For the Media

December 16, 2011

News Briefs

Retailers see many unhappy returns as buyers’ remorse sinks in

UNDATED – Buyers’ remorse seems to be in the drivers’ seat in the wake of record Black Friday and Cyber Monday spending.

Prairie Co. row crop meeting set for Jan. 10 at fairgrounds

DE VALLS BLUFF, Ark. – The results of a three-year research project on how soybean seed quality is affected by a variety of environmental factors is among the discoveries to be presented at the Prairie County’s 2012 Row Crop production meeting Jan. 10.

Arkansas 4-H center a winner in Arkansas Business ‘Best of Business’ issue

LITTLE ROCK – The C.A. Vines Arkansas 4-H Center in Ferndale was voted “Best Team-Building Center” by “Arkansas Business” readers in the magazine’s annual “Best of Business” issue.

Izard County 4-H’ers create ‘glamour hounds’ to speed adoption ICARE

MELBOURNE, Ark. – Castoff dogs in need of homes received star treatment at the hands of Izard County 4-H’ers, who primped the canines with hats, scarves and pearls for glamour photos the 4-H’ers hope will help speed adoption of the dogs.

Bagging leaves? You may be throwing out fertilizer

MOUNTAIN HOME, Ark. – Homeowners may see fall leaves as a nuisance; something to be gathered up and thrown away. However, those same leaves can be composted to create a potent fertilizer, said Mark Keaton, Baxter County staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

U of A’s Griffin among speakers at Precision Ag summit Jan. 16-17

UNDATED – Terry Griffin, extension economist with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, will be among the presenters at the Precision Agriculture Summit set for Jan. 16-17 at Jamestown, N.D

Of molasses and men: gingerbread stars in holiday sweets

TEXARKANA, Ark. – Gingerbread, that ubiquitous holiday spice treat, is more than a delicious cookie or a part of a fairy tale, said Carla Haley, Miller County extension agent with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Sweet Potato Journey from Slip to Store

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Chances are that the sweet potatoes you are enjoying this holiday season began the journey to your table long before you even thought about them.

Deadline for Greens Growers Jan. 1, 2012

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Once again growers of spring and fall greens have a January 1 deadline to enroll in the Noninsured Crop Disaster Assistance Program (NAP).

Rural Life Conference Set for Feb. 24

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – The 56th annual Rural Life Conference will be Friday, Feb. 24, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.

Upcoming Arkansas events

UNDATED – Here’s a look at upcoming events from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Uncle Ray’s holiday hunt, or how to get Uncle Ray’s goat

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Uncle Ray’s voice berated me over the phone, “Hey! You promised to come down over the holidays and go rabbit huntin’ with me!”

Avoiding or coping with holiday stress

MARION, Ark.  – The holidays are a time of festivities, shopping, entertaining, religious observances, family gatherings, decorating and…stress! Between the extra demands we place on ourselves and the expectations of the season, it is no wonder that most of us feel some stress during the holiday season.

December 15, 2011

Conference focuses on Arkansas soybean research

STUTTGART, Ark. — The Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board is funding more than 35 research projects aimed at increasing or protecting crop yields for Arkansas growers, said Lanny Ashlock, assistant vice president for special programs for the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Arkansas & Mid-South Soybean Promotion Board Coordinator.

December 14, 2011

Dec. 16 marks bicentennial of New Madrid quakes – reminder to be prepared

UNDATED – Two hundred years ago Dec. 16, the New Madrid Seismic Zone unleashed one of the most powerful earthquakes to shake the lower 48 states – a quake so powerful it caused waterfalls on the Mississippi River, shook houses in Charleston. S.C., and rang church bells in Boston.

Earthquake best practices

LITTLE ROCK – As with any disaster, preparation is the best defense. Earthquakes are no exception.

Izard County 4-Her’s adopt soldiers in Afghanistan

MELBOURNE, Ark. – Half a world away, 37 Marines in Afghanistan, including one big brother, are enjoying some of the comforts of home, thanks to his younger sister and her compadres in the Lone Star 4-H club in Izard County.

December 13, 2011

Arkansas Flower & Garden Show resets 2012 schedule, location

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas Flower & Garden show has hit the reset button, changing both the date and location for its 2012 show, themed “Floral Notes.”

Peanuts deliver big for Arkansas growers

LITTLE ROCK – With 2011 delivery prices hovering around $1,000 a ton, expect an increase in Arkansas’ peanut acreage for 2012.

2012 ‘12 Months of Gardening in Arkansas’ now available for order

LITTLE ROCK – Enjoy the beauty of gardening plus helpful horticulture hints all year ‘round in the 2012' 12 Months of Gardening in Arkansas' calendars, now available for order.

December 9, 2011

News Briefs

Soybeans still stranded, cotton modules sprouting

BLYTHEVILLE, Ark.  – December has brought the kind of weather that can keep an Arkansas farmer up at night.

No surprises: USDA cotton forecast slashed from November

JONESBORO, Ark.  – USDA on Friday slashed its forecast cotton yield for Arkansas to 938 pounds per acre, down sharply from its November estimate of 996 pounds per acre.

Reduce the gift list, give more

LITTLE ROCK – A fourth-quarter burst of optimism among consumers and the markets buoyed holiday sales to record highs; but for those who haven’t yet crossed everything off the wish list, there’s still time to consider that gifts don’t necessarily make the holiday. 

Fall and winter months best time to lime farm ponds

HARRISBURG, Ark. – If your farm pond does double duty for recreational fishing, now is a good time to adjust the pH to help its sportfish population, according to Craig Allen, Poinsett County staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Mid-South commercial hort/fruit producers meeting Jan. 24

CONWAY, Ark. – Trends for 2012 and beyond, plus a look at labor issues, are among the topics on the agenda for the third annual Mid-South Commercial Horticulture-Fruit Producers Meeting set for Jan. 24.

Cartwright earns Rice Industry Award at USA Rice Outlook Conference

LITTLE ROCK – Rick Cartwright, associate director of agriculture and natural resources for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, has been honored for his work with the 2011Rice Industry Award.

Submit USDA Farm Loan Applications Now: Help Available

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – Farmers seeking a loan should not wait until March or April to submit their loan application packets, advises Kathleen Mazzanti, farm loan specialist, Farm Service Agency (FSA), Lake Village, Ark. She told famers at a USDA Farm and Rural community Development Program Workshop recently that ideally loan application packets should be submitted in November and December.

What’s Ahead re: weather and livestock producers

Arkansas suffered through a hotter, drier summer than usual this year, but according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) we should prepare for warmer, drier conditions this winter, and this will affect livestock producers, says Dr. David Fernandez, Cooperative Extension Program livestock specialist at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.        

Upcoming Arkansas events

UNDATED – Here’s a look at upcoming events from the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture:

Widgets allow sharing of extension news

UNDATED  – Sharing news stories from the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service is a little easier, thanks to a new widget added to the www.uaex.edu homepage.

The man on the back row

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Back in 1955, Mrs. Taylor was my first grade and Sunday school teacher. And believe me; the day of the week did not alter her adherence to teaching methods and discipline.

December 7, 2011

Former U of A VP named to USDA advisory board

WASHINGTON – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack has appointed Dr. Milo J. Shult, vice president for agriculture-emeritus for the University of Arkansas, to a three-year term on the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education and Economics Advisory Board.

December 5, 2011

Ark farmers looking at fieldwork ‘do-overs’ as daily rainfall records fall

LITTLE ROCK – Arkansas row crop farmers may be redoing field prep for 2012 spring planting in the wake of a slow-moving front that toppled daily rainfall records, while in northwest and southwest Arkansas, ponds and groundwater were getting a much-needed recharge. 

Harvest end tantalizingly close despite snow and more rain

LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas' 2011 harvest is tantalizingly close to completion, with only 2 percent of soybeans left to cut, but expected heavy rain this weekend means the beans will probably have to wait a little longer.

Blanketing may not be best for horse in cold weather

LITTLE ROCK – Except for horses with very short hair, a blanket may not be the best thing for horses kept outside in winter, especially when it’s wet, said Mark Russell, assistant professor-equine extension, for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

December 2, 2011

News Briefs

Smart retail tactics lure shoppers out despite weak economy

JONESBORO, Ark. – Despite reports of economic doom and gloom, consumers rang up record holiday spending in November thanks to smarter marketing, said Scott Stiles, extension economist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Cookies crumble, but your resolve shouldn’t

TEXARKANA, Ark. – Cookies are holiday treats loved by all ages, but newbie and experienced bakers alike can be stymied by less-than-perfect results. There are several tricks and tips that can break the cycle of frustration, according to Carla Haley, Miller County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Cooperative Extension Service recognized for volunteer contributions

LITTLE ROCK – With nearly 200,000 hours of volunteer service in 2010, the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture’s Cooperative Extension Service has been recognized for the contributions of its employees and volunteers who are Master Gardeners, 4-H parents and mentors and Extension Homemakers Clubs members.

Building vibrant, sustainable communities topic of Jan. 25 conference

LITTLE ROCK – Helping communities gain economic traction or keeping momentum going is the focus of the Jan. 25 Breakthrough Solutions winter conference to be held at the Airport Holiday Inn at Little Rock.

Uncle Ray: Can you hear me now?

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – Technology continues to make rapid changes for those involved in production agriculture. Some producers are quick to adapt, while others take a more conservative approach, allowing the bugs to get worked out before buying in.

December 1, 2011

ExCEL program bonds Fountain Lake football team on and off the field

FOUNTAIN LAKE, Ark. – When scaling a 14-foot wall face-to-face, teamwork is the only way to the top. That’s the lesson Fountain Lake football coach Tommy Gilleran wants his players to bring to the field after their preseason run through the ExCEL program at the C.A. Vines 4-H Center in Ferndale.