Grown in The Natural State

More than being the state’s largest industry, farming is a part of Arkansas’ culture and a way of life. Get to know Arkansas agriculture from the ground up, including the crops that bolster the economy, the farmers who grow them and the laws that govern the entire industry.

The Natural State produces a wide variety of agricultural commodities, ranging from wheat and cotton to livestock to the specialty crops sold at local farmers markets.

Each U.S. farmer already feeds more than 150 people, up from 43 just 50 years ago.

AQUACULTURE

Arkansas is considered the birthplace of warm-water aquaculture in the United States. The first commercial fish farms were built in Arkansas in the 1940s to raise goldfish, and through the years, the industry has diversified into the production of more than 20 species of fish and crustaceans. These species supply food-fish markets, recreational fishing markets and waters, retail pet markets, gardening-supply markets, and markets for aquatic weed and snail control.

According to the Arkansas Agriculture Department, Arkansas ranks second in aquaculture-producing states. It leads in production of bait fish (live fish bought by anglers as bait for recreational and sport fishing), largemouth bass for stocker fish, hybrid striped bass and Chinese carp. The state is third nationally in catfish production. The world’s largest bait-fish farm (Lonoke County), largemouth bass farm (Monroe County), goldfish farm (Lonoke County) and hybridstriped-bass hatchery (Lonoke County) are all found in Arkansas.

BEEF

The beef industry in Arkansas contributes significantly to the state’s economy and, in 2012, was ranked the fifth-largest agriculture commodity in the state. The modern-day peak in the size of the Arkansas beef-cow herd was in 1975, with 1,259,000 head. Since the mid’80s, the inventory of beef cows in Arkansas has varied from 969,000 in 1995 to 851,000 in 2013 — a range of 118,000 head. In 2016, the cow-herd total was 893,000 head — near the midpoint of this 30-year range and climbing.

CORN AND GRAIN SORGHUM

In Arkansas, the five-year average for corn planted is 670,000 acres, resulting in a loss of 2 percent of the acreage at harvest time. The planting time for corn is around early to late March and is usually the first crop to be planted by Arkansas farmers. Corn is primarily used in Arkansas for chicken feed, as the state is the second-largest poultry producer in the United States. Roughly 70 percent of all corn grown in Arkansas goes to poultry feed mills. The other 30 percent is taken to a river terminal, either on the Arkansas River or the Mississippi River, for the export market.

Sorghum is an extremely drought-tolerant crop and is grown on both irrigated and dryland farms. Nearly all of the grain sorghum grown in the state is produced in the Mississippi River Delta region of eastern Arkansas. Much of the grain sorghum grown in Arkansas is exported via the Mississippi River. Grain sorghum is typically planted in May and harvested in September.

COTTON

Arkansas currently ranks No. 4 in cotton and cottonseed production. The state is the No. 5 exporter of cotton, with exports valued at $463 million. Cotton is grown up and down the Delta region of Arkansas with a concentration in far northeast Arkansas. The state has dropped from average production of more than a million acres to around 250,000 to 300,000 in the past decade. This is part of a larger trend. In 2015, U.S. cotton production declined by some 3.4 million bales from the previous year. Cotton prices hit a six-year low point in 2015, and according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmers planted the fewest acres of cotton since 1983.

In 2014, 335,000 acres of cotton were planted in the state, resulting in 820,000 bales of lint being produced. The average yield for Arkansas was 1,193 pounds of lint per acre. National rankings for Arkansas cotton include fourth in lint yield per acre and sixth for acres planted.

DAIRY

Dairy production has long been an important part of American and Arkansas agriculture. Milk and other dairy products from cows and goats remain a staple in the diets of most Americans; however, over the course of the past two decades, fluid milk consumption per capita has declined, and sales of low-fat milk have increased relative to whole milk. Dairy farmers have faced a variety of challenges that have led to a decline in dairy operations in Arkansas.

EQUINE

The equine population in Arkansas is estimated at around 168,000. This total is primarily horses but also includes small numbers of mules, donkeys and burros.

FORESTRY

Forests cover 19 million acres, or 56 percent of the state, and contain 11.8 billion trees. During the 1950s and ’60s, Arkansas lost almost 20 percent of its forestland. However, since 1978, forestland has increased by more than 1 million acres.

The 2015 forest survey period showed an average annual increase in pine-timber growth and a decrease in the amount removed. The five-year average for growth of pine timber is 25.1 million tons, with 15.6 million tons being removed from Arkansas forests. Hardwood statistics in the state are similar to pine timber, with growth being greater than removal of timber on a five-year average. The growth of hardwood is 13.7 million tons, with the removal of 8.2 million tons from 2011 through 2015.

POULTRY

Arkansas is a leader in the nation in poultry production. Poultry are domestic fowl, such as chickens, turkeys, ducks, ostriches, emus, quail, pigeons, pheasants and geese, raised for meat or eggs. The most common poultry in Arkansas are chickens and turkeys. Chickens that are raised for meat are called broilers, and chickens that are raised for their eggs are called laying hens. Arkansas is home to numerous poultry companies and businesses that support poultry companies and poultry farmers. Most Arkansas chicken and poultry farmers grow their birds on contract for poultry companies such as Tyson Foods or Butterball.

Tyson, headquartered in Springdale, is the largest poultry-producing company in the world. Though not based in Arkansas, Pilgrim’s Pride Poultry has a major plant in the state as well. Other such businesses in Arkansas include George’s and Cargill in Springdale; OK Industries and Twin Rivers Foods in Fort Smith; North Arkansas Poultry in Rogers; Simmons in Siloam Springs; Butterball in Huntsville; Honeysuckle White (a division of Cargill) in Ozark; and Peterson Farms in Decatur.

RICE

Arkansas ranks first among rice-producing states, accounting for more than 40 percent of U.S. rice production — primarily long- and medium-grain varieties. Rice production is concentrated in the eastern half of the state, stretching from Louisiana to the Missouri border. Arkansas rice is known for its versatility and can be used in a wide variety of cuisines. It is enjoyed in the U.S. and throughout the world.

In the 1800s, growers in the prairie lands of Arkansas were in need of a dependable, profitable crop, and rice became a contender almost by accident when W.H. Fuller ventured southwest to Louisiana in August 1896 on a hunting trip. It was there that he first saw rice growing, which ultimately led to the development of a leading agricultural industry for Arkansas. Fuller, along with his brother-inlaw John Morris and John’s wife, Emma, are generally credited with founding the Arkansas rice industry. By 1910, rice production, research and milling were established in the state. Today the Museum of the Arkansas Grand Prairie in Stuttgart showcases the history of this major center for U.S. rice production.

SOYBEANS

Soybeans and soybean products are Arkansas’ largest agricultural exports. Arkansas currently ranks 10th in the nation in soybean production, producing more than 150 million bushels annually that are valued at more than $1.5 billion.

SPECIALTY CROPS

The category of specialty crops is a catchall term for a variety of traditional, regional produce. Arkansas farmers grow a wide variety of these specialty crops, including Southern staples such as tomatoes, sweet potatoes and watermelons.

SWINE

Swine were first introduced into what is now Arkansas by the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto in 1541. Since pork can be salted and smoked for preservation, many early settlers used pigs to supply their needs for meat and cooking fat (lard). The widespread production of pigs persisted until commercial refrigeration was introduced in the 1930s and 1940s. At that time, pork became available from more remote sources, and swine production was more specialized and concentrated on fewer farms.

Today, with almost 7 billion people, there are only 1.7 acres of agricultural land in the world per person.

WHEAT

Soft red winter wheat is the dominant type grown in Arkansas. In recent years, Arkansas has averaged 600,000 acres of wheat, and yields have averaged 58 bushels per acre. Most wheat acres are double-cropped, with soybeans following the wheat harvest. The majority of the wheat is grown in the following areas:

• The Mississippi River Delta region in eastern Arkansas.

• The Arkansas River Valley region of western Arkansas.

• The Red River Valley region of southwest Arkansas.

Wheat is typically planted from October through November and harvested in early June.

Soft red winter (SRW) wheat has lower protein and less gluten, making it ideally suited for cookies, crackers, pastries, flatbreads and pretzels. SRW wheat is even used in Maker’s Mark and Twizzlers products.

Only 11.6 cents of every dollar you spend at the grocery store goes to a farmer.