The Helena Harbor is an important component of economic development in Phillips County. Located a short distance south of Memphis on the Mississippi River the Port Authority there is undergoing a significant expansion. We spoke to John Edwards, manager of Helena Harbor in Phillips County, who explained the expansion project, the port's importance and long-range plans for future growth.

This week, we learn about a major donation by the Anheuser-Busch Foundation to support the Arkansas Discovery Farms Project and we get the latest on the federal Paycheck Protection Program. We also talk to Altus Mayor Veronica Post about the cancellation of three agriculture-related festivals in her community due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A $10 million endowment was presented to the University of Arkansas System recently by the Fryar Family Charitable Foundation. The donation was to establish the Fryar Price Risk Management Center of Excellence. Dr. Ed Fryar sat down with us this week to discuss the idea behind the Center and the agricultural impact he hopes it will make not only in Arkansas but across the nation.

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Following a delay of almost two months from its traditional opening date, the Little Rock Farmers Market welcomed the public to a smaller version of the popular weekend destination at the Little Rock River Market. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the market will be limited to fresh produce vendors and safety protocols must be followed by visitors.

Dr. Jeyam Subbiah heads the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Food Science Department and is also lead investigator for the UA Agricultural Experiment Station's portion of a USDA 5-year research project. The collaborative effort involves nine universities studying food safety in low moisture foods such as nuts, dried foods and cereals. In this Agcast Video Extra he explained the need for the $9.8 million project with ArFB's Ken Moore.

Michael Sparks, president of the Arkansas chapter of Farmer Veteran Coalition, owns Honeycomb Ridge Farm near Searcy. He joined us with his son Conner to talk about that organization and their family farming operation, including the bees they raise in an apiary near Scott.

This week, we talk about a new multi-million dollar infrastructure project at the Little Rock Port, learn the importance of keeping written legal documents when leasing farmland, and hear the latest on LeadAR, the two-year leadership development program of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service.

On June 23rd, the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service hosted a “virtual field trip” focused on the Jeff and Marsha Marley poultry and beef farm in Elkins, part of the Arkansas Discovery Farm Program.

This week, we learn what the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak will mean for the 2020 Arkansas State Fair and we talk to a University of Arkansas professor about a recent grant to support technology research that could help the poultry industry. We also learn all about the Arkansas Youth Expo.