Arkansas farmers remain in limbo as Congress prepares to vote Dec. 19 on a new continuing resolution aimed at extending vital Farm Bill provisions and providing economic relief to address ongoing challenges in agriculture.
In 2022, Arkansas agricultural cash receipts totaled approximately $14.5 billion, with broilers, soybeans and rice being the highest-valued commodities. Arkansas is a leading producer of these grains, with soybeans and rice among the top contributors to the state’s agricultural economy.
The broader agricultural sector, encompassing production and processing, accounted for 8.5% of Arkansas’s GDP in 2022.
Farm Bill stalemate
Progress on the next Farm Bill has been sluggish, hindered by the 2024 presidential election cycle and the impending retirement of Senate Agriculture Committee Chair Debbie Stabenow. Calls for updated reference prices to trigger safety nets have intensified as farmers grapple with falling commodity prices and elevated, though slightly reduced, input costs.