CAPITOL CONVERSATIONS with Stanley Hill RECAPPING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION

The 94th General Assembly – a bi-annual exercise that defines state laws and statutes – has officially wrapped up after 89 days in session. As you might expect from an agriculture advocacy organization, Arkansas Farm Bureau was an active participant in the legislative process, supporting certain policies, opposing some legislation, and working to ensure farmers and ranchers in Arkansas have the best possible environment to operate. It’s fair to say that Farm Bureau was successful on several legislative priorities, while not having everything turn out the way we would have preferred.

To the 135 members who stand in service in the state legislature, we offer our sincere thanks and appreciation. We may not always agree on certain topics, though your willingness to serve is to be saluted and respected. There are certainly several legislators who stood out during the session, willing to carry forward items of importance to Farm Bureau members.

Several of our legislative priorities were passed and I believe time will prove them to have a positive impact on the daily lives of Arkansas’ farmers and ranchers. Some of the legislation we supported will improve our members access to healthcare programs, where Sen. Jonathan Dismang of Beebe and Rep. Lee Johnson of Greenwood led the charge for increased access to health care for Farm Bureau members in need of affordable coverage.

Rep. Bruce Cozart of Pearcy and Sen. Kim Hammer of Benton championed legislation that allows agriculture concepts to be taught as part of elementary-age curriculum. Rep. Chad Puryear of Hindsville and Rep. Delia Haak of Centerton were committed allies to the farmers and ranchers of Arkansas. Certainly, there were many others who worked closely with Farm Bureau and our members during the session. We consider these many legislators who go above and beyond for Arkansas farmers and rancher as champions for agriculture.

Other legislative successes we enjoyed this session allow farm stores and farm cooperatives to continue selling animal medicines, while other action provided reforms on our state’s fencing laws and streamlined driver’s license processes for authorized foreign ag workers.

Action taken late in the session, though, resulted in a move of the administration of the commodity checkoff programs from Farm Bureau to the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, ending a public-private relationship that had extended throughout the life of most of the checkoff programs, more than 50 years in some cases.

This change in administration will create opportunities to redirect our staff resources and provide additional services to our membership, as has been our history for decades. We intend to help farmers navigate the H-2A guest worker program, will work to increase community engagement in more communities across our state. And we will increase the efforts of our commodity divisions, including the launch of a new small-ruminants division, the first new commodity division in more than 20 years.

As I reflect on the successes of the 2023 General Assembly, I am reminded that Arkansas Farm Bureau is, was and always will be a champion for agriculture.

As we begin looking toward next year’s fiscal session, which will begin in January, we expect that the General Assembly is going a long look at our state’s tax structure to ensure that our state’s business climate is primed for growth and expansion. We have already begun conversations about the importance of keeping our farmers and ranchers competitive with those in surrounding states. As has been our track record, Farm Bureau will be there, doing the work that benefits our members in every part of Arkansas.

Stanley Hill serves as vice president of public affairs and government relations for Arkansas Farm Bureau. He has been with ArFB for 29 years. •