Skip to content, Accesskey F: Farm & Ranch, Accesskey Y: Yard & Garden, Accesskey B: Business & Communities, Accesskey E: Environment & Nature,Accesskey H: Health & Living, Accesskey 4: 4H & Youth

Donate Now
Farm & Ranch
- Insects & Plant Disease
  Pick up know-how for tackling diseases, pests and weeds.
- Ag Economics & Marketing
  Farm bill, farm marketing, agribusiness webinars, & farm policy.
- Animals & Forages
  Find tactics for healthy livestock and sound forages.
- Crops & Commercial Horticulture
  Commercial row crop and fruit production resources.
- Weed Management
  Agriculture weed management resources.
- Technology in Agriculture
  Use virtual and real tools to improve critical calculations for farms and ranches.
- Agritourism, Aquaculture, & Farm Safety
  Our programs include aquaculture, diagnostics, and energy conservation.
- Biosecurity Best Practices
  Keep our food, fiber and fuel supplies safe from disaster.
- Farm & Ranch Resource Library
  Learn to ID forages and more.
- Pesticide Training & Licensing
  Commercial & Non-commercial training and education.
Yard & Garden
- Master Gardener Program
  Gaining garden smarts and sharing skills.
- Home Landscaping
  Creating beauty in and around the home.
- Lawns and Turf
  Maintenance calendar, and best practices.
- Vegetable Gardening
  Coaxing the best produce from asparagus to zucchini.
- Plant Health Clinic
  What’s wrong with my plants? The clinic can help.
- Plant of the Week
  Featured trees, vines, shrubs and flowers.
- Ask the Pest Crew
  Ask our experts plant, animal, or insect questions.
- Small Fruits & Nuts
  Enjoying the sweet fruits of your labor.
- In the Garden
  Herbs, native plants, & reference desk QA.
- Youth and Gardening
  Growing together from youth to maturity.
- Plant, tree, & weed databases
  Crapemyrtles, hydrangeas, hort glossary, and weed ID databases.
- Bees & Beekeeping
  Get beekeeping, honey production, and class information.
- Butterfly gardening
  Grow a pollinator-friendly garden.
Business & Communities
- Leadership Development
  Equipping individuals to lead organizations, communities, and regions.
- Strategic Planning for Communities
  Guiding communities and regions toward vibrant and sustainable futures.
- Entrepreneurship and Tax School
  Guiding entrepreneurs from concept to profit.
- PTAC & Government Contracting
  Expanding your business by learning the language of government contracting.
- Economic Development
  Find trends, opportunities and impacts.
- Voter Education
  Providing unbiased information to enable educated votes on critical issues.
- Public Policy Center
  Increase your knowledge of public issues & get involved.
- Local Government
  Research-based connection to government and policy issues.
- Local Foods
  Support Arkansas local food initiatives
- Food Industry
  The science and business of food
Environment & Nature
- Disaster Preparedness
  Preparing for and recovering from disasters.
- Professional Education Opportunities
  Licensing for forestry and wildlife professionals.
- Water Quality and Conservation
  Preserving water quality and quantity.
- Air Quality and Standards
  Cleaner air for healthier living.
- Firewood and Energy
  Firewood & bioenergy resources.
- Forestry Management
  Managing a complex forest ecosystem.
- Wildlife Resources
  Learn to manage wildlife on your land.
- Soil Education and Testing
  Soil quality and its use here in Arkansas.
- Invasive Species
  Learn to ID unwanted plant and animal visitors.
Health & Living
- Food & Nutrition
  Eating right and staying healthy.
- Food Safety & Preservation
  Ensuring safe meals.
- Health & Exercise
  Taking charge of your well-being
- Personal Finance
  Making the most of your money.
- Personal & Family Well-Being
  Making sound choices for families and ourselves.
- Child Care Providers
  Nurturing our future.
- Aging
  Understanding aging and its effects.
- Extension Homemakers
  Giving back to the community.
- Emergency Preparedness
  Managing safely when disaster strikes
4-H & Youth
- About 4-H
  Getting the 411 on 4-H.
- Volunteering
  Volunteer with 4-H
- Teambuilding
  Learn to build a better team.
- Event calendar
  Check out our upcoming events.
- Program areas
  Animals, ATVs, robotics, and more!
- 4-H & Youth Resource Library
  What else do you need to know? Check it out.
- Summer & Day Camps
  Learn about our summer and day camp opportunities.
- Arkansas Outdoor School
  Hands-on activities in an outdoor setting.

Contact

Dr. Amanda Philyaw Perez
Associate Professor
Extension Specialist- Food Systems & Food Safety
501-671-2228
aperez@uaex.edu

Angela Gardner
Project Manager
501-671-2180
agardner@uaex.edu

Dr. Renee Threlfall
Research Scientist Institute of Food Science and Engineering
(479) 575-4677
rthrelf@uark.edu

Office:
University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture
Cooperative Extension Service
2301 S. University Avenue
Little Rock, AR 72204

How to start a food business in Arkansas

The Arkansas Food Innovation Center (AFIC) is a certified and inspected facility for food product development and processing for commercial sales. The AFIC is a fee-based service located in Northwest Arkansas and the UA System Division of Agriculture Food Science Department.

The AFIC has developed a number of publications to assist entrepreneurs in understanding the technical, legal and financial aspects of creating a small scale food processing business in Arkansas.

How to Start a Food Processing Business in Arkansas

Food Preservation and Safety

Acidified Foods

Drying Food Products

Labeling Food Allergens

For business and financial assistance, contact the Arkansas Small Business Technology Development Center