arkansas agriculture - summer 2015

S U M M E R 2 0 1 5

ManAnd his not-so-secret life

Th eBeeNew grain marketing

opportunities

Ag in the Classroom

Teacherof the Year

2 Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015

1310 W Showroom Dr, Fayetteville479-695-7500

George Kell Motors501 Hwy 367 North

Newport870-523-2792

www.georgekellmotors.com

Bull Motor Company729 Hwy 64 W, Wynne

870-238-2800www.BullMotorCo.com

BullMotor

Company

Lucky’s of Monticello

1215 Hway 425 North, Monticello870-367-6000 www.autobylucky.com

Russell Chevrolet6100 Landers Road,

Sherwood800-511-5823

www.russellchevrolet.com

Gerren Motor CompanyChevrolet Buick GMC

2190 US Hwy 165 W, England501-842-2527

Chevy, Buick, GMC6345 Hwy 49 South, Paragould

870 565-4353www.glensain.com

Central Chevrolet-Cadillac

3207 Stadium Blvd, Jonesboro

870-935-5575

GMC421 E. 9th St., Rector


- GM Dealership locations

- Select dealer

Offer valid toward the lease or purchase of new 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet, GMC and Buick models. This offer is not available with some other offers, including private offers (for example, Owner Loyalty). Offer is available with GM Business Choice. Not valid on prior purchases. Valid FB Membership Verifi cation Certifi cate must be presented to dealer prior to delivery of new vehicle. One Certifi cate per vehicle. Eligible FB members may obtain an unlimited number of valid Certifi cates. Certifi cates do expire. To be eligible, customers must be an active member of a participating state Farm Bureau for at least 60 consecutive days prior to date of vehicle delivery. Program subject to change without notice. See dealer for complete details.

Exclusive $500 Member PrivateOffer is Available at any Arkansas Chevy, GMC or Buick Dealer.

13101 Chenal ParkwayLittle Rock, AR 72211

www.balechevrolet.com

3 Smart DriveWhite Hall 71602

www.smartdrive.com

L Series 24.8 HP-62 OHP Gross• Synchro – Shuttle Trans.• HST Tran. (L2501 HST)• Enhanced Operators Deck

• Lg. Capacity Fuel Tank• Tool Box• Roll Bar

M Series 46.0-135.0 Net HPMX4800/MX5200/MX5800• HST Trans• Synchro-Schuttle Trans.• Gear Drive Trans• New Ergonomic Dash Panel

• Bevel Gear Front Axel• Halogen Headlights• 3 point hitch• Draw Bar

0% FINANCING0 DOWN

.099 % for 60 Months

www.deanhendersonequipment.com

15707 Hwy. 79 North, Altheimer, AR

(870) 766-8416

Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015 1

Holly Chevrolet6601 Interstate 55 N,

Marion870-739-7337

Sherwood

Everett Buick-GMCI-30 Alcoa Exit, Bryant

501-315-7100EverettBGMC.com905 Unity Rd., Crossett

870-364-4424 www.holtautogroup.net

Everett Buick-GMCMoberly Lane,

Bentonville866-812-3307

EverettNWA.com

Everett ChevroletI-49 at

Elm Springs Road,Springdale

888-536-0352EverettChevroletNWA.com

Classic

Stanley Wood

Orr Bull

Chevy of Fayetteville

EverettGerren

HugRhodes

George Kell

Gwatney ChevyRussell

GwatneyBuick/GMC

Bale

Central

Smart

Lucky’s

Holt

Holly

Allen Tillery

Everett

Smith

Everett

Farm Bureau members can get a $5001 private offer toward the purchase or lease of most new GM vehicles,including the Chevrolet Silverado 2500hD and 3500hD lineup. Visit fbverify.com for more details. They get tough jobs done with a maximum payload of up to 6,635 lbs.2 and a conventional towing capacity of up to 17,000 lbs.3 And through the GM Business Choice Program,4

business owners receive even more when purchasing or leasing an eligible Chevrolet or GMC truck or van for business use. Visit gmbusinesschoice.com for details.

$500PRIVATE OFFER

870-741-8211woodmotor.com MOTOR COMPANY2 Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015

1310 W Showroom Dr, Fayetteville479-695-7500

George Kell Motors501 Hwy 367 North

Newport870-523-2792

www.georgekellmotors.com

Bull Motor Company729 Hwy 64 W, Wynne

870-238-2800www.BullMotorCo.com

BullMotor

Company

Lucky’s of Monticello

1215 Hway 425 North, Monticello870-367-6000 www.autobylucky.com

Russell Chevrolet6100 Landers Road,

Sherwood800-511-5823

www.russellchevrolet.com

Gerren Motor CompanyChevrolet Buick GMC

2190 US Hwy 165 W, England501-842-2527

Chevy, Buick, GMC6345 Hwy 49 South, Paragould


Central Chevrolet-Cadillac

3207 Stadium Blvd, Jonesboro

870-935-5575

GMC421 E. 9th St., Rector


- GM Dealership locations

- Select dealer

Offer valid toward the lease or purchase of new 2014 and 2015 Chevrolet, GMC and Buick models. This offer is not available with some other offers, including private offers (for example, Owner Loyalty). Offer is available with GM Business Choice. Not valid on prior purchases. Valid FB Membership Verifi cation Certifi cate must be presented to dealer prior to delivery of new vehicle. One Certifi cate per vehicle. Eligible FB members may obtain an unlimited number of valid Certifi cates. Certifi cates do expire. To be eligible, customers must be an active member of a participating state Farm Bureau for at least 60 consecutive days prior to date of vehicle delivery. Program subject to change without notice. See dealer for complete details.

Exclusive $500 Member PrivateOffer is Available at any Arkansas Chevy, GMC or Buick Dealer.

13101 Chenal ParkwayLittle Rock, AR 72211

www.balechevrolet.com

3 Smart DriveWhite Hall 71602

www.smartdrive.com

L Series 24.8 HP-62 OHP Gross• Synchro – Shuttle Trans.• HST Tran. (L2501 HST)• Enhanced Operators Deck

• Lg. Capacity Fuel Tank• Tool Box• Roll Bar

M Series 46.0-135.0 Net HPMX4800/MX5200/MX5800• HST Trans• Synchro-Schuttle Trans.• Gear Drive Trans• New Ergonomic Dash Panel

• Bevel Gear Front Axel• Halogen Headlights• 3 point hitch• Draw Bar

0% FINANCING0 DOWN

.099 % for 60 Months

www.deanhendersonequipment.com

15707 Hwy. 79 North, Altheimer, AR

(870) 766-8416


ON THE COVER

James Rhein of Mountain Home appears lost in thought as he works with his honeybees, a pastime that has earned him the nickname “The Bee Man.”

Photo by Keith Sutton

The Bee ManKeith Sutton | Page 6

New grain marketing opportunitiesEthan Branscum | Page 12

F E A T U R E S

SUMMER 2015 Edition 38

Farm Bureau PerspectiveRandy Veach | Page 3

Faces of Agriculture – Julie HathcoteKen Moore | Page 18

Policy UpdateMichelle Kitchens | Page 22

Rural Refl ections PhotoPage 28

C O L U M N S


Country of origin labeling (COOL), which requires many meat products sold in the United States to list information on where animals were

born, raised and slaughtered, has our trading partners from Mexico and Canada hot under the collar.

Whenever considering an issue of signifi cances throughout agriculture, I fi nd it helps to turn to Farm Bureau policy. In this case, we have policy supporting COOL labeling that complies with World Trade Organization (WTO) standards. As is most oft en the case, we can count on Farm Bureau policy to cut straight to the heart of the matter.

Based on appellate action taken on complaints fi led by Mexico and Canada, the WTO ruled that the process of separating herds by origin was too cumbersome to permit free trade.

Th e WTO ruling has paved the way for Mexico and Canada to impose harsh trade tariff s – as much as $3.6 billion – on U.S. products unless we eliminate the current COOL program by mid-November.

To address that issue, the U.S. House of Representatives has passed HR 2393, which repeals the COOL requirements for beef, pork and chicken. Th e Senate is expected to vote on the measure before its August recess. Each of our four members of the House of Representatives voted for HR 2393. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton have expressed support for repeal of the COOL requirements.

You may recall Farm Bureau was supportive of voluntary COOL when it was fi rst proposed in the 2002 farm bill. We believed at the time such information could benefi t consumers and diff erentiate U.S. products from those imported from other countries.

Th e most recent WTO decision has forced us to reconsider that position. Th e American Farm Bureau board of directors held a special meeting to consider our stance on this issue, and the state presidents were strongly supportive of eff orts to repeal COOL requirements.

Farm Bureau believes our hands are tied by the WTO ruling. If we are going to continue to engage in free trade with our neighbors to the north and south, we must change our law to be compliant with the WTO ruling.

I have written before about the WTO, having visited with the organization’s Director General, Roberto Azevedo, and other trade leaders last year at WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. I questioned then the WTO’s eff ectiveness in regulating international trade. While recent decisions involving our farm policy seem to routinely side against the U.S., my concerns don’t stem from my displeasure with those rulings. However, I don’t believe the WTO has been eff ective in its charter to stimulate fair and equitable trade around the globe.

Many countries are increasingly frustrated with the WTO because of its inability to come up with trade agreements that would ensure its future relevance. I share that frustration but believe world trade could tumble into chaos without the WTO in place.

With the shaky situation surrounding the WTO, it is imperative that the United States forge ahead with bilateral and multilateral trade agreements to help ensure valuable trading markets are available for the American farmer and rancher.

God bless you and your families. God bless our farmers and ranchers. God bless Arkansas Farm Bureau.

Farm Bureau Perspectiveby Randy Veach | President, Arkansas Farm Bureau

WTO says COOL not so hot


ON THE COVER

James Rhein of Mountain Home appears lost in thought as he works with his honeybees, a pastime that has earned him the nickname “The Bee Man.”


The Bee ManKeith Sutton | Page 6

New grain marketing opportunitiesEthan Branscum | Page 12

F E A T U R E S

SUMMER 2015 Edition 38

Farm Bureau PerspectiveRandy Veach | Page 3

Faces of Agriculture – Julie HathcoteKen Moore | Page 18

Policy UpdateMichelle Kitchens | Page 22

Rural Refl ections PhotoPage 28

C O L U M N S


DID YOU KNOW

MyBeefCheckoff.com

Funded by the Beef Checkoff.

the beef industry’s long range planning efforts help leverage limited funds in the most targeted ways?“The long range planning process allows us to take a finite amount of money and strategically fund programs that provide the biggest return on investment. Our market-research program both helps us create a product that fits consumer needs and assists in marketing efforts based on that research.”

While you and Don are managing your operations, your checkoff investments are working to keep your businesses sustainable for generations to come.

Don Sch i e fe lbe i nSeedstock producer

are working to keep your businesses sustain

DoDoSeed

An official publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation distributed to almost 36,000 farming and ranching households in Arkansas.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Included in membership dues

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU OFFICERS:

President • Randy Veach, ManilaVice President • Rich Hillman, CarlisleSecretary/Treasurer • Joe Christian, JonesboroExecutive Vice President • Rodney Baker, Little Rock

DIRECTORS:

Troy Buck, AlpineJon Carroll, MoroTerry Dabbs, StuttgartSherry Felts, JoinerMike Freeze, EnglandBruce Jackson, LockesburgTom Jones, PottsvilleGene Pharr, LincolnCaleb Plyler, HopeRusty Smith, Des ArcLeo Sutterfield, Mountain ViewJoe Thrash, Toad SuckDan Wright, Waldron

EX OFFICIO

Josh Cureton, JonesboroTrent Dabbs, StuttgartJanice Marsh, McCroryPeggy Miller, Lake Village

Executive Editor • Steve EddingtonEditor • Gregg PattersonContributing Writers • Ken Moore, Keith Sutton, Mollie Dykes

ADVERTISING

Contact Tom Kennedy at Publishing Concepts for advertising [email protected] (501) 221-9986 Fax (501) 225-3735

Arkansas Agriculture is published quarterly by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation10720 Kanis Rd., Little Rock, AR 72211POSTMASTER: Send address changes toArkansas Agriculture, P.O. Box 31, Little Rock, AR 72203

Issue #38

Publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising requests.

Send comments to:[email protected]

FOR ADVERTISINGINFORMATION

Call or e-mail Tom Kennedy1.800.561.4686

[email protected]

Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015 5ArArArArArAAArAAAAArArArArAAArAArArAA kkkakakakakkakkkakakakkkakakakaaakaannnnnnsnnsnsnssssnsnnnnsnnsnnnnsnnnsnnnnnsnnnnnnnsnssnnsnsnssnnnnnnnnsssaaaaaaaasasssssssssaasassssssssssaasssasaaasssaaassssaasssssasssaaasaassasassassaasaaaaaassssass AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgrgrgrgrgrrgrgrrrgrgrrgrgrrgggggggg iciicicicicicicicicciciccicicccii ululululululululululuululullltututututuutututututtututtutututututuut rererererrereererererrerrreererererrrerer |||||||||||||||||| ARKARKAAARKARKKARKARKARKA KARKARKKARKAARARKARARKARKARKKRARKARAA ANSANSANAANSANSANANSANSANSANSANSANSSANSANNANSAANSANSNSNSSSASAAASASASASSASASASASSAASAASASASSSSASASAAS FARFARFAFARFARFARAAFARFARARRRFARAFAFAFAFARMMMMM BM BM BM BBBM BBM BM BM BM BBMMMMM BM UUURUUREUREUREUREUREUREUREUREREUURREAUAUAAUAUAUUUAUAUAUAUUAUAAUUAA ••••• SUSUSUSUSUSUSUSUUSUSUSUSSUUUSUUSUUSUUUSSUMMEMMEMMEMMEMMEMMMMMMMMMEMMEMMEMMEMEMEMMEMMMMEMEMMEMEMMEMMMEEMMMMMEMMEMMEMMEMMEMMMMMEMMEEM RRRR 2RR 2R 2R 22R 2RRRRR 222R 2R 2R 2R 2R 22R 2R 2R 22R 22R 222R 2RR 2R 2001000010111010115501501501501555501001150115015501550101501515000 501555011550015110155115115 555555555555554 Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015

DID YOU KNOW

MyBeefCheckoff.com

Funded by the Beef Checkoff.

the beef industry’s long range planning efforts help leverage limited funds in the most targeted ways?“The long range planning process allows us to take a finite amount of money and strategically fund programs that provide the biggest return on investment. Our market-research program both helps us create a product that fits consumer needs and assists in marketing efforts based on that research.”

While you and Don are managing your operations, your checkoff investments are working to keep your businesses sustainable for generations to come.

Don Sch i e fe lbe i nSeedstock producer

are working to keep your businesses sustain

DoDoSeed

An official publication of Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation distributed to almost 36,000 farming and ranching households in Arkansas.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Included in membership dues

ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU OFFICERS:

President • Randy Veach, ManilaVice President • Rich Hillman, CarlisleSecretary/Treasurer • Joe Christian, JonesboroExecutive Vice President • Rodney Baker, Little Rock

DIRECTORS:

Troy Buck, AlpineJon Carroll, MoroTerry Dabbs, StuttgartSherry Felts, JoinerMike Freeze, EnglandBruce Jackson, LockesburgTom Jones, PottsvilleGene Pharr, LincolnCaleb Plyler, HopeRusty Smith, Des ArcLeo Sutterfield, Mountain ViewJoe Thrash, Toad SuckDan Wright, Waldron

EX OFFICIO

Josh Cureton, JonesboroTrent Dabbs, StuttgartJanice Marsh, McCroryPeggy Miller, Lake Village

Executive Editor • Steve EddingtonEditor • Gregg PattersonContributing Writers • Ken Moore, Keith Sutton, Mollie Dykes

ADVERTISING

Contact Tom Kennedy at Publishing Concepts for advertising [email protected] (501) 221-9986 Fax (501) 225-3735

Arkansas Agriculture is published quarterly by the Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation10720 Kanis Rd., Little Rock, AR 72211POSTMASTER: Send address changes toArkansas Agriculture, P.O. Box 31, Little Rock, AR 72203

Issue #38

Publisher assumes no responsibility for any errors or omissions. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is prohibited.

The Arkansas Farm Bureau Federation reserves the right to accept or reject all advertising requests.

Send comments to:[email protected]



[email protected]

6 Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015AAAAArArAAAAAAAAAAAArAArrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrkakakakakakakkkaakkakakakaakaaaakakakaaakkkkaaaaakkkkaaaaakkaaaaakkkkkaaaaakkaakkaakakakaakkakaakkkaakkkkakakkkkkkakkakkakkakakkkkkaansnsnnsnsnsnsnsnnnnnnsnnnsnnsnnnnnnsnsnnnnnssnssnsnnsnnnnssssnsnnnnssssnsnsnsnnsnsnnnsnsnsssnnsnsnsnssnsnsnnsnsssnnnnnssssssssnnnnnsnsssnsssnnnssssssnnnnnnssssnsaaaaaaaaasasasaaaassssaaaaaasasaasasaasaassassssaaasasaasaaasaasaaasasaaasasasasaaasaaaasassaaasaaaaaasasssaaaasaaaaaaaassasaaaaaaaasssaaaaaaaasssaaaaaassaaaaassssaassssssaaaaaaaasssssaaaaaaaaaaaasssaaaaaaaaaaasssssssaaaaaaaaaasssaaaaaaaaaaasssaaaaaaaaaaassss AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAggggrgrrrgrgrrrrgggrgrgrrrggggggrrggggggggggggggrrrgggggggggggggrrrrrrrrrgggggggggrgggggggrgggggggggggggggggrrrgggggggggrrrrrggggggggggrrggggggggggggggggggrgrggggggrgrggggggggggggrrrggggggggggggrgrgrggggggrrgggggggggrggggggggggrrggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg iiiciciciciiccciciiciciciiciiiciciciiciciciciiiciiiicicciiciccciiccicciiiiicccccccicccicicicicccccciciciciicciiccccciciccullululuululullululullululululululululululuuuululllulululululuulululuuuuulululululuuluullululuuulluuuuuuulllluluuulllluuuuuuuuuulluuuuuuluuuuluuuuuuulluuulluultttttutttttututututuuuutuuuutttttttttutuutututuuttttutttutuutuutututuuttttttutuuutuutuuuuutttutuuuuuuuuuttttuttututuuuutuuuuuuuuttttututuutuuuuttttuututuuuutttutuututuuuuutttuuutuuuuuuutuuuuttuttututuuutttuuuuuuuttttuuuuutuuuuuuttuuuuuuuttutuuuuuuututuuuuuutuuuuuurrerrrrrrrerererereeeeerererererrererererererererrrerererereeeerrererrererereeeeeerrrerrreeeeeeeeererrererereeeeeeeeeeeeererrreeeeeeeeeeererrreeeeeeeeeeeeeerrerereeeeeeeeerrrrrrreeeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrerreeeeeeeeeerrrreeeeeeeerrrreeeeerrrrreeeeeerrrrrrreeerrrrrrrrreeeeerrrrrrrrrrreerrrrrrrrererrrrreerrrerrrreee |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| AARARAAAARARARARARARRKRRKKAAAAAAAAAARRRKRRKRKRRKRKRRRKKKKKKARKRKRKRKKKKKAAAAAARRRARKRRRRKKKRKKRKRKARKARKKKKAAARRARRARRRKRARKRKKARKKKARKKRKKKAAARRRRRRRRRRKKKARKKKRKARKKAAAAARRARRRRRRRRRKARKKARKKKKAAAARRRRRARKRRRRRARKARKRKKARKRKAARRRARRRRRARKKKKARKARKARKRKKAAAARRRARARRRRARKARKRKRKARKKKRKAARARRRRARRARKKKAARRRRARKRKRKKRRRARRRKKRKARKAAARRRRRRRRKAARRRKKARKARKAARKRRKKAAARRRRRAAAAARRRAAARKARRRARAAAARRRARKARKAAARRRRKKKAAARRKKKKKKK SSAAAAANNANNNNNANSSSANSSSSSSAAAANSAAAAAAAAANNNNANNNNNNNNNNSSSSSSSAANSAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNANSANSSSSAANSANSAAAAAANAANNNNNNNNSSANSANSANSSSANSAAANAANAANANANANNNNNNNNNSSSSANSSSSAAAANNNNNNNNNNSSSSANSSSSSAAANNNNSSANSSSSAAAANNNNSSSSSANSANSSSSAAANANNSANSSSSAAANSAANNNSSSSANSSSANSAAAAANNNNNSSSSSSANSSAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNSSSSNSNSANSSAAAANNNNSNNNNSNNSSSSSSNSNSSAAANSNSNNNNSSSSNSSSAAAAAANSNSNNNSNSSSSAAAAAAANNNNNSSSSAAAAAAAAANSNNSNSSSAAAANNNNSNNNSAAAAAANNNNNNSSSSAAAAANNNNNNSSSSSSAAAANNNNNNSSSSAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSAAAAAASSSSSSAAAAAAASSSAASSSSAAAAAAASSSSASSSSSAAASSSSSSSAAAASASSSAAASSSSSSAASSSAAASAASASSSSAAASSSASASSAAASSSAAAAAAAASAAASSSSSAAAAS FFFAARARAAFARAFAFAAFARFARFARFARFARFARRRRRRFFFFFAAAARARFARFARFAFARFARRFFFFFFAFAAFARFFFFFAFAAFAFARRFFFFFFFFAARFARFFFFFFFFFFAAFARRARARAARFAARRARRRRRRFAFFF RRRMMMMMMMMMMMMMM BMMMMM BM BM BBM BM BBBBMMMMMMMMM BM BBBBBBMMMMMMMM BM BBBBBBMMMMMMM BBMMMMMMMMM BBM BBBBBMMMMM BBMMM BMMMMM BMMMMMMMMMM BM BBMMMMMMMM BBM BBMMMMMM BMMMMMMM BBBMMMMM BBMMMMMMMMMMMMM BBMMMM BMMMMMMMM BMMMMMMM BMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM UUUUUURURURRRRRRRRRRREEEEUUUUUUUURURUURRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRRRRREUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRUUUUUURRRRRRRUUUUURUURRRRUUUURUURRRUUUUURURURRRURUURRRRRRRRUUUURRRUURRRRRUUURUURRRRURRURRRRURRRRUUUURRRRRRRREUURREREUUUUURRRRRRRRUUUURRRRRUUURRRRRRUUUURRRRRRR AAAAAAAAAUAUAUAAAUUAUUAAUAAUUUAAUAAAUUUUAAAUAUAUUUUAAAUAAAAUUUAAAAUUUAAAAAAUUUAAAAAAAAAUAUUUUAAAAAAAUUAAAAAAAAUAUAUAAAAAAAAAAAUUAAAUAAAAAAUUAAAAAAAAAAAAUAAAAAUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUAAAAAAAUAAAAAAAAU •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• SUSUSUSUSSSUSUUUUSSSSUUSUSUSSUUUSSSSUSUUSUSSUSUSSSUUUSUSSUSUSSSUSUUUUUSSUUUSUSUSUUSUUUSSSUSSSSUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMEMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMEMMEEMEMMEMMEMMEMMMMMMMMMMMMEMMMMEMMMMMMMMMMMEMMEMMMMEMMEMMEMMMMEMMEMMEMMEMMEMMEMMMMEMMMMMEEMMEMMEMMMMMMMEMMEMMEEMMMMMMMMMMMMEEEMMMMMMMMEMMMMMMMMMMMEMMEM EMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM EMMMMMMMEEEMMMMEEMMMMMMMEM EMMMMMM EMMM ERRRR 2R 2R 2R 22R 2R 22RRRRR 2RRRRRRR 22RRRRR 2RRRRR 2R 2RRRRRRRRRRR 222RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR 2RRRRRRRRR 2RRRRR 0150015015015015015151515151511515555501501501515555555001501501515155555555015015115555010015151515155501155551151550115155555015555115555555550101550101555555015555550 5555566666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666

Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015 7AAAAAArArArAArArAAArAArAArAArArAAArArAArArAAArAAArArArAArAArArArAAArAAArArAArArAArAArAArAAArAArAAAArAAArArArAAAAAAAAAArrA 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Man

7

Words & photos Keith Sutton

S hould you have the opportunity to meet James Rhein of Mountain Home, two things are certain: you’ll laugh, and you’ll learn lots of interesting things about honeybees.

Th is jovial 72-year-old is constantly joking with the people around him. But when James is not keeping you in stitches with his one-liners, he’ll amaze you with a constant stream of fascinating facts about America’s favorite pollinators.

“Th e average bee hive contains 50,000 to 60,000 worker bees, 200 to 500 drone bees and one queen,” he tells Lindsey Triplett and me when we visit Baxter County to see his hives. “Th e average life span of a worker bee is only six weeks, but a queen in the wild might live fi ve to six years. During warm months, the queen lays 1,000 to 2,000 eggs each day.”

Th eBeeAnd his not-so-secret life

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He drones on about bees (pun intended) throughout our visit, sharing a deep-seated interest in these important insects that developed almost 40 years ago.

“It started with a friend who kept honeybees,” he said. “He kept telling me I should get bees, too, and when I did, I got really interested in them. Unfortunately, back then, there were few local beekeepers, no beekeeping clubs and no beekeeping classes, so I had to teach myself about bees by reading books and through trial and error.”

Perhaps it’s this experience — having to learn beekeeping on his own — that led Rhein on a path to teaching others. He keeps no secrets when it comes to bees. Every day he answers several cellphone calls from people needing assistance. He teaches fi ve beekeeping classes annually, a service for which he never charges. And he does all this while keeping 40 to 50 bee hives himself and being active in his church, the local Farm Bureau and other organizations. He served seven years as president of the Arkansas Beekeepers Association, 11 years as president of Baxter County Farm Bureau and 10 years as a state board member for Arkansas Farm Bureau.

“People call me from all over the state for advice,” he said. “Th ey don’t always understand what’s going on with their bees, and they need a source to go to. I think the best information is from a beekeeper, not on the Internet. So I help them all as best I can.”

Triplett, a summer intern at Arkansas Farm Bureau, joined me to see James and his wife Linda extract honey produced by their bees. It was a wonderful learning experience for us as the pair explained each step, from using a heated knife to remove wax caps from honey cells to spinning frames in an extractor to remove the rich raw honey that becomes Rhein’s Golden Treasure. One hive produced about 3 gallons of delicious honey.

“We don’t sell our honey from a roadside stand or farmers market,” James said. “We sell mostly to people who have bought honey from us for years. We have no trouble selling all we can produce — hundreds of quarts each year.”

James maintains his hives in Mountain Home, but in summer, many are moved to crop fi elds in Delta counties where the bees help pollinate everything from pumpkins to cotton and soybeans.

“Everyone knows bees are important, because they give us honey,” James said. “But many don’t realize bees’ primary importance is pollination. Without pollination, we wouldn’t have a third of the food we have today. Many plants can’t reproduce without pollination, and while there are other pollinators out there, too, honeybees are the best. If we were to lose our honeybees, we’d lose much of our food and fi ber, everything from soybeans and cotton to fruits and vegetables like blackberries, blueberries, squash and tomatoes. We’d even have to do without pickles, because bees pollinate the cucumbers we use to make them.”

Vanna Eddington and I accompanied James last summer as he worked with hives in a pumpkin fi eld near England. Eddington, a beginning beekeeper from Benton, wanted to benefi t from James’ extensive knowledge, which she did. I wanted to shoot photos of the bees, the hives and Th e Bee Man himself. I was leery of being stung, however, particularly when I could see tens of thousands of honeybees zooming around.

“You have nothing to worry about,” James said. “As long as you stand behind the hives so you don’t block the entrance, they won’t bother you. Th ey’re really very docile.”

They don’t call him The Bee Man for nothing. James Rhein became a beekeeper almost 40 years ago and now spends hundreds of hours each year teaching others how to enjoy the pastime, too.


To my relief, he was right. I didn’t get a single sting, even though we didn’t wear protective clothing. But James got stung — intentionally — when Triplett and I visited him.

“Want to see a bee sting me?” James asked. Although taken aback by such an unusual request, we said yes. James then held a bee and agitated it until it stung his hand. We could see the stinger pumping venom into his fl esh, but there was no redness, swelling or pain.

“I’ve been stung so oft en I’m immune to bee venom,” he said. “In fact, I let the bees sting my hands to ward off arthritis. I used to have it real bad. Now it’s gone.”

Linda noted that bee venom also helped cure her plantar fasciitis, a painful foot problem. “It hurts letting bees sting my feet,” she noted, “but it’s not nearly as painful as the cortisone shots I took before. My feet are much better now.”

“And you can’t believe how much fun it is stinging your wife’s feet with bees,” James said, chortling. Linda rolled her eyes.

James’ phone rang again, and he stepped aside to help a stranger who called for assistance with a honeybee problem. When he fi nished, I asked why he does it — why he takes all

those phone calls, teaches all those classes, to help people he hardly knows.

“With problems like colony collapse disorder and habitat loss, we need more bees,” he said. “Ironically, there’s this big interest in bees now, because they’re disappearing. More and more people want to have bees, even though they may never rob the hives of honey, because they want to help. And I want to help them be successful.”

He notes, however, his reasons for devoting so much time to fellow bee lovers goes much deeper than that. He relates the story of a shop owner who spent two days machining a special part for James’ tractor. When James went to pick it up, the man refused payment. “You don’t owe me a penny,” he said.

“But why not?” James asked. “You spent two days of your time making that part.”

“You probably don’t remember,” the man said, “but years ago I was a beginning student in one of your beekeeping classes. You spoke very passionately about bees, telling us what a relaxing hobby beekeeping could be. So, I decided to give it a try, and I, too, became a beekeeper. Th e relaxation and enjoyment beekeeping has given me has no doubt added

Linda Rhein uses a special heated tool to remove wax caps sealing honey cells in a comb. The bees raised by Linda and her husband James produce hundreds of quarts of Rhein’s Golden Treasure honey each year.


He drones on about bees (pun intended) throughout our visit, sharing a deep-seated interest in these important insects that developed almost 40 years ago.

“It started with a friend who kept honeybees,” he said. “He kept telling me I should get bees, too, and when I did, I got really interested in them. Unfortunately, back then, there were few local beekeepers, no beekeeping clubs and no beekeeping classes, so I had to teach myself about bees by reading books and through trial and error.”

Perhaps it’s this experience — having to learn beekeeping on his own — that led Rhein on a path to teaching others. He keeps no secrets when it comes to bees. Every day he answers several cellphone calls from people needing assistance. He teaches fi ve beekeeping classes annually, a service for which he never charges. And he does all this while keeping 40 to 50 bee hives himself and being active in his church, the local Farm Bureau and other organizations. He served seven years as president of the Arkansas Beekeepers Association, 11 years as president of Baxter County Farm Bureau and 10 years as a state board member for Arkansas Farm Bureau.

“People call me from all over the state for advice,” he said. “Th ey don’t always understand what’s going on with their bees, and they need a source to go to. I think the best information is from a beekeeper, not on the Internet. So I help them all as best I can.”

Triplett, a summer intern at Arkansas Farm Bureau, joined me to see James and his wife Linda extract honey produced by their bees. It was a wonderful learning experience for us as the pair explained each step, from using a heated knife to remove wax caps from honey cells to spinning frames in an extractor to remove the rich raw honey that becomes Rhein’s Golden Treasure. One hive produced about 3 gallons of delicious honey.

“We don’t sell our honey from a roadside stand or farmers market,” James said. “We sell mostly to people who have bought honey from us for years. We have no trouble selling all we can produce — hundreds of quarts each year.”

James maintains his hives in Mountain Home, but in summer, many are moved to crop fi elds in Delta counties where the bees help pollinate everything from pumpkins to cotton and soybeans.

“Everyone knows bees are important, because they give us honey,” James said. “But many don’t realize bees’ primary importance is pollination. Without pollination, we wouldn’t have a third of the food we have today. Many plants can’t reproduce without pollination, and while there are other pollinators out there, too, honeybees are the best. If we were to lose our honeybees, we’d lose much of our food and fi ber, everything from soybeans and cotton to fruits and vegetables like blackberries, blueberries, squash and tomatoes. We’d even have to do without pickles, because bees pollinate the cucumbers we use to make them.”

Vanna Eddington and I accompanied James last summer as he worked with hives in a pumpkin fi eld near England. Eddington, a beginning beekeeper from Benton, wanted to benefi t from James’ extensive knowledge, which she did. I wanted to shoot photos of the bees, the hives and Th e Bee Man himself. I was leery of being stung, however, particularly when I could see tens of thousands of honeybees zooming around.

“You have nothing to worry about,” James said. “As long as you stand behind the hives so you don’t block the entrance, they won’t bother you. Th ey’re really very docile.”

They don’t call him The Bee Man for nothing. James Rhein became a beekeeper almost 40 years ago and now spends hundreds of hours each year teaching others how to enjoy the pastime, too.


many years to my life. Sending you home with that part is my way of showing you how grateful I am.”

James gets a little choked up as he tells this story and says, “Th at’s why I do this for people — because beekeeping is like that. When I work with my bees, I don’t hear anything around me. I’m just there in my own world. It’s relaxing and peaceful. You get engrossed with it. You get involved. I go to my bee hives and before I know it, hours have passed. It’s my relaxation. It’s helped me in important ways.

“If I can help a few other people experience that same joy and relaxation, then all the hours I spend on the phone, teaching classes and showing people my hives will have been worthwhile.”

(left) Vanna Eddington of Benton looks on as James Rhein searches for a queen bee among the thousands of honeybees in a hive. Teaching others about honeybees brings great joy to the 72-year-old Rhein, who often leads classes on beekeeping in Mountain Home and Jasper.

(below) James Rhein strains raw honey to remove tiny bits of wax and other debris. The finished honey is then ready to be placed in jars for sale.

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many years to my life. Sending you home with that part is my way of showing you how grateful I am.”

James gets a little choked up as he tells this story and says, “Th at’s why I do this for people — because beekeeping is like that. When I work with my bees, I don’t hear anything around me. I’m just there in my own world. It’s relaxing and peaceful. You get engrossed with it. You get involved. I go to my bee hives and before I know it, hours have passed. It’s my relaxation. It’s helped me in important ways.

“If I can help a few other people experience that same joy and relaxation, then all the hours I spend on the phone, teaching classes and showing people my hives will have been worthwhile.”

(left) Vanna Eddington of Benton looks on as James Rhein searches for a queen bee among the thousands of honeybees in a hive. Teaching others about honeybees brings great joy to the 72-year-old Rhein, who often leads classes on beekeeping in Mountain Home and Jasper.

(below) James Rhein strains raw honey to remove tiny bits of wax and other debris. The finished honey is then ready to be placed in jars for sale.


Photo by James Groves


by Ethan Branscum

Every spring, farmers plant seeds hoping for a bountiful harvest. Farmers take proper measures protecting crops from harmful insects, diseases and drought. Summer fl ies by and, God willing, a crop is harvested. But what do farmers do now with the harvest? One critical part of the supply

chain remains — selling the crop. Every business wants to maximize profi ts. In agriculture, farmers’ profi ts are made through timely and oft en diffi cult decisions on how and when to market their crops. Th is year brings a new grain marketing environment for Arkansans. New state laws and regulations will change how crops can be marketed. New and unique companies have also entered the marketplace aiming to change the way grain is sold. Th ese dynamic changes in Arkansas agriculture make it vital to introduce Arkansas’ new grain market to Farm Bureau’s membership.

Arkansas’ new grain marketing world

New rules to an old gameFor many farmers checking the rearview mirror in tractor

cabs this season, the infamous Turner Grain bankruptcy is likely looming behind them. Devastating many farmers across the state, this incident is enveloped in rumors of tens of millions of farmers’ dollars lost. Although uncertain of the exact practices leading to this devastation last summer, Farm Bureau and other agricultural groups responded this legislative session by helping to draft the Arkansas Grain Dealers Act sponsored by Sens. Ron Caldwell and Bruce Maloch and Reps. Michael John Gray, Dan Douglas and David Hillman.

Dealers in Arkansas now must register with the State Plant Board to obtain a license to sell grain. Th ey must also meet bonding requirements and pay registration fees — both based on annual grain volume sold. Annual audits conducted by the State Plant Board will ensure that grain dealers are operating in a fi scally responsible manner to protect farmers. One other new program is the “slow-pay hotline,” which allows farmers to report businesses not paying farmers in a timely manner. Jeff Pitchford, director of Public Policy, State Aff airs for Arkansas Farm Bureau, worked with legislators and agriculture groups to ensure a useful bill was passed.

“While not a perfect law, it’s a good start toward providing common sense regulation to this marketplace. Th is works to

minimize the risk of another Turner Grain from happening and provide protection for the farmer,” Pitchford said. According to him, more work on this law may be necessary in the future, but he’s pleased with the outcome.

As one company falls, others rise. Demand by farmers for marketing options brings new companies to supply that demand — many off ering innovative ideas for how farmers sell crops in the future. Included here are examples of new marketing opportunities Arkansas farmers can now consider.

Southern Growers Marketing“At the end of the day, it’s about getting farmers higher

prices for their crop,” said Jeff Rutledge, president of Southern Growers Marketing. Rutledge understands every farmer’s goal in marketing their crop – a high price. Southern Growers began by Arkansas famers seeing a need for more marketing opportunities for corn, sorghum and soybeans. Th e company takes the traditional model of a marketing cooperative, which has proven successful in the state with Riceland setting the standard of success for Arkansas cooperatives, but off ers a unique twist to the co-op.

Southern Growers is a “virtual” elevator, using farmers’ existing on-farm storage to store and move member’s grain. According to Rutledge, Arkansas farmers have an abundance of on-farm grain storage that can be used.


Photo by James Groves


“We’re at a point in Arkansas agriculture where there is a large amount of on-farm infrastructure which hasn’t been used in a cooperative model,” Rutledge said, “Our goal is to take advantage of the on-farm storage that our membership has already invested in so costs stay low, and we give them a higher price in the end.”

Farmers marketing with Southern Growers pay a one-time fee of $2,500 allowing them the right to sell unlimited quantities of grain through the cooperative. Th e cooperative has partnered with INTL FCStone, a diversifi ed Fortune 500 compnay (ranked #66 in 2014), to handle the grain marketing and logistic functions of the cooperative. Rutledge says Southern Growers wanted to make sure the company fi nancially backing the cooperative was secure and stable.

GrainsterBased in Conway, Grainster, LLC hopes to change the way

farmers have traditionally marketed their grain to end-users. According to CEO Layne Fortenberry, Grainster wants to open up farmers’ marketing options to the world through an online grain marketplace called Grainster.com.

“Instead of selling to the three to fi ve buyers in the three to fi ve surrounding counties, we’re hoping to open farmers’ horizons up to international buyers,” Fortenberry said. Th is will hopefully keep prices high for the farmers and provide transparency in the marketplace.”

Grainster aims to connect buyers from around the world to local farmers with crops to sell. Buyers and sellers pay a $500 annual membership to use Grainster’s services. Farmers enter an online bid stating where the grain is coming from, how many bushels they want to sell, and the price they want to receive. End-users can list bids for how much grain they want to buy and what price they want to pay for it. Th e website allows the farmer and the end-user to negotiate terms of the price and make a transaction.

Presently, payments to farmers for grain sold on Grainster are paid directly from the international or domestic buyer. Grainster doesn’t off er fi nancial backing or logistic solutions although Fortenberry says they’re working to provide a “… fi nancial engine similar to PayPal…” that collects money from buyers and distributes money to farmers. His goal is to have this service running by 2016. But for now, farmers should do their research on people they sell to on Grainster. “Do your due diligence, and make sure you trust that person and have a contract with them,” he said.

Integrity GrainOne new grain buying company isn’t looking to reinvent

the wheel in the grain marketplace, but instead, provide farmers with a comfortable and reliable marketing option.

Based out of Moro, Integrity Grain operates a business model that facilitates every aspect of grain marketing for the farmer from the fi eld to the market.

“Whether it involves working directly with FSA offi ces to get government loan releases for rice or coordination of the grading and sampling of crops, we handle every detail for farmers, so they can focus on farming,” said Mark Waldrip, principal with Integrity Grain. “Farmers need a sense of security when marketing their grain, and we are proud to off er them that.”

Farmers work directly with one of the company’s grain merchandisers for daily price quotes for crops. Once farmers get the price they desire, Integrity Grain coordinates all necessary logistics getting the crop to the next marketplace. Transportation of grain to end-users, grain sampling and grading and coordination with farmers’ fi nancial institutions are services that Integrity Grain brings to farmers.

“We believe the biggest asset that Integrity Grain has to off er the grower is the fi nancial stability of their transaction. We will do whatever is needed to guarantee payments to farmers for their grain,” Waldrip explained. “Th rough competitive pricing and our commitment to ensure timely and secure payments to our clients, we’re excited to off er growers a risk-free option to market their crops.”

AgMobile by AgriChartsFarmers are increasingly using mobile apps which make

the farming industry more effi cient and profi table. AgriCharts, a division of Barchart.com, believes its “AgMobile” app will do that for farmers marketing crops to local elevators. Th rough AgMobile’s grain off er system, farmers can market grain to local elevators directly from mobile devices.

“Th e app allows for producers to use their phone to make off ers to local elevators. Elevators then accept, decline or negotiate using our system,” said Tyler Bottoms, support team manager for AgriCharts. Local elevators possessing the AgriChart system can off er bids directly to the farmer. Once a price is confi rmed, the elevator contacts the farmer with payment and logistic information. Bottoms says this technology is fully-integrated for all devices including tablets, smartphones and computers.

“Farmers can also use the website grains.com to market their grain from their desktop,” Bottoms said.

What is the cost for farmers for this technology? Nothing. Farmers pay no fee to use AgMobile’s grain off er system, but elevators pay a one-time $100 fee for the AgriChart system technology. Both the farmer and the elevator must have the AgriChart system for this marketplace to work.

Based in Des Moines, Iowa, AgriChart believes its service will make grain marketing easier and more effi cient for farmers and elevators.


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“We’re at a point in Arkansas agriculture where there is a large amount of on-farm infrastructure which hasn’t been used in a cooperative model,” Rutledge said, “Our goal is to take advantage of the on-farm storage that our membership has already invested in so costs stay low, and we give them a higher price in the end.”

Farmers marketing with Southern Growers pay a one-time fee of $2,500 allowing them the right to sell unlimited quantities of grain through the cooperative. Th e cooperative has partnered with INTL FCStone, a diversifi ed Fortune 500 compnay (ranked #66 in 2014), to handle the grain marketing and logistic functions of the cooperative. Rutledge says Southern Growers wanted to make sure the company fi nancially backing the cooperative was secure and stable.

GrainsterBased in Conway, Grainster, LLC hopes to change the way

farmers have traditionally marketed their grain to end-users. According to CEO Layne Fortenberry, Grainster wants to open up farmers’ marketing options to the world through an online grain marketplace called Grainster.com.

“Instead of selling to the three to fi ve buyers in the three to fi ve surrounding counties, we’re hoping to open farmers’ horizons up to international buyers,” Fortenberry said. Th is will hopefully keep prices high for the farmers and provide transparency in the marketplace.”

Grainster aims to connect buyers from around the world to local farmers with crops to sell. Buyers and sellers pay a $500 annual membership to use Grainster’s services. Farmers enter an online bid stating where the grain is coming from, how many bushels they want to sell, and the price they want to receive. End-users can list bids for how much grain they want to buy and what price they want to pay for it. Th e website allows the farmer and the end-user to negotiate terms of the price and make a transaction.

Presently, payments to farmers for grain sold on Grainster are paid directly from the international or domestic buyer. Grainster doesn’t off er fi nancial backing or logistic solutions although Fortenberry says they’re working to provide a “… fi nancial engine similar to PayPal…” that collects money from buyers and distributes money to farmers. His goal is to have this service running by 2016. But for now, farmers should do their research on people they sell to on Grainster. “Do your due diligence, and make sure you trust that person and have a contract with them,” he said.

Integrity GrainOne new grain buying company isn’t looking to reinvent

the wheel in the grain marketplace, but instead, provide farmers with a comfortable and reliable marketing option.

Based out of Moro, Integrity Grain operates a business model that facilitates every aspect of grain marketing for the farmer from the fi eld to the market.

“Whether it involves working directly with FSA offi ces to get government loan releases for rice or coordination of the grading and sampling of crops, we handle every detail for farmers, so they can focus on farming,” said Mark Waldrip, principal with Integrity Grain. “Farmers need a sense of security when marketing their grain, and we are proud to off er them that.”

Farmers work directly with one of the company’s grain merchandisers for daily price quotes for crops. Once farmers get the price they desire, Integrity Grain coordinates all necessary logistics getting the crop to the next marketplace. Transportation of grain to end-users, grain sampling and grading and coordination with farmers’ fi nancial institutions are services that Integrity Grain brings to farmers.

“We believe the biggest asset that Integrity Grain has to off er the grower is the fi nancial stability of their transaction. We will do whatever is needed to guarantee payments to farmers for their grain,” Waldrip explained. “Th rough competitive pricing and our commitment to ensure timely and secure payments to our clients, we’re excited to off er growers a risk-free option to market their crops.”

AgMobile by AgriChartsFarmers are increasingly using mobile apps which make

the farming industry more effi cient and profi table. AgriCharts, a division of Barchart.com, believes its “AgMobile” app will do that for farmers marketing crops to local elevators. Th rough AgMobile’s grain off er system, farmers can market grain to local elevators directly from mobile devices.

“Th e app allows for producers to use their phone to make off ers to local elevators. Elevators then accept, decline or negotiate using our system,” said Tyler Bottoms, support team manager for AgriCharts. Local elevators possessing the AgriChart system can off er bids directly to the farmer. Once a price is confi rmed, the elevator contacts the farmer with payment and logistic information. Bottoms says this technology is fully-integrated for all devices including tablets, smartphones and computers.

“Farmers can also use the website grains.com to market their grain from their desktop,” Bottoms said.

What is the cost for farmers for this technology? Nothing. Farmers pay no fee to use AgMobile’s grain off er system, but elevators pay a one-time $100 fee for the AgriChart system technology. Both the farmer and the elevator must have the AgriChart system for this marketplace to work.

Based in Des Moines, Iowa, AgriChart believes its service will make grain marketing easier and more effi cient for farmers and elevators.


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Faces of AgricultureFaces of Agriculture

Julie Hathcote, a theme specialist at Chenal Elementary School in Little Rock, is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2015 Ag in the

Classroom Outstanding Teacher. Hathcote was recognized during a special ceremony at the school April 7. Farm Bureau established the award in 2006 to recognize teachers who have exemplary programs which integrate agricultural concepts into their curricula.

Hathcote graduated from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville in 2007 with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She taught one year at Baker Elementary in Little Rock, then joined the faculty as a kindergarten teacher at Chenal. Named the school’s theme specialist last year, Hathcote

teaches all of the school’s students on a weekly basis.

“My position as the theme specialist is to incorporate the school’s theme into each child’s educational experience,” Hathcote said. “Each week I teach a lesson to every teacher’s class that integrates one or more elements of science, creativity, language arts, math or engineering.” Th e school’s theme this year was, “A world of creative expression and environmental awareness for educational excellence.”

She explained how she hopes to blend the teaching styles of her theme specialist predecessors into a successful approach.

“Prior to becoming theme specialist, I was

able to see how the program functioned diff erently under two diff erent specialists,” Hathcote said. “One teacher had a deep passion for enhancing students’ creativity, while the other had a passion for the environmental awareness aspect and my goal bridged these passions to meet the true theme of our school.”

Hathcote wants to make each of her lessons hands-on, engaging and memorable. An example of this was her trail camera project where she installed a camera in the woods surrounding the school to capture photographs of wildlife out at night or when people weren’t around.

“Th rough this project, we were able to encompass many academic areas including science, environment and social studies,” Hathcote explained.

Some of the ag-related activities Hathcote taught included lessons on the food chain, ecosystems, water cycles, and plants and gardening.

She also integrated agricultural concepts into her lessons by having Matt Jackson of Arkansas Farm Bureau bring the Mobile Ag Experience trailer and life-size milk cow model to the school to teach students about Arkansas crops and animal agriculture. Th e school grew a raised-bed garden where children planted lettuce, radishes and a variety of fl owers. She also taught them about poultry by incubating eggs, so her students could watch and learn the embryonic development of baby chicks.

“I believe my classroom is one in which all students can thrive, participate and experience learning in an innovative way,” Hathcote said. “I have aspired to become a teacher since I was in the second grade. I feel teaching is my passion. Adapting the curriculum to the teachers and students needs is why I feel this program is successful.

“At Chenal Elementary we take pride in assuring our students receive environmental and agricultural experiences to better equip them with a lifelong knowledge of and appreciation for the world around them.”

Hathcote received an expense-paid trip to Louisville, Kentucky. and represented Arkansas at the National Ag in the Classroom Conference in June.

Julie Hathcoteby Ken Moore



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Faces of AgricultureFaces of Agriculture

Julie Hathcote, a theme specialist at Chenal Elementary School in Little Rock, is Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 2015 Ag in the

Classroom Outstanding Teacher. Hathcote was recognized during a special ceremony at the school April 7. Farm Bureau established the award in 2006 to recognize teachers who have exemplary programs which integrate agricultural concepts into their curricula.

Hathcote graduated from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville in 2007 with a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. She taught one year at Baker Elementary in Little Rock, then joined the faculty as a kindergarten teacher at Chenal. Named the school’s theme specialist last year, Hathcote

teaches all of the school’s students on a weekly basis.

“My position as the theme specialist is to incorporate the school’s theme into each child’s educational experience,” Hathcote said. “Each week I teach a lesson to every teacher’s class that integrates one or more elements of science, creativity, language arts, math or engineering.” Th e school’s theme this year was, “A world of creative expression and environmental awareness for educational excellence.”

She explained how she hopes to blend the teaching styles of her theme specialist predecessors into a successful approach.

“Prior to becoming theme specialist, I was

able to see how the program functioned diff erently under two diff erent specialists,” Hathcote said. “One teacher had a deep passion for enhancing students’ creativity, while the other had a passion for the environmental awareness aspect and my goal bridged these passions to meet the true theme of our school.”

Hathcote wants to make each of her lessons hands-on, engaging and memorable. An example of this was her trail camera project where she installed a camera in the woods surrounding the school to capture photographs of wildlife out at night or when people weren’t around.

“Th rough this project, we were able to encompass many academic areas including science, environment and social studies,” Hathcote explained.

Some of the ag-related activities Hathcote taught included lessons on the food chain, ecosystems, water cycles, and plants and gardening.

She also integrated agricultural concepts into her lessons by having Matt Jackson of Arkansas Farm Bureau bring the Mobile Ag Experience trailer and life-size milk cow model to the school to teach students about Arkansas crops and animal agriculture. Th e school grew a raised-bed garden where children planted lettuce, radishes and a variety of fl owers. She also taught them about poultry by incubating eggs, so her students could watch and learn the embryonic development of baby chicks.

“I believe my classroom is one in which all students can thrive, participate and experience learning in an innovative way,” Hathcote said. “I have aspired to become a teacher since I was in the second grade. I feel teaching is my passion. Adapting the curriculum to the teachers and students needs is why I feel this program is successful.

“At Chenal Elementary we take pride in assuring our students receive environmental and agricultural experiences to better equip them with a lifelong knowledge of and appreciation for the world around them.”

Hathcote received an expense-paid trip to Louisville, Kentucky. and represented Arkansas at the National Ag in the Classroom Conference in June.

Julie Hathcoteby Ken Moore





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Agriculture accounted for $20 billion in value added to the Arkansas economy according to

the most recent data. Th at’s almost 18 cents of every value-added dollar in the state’s economy. Th e Arkansas economy depends on agriculture, and agriculture depends heavily on trade.

Th is Congress and administration are set to consider multiple trade deals and other trade-related legislation. Before any of these items can proceed in a meaningful way,

Congress must authorize the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). TPA allows Congress to have a “yes” or “no” vote on trade agreements, includes negotiating objectives for the administration and provides for consultation between Congress and the administration during negotiations. Th is is viewed by other governments as a signal of serious Congressional interest in moving ahead with trade negotiations. TPA establishes the political support for and understanding of trade goals necessary for the administration

and Congress to negotiate and approve international trade agreements. Th is legislation includes improved market access through tariff reduction and science-based food safety standards as chief negotiating objectives for agriculture.

TPA was a critical component of recent successful eff orts to negotiate and pass trade agreements important to U.S. agriculture with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. Even with TPA, it took years for those trade agreements to garner fi nal approval; a fate the

Policy Update

Trade Promotion Authority neededby Michelle Kitchens

®

Share Your Thoughts

• facebook.com/ArkansasFarmBureau

• youtube.com/ArkansasFarmBureau

• twitter.com/ARFB

• www.arfb.com

PROSPER THE FARMEROver the years, we’ve understood that advanced crop fertility products and agricultural practices come from intense agronomic research and applied technology, not guesswork. That’s why everything we learn through our extensive research program goes into the development and manufacture of the most efficient, environmentally responsible crop nutrient products available. Our entire line of fertilizers are formulated to help growers achieve the best possible yields while employing sustainable agricultural practices.

When selecting your fertilizer products don’t just look at the analysis- look at what they can do. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers can be effectively applied at planter time, side-dress, foliar, or through fertigation. To learn more visit agroliquid.com or contact Brady Boyd (989) 640-2883.


U.S. can’t aff ord for Trans Pacifi c Partnership negotiations and USA-EU Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

Trans Pacifi c Partnership negotiations are the major trade issue in the Asia-Pacifi c region. Th ere are a dozen nations, including Japan, in Trans Pacifi c Partnership talks, and it represents the opportunity to gain new access by eliminating tariff s and by reducing non-tariff barriers with all the countries in the Trans Pacifi c Partnership. Th e Asia-Pacifi c region holds great promise for U.S. agriculture.

Th e Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations aim to expand the world’s largest commercial relationship between the European Union and the U.S. with $1 trillion of trade in goods and services annually and $3.7 trillion in two-way direct investment.

Approval of TPA is a critical step forward for all trade endeavors and needs approval before either of these negotiations can be completed.

In late May, the U.S. Senate voted overwhelmingly in favor of TPA. Included within the Senate TPA bill was a provision titled Trade Adjustment Assistance, a labor package that helps displaced workers impacted by newly adopted trade agreements. Arkansas’ U.S. senators John Boozman and Tom Cotton both supported the bill. On June 12, the House passed TPA (219-211,) but failed to advance Trade Adjustment Assistance. Reps. Crawford, Hill, Westerman and Womack all voted for TPA and against Trade Adjustment Assistance. Congress will need to work out its diff erences on TPA and Trade Adjustment Assistance before the bill can go to the president’s desk.

Agriculture wants the U.S. government to continue its work to open markets, expand economic development and support a strong rules-based trading system. Th e growth of U.S. agricultural exports, which exceeded $152 billion in 2014, contributes greatly to the economic well-being of farmers and ranchers.

Th e current Trans Pacifi c Partnership negotiations and the potential USA-EU trade agreement off er the opportunity for added billions of dollars of future U.S. farm exports with the expansion of agricultural market opportunities by reducing tariff and non-tariff trade barriers. Without the ability to negotiate and ratify trade agreements through a new TPA, we will be ceding

potential markets and economic leadership to our competitors.

Farm Bureau policy supports the renewal of TPA and continued negotiation for trade agreements. Around the world, countries are competing to gain more market share. Without trade promotion authority, Arkansas agriculture will lose. Arkansas farmers should unite around passage of TPA.

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Agriculture accounted for $20 billion in value added to the Arkansas economy according to

the most recent data. Th at’s almost 18 cents of every value-added dollar in the state’s economy. Th e Arkansas economy depends on agriculture, and agriculture depends heavily on trade.

Th is Congress and administration are set to consider multiple trade deals and other trade-related legislation. Before any of these items can proceed in a meaningful way,

Congress must authorize the Trade Promotion Authority (TPA). TPA allows Congress to have a “yes” or “no” vote on trade agreements, includes negotiating objectives for the administration and provides for consultation between Congress and the administration during negotiations. Th is is viewed by other governments as a signal of serious Congressional interest in moving ahead with trade negotiations. TPA establishes the political support for and understanding of trade goals necessary for the administration

and Congress to negotiate and approve international trade agreements. Th is legislation includes improved market access through tariff reduction and science-based food safety standards as chief negotiating objectives for agriculture.

TPA was a critical component of recent successful eff orts to negotiate and pass trade agreements important to U.S. agriculture with South Korea, Colombia and Panama. Even with TPA, it took years for those trade agreements to garner fi nal approval; a fate the

Policy Update

Trade Promotion Authority neededby Michelle Kitchens

®

Share Your Thoughts

• facebook.com/ArkansasFarmBureau

• youtube.com/ArkansasFarmBureau

• twitter.com/ARFB

• www.arfb.com

PROSPER THE FARMEROver the years, we’ve understood that advanced crop fertility products and agricultural practices come from intense agronomic research and applied technology, not guesswork. That’s why everything we learn through our extensive research program goes into the development and manufacture of the most efficient, environmentally responsible crop nutrient products available. Our entire line of fertilizers are formulated to help growers achieve the best possible yields while employing sustainable agricultural practices.

When selecting your fertilizer products don’t just look at the analysis- look at what they can do. Agro-Culture Liquid Fertilizers can be effectively applied at planter time, side-dress, foliar, or through fertigation. To learn more visit agroliquid.com or contact Brady Boyd (989) 640-2883.


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DIVISION OF AGRICULTURER E S E A R C H & E X T E N S I O N

University of Arkansas System

Agriculture is fraught with uncertainty. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s research and extension teams work to provide the tools and techniques producers need to cope with the unplanned.

• Manage crops and equipment after flood water recedes

• Manage forage and water for livestock during drought

• Have the know-how to deal with new insects such as sugarcane aphids & emerald ash borer

• Navigate new provisions in the Farm Bill after a disaster

Drought. Flooding. Insects.

for the unplanned.We Planaaes.uark.edu • www. uaex.edu Contact your county agent for more information.


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AGRICULTURAL

POWER!COST-EFFECTIVELP/NATURAL GAS

ENGINES6.21 (383) Agri. Power Unit with

GM Style Clutch (with stand-103.1 HP)

Riverside Performance Engines • North Little Rock, AR • 501-372-0985 • www.riversidepe.com

Engine Controller Offers Multiple emergency kill parameters including over rev in the event water is lost to well or relift. Optional feature.

Oversized copper/brass radiator with custom designed fan for superior engine cooling. Standard feature.

Serpentine belt with GM tensioner and pulleys. Standard feature on all small blocks (5.7 and 6.2). Standard Feature.

Fuel regulator for natural gas application. This adds additional fuel control to maximize fuel effi ciency. Optional feature.

GM style bell housing and clutch with output shaft. Standard feature.

Heavy duty PTO for long life and high horsepower engines. Optional feature.

Removable rear motor mount for easy throw out bearing replacement. Standard feature.

All Riverside engines have positive crankcase ventilation and a breather on the opposite value cover for environmentally cleaner operation. Standard feature.

FEATURES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE


Rural Refl ections

28

Rural Refl ections

On a July day, a male red-winged blackbird proclaims his territory in a fi eld of sunfl owers near Stuttgart. Photo by Keith Sutton

Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015 128 Arkansas Agriculture | ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU • SUMMER 2015

Rural Refl ections

28

Rural Refl ections

On a July day, a male red-winged blackbird proclaims his territory in a fi eld of sunfl owers near Stuttgart. Photo by Keith Sutton

PRESORTED STANDARDU.S. POSTAGE PAID

LITTLE ROCK, ARPERMIT NO. 1884

arkansas agriculture - summer 2015

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