Agriculture & Timber

Key metric points to cattle market rebound

The cattle market may be on the rebound after a volatile spring and early summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Cattle feedlots are beginning to fill again, according to the…

Tyson Foods the largest U.S. chicken processor in 2019; George’s ranked 9th

Springdale-based Tyson Foods was in 2019 king of the nation’s broiler production with 200.47 million pounds of ready-to-cook chicken produced each week. Tyson Foods slaughtered 38.3 million chickens a week…

Wood product maker to invest $23 million, add jobs at North Little Rock plant

Koppers, a global provider of treated wood products, announced Tuesday (Aug. 25) that it plans to invest a minimum of $23 million and increase the number of workers at its…

Hurricane Laura could impact Arkansas’ early harvest

The Gulf Coast is projected to be hit with an unprecedented double dose of weather as Tropical Storm Marco and Hurricane Laura are expected to make landfall. That turbulent weather,…

Tyson Foods partners with Feed the Children to provide 10 million meals

Tyson Foods is donating 10 million meals to families in 16 states, including Arkansas, to help in COVID-19 support efforts. The gift is made through a partnership with Feed the…

Arkansas Department of Agriculture to offer grants for wildfire suppression kits

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division is now accepting applications for the Volunteer Fire Assistance Grant for wildfire suppression kits through October 2, 2020. The application can be found…

Bayou Meto water district says assessment, tax credit needed for irrigation project

An irrigation project that would bring surface water from the Arkansas River to farms in four counties won’t be completed for 100 years under the current funding structure, so the…

USDA sued by animal welfare groups claiming mishandling of poultry slaughter

The Animal Welfare Institute and Farm Sanctuary filed a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture claiming failure to require humane handling of poultry at slaughter. The groups said…

Former Allen Canning principal ordered to pay nearly $157K

A Benton County judge has ordered the principal of a former family-owned business in Siloam Springs to pay a Prairie Grove farmer nearly $157,000, including court costs, in a breach…

U.S. meat export challenges remain, but industry on track for a record year

U.S. meat production is on track for a record year, according to Derrell Peel, livestock marketing specialist at Oklahoma State University Extension. Peel said before COVID-19, it was recognized that…

Scientists try to stem the tide of bee losses

Bees pollinate about one-third of the world’s food supply, according to Sustain, a nonprofit agriculture policy organization. Bees pollinate all manner of fruits, vegetables, crops, and even some of the…

Hydroponic agriculture trending upward

Hydroponic production of leafy green vegetables is trending upward in the U.S. But the closed, recirculating water systems can develop food and plant pathogens, said Ryan Dickson, assistant professor of…

Domtar to shutter paper machine work in Ashdown, transition to soft wood and pulp production

Domtar Corp. announced Friday (Aug. 7) it would permanently shutter its paper machine operations at its Ashdown plant to save $200 million by 2021. The South-Carolina based company will transition…

Kelly Robbins named executive director for Arkansas Rice

The Arkansas Rice Federation Board has announced that Kelly Robbins has been selected as the new executive director effective August 1. Most recently, Robbins served as executive director for the…

Study shows Arkansas rice best positioned to survive current farming conditions, pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned what looked to be abysmal conditions for Arkansas farmers into something worse as the growing season got underway, but one crop might provide a buffer…

Tyson Foods third-quarter net income down 22%; COVID-19 costs total $340 million

Tyson Foods said costs related to COVID-19 totaled $340 million, and that did not include direct costs related to absenteeism. The expense hurt the meat giant’s bottom line in the…

Dean Banks to succeed Noel White as Tyson Foods CEO

Tyson Foods, Inc. announced Monday (Aug. 3) that Dean Banks will replace Noel White as CEO of the Springdale-based protein giant. The move will be effective on Oct. 3, 2020….

New Cooperative Extension Service leader seeks to modernize, expand access

Dr. Bob Scott is no stranger the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service. For more than 20 years, he’s held posts within the organization from weed scientist to rice research…

Income and revenue likely lower for Tyson Foods in third quarter report

Tyson Foods is expected to report leaner third-quarter net income and revenue amid challenging poultry fundamentals, ongoing pressures from COVID-19 and its impact on meatpacking plants and weak demand from…

Crop burning to be studied

One of the most contentious issues between urban and rural communities revolves around the practice of burning crop residues in agriculture fields during the fall. Many in communities complain about…

GDP up 4.3% in the third quarter, consumer confidence declines

St. Bernards to expand Maternal Life360 HOME program into Greene County

Then and Now: Cooperative business model a good fit for Mitchell Johnson

Dope Medicinal Wellness opens Fayetteville clinic