANCE $ 52 MODEL: W2364 TOOL

*68887343 * 68887343 Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented.

Valid through 4/20/20 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day.

ITEM 61277/63881/2696 61276/63880/807 62431/63882/239

Item 239 shown

COMPARE TO

HUSKY $ 97

E YOUR CHOIC

$9

*68891905 * 68891905

*68892571 * 68892571

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

5999

$

MODEL: PROTAC 1L

1499

MODEL: 118903799

ITEM 56241/64857 shown

SUPER COUPON

$ Wheel kit sold separately.

99 9 2 3 $ 99

379

OSHA / ANSI

COMPLIANT

COMPARE TO

HONDA

SAVE $2,069 $ 1,739

MODEL: EM4000SX

ITEM 63963/63962 shown ITEM 63960/63961, CALIFORNIA ONLY

89

19

MODEL: H2DTWA

SUPER COUPON

4375 WATT MAX. STARTING GLOVES EXTRA LONG LIFE GAS POWERED MECHANICS • 16 hour run time AVAIL. IN SM, GENERATOR MED, LG, XL, XXL NOW NOW Customer Rating Customer Rating COMPARE TO

VALEO $ 99

14

MODEL: 25521

20V LITHIUM-ION EXTREME TORQUE IMPACT WRENCH KITS A. 1/2"

$499

SUPER COUPON

CLICK-TYPE 42" OFF-ROAD TORQUE WRENCHES FARM JACK

SAVE $ 99 88% *68892745 * 68892745

$

COMPARE TO

STREAMLIGHT

*68887687 * 68887687

Limit 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Atlas, Bauer, Central Machinery, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Diamondback, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases.

Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 4/20/20.

SUPER COUPON

DRIVE 1/4" 3/8" 1/2"

99

COMPARE TO

PORTER-CABLE $ 99

• Super-Strong, Ultra-Lightweight Composite Plastic • Magnetic Base & 360° Swivel Hook for Hands-Free Operation • 3-AAA Batteries (included) • 144 Lumens

• Reversible

199 $1 74 99

WITH ANY PURCHASE

SUPER BRIGHT LED/SMD WORK LIGHT/FLASHLIGHT

Customer Rating

• Air delivery: 4.0 SCFM @ 90 PSI

20% OFF

FREE

Customer Rating

20 GALLON, 135 PSI OIL-LUBE AIR COMPRESSOR

588 LUMEN TACTICAL FLASHLIGHT

SAVE 83%

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

ITEM 63537/64195 63852 shown

99

• 3-1/2 ton capacity • Multipurpose design for lifting, pulling and spreading • Ideal for lifting off-road vehicles and field equipment

NOW

9 $449

COMPARE TO

STRONGWAY $ 99

SAVE 35% $

69

MODEL: 46204

ITEM 60668/6530 shown

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" ALL PURPOSE/WEATHER RESISTANT TARP

99 $229 $

B. WITH 2" ANVIL

Customer Rating

26999

ITEM 64349

5

$ 99

SAVE 66%

534

ITEM 62434, 62426, 62433, 62432, 62429, 64179, 62428, 64178 shown

MODEL: W7250-K2

4

$ 99 NOW

A

COMPARE TO

INGERSOLL RAND $ 45

5999

*68894290 * 68894290

SUPER COUPON YOUR CHOICE

Customer Rating ng

Customer Rating

B

SAVE $ 304

8

$ 78

COMPARE TO

BLUE HAWK

MODEL: BG8X10-Y

$299

SAVE 65%

ITEM 69115/69121/69129/69137/69249/877 shown

*68894479 * 68894479

*68894576 * 68894576

*68896223 * 68896223

*68896873 * 68896873

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

SUPER COUPON

4 PIECE, 1" x 15 FT. RATCHETING TIE DOWNS

2/10/50 AMP, 12 VOLT BATTERY CHARGER AND ENGINE STARTER

Customer Rating

• 400 lb. working load

SUPER COUPON

®

NOW

SEMI-TRASH GASOLINE ENGINE 3/8" x 14 FT., GRADE 43 3" Customer Rating TOWING CHAIN WATER PUMP (212 CC) • 290 GPM NOW • 5400 lb.

Customer Rating

Customer Rating

99

capacity

$6 $

SAVE 69%

1239 22 80

COMPARE TO

$

KEEPER

MODEL: 5505

ITEM 90984/63056/63057/63150/56668/63094 shown

COMPARE TO

NOW

NOW

SAVE 41% $5499

99

$34

59

SCHUMACHER $ 77 ITEM 60581/3418 MODEL: SE-1250 ELECTRIC 60653 shown

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

COMPARE TO $

MIBRO

$1 9

6499 SAVE 69%

$

MODEL: 426920

ITEM 40462/60658/97711 shown

99

3999

99 $299

$

33999

SAVE $100 COMPARE TO

POWERHORSE

$

39999

MODEL: 750124

ITEM 56162/63406 shown

*68900259 * 68900259

*68900818 * 68900818

*68901214 * 68901214

*68902186 * 68902186

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 2 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

SUPER COUPON Customer Rating

14" ELECTRIC CHAINSAW

4 PIECE ADJUSTABLE WRENCH SET

99 $4999 9 $3 SAVE ITEM 64498/64497 shown

50%

COMPARE TO

CRAFTSMAN $ 74

80

MODEL: 071-45247

COMPARE TO

HUSKY $ 63

26

MODEL: 99573

Customer Rating 6"

8"

SAVE 66% NOW

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON

10"

11

99

ITEM 69427/60690/63715/903 shown

NOW

$8

99

*68902450 * 68902450

*68906299 * 68906299

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

*Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 4/20/20.

COMPARE TO

$

21499

SUPER COUPON Customer Rating

99 $1 79

Customer Rating

12"

$

2 HP GAS POWERED EARTH AUGER WITH 6" BIT • Drill speeds up to 320 RPM NOW

39"

SAVE 44% COMPARE TO

EARTHQUAKE ITEM 63022 $ 98 56257 shown

PERFORMAX $ 99

MODEL: E43, EA6F

MODEL: 2411-1

439

SAVE 259 $

4-1/2" ANGLE GRINDER

17

$

14

99

NOW

$999

ITEM 69645/60625 shown

*68906377 * 68906377

*68910238 * 68910238

LIMIT 1 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 4/20/20*

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LITTLE ROCK, AR PERMIT NO. 1884

Do tax season right.

CD Specials with Guaranteed Returns

Grow your refund with a Farm Bureau Bank® CD Special.

You deserve guaranteed returns with low intial deposits. That’s why we have several Certificate of Deposit options like our CD Specials, with benefits like competitive high-earning rates and flexible growth terms. Take advantage of our CD specials this tax season!

Contact your Arkansas Farm Bureau agent to apply! farmbureau.bank 800.492.3276

Minimum initial deposit of $1,000. Federal withdrawal restrictions apply. Fees could reduce earnings on the account and a penalty will be imposed for early withdrawal. The Bank reserves the right to limit deposits taken under this program. See complete terms and conditions at farmbureau.bank. Banking services provided by Farm Bureau Bank, FSB. Farm Bureau, FB, and the FB National Logo are registered service marks owned by, and used

by Farm Bureau Bank FSB under license from, the American Farm Bureau Federation. 01.2020