We hear about progress and obstacles to early planting in the state and get a new update on agriculture-focused initiatives at the state legislature.

Chicot County row crop farmer and former state representative Sammy Angel wears many hats. He was recently elected president of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association. He is also chairman of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture board, chair of the Chicot Memorial Medical Center board, Lake Village Fire Department Chief and he manages the historic Epstein Cotton Gin in Lake Village. We visited with him recently for a tour of the more than 100-year-old gin and let him share the importance and mission of his new role with the Ginners Association.

Philip Powell has been hired as assistant director of public affairs and government relations at Arkansas Farm Bureau, where he will focus on local affairs and rural development and serve as a member of the lobbying team for the state’s largest agricultural advocacy organization.

Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation has awarded a total of $4,000 in Outdoor Classroom Garden Mini-Grants to 10 schools and FFA programs across the state. Six schools received grants in the amount of $500.

Arkansas dairy farmers testified in support of HB 1729 during a Senate Agriculture Committee meeting March 23. The legislation safeguards the state's dairy industry by leveling the playing field and ensuring Arkansas dairy producers are paid a fair price for their product - Class 1 fluid milk. Arkansas Farm Bureau supports the bill and following the committee meeting Bill Haak, chair of ArFB's dairy division, spoke about why passage of the legislation is so support and the grassroots process that brought dairy farmers to this point.

Delta Peanut leaders Tommy Jumper, David Wildy and Byron Small shared their thoughts on Arkansas' growing peanut industry at an Arkansas Peanut Month celebration in Jonesboro March 25.

Read the latest edition of the Farm Bureau Press

On this week’s edition, we learn how the state’s berry and peach crops fared after the hard freeze and winter storm of late February and we get one more update on happenings at the state legislature, including the latest on relaunching a state meat inspection program.

In honor of National Agriculture Day, State Sen. Greg Leding was recognized by Arkansas Farm Bureau and state dairy farmers for his lead sponsorship of what is now Act 131, which helps safeguard animal agriculture in Arkansas. Sen. Leding, Farm Bureau Secretary-Treasurer Dan Wright and Farm Bureau Director of Policy Development Jessica Burkham share why protecting and celebrating agriculture is so important.

Last year, Jeremy Wiedeman of Corning used minimum tillage, cover crops, Delta Plastics’ Pipe Planner and watermark sensors to maximize water-use efficiency on his Clay County soybean farm. His efforts paid off with a first-place win in the “Most Crop Per Drop” contest sponsored by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.