For the Media

January 29, 2010

LITTLE ROCK - February 22-26 is Severe Weather Week in Arkansas, a reminder to be prepared for any emergency, especially with spring storm season just weeks away, said Dr. Denise Brochetti, assistant professor-nutrition for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Evaluating timber damage after the storm

LITTLE ROCK - Evaluating the damage to timber is the first step to planning out the safest and most efficient repairs and recovery once a damaging winter storm has passed, said Tamara Walkingstick, associate director of the Arkansas Forest Research Center and an extension forester for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Trees bear watching for ice storm

LITTLE ROCK - Trees may pose additional dangers with the coming of an ice- and snow-laden winter storm because of saturated ground, said Tamara Walkingstick, associate director of the Arkansas Forest Research Center and an extension forester for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Registration deadline approaching for commercial tree, fruit workshop

CONWAY, Ark. - Marketing, pest control and sustainability for commercial fruit and nut tree growers are among the topics on the agenda at the statewide Tree and Small Fruit Workshop set for February 16 in Conway.
 

LITTLE ROCK - Samuel Boyster has been appointed information technology director for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.

4-H Foundation board honors Jack Justus

LITTLE ROCK – The Arkansas 4-H Foundation Board has honored retiring board member Jack Justus for his years of service to 4-H in Arkansas. Justus was instrumental in obtaining matching grant money for construction of the Donald W. Reynolds Continuing Education wing completed in 2003.

Agricultural scientists help train National Guard Ag Development Team members

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Members of the Arkansas National Guard's Agricultural Development Team, which is scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan in the spring of 2010, received training from University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture animal science and poultry science faculty members Monday and Tuesday at the Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center and the Leland Tollett Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory.

January 26, 2010

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Economists with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture on Tuesday pegged the 2009 crop losses at $397 million, resulting in an estimated loss of nearly 3,700 full- and part-time jobs at a cost of $102 million in wages and salaries.

January 22, 2010

LITTLE ROCK - Tony Windham has been appointed Associate Vice President for Agriculture and Director of the Cooperative Extension Service.

Help kids feel safe, secure after disasters

LITTLE ROCK - It's inescapable. The images of people hungry, thirsty, hurt and homeless in Haiti are on local and national television, radio, Web sites, newspapers and publications. Children observing the devastation may not have the ability to cope with what they see and hear, and as parents and teachers, knowing how to explain what's happening can give them a sense of safety and security.

Extreme cold: What to do if you're stranded

MURFREESBORO, Ark. - Arkansans still have months of winter weather ahead and should know the ropes to dealing with extreme cold in case of emergencies, said Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

MARION, Ark. - Mismanaging the energy use of home appliances can lead to "power thieves" and "phantom loads" that siphon energy, leading to higher energy bills, said VeEtta Simmons, Crittenden County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

For weight loss, portion size matters

TEXARKANA, Ark. - Portion size matters when trying to cut calories, said Carla Haley, Miller County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

NSF grant funds U of A Division of Agriculture study of gray leaf spot disease in corn

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Burt Bluhm, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture plant pathologist, has a $500,000 National Science Foundation grant to fund research on a fungal pathogen that can lead to significant yield losses in corn.

January 15, 2010

For some farmers, the harvest of 2009 continued into 2010

PINE BLUFF, Ark. – For some Jefferson County farmers, the rain-soaked 2009 harvest didn’t end until well into 2010, Don Plunkett, Jefferson County staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said Thursday.

Recall expanded for some OTC medicines

LITTLE ROCK – A leading drug maker expanded its recall of over-the-counter medications due to complains that the medications have a musty or mildew smell.

NEW YEAR II: Spend more time with the kids

TEXARKANA, Ark. - The kitchen may be the perfect venue to play out a resolution to spend quality time with children or grandchildren, said Carla Haley, Miller County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

NEW YEAR II: Teaching children to give

MURFREESBORO, Ark. - It's never too early to teach children how to give, said Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

NEW YEAR II: Paying off holiday bills

MURFREESBORO, Ark. - The holiday fun and joy of gift-giving is giving way to the reality of holiday debt. Now is the time to take the bull by the horns and eliminate the debt, said Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
 

NEW YEAR II: Keeping healthy resolutions

MARION, Ark. - Eat better. Exercise more. Resolutions are easy to make, but easier to break. VeEtta Simmons, Crittenden County extension staff chair for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, offers some simple tactics to make the resolutions stick.

Commercial tree, fruit workshop set for February 16

CONWAY, Ark. - Commercial fruit and fruit and nut tree growers from across the state are invited learn about the latest management techniques at the February 16 Tree and Small Fruit workshop at the Natural Resources Center in Conway.

Rural Life Conference February 26 Features 12 Workshops

PINE BLUFF, Ark. -- The 54th Rural Life Conference is scheduled for Friday, February 26, at the Pine Bluff Convention Center, 500 E 8th Avenue. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. in the Convention Center Auditorium with the opening session at 8:45 a.m. The conference theme is "A New Economy: Challenges and Opportunities for Rural Communities."

Frozen Fields

Pictures showing frozen fields in Poinsett and Jackson counties.

January 8, 2010

LITTLE ROCK - Turning over a new financial leaf in 2010? Swapping, sharing and substituting may be tactics to consider.

NEW YEAR: Run-in with wild hog underscores safety first with ATV

HAMPTON, Ark. - Jaret Rushing is taking some of his own advice these days, especially where ATV safety is concerned.

NEW YEAR: Menu planning, shopping to eat better, save money

MURFREESBORO, Ark. - Menus do more than just attract restaurant diners, they help the kitchen plan ingredient purchases to produce good food and turn a profit. Home chefs can use a variation on the same technique to help their families eat better and save money, said Robbie McKinnon, Pike County extension agent for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

BENTONVILLE, Ark. - Stopping the rise in the monthly water bill is as easy as adopting five new habits for 2010, says Trish Ouei, urban stormwater educator for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
 

NEW YEAR: Smooth hydrangea, globeflower, fringeflower must-haves for 2010

LITTLE ROCK - Cold weather is a great time to scope out hot ornamentals for the spring garden. For 2010, white-flowered muhly grass and a pink hydrangea are likely to catch the attention of Arkansas gardeners, said Dr. Jim Robbins, extension horticulture specialist-ornamentals for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.

Study: Can bad golfers blame the grass?

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Golfers know that a good golf ball lie can make the difference between a birdie and a bogey. But can golfers blame the grass for a bad lie?

Alumnus Michael Kidd to lead U of A Poultry Science programs

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Milo J. Shult, University of Arkansas System Vice President for Agriculture and Sharon L. Gaber, University of Arkansas Provost, have announced that Michael T. Kidd has been appointed Director of the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science and Head of the Department of Poultry Science.

January 7, 2010

Some like it hot: Poultry growers fire up chicken house heating, ventilation in cold weather

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - Arkansas poultry growers will be running the heaters and ventilators in their chicken houses as temperatures fall into the single digits, a University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture poultry expert said.

Cattlemen advised to watch feed during frigid weather

LITTLE ROCK - Cattle producers need to keep a sharp eye on feed amounts and early calves when frigid air moves in, say cattle experts with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
 

Goat producers need extra vigilance of stock during sub-freezing temps

LITTLE ROCK - Goat producers need to be extra vigilant of their stock during the current string of sub-freezing days, Steve Jones, associate professor-livestock, for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said on Thursday.

Sub-freezing temps will send winter wheat into dormancy

LITTLE ROCK - Arkansas farmers, still smarting from last year's record rains, may have their first crop concern of 2010, thanks to a string of sub-freezing days, Jason Kelley, extension wheat and small grains agronomist for the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, said Thursday.