HELPING FARMERS, HELPING YOU
with Warren Carter ARFB EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT
The Work of Supporting Agriculture Doesn’t Stop
T
o say this spring has been a challenging one is an understatement. The impact of the coronavirus outbreak has been felt by all. Whether on a personal level, as we worry about vulnerable or aging loved ones and deal with home-schooling children and sheltering in place, or on a business level – where shutdowns, cancellations and new business models have become the norm – we have all been coping with loss or dealing with uncertainty. Farmers are facing these same concerns, but, as always during times of crisis, they continue to do what they do best: Grow. At Arkansas Farm Bureau, we continue to do everything we can to help support all of the growers in the fields and pastures around the state and we remain committed to Arkansas’ agriculture industry and rural communities. With groceries and markets becoming a central part of our new routines and the food supply chain facing stress, our farmers and ranchers have been focused on their jobs, all while doing their best to follow public health guidelines and coping with labor shortages and commodity price swings. At Arkansas Farm Bureau, we moved to a work-from-home program in early March and have kept our usually active field team from traveling the state, but, like others, we made the adjustments necessary to stay on the job and found new ways to accomplish our objectives. In April, the Farm Bureau Insurance companies presented a $500,000 gift to the six foodbanks that cover the state of Arkansas, anchored by the Arkansas Foodbank. In addition, the Arkansas Farm Bureau Women’s Leadership Committee and the Farm Bureau Foundation donated
$50,000 to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkansas to help offset projected shortfalls as a result of COVID-19. Arkansas Farm Bureau also worked with Congressman Rick Crawford’s office, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and others to help launch and promote Arkansas Farm Corps, a project aimed at addressing labor concerns in agriculture caused by restrictions on foreign workers due to COVID-19. This unique initiative is an attempt to connect an available workforce of National Guard and Reservists and other military veterans to jobs in agriculture and it has now been copied in other states. Like the rest of the state and the country, we are slowly and carefully returning to normal business operations, but we have not lost a step or strayed from our mission during this unusual time. We continued to connect with our county offices and those in the fields through regular Zoom calls, emails and other outreach. We also stayed on top of policy development at the state and national levels, providing explanations and assistance with new legislation and new programs. As we entered the new year, I expressed excitement about what we could accomplish over the coming 12 months, through our grassroots policy development efforts, our education and outreach work and membership development. None of that has changed. While we didn’t know all of the challenges we would face along the way, all of us at Arkansas Farm Bureau were ready and willing to make the adjustments necessary to stay on track and continue working to help agriculture and Arkansas grow. •
In April, the Farm Bureau Insurance companies presented a $500,000 gift to the six foodbanks that cover the state of Arkansas, anchored by the Arkansas Foodbank
Front Porch
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ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SPRING 2020
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