Arkansas Agriculture | Q1 2022 by Arkansas Farm Bureau

QUARTE RLY

Power of the Pollinators Plus: Mental Health on the Farm

sales@baumalight.com | BAUMALIGHT.COM Johnny Organ | 580-309-2405

Locate A Dealer Online

Run with the oil too proud to quit before the job is done. Pouring the latest technology, advanced additives and 90-plus years of expertise into every quart, Work Horse® begins by exceeding original equipment specs. We follow up with unrivaled customer support in testing and maintenance. The result: A new breed of oil powered by the same work ethic that pushes you.

WorkHorseLubes.com

FE ATURES Guest Column Zippy Duvall | Page 3

Power of the Pollinators: Bats, Bees & Butterflies in the Natural State Shaylee Wallace | Page 6

Self-Care is Farm Care: Recognizing the Importance of Mental Health in Farming Shaylee Wallace | Page 16

COLUMNS

Policy Update

Jeff Pitchford | Page 28

Ag Law Update

Harrison Pittman | Page 32

COVER DESIGN by Bryan Pistole n

QUARTERLY

Edition 64

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

By Zippy Duvall

twitter.com/@ZippyDuvall

e are all feeling the pressures these days of and staff, but those adjustments just don’t work on rising costs, from the grocery store to the the farm. Whether you’re growing grains, raising fuel pump. Most Americans are already livestock or growing fruits and vegetables, you don’t making adjustments here and there. Some might set the price you’ll receive at harvest unless you’re drive less, take a family vacation closer to home, or directly marketing your products, and that price can change from the time you’re planning and planting to cook a few more meals rather than dining out. But harvest time. There are no slow times on the farm finding small ways to save can only go so far when or margins to reduce employee time. What’s more, your very livelihood depends on goods that keep you can’t control when your equipment might break getting more expensive, sometimes skyrocketing in down or worse when a storm price. When you need to plant crops, tend to them and care for or natural disaster might animals to keep the farm running, sweep in. I know everyone you have to find a way to make it Farmers and ranchers rise to is feeling the strain work, and many American farmers these challenges each day of rising costs, are hoping to at least hold on because we are grounded in until relief in the supply chain comes. our commitment to feed our but where it hits families and yours. But the As a beef and poultry farmer, differently on the I am a price taker — and that’s pressures of rising farm costs the same story for farmers of all — from seeds to equipment — farm is our inability commodities across the country. are front of mind in every to set prices. Most consumers don’t know that region right now, and the higher prices they’re paying in providing relief in the supply the grocery store these days don’t mean higher profits chain must be a top priority for our nation. At Farm for my farm or yours. This year’s input cost spikes Bureau, we have been calling on the administration have been tough, but they are also part of the bigger to address the skyrocketing costs of fertilizer, remove story of the rising cost of farming. For livestock import duties, free up port congestion and increase farmers in particular, business costs have increased efficiency across shipping channels. Our team of 46% since 2013 — those costs include animal care, economists are following market impacts closely feed and seed. Today, those costs continue to rise and and will continue to provide analysis as farmers with supply chain disruptions, you also have to pray and ranchers adjust their budgets to keep up. The that your farm supplies will arrive in time. pressures that keep you up at night on the farm, keep The story isn’t much better for farmers growing us up looking for solutions and advocating on your row crops either. While market prices are high for behalf here in Washington. We will weather this crops like corn and soybeans, the higher costs for storm together, as we work to keep our nation’s food seed, fertilizer, pesticides and fuel make it tough to supply secure and our farms strong. balance out. It’s also too early to tell if prices will keep The importance of food supply self-sufficiency up with farm costs or be swallowed up. has become crystal clear in recent weeks as more and I know everyone is feeling the strain of rising more people understand the connection between food costs, but where it hits differently on the farm is our security and national security. The cost of farming inability to set prices. A restaurant might adjust its may be high, but as global events remind us, the cost menu and raise prices to keep up, or reduce hours of losing America’s farms would be even greater. *

“

”

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

An official publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation distributed to more than 53,300 farming and ranching households in Arkansas. SUBSCRIPTIONS

EST.1974

Included in membership dues ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU OFFICERS:

President • Rich Hillman, Carlisle Vice President • Mike Freeze, Little Rock Secretary/Treasurer • Dan Wright, Waldron Executive Vice President • Warren Carter, Little Rock DIRECTORS:

24/7 Service SALE EVERY TUESDAY

Calves 10am • Cows & Bulls 6pm

Jon Carroll, Moro Joe Christian, Jonesboro Terry Dabbs, Stuttgart Jack Evans, Lonoke Sherry Felts, Joiner Chase Groves, Garland City Jason Henson, Mount Judea Tom Jones, Pottsville Terry Laster, Strong Caleb Plyler, Hope Bob Shofner, Centerton Rusty Smith, Des Arc Joe Thrash, Houston EX OFFICIO

Magen Allen, Bismarck

Family Owned & Operated for 40 Years Flat Commission Rates ** No Yardage Fee! April 23rd – Horse Sale May 31st – No sale, closed for Memorial Day June 7th – Weaned/Vac Sale

Monica Paskewitz, Melbourne Dustin Cowell, Mount Judea Kerry Stiles, Marianna Reed Storey, Marvell Executive Editor • Steve Eddington Editor • Rob Anderson Contributing Writers • Jason Brown, Keith Sutton, Shaylee Wallace

CREATED BY PUBLISHING CONCEPTS, INC.

David Brown, President dbrown@pcipublishing.com (501) 221-9986 ext. 103 Fax (501) 225-3735 ADVERTISING

Contact Paula Caruthers at Publishing Concepts for advertising rates pcaruthers@pcipublishing.com (501) 725-3553 Fax (501) 225-3735 Arkansas Agriculture is published quarterly by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation 10720 Kanis Rd., Little Rock, AR 72211 POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Arkansas Agriculture, P.O. Box 31, Little Rock, AR 72203 Issue #64 Publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising requests. Send comments to: arkansasagriculture@arfb.com

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Power Pollinators: e h t of

BAT S , B E E S & BU T T E R F L I E S I N T H E NAT U R A L S TAT E By Shaylee Wallace

Photo courtesy: Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

pring has finally arrived, and with it comes green grass, newborn livestock and budding plants. Another sign of spring’s arrival? The reemergence of pollinators. Pollinators include a wide array of animals. Bats and birds play a small role in pollination, while insects such as butterflies, moths, ants and beetles cover a wide range of plant pollination. But bees (of many varieties and species) are responsible for most pollination. According to the Arkansas Department of Heritage, the Natural State is home to an estimated 400-650 species of native bees. Throughout the country, bees have an estimated economic value of $3 billion per year. While they certainly have a large impact, it’s important to know that native bees don’t look or behave exactly like their immigrant cousin, the honeybee. They range from boldly striped bumble bees, to small metallic-green bees to long-horned bees with white hair and blues eyes. Some even have a more wasp-like appearance. Bottom line? Native bees vary in their physical appearance, which can often be why they’re overlooked or missed when we think of pollinators. In addition to their physical varieties, they also exhibit behavioral patterns vastly different from honeybees. Many native bees are solitary, carrying out their life cycles almost completely alone. Very few actually follow a social structure such as a colony with a queen and worker-bees. With this in mind, many Natural State bees also don’t live in a hive. They nest in soil, construct cavities or bore into plant stems or dead wood. In comparison, the honeybees we’re all more familiar with boast the classic striped appearance. They originate from a natural range in Europe and Africa and were introduced to the United States during colonization. Unlike most of our native bees, honeybees live in a hive, with a colony social structure. This social structure includes a queen, workers and drones. A single queen is responsible for laying eggs (fertilized and unfertilized) in the colony and producing the individualized pheromones that distinguish one colony from another. Drones are

Honeybees live in hives with colony social structures. Worker bees fly in and out of the colony to complete their daily tasks.

Honeybee hives have queens, which are easily identifiable by their size and appearance. A single queen is responsible for laying eggs (fertilized and unfertilized) in the colony and producing the individualized pheromones that distinguish one colony from another.

continued on page 8>>

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

<<continued from page 7

large male bees that fertilize eggs. Workers are small, undeveloped female bees, and they live up to their title. Workers feed the colony, care for the queen, build beeswax combs, ventilate the hive, collect pollen and nectar for honey, remove debris, clean and polish cells within the hive … their resumé is quite large. As mentioned, another distinguishing difference for honeybees would be the hives or nests they live in. Honeybees live in a structured environment created from beeswax and shaped into hexagons, which allows for the best use of space within a hive or nest. Aside from all the physical and social information of bees, it’s important to understand the role they play in agriculture as pollinators. More than 100 crops are pollinated by honeybees. While this includes many fruits and vegetables we eat, it also includes nuts, herbs, spices, forages for dairy and beef cattle and medicinal and ornamental plants. Additionally, 80 percent of native plants are pollinated by native bees. Native bees also play a key role in supplementing the work of honeybees for many crops. The U.S. Geological Survey also indicates that popular crops such as cotton, soybeans and peppers (which don’t require pollinators) have greater yields with the presence of bees. Over one-third of the food we eat relies on the pollination of bees. In comparison to the $3 million economic addition of native bees, honeybees add around $18 billion to the economy through increased crop yields alone, and the total value of honeybee products and services sold is around $700 million. Beginning in 2006, researchers noted a significant decline in honeybees, while native bees have been in decline since early colonization, as previously mentioned. Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) appeared in the winter of 2006-2007, and again at an even higher rate the next year. But there is still a large amount of mystery around CCD, a phenomenon where the majority of worker bees leave the queen, their food supply and nurse bees behind with immature bees. In addition, pests, diseases, deficiencies and climate variability have all played roles in the decline of bee populations. Another cause of decline? Encroaching urbanization resulting in habitat loss or habitat competition between honeybees and native bees. It has also been revealed that certain types of pesticides have an impact on bee populations. 8

In recent years, there has been a shift to focus on the health of pollinators. Today the U.S. has around 2.8 million honeybee hives. Reported cases of CCD have also declined in the past five years. And a 2021 survey found that native bees are on a small rise in conjunction with the use of native plants. With optimism surrounding our primary pollinator populations, it’s important to look at ways Arkansans can continue to support bee populations. continued on page 10>>

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Photo courtesy: Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

Farmers and ranchers are encouraged to grow native plants such as flowers, shrubs, grasses, trees etc. Boards with single drilled holes are recommended for creating simple solitary bee habitats.

Photo by Robert Engelhardt

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

<<continued from page 8

Michael and Conner Sparks of Honeycomb Ridge Farm in Searcy move their hives near different crops, such as blackberries, to improve yields in both produce and honey. Byproducts from bees, such as beeswax, contribute to the $700 million made from the sale of honeybee products and services alone. There are a few things farmers and ranchers can do to continue this upward trend and ensure the future of vital pollinators. Knowing the habitat of your farm or ranch is a great place to start. Identifying places on your property that can support pollinators and other beneficial insects and wildlife can go a long way, and improving a pollinator habitat can even be eligible for financial support from governmental programming. Providing non-competitive habitats for bees is another way to help. Native bees don’t often live in colonies. Instead they thrive in simple habitats such as scrap wood, nests in soil or soft plant stems.

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Once a growing season is over in fall, cut flower stalks can be a great way to provide open stems to native bees. The longer the stems remain in place, the better for native bees. The Department of Arkansas Heritage says eggs laid in the spring will develop over the summer and emerge as adult bees the following growing season, so leaving cut stems or simple wood nests for two growing seasons is ideal for bee populations. Leaving sections of leaves and soil undisturbed can also be a great help to pollinators such as bumble bees that overwinter by burrowing an inch or two down. Experts also caution against bee houses for native bees. Due to the construction, many bee houses cannot be disassembled, making them difficult to clean and creating an environment for diseases and mites. Instead, dry wood, small brush piles or even boards will single drilled holes are recommend for creating native bee habitats. In comparison, apiary practices and hives are recommended for honeybees, and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) encourages producers and individuals outside of agriculture to consider beekeeping. Farmers and ranchers are also encouraged to grow native Arkansas plants. Native plants can include

flowers, shrubs, grasses, trees etc. Arkansas Heritage has a great resource on the top 15 native Arkansas plants for pollinators (https://www.arkansasheritage. com/blog/dah/2021/09/29/a-top-15-list-of-nativearkansas-plants-for-pollinators). Aside from housing and native plants, there are a few other recommended practices agriculturalists can use to support bees. USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) recommends minimalizing tillage when possible to protect pollinators that nest, burrow and live underground. Allowing crops to bolt can also be helpful to bees. When crops are given the chance to flower before tillage or removal, this adds another food source for bees. Additionally, planting hedgerows or windbreaks with flowering plants or shrubs can increase pollinator activity near crops, allowing for greater yields while providing a great food source for bees. NRCS also reminds farmers and ranchers to use increased care with insecticides and pesticides, especially during the warmer months when bees and pollinators are more active. Spraying on still, dry evenings after dark when bees are not active can reduce the risk of exposure for bees. continued on page 12>>

Local honey, like that produced by James and Linda Rhein of Mountain Home, is part of the $18 billion added to the economy each year.

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

<<continued from page 11

As temperatures continue to warm up, and more pollinators emerge, it is important for farmers and ranchers to continue their efforts in supporting bee populations. For more information or resources about native bees and honeybees in the Natural State visit: • https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/special-programs/beekeeping/pollinators.aspx • https://www.arkansasheritage.com/blog/dah/2021/09/30/arkansas-native-bees-their-dazzlingdiversity-and-how-you-can-help-keep-them-buzzing • https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2020/06/24/pollinators-crossroads • https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/main/national/plantsanimals/pollinate/farmers/ To visit these pages or any links mentioned in the article, scan the code below.

Photo courtesy: Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism

WAR. INFLATION. PANDEMICS.

When uncertainty abounds, we have your back.

The Fryar Price Risk Management Center produces publications, reports and podcasts that offer just-in-time analysis for the ag industry. There’s even a suite of decision-making tools to help tame the market’s wildest rides. fryar-risk-center.uada.edu Our economists also produce enterprise budgets for row crop, livestock and specialty crops, that are refined to produce the most accurate outcomes. bit.ly/2022-crop-budgets.

FRYAR

Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence faculty (l-r): Director John D. Anderson, Associate Director Andrew M. McKenzie and Assistant Professor Eunchun Park.

P RIC E RISK MANAGEMENT CENTER OF EXCELLENCE

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal access/affirmative action institution.

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

ASK THE EXPERT

A Q&A with Jon Zawislak, Assistant Professor, Apiculture & Urban Entomology University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Research & Extension

Q1. What is the best way to support bees and or pollinators on a farm or ranch?

Habitat loss is the greatest issue facing pollinators worldwide. There are so few wild areas left, and most of the landscape is not managed with wildlife in mind. The best thing you can do to support these important creatures is to plant more flowers, and to conserve and improve flowering habitat. This is true for honeybees, native bees, butterflies and many more pollinators.

Q2. Can bees be relocated? What does that process look like?

Honeybees can be relocated. Managed bees live in hives, and they all go back inside at night. A beekeeper can simply close the entrance and move the whole hive to a new location. Colonies living in trees or other structures can also be relocated, but it takes some skill. Each honeycomb can be carefully cut out and placed into wooden frames, and moved into a standard beehive, and the bees can be moved with them.

Q3. Can a farmer or rancher lease bees for pollination?

Many farmers routinely rent beehives for pollination. They can work with a beekeeper to arrange for the bees to be delivered just before a crop begins to flower, and then removed once the flowering is finished. The bees can be moved to other areas where different crops may be in need of pollinators.

Q4. What are the benefits of pollination in agriculture? What crops benefit the most from leased pollination services?

Large acreage commodity crops don’t necessarily need pollinators. Cereal grains (corn, wheat, rice, etc.) are wind-pollinated crops. And soybeans and other legumes can be self-pollinating. But most smallacreage, high-value crops, like strawberries, melons, and tree fruits, greatly benefit from pollinator visits. Good pollination improves the quantity and the quality of many fruits, nuts, and oilseed crops. Many vegetables and herbs also require pollination to produce seeds to grow more of those plants next year. About 80% of the world’s almonds are grown in California, which requires nearly 2 million beehives for pollination each spring. That area can’t support that many bees the rest of the year, so they are trucked in from all over the country (including Arkansas) to help with that job, then moved to other areas to pollinate and to make honey. And lastly, question recommended by friends: Do bees actually have knees? If so, how many? Insect legs have a femur and a tibia section, just like us. So you could say they have a knee on each of their six legs. Or maybe they have six elbows? Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

You Deserve More. You Deserve a Promise. For over 70 years Farm Bureau® Insurance’s commitment to our customers has never wavered. In that time, local agents and adjusters have served communities all over Arkansas with home and auto insurance, and more. We believe that your family is part of our family. And protecting families has always been our pledge. Talk with your local agent to learn more about the Farm Bureau Promise.

Real Service. Real People.

afbic.com

Self-Care is Farm Care: Care: Recognizing the Importance of Mental Health in Farming By Shaylee Wallace

s a mother of two young boys, Lesley Kelly struggled with postpartum depression, and as a wife, Kelly watched her husband struggle with anxiety as a farmer. Their efforts to manage stress, overcome mental illness and help others led Kelly to be a co-founder of The Do More Agriculture Foundation, a not-forprofit organization focusing on mental health in agriculture across Canada. At the 2022 Arkansas Women in Agriculture (AWIA) Conference, Kelly stood among more than 100 women as the keynote speaker to share her story and how to change the narrative surrounding mental health. What was one of Kelly’s greatest struggles? Watching someone she loved struggle. The room was filled with tears and women nodding as they connected with what Kelly shared about her husband. “He felt isolated,” she said. “We had lost 1,000 acres to flood and rain, and he quit eating and sleeping. He started having panic attacks … I came home one day, and he was having a panic attack in the living room. I 16

didn’t know what to do. The only thing I could think of was to hold him tight and get him to focus on my breathing … and it was in that moment I knew we had to do something different for our family.” For the Kellys, this was a turning point. They knew they not only needed to address the struggles, but also help others in similar situations. Lesley and Matt decided to share their story in a live online video in hopes it would help someone else. But before the Kellys shared their experience, they weighed the various outcomes. People hear about the stigma surrounding these heavy topics all the time, but the stigma in agriculture is different. Many individuals in agriculture struggle with not only how their mental state impacts themselves and their family, but also their farm or ranch. “We thought it could impact our farm and our business. Would the bank pull our loan? Would insurance see us as a risk? Would we lose our lease land because people told our landlords we were Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Mental health is a growing topic of conversation in agriculture. Speakers like Kelly are helping initiate conversations about mental illness and mental health, while educating about actionable steps and resources.

Photo by Lindsey Holtzclaw of Arkansas Women in Agriculture

crazy?” said Kelly. “We were so worried … but it was the opposite. We had such an outpouring of support.” Since their video, Matt has received an outpouring from other farmers who have faced similar struggles. The video also played a role in Lesley co-founding Do More Ag, where she now helps provide resources and training to those facing mental illness and those trying to help someone through it. Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

At the AWIA Conference, Kelly focused on sharing ways to break down barriers surrounding mental health and mental illness. She also reiterated that many who live with a mental illness can achieve good mental health. Kelly shared five ways to break down barriers. The first step is to remember that mental health is different for everyone. Stop comparing your story and someone else’s. When Kelly was asked to share her story alongside a veteran who suffered from post-traumatic stress, she felt as though she should be grateful her struggles “weren’t as difficult.” “Here you have this veteran who’s gone through so much … and I’m thinking, oh, I don’t have it that bad. But she reminded me that mental health is not a competition,” explained Kelly. “She said people drown in oceans, pools and bathtubs. We have to stop looking at how much water someone is drowning in and just recognize that they’re drowning.” continued on page 18>> 17

<<continued from page 17

Image courtesy of Lesley Kelly of High Heels andHer Canola Doyou More Agriculture nextFields key?and SayThe what see. You know the Foundation and Delia Axman Photography.

people you care about better than anyone. If you see

Kelly created her own line of clothing to help shed light on the topic of mental health in agriculture, and to engage others in the conversation. warning signs, it’s important to establish a safe place for open communication. Warning signs could include: • Behaviors or actions that start to have a negative impact on relationships or job duties. • Withdrawing from normal activities. • Avoiding social situations. • Impulsive behaviors. • Changes in eating or sleeping patterns. • Overwhelming feelings of anger. • Worthlessness or sadness. • Lack of interest or a numbness. • Extreme worry or anxiety that prevents participation in daily activities. • An increased use of drugs or alcohol. Starting conversations about these warning signs and what you have observed can be really uncomfortable, but Kelly says being uncomfortable is better than saying nothing. Here are some conversation starters she provided: • You’ve seemed really down lately? Is there anything you’d like to talk about? • I’ve noticed you’ve been coming to the farm/ office late the last few days. Is everything okay? • It’s been a busy week. I’d really like to catch up. Can we go out for lunch tomorrow? • Do you want to go for a drive or a walk? • How are you doing? How are you really doing? Kelly explained that beyond opening conversations up, it’s important to show that you care. 18

“I wanted to fix things, but I didn’t know what to do. My husband had a really bad panic attack. He handed me a piece of paper, and he had covered it in blue ink,” she said. “Journaling helps him, and he had covered that entire paper. So it’s important to try to find what that individual really needs, but if you can’t get fully to the root, just start with simple statements.” Simple statements can help. They might include the following: • How are you? • You’re not alone. • You are worth it. • I hear you. • I’m right here. • I have time for you. • It’s okay, and if it’s not, it will be. • How can I help? • I’m listening. Which leads to Kelly’s next barrier breaker. We all think we’re good listeners. But in stressful and awkward situations, it can be hard. It’s not always about the right thing to say or the right advice. “It’s so much more than that. Listening can save a life. We hosted a panel discussion, and throughout the panel, there was a man who you could tell was just emotionally wrecked. When the panel ended, he came to us and said he was going to go home and talk to his wife about the thoughts he had been having,” explained Kelly. “We didn’t have to know his whole

Image courtesy of Lesley Kelly of High Heels and Canola Fields and The Do More Agriculture Foundation and Delia Axman Photography.

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

story, but him hearing ours, and us being available for those few minutes after… it had saved his life. Without even sharing his story, hearing what we had to say and knowing he wasn’t alone had saved his life.” Kelly’s listening advice includes: • Listen with your ears, eyes, mind and heart. • Strike a balance between listening, asking questions and sharing experiences. • Be curious. • Rephrase, summarize and ask for clarity. • You don’t need to have/know answers, or even need to give advice. • Help the person feel hope and that they are not alone. • Awkward silence is okay.

Kelly’s final key to breaking down barriers is knowing your role when it comes to mental health. Kelly learned her husband had been living with anxiety for 10 years and she didn’t know. Her mother had tried to help him and talk to him multiple times, but he wasn’t ready to be open, so she changed her approach. “My mom slipped Matt a farm stress card, and he called them that night during a panic attack. At first, I was upset he didn’t talk to me, but then I realized, it wasn’t about me, it’s about him and what he needs,” said Kelly. It’s important to recognize that someone else’s mental health and needs are different than yours. Finding your support role for them, and yourself, is key to successfully helping someone. Help them find the right outlet or stress reliever without making it about yourself. continued on page 20>>

Photo by Lindsey Holtzclaw of Arkansas Women in Agriculture

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Actionable steps are key to breaking barriers in mental health, especially in agriculture. The Do More Agriculture Foundation focuses on actionable steps and education through workshops on mental health first aid, workshops for mental health professionals wanting to learn more about agriculture and working on bringing mental health (crisis and ongoing) support to the agriculture industry. 19

<<continued from page 19

When it comes to mental health, find what works for you! In Kelly’s family they call it “filling up your slip tank.” She explained it’s important to love someone the way they need to be loved, and at the end of the day, we all need each other. “My dad always got it. He knew the farm doesn’t matter without the farmer. The ranch doesn’t matter without the rancher. Putting ourselves as a priority on the farm allows us to lay a solid foundation,” Kelly said. “In his words, ‘If you want to be successful, it isn’t about how much land you have or what type of equipment you drive. It’s about how we work together and how we take care of each other and ourselves.’” Kelly explained that to break barriers you have to come from a place of truly caring. “Go ask them, notice them, witness them. Bring love with you when you do it,” she said. As Do More Ag grows, Kelly said the three things really helping farmers are workshops on mental health first aid, workshops for mental health professionals wanting to learn more about agriculture and working on bringing mental health (crisis and ongoing) support to all of the agriculture industry across Canada, from any location and at any time. While Do More Ag is a Canada-based nonprofit, it is important to recognize Arkansas farmers and ranchers face these same struggles, and

these strategies can help people from all backgrounds. Arkansas has many local resources available to farmers, ranchers and agriculturalists across the state. The Agri-Health Network is a nonprofit established to provide stress assistance to those engaged in farming, ranching and other agriculture-related occupations. Their podcast “That Farm Life” covers topics that affect those in the farming community and helps demonstrate ways to overcome (https:// www.agrihealth.net/). The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture provides resources and training on mental health, stress management, farming and ranching in tough times and access to mental health experts (https://www.uaex.uada. edu/life-skills-wellness/at-home-with-uaex/posts/ covid19/mental_health_1st_aid.aspx). American Farm Bureau’s Farm State of Mind program allows individuals to access information on mental health in farming and ranching and find direct resources available within their state via directory (https://www. fb.org/land/fsom). Arkansas also has ARConnect for comprehensive behavioral health treatment (https:// psychiatry.uams.edu/clinical-care/arconnect/) and the Arkansas Crisis Center for anonymous crisis and suicide assistance (https://www.arcrisis.org/suicideprevention/). *

Image courtesy of Lesley Kelly of High Heels and Canola Fields and The Do More Agriculture Foundation and Delia Axman Photography

Kelly knows the importance of mental health on the farm. “The farm doesn’t matter without the farmer. The ranch doesn’t matter without the rancher. Putting ourselves as a priority on the farm allows us to lay a solid foundation.” 20

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Aiming for the Future of Agriculture

June 10, 2022 Proceeds Benefitting Youth Leadership Programs Hosted by:

ARKANSAS

FFA FOUNDATION

$500 for 5 Man Team 8 a.m. Registration & Breakfast 9 a.m. Start Time Noon Lunch

AFGC Foundation Shooting Sports Complex 2800 Graham Road Jacksonville, AR

www.ArFB.com/foundation

PRUITT’S MID-STATE STOCKYARD

Going solar is a POWER move.

SALE EACH MONDAY @ 1 P.M.

Give us a call today to see how investing in solar can improve your bottom line.

SPRING 2021

ots! Good Ro , Camera, l Arkansas Lights Showcases Ag, Rura New PBS Segment

Your Local Expert in Commercial & Agricultural Solar Solutions

501.683.8835 • deltasolar.com

Plus: Q&A with

Be Conntteecrtivit

ey Dr. Andrew Sharpl

Capitol Exper ience:

Meet Farm Bure au’s Jarrod Yate s Also, Tax Issue Ana lysis

If a tree crashes through your roof, homeowners insurance has you covered. BUT NOT WHEN A FLOOD POURS INTO YOUR HOME.

The only way to get financial protection from flood damage is with affordable flood insurance.

FALL 2021

Growing Popularity: Cover Crops Catch On

Plus:

2021 ArFB Convention Highlights

An official publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation distributed to more than 43,000 farming and ranching households in Arkansas. For Advertising Rates contact

Paula Caruthers

501.725.3553

or email pcaruthers@pcipublishing.com

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

DINNER FROM OUR FARM OR RANCH FOR YOUR

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Kenny Pickering isn’t seeing as many hogs running on his ranch these days, and that’s a good thing. Pickering Cattle Company is an established beef operation in Sevier County in southwest Arkansas. As the third generation to run cattle on this property, Pickering has had his ups and downs with feral hogs but now he has help. “They root up the ground and destroy grazing areas,” Pickering said. “Not only do they tear up the areas where they eat, they make the ground so rutted that you can’t put a tractor on it to pull off hay for the winter. There were some ruts a couple of feet deep on the property.” Pickering turned the tides against the feral hogs with a good bit of help. Jackson Lee at the Cossatot Conservation District is a trapper who’s been hard at work removing feral hogs from Pickering’s property as well as many other landowners in the immediate area. Thanks to a recent grant through the 2018 Farm Bill , all of this work is free for the landowner. “When we first start trapping an area with these big corral traps, you catch a bunch of hogs quickly, but you have to stay at it,” Lee said. “We’re not seeing the hogs hit the bait as often, but we know there are still a few around. We’ll keep at it as long as we can to keep the damage down. If you let up, they can reproduce so quickly that you just can’t stop keeping an eye out once they’re established in your area.” 177

108 147

319

424

311

215

313

323 35

38 250

798 869

132 43

205

495 200

0 1

0 11

420

0 0

332 0 57 0-35 36-99

171 237

0 0

Arkansas Feral Hog Eradication Task Force

Jackson Lee with the Cossatot Conservation District has teamed up with landowner and cattle producer Kenny Pickering to remove hundreds of feral hogs from Pickering’s beef operation in Sevier County. Photo by Randy Zellers.

468

175 149

Not one to let someone else do all the work, Pickering upped his odds of success tremendously by working with Lee to coordinate when and where the traps would be best suited to work while posing little disturbance to his cattle operation. He also secured feed to use as bait, not only for traps on his property, but also for trapping efforts throughout Cossatot Conservation District. The added effort has paid in spades with most of the hogs and their damage being removed from his property, so he can focus on his work.

67 67

74 444

186 122

100-199

200

400-499

1152 841

200-399 500+

138

The task force has removed

11,253 feral hogs since January 1, 2021.

Arkansas Federal Hog Eradication Task Force

Attention Landowners: The free feral hog control program is available to landowners throughout the state through APHIS Wildlife Services at 501-835-2318. For more information on how to control feral hogs on your property, go to www.agriculture.arkansas.gov/ arkansas-department-of-agriculture-services/feral-hog.

Help stop the spread of feral hogs throughout Arkansas. Download the app Survey 123 to report observed and removed feral hogs. Use the QR code to access the Arkansas feral hog survey.

PolicyUPDATE

Know Who is Running

By Jeff Pitchford, Director, Public Affairs & Government Relations, State Affairs

eady or not, an election year is here. As the dust settled at the end of the filing period in early March, 446 candidates had filed for federal or state elected positions. Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Independents, write-ins, as well as non-partisan judicial candidates are now off and running. With Congressional and state legislative district being redrawn after the 2020 census, many new faces are throwing their hat in the ring and running for office. Keeping up with who is running and which district you’re in can be difficult. That’s why we’ve updated our arkelect.com web page to help you discover and get to know the candidates in your area in time for the May Arkansas primary. State elected positions can be searched by your county or you can simply click where you live on an interactive state map and you’ll be able to see who is running for office in your area. Why do we provide this service? Because understanding issues that affect agriculture is only one piece of the puzzle. Knowing who to contact in order to advocate for these issues is the real key to protecting and supporting farming in Arkansas and our nation. Elections matter and knowing who is running, how to contact them and what other issues are on the ballot are the first step in being a champion for farming and ranching in Arkansas. 2022 Ballot Issues The Arkansas General Assembly referred three constitutional amendments to the 2022 ballot in November. The first one, HJR 1005, is known as the “Constitutional Amendment and Ballot Initiative Reform Amendment,”

which will require a 60-percent voter approval to adopt any constitutional amendments in the future. This would be applied to amendments provided by the legislature or citizen-initiated amendments. SJR 10 is the amendment that would support allowing the state legislature to call itself into a special session with two-thirds votes of the members in each chamber. Currently, only the Governor can call and convene a special session of the General Assembly and the issues are limited to the Governor’s call. Finally, SJR 14, known as the “Arkansas Religious Freedom Amendment,” is an amendment to the Arkansas constitution that would provide that “government shall not burden a person’s freedom of religion even if the burden results from a rule of general applicability” Fiscal Session Wrap Up As the filing period for elected officials ended, so did the 2022 Fiscal Session of the Arkansas General Assembly. Per the Arkansas Constitution, this session deals with bills pertaining to the state’s budget, and legislators can only bring up non-fiscal bills with a twothirds vote in each chamber. Usually short, the session covered several issues that were important to Arkansas agriculture. First, the forestry industry got some much-needed attention during the session. The Arkansas Center of Forestry Business at the University of Arkansas at Monticello was funded the previous budget year with one-time money. The legislature moved the $841,000 funding request into the base

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

funding for UAM, thus providing a more stable revenue picture for the center. This center will conduct forestry research and asset inventory management for future economic development projects and help attract future forestry sector investments in the state. Many states Arkansas competes with for forestry industry expansion and development have had similar centers and this enables Arkansas to better compete and develop markets for our timber. From the 2021 legislative session, the General Assembly also established the Foresters for the Future Scholarship program. With a shortage of trained workers with degrees in forestry and forestry management, it was important to create a scholarship program to attract students into the forestry field. During the fiscal session, $30,000 was specifically earmarked for this program. Overall, the state was able to pass the $6.02 billion budget to fund state government while at the same time provide vehicle assessment tax relief for vehicles being assessing in 2022, which will revert to the 2020 level during the 2023 tax payment period. This will provide relief to all Arkansans who drive vehicles as we have seen a large increase in the value of used vehicles across the country. *

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Farm Bureau members receive

EXCLUSIVE CASH REWARD

ON ELIGIBLE NEW SUPER DUTY , F-150 , RANGER OR MAVERICK ®

FORD SUPER DUTY

Visit fordfarmbureauadvantage.com today! Computer-generated image with available features shown.

We value our long-standing partnership with Farm Bureau and are proud to offer you exclusive savings. *Farm Bureau Exclusive Cash Reward is exclusively for active Farm Bureau members who are residents of the United States. $500 Exclusive Cash Reward on the purchase or lease of an eligible new 2021/2022/2023 Ford Maverick, Ranger, F-150 or Super Duty. This incentive is not available on F-150 Lightning™, F-150 Raptor, F-650 and F-750 Super Duty. This offer may not be used in conjunction with most other Ford Motor Company private incentives or AXZD-Plans. Some customer and purchase eligibility restrictions apply. Must be a Farm Bureau member for 30 consecutive days prior to purchase or lease and take new retail delivery from an authorized Ford Dealer’s stock by January 3, 2023. Visit FordFarmBureauAdvantage.com or see your authorized Ford Dealer for qualifications and complete details. Note to dealer: Claim in VINCENT using #38326

Arkansas Farm Bureau Members

$500 UP TO

Cogswell Ford 1900 East Main Russellville, AR 72801 479-968-2665 www.cogswellford.com

Cavenaugh Ford 2000 E. Highland Drive Jonesboro, AR 72401 870-972-8000

Red Taylor Ford, Inc. 401 W. Second St. Corning, AR 72422 870-857-3516 www.redtaylorford.com

Ford of West Memphis 2400 East Service Rd. West Memphis, AR 72301 870-735-9800 www.fordofwestmemphis.com Ryburn Motor Company, Inc. 156 Highway 425 South Monticello, AR 71655 870-367-5353 www.ryburnautomotive.com

•

• •

•

• •

Smith Ford, Inc. 908 E. Oak St. Conway, AR 72032 501-329-9881 www.smithford.net

•

Cogswell Ford Russellville

•

H•

•

• •

•

Riser Harness Searcy

H •

Vaughn Ford Sales, Inc. 106 Hwy 63 West Marked Tree, AR 72365 870-358-2822 www.vaughnford.com

•

Cavenaugh Ford Jonesboro

•

Smith Ford Conway

• •

•

Riser Harness 2000 E. Race Ave. Searcy, AR 72143 501-268-2486 www.riserharnessford.com

Red Taylor Ford Corning

•

Glen Sain Ford, Inc. Danny Ford, owner 1301 Hwy 49 North Paragould, AR 72450 870-236-8546 www.glensainford.net

Glen Sain Ford Paragould

•

BONUS CASH

• •

•

Vaughn Ford Marked Tree Ford of West Memphis West Memphis

•

• •

•

Ryburn Motor Co. Monticello

• •

H Featured Dealership Locations

Arkansas Agriculture

• Dealership Locations

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Ag LawUPDATE Harrison M. Pittman is director of 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

urrently there are a number of important issues and actions to track at the federal level and the team at the National Agricultural Law Center has been keeping an eye on all of them. From battles over EPA rules and regulations to crop insurance and genetics, here are some of the issues that will have an impact on the agriculture industry: Treated Seeds Targeted, Again In late 2021, environmental groups filed a legal action against the Environmental Protection Agency seeking to change the existing approval process for seeds coated in pesticides, commonly referred to as “treated seeds.” Treated seeds are common in production agriculture, with neonicotinoids one of the most common types of pesticides used for coating. Currently, EPA allows treated seeds to be approved under what is known as the “treated article exemption” under the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA). Without the exemption, EPA’s approval process would require treated seeds to be approved under the same registration and labeling requirements as other pesticides. For more detailed information about this issue, see “Environmental Groups Challenge EPA Over Treated Seeds,” by Staff Attorney Brigit Rollins and available on the National Agricultural Law Center website. Tighter Path for Chlorpyrifos The path for chlorpyrifos remains increasingly difficult. In 2021 EPA issued a decision to ban all uses of chlorpyrifos on food crops effective Feb. 28, 2022, which at that time was the culmination of several years of litigation before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals challenging the chlorpyrifos registration. In February, several farm groups challenged EPA’s decision before the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, specifically asking that chlorpyrifos be allowed on food crops consistent 32

with a prior safety finding issued by EPA in 2020. In mid-March, the Eighth Circuit rejected the farm groups’ request to halt the EPA’s decision, thus allowing the February 28 ban to remain in place. However, the Eighth Circuit ruled that the farm groups’ action can continue. Consequently, the EPA remains in place. For more information, see “Farm Groups Sue EPA Over Revocation of Chlorpyrifos Tolerances,” by Staff Attorney Brigit Rollins and available on the National Agricultural Law Center website. Cover Crops & Crop Insurance The Pandemic Cover Crop Program (PCCP) is being continued by USDA for a second year. PCCP provides insurance premium benefits to eligible producers who planted cover crops during the 2022 crop year. Under PCCP, subject to certain restrictions, producers can receive a crop insurance premium subsidy valued at five dollars per acre. For more detailed information about PCCP, including eligibility requirements, see “Pandemic Premium Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Support: USDA Offers Premium Benefit for Planting Cover Crops” by Staff Attorney Micah Brown and available on the National Agricultural Law Center website.

development, see “First There Was AquAdvantage Salmon, Then There Was GalSafe Pigs, and Now There’s PRLR-SLICK Cattle” by Staff Attorney Jana Caracciolo and available on the National Agricultural Law Center website.

Gene-Edited Cattle The Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) within the Food and Drug Administration recently announced that it will allow the marketing of a biotechnology company’s genome-edited beef cattle. The gene-editing at issue creates slickhaired animals known as PRLR-SLICK cattle. The CVM took a “low-risk” approach in approving this technology and predicts its decision will encourage other companies to seek this “low-risk” approval for other animal biotechnology products. Additionally, any meat derived from PRLR-SLICK cattle that is eventually marketed may need to comply with the Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard. For a more thorough review of this

America’s Original

Field & Brush Mower

WOTUS Never Ends The U.S. Supreme Court recently agreed to hear a case involving Waters of United States jurisdiction under the Clean Water Act. In fact, this will be the second time the Court takes up the Sackett v. EPA case. The core issue revolves around whether an area on the Sackett’s property is a wetland that falls under the Clean Water Act jurisdiction. The Court will not rule in the immediate future, but the outcome could have a significant impact on any future WOTUS regulations. For more information, see “Treading Water: WOTUS Once Again Before Supreme Court” by Staff Attorney Brigit Rollins and available on the National Agricultural Law Center website. *

Make Yard Cleanup EASY with

DR Chipper Shredders ®

• MOW FIELD GRASS up to 8' high

• CHIP big branches up to 5" thick

• CUT BRUSH up to 3" thick

• SHRED lighter yard & garden waste

• Engines up to 22 HP

• REDUCE it all to a fraction of its original volume

• Decks up to 34" wide

Great Gardens Start with

DR® Rototillers!

USA

ENGINEERED AND BUILT Assembled in the USA using domestic and foreign parts.

• Bust sod and churn through the most compacted ground • Prepare seedbeds or till garden waste back into your soil

PLUS ALL-NEW Commercial Grade XD Series with hydrostatic drive!

• Full line includes walk-behinds, towbehinds, and cultivators

DRfieldbrush.com

DRchipper.com

L SA

FREE SHIPPING

Request your FREE PRODUCT CATALOG Online or Toll-Free at 888-362-1480

GoDRpower.com

DR POWER EQUIPMENT

S O M E L I M I TAT I O N S A P P LY

Arkansas Agriculture

DRrototiller.com

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

CHOOSE AGRI

ATTORNEYS WITH

FARMING BACKGROUNDS • Business Formations, Acquisitions & Sales

• Estate & Succession Planning

• Compliance & Regulatory Matters

• Lease Agreements & Easements

• Employment Matters

• Tax Planning

• Environmental Issues

T H E P OW E R OF E X PE R I E NC E

LITTLE ROCK

425 W. Capitol Ave., Ste. 1800

ROGERS

JONESBORO

AUSTIN

Little Rock, AR 72201

(501) 688-8800

C O N TA C T A G R I A T T O R N E YS T R AV B A X T E R & J O R D A N W I M P Y Mitchell, Williams, Selig, Gates & Woodyard, P.L.L.C | Jeffrey Thomas, Managing Director MitchellWilliamsLaw.com

C. Wright Welding

501.912.3574

Custom Fabrication Certified Former Arkansas Farm Bureau President RandyWelders Since 1990

Veach looks on as Congressman French Hill Fences • Gates • Stairways Mailboxes •addresses Trailers &Farm more Bureau leaders during an Advocacy Hours: 8:00-4:30 Stainless Steel • Wrought • Aluminum conference inIron Washington, D.C. 2 Maywood Dr. • Little Rock

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • QUARTERLY

John Deere Rewards Equipment Discounts Farm Bureau members are upgraded to PLATINUM 1 members with John Deere.

Discounts can be used for mowers, utility vehicles, skidsteers, mini excavators, and 5000 series tractors and below.

Arkansas Agriculture

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SFALL 2021

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

Rates that make waves!

New or Used Boat Loans

Speed away with savings! With a Boat Loan from Farm Bureau Bank, you’ll have access to competitive member rates, ﬂexible terms, and protection plans. You can count on a quick, easy, and painless process for your Boat Loan. With us, you can relax while you speed away! Contact your local agent for our current rates and apply today!

farmbureau.bank • 800.492.3276 Existing Farm Bureau Bank boat loans are excluded from this offer. *Boat rates are calculated at Maximum Loan Range amount and Maximum Term. Shorter Terms and/or higher Loan to Value will result in a higher APR. Minimum 12-month term. Final APR may differ from the loan interest rate due to additional fees (such as a loan documentation fee, which may be applicable). Rates may vary based on the amount financed, term and first payment date. Payment options may vary based on amount to finance and/or collateral. Finance charges accrue from origination date of the loan. Available to retail customers only. Excludes commercial boats, yachts, or ships. The minimum loan amount is $5,000. All loans are subject to credit approval, verification, and collateral evaluation. A down payment may be required. Additional documents may be required for consideration. Farm Bureau Bank does not finance totaled, rebuilt, or salvaged collateral. Non-member rates may be 1.50% higher than posted rates. This offer is not available in all states and rates and terms are subject to change without notice. See complete terms and conditions at www.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. 03.2022

Arkansas Agriculture | Q1 2022

Articles inside

Shaylee Wallace

Zippy Duvall