U.S. trade-pact step, veiling of research worry state farmers
The first few days of President Donald Trump's administration have left the agriculture industry in Arkansas anxious about the future of trade policy and acces…
Stories by Claire Williams
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Arkansas' restaurants upbeat; more opening, tax revenue up
The national restaurant industry's somber mood hasn't reached the Arkansas food scene, as the metropolitan areas of the state continue to see the arrival of ne…
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Mars gets state aid for plant add-on
Mars, the food company known for its candy bars, is investing $72 million in its Fort Smith pet food plant after receiving a $500,000 incentive from the Arkans…
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Poultry plant gets new life, Pine Bluff to get jobs
After years of false starts and a struggle to secure funding, the Summit Poultry plant in Pine Bluff plans to reopen in the first 10 days of January, deliverin…
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Tyson's '17 CEO suggests focuses
Tom Hayes, president of Tyson Foods and the incoming chief executive officer, dropped hints about acquisitions and investments at the Bernstein Consumer Summit…
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Tyson's $150M to aid food-focused startups
Tyson Foods has set aside $150 million to help develop new food-related businesses as the company continues a transformation from a commodity provider to a bro…
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Holiday spread's cost less in Arkansas this year
Thanksgiving meals will cost less in Arkansas this year compared with a year ago, driven by falling turkey prices, according to an annual survey by the Arkansa…
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Tyson CEO Smith leaving; Hayes to take role
Donnie Smith, Tyson Foods' chief executive officer, is stepping down amid concerns about the meatpacking giant's ability to sustain high profit growth and as t…
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UA's state-bred wine grapes finally debut
The Arkansas wine industry has a new edge -- two grapes designed to thrive in the state's challenging climate.
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Red meat, poultry production in U.S. on record pace in '16
The U.S. meat industry is set to post another strong production year and an abundant supply of pork, beef and poultry is lowering prices for consumers, industr…
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Farmers' vote still critical in state
Farmers have watched their political base shrink over the past few decades as farm families give up the homestead and move to urban and suburban areas. It's be…
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Arkansas native is scaring up profit through Halloween props business
On Halloween, the roads around Shane Junyor's suburban home will close and nearly 1,000 people will gather for his homemade haunted house.
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St. Louis Fed banker anticipates a single rate hike through '19
Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis President James Bullard said only one U.S. interest rate hike is necessary in the next couple of years -- a prediction backed…
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For jobs hunt, state hires its man in Berlin
BERLIN -- At any moment, Cornelius Schnitzler could get a call.
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Lawyers file suits on drop in Tyson
Several law firms representing shareholders have filed lawsuits in the last two days claiming Tyson Foods made false or misleading statements related to allega…
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Meat created from stem cells
Near a cobbled old town dotted with Roman ruins and medieval church spires, the University of Maastricht houses Mark Post's laboratory. Post has been growing m…
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American Indian farms get help
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Native American Farming and Ranching, a program that helps American Indians in Oklahoma and across the country navigate th…
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State farms' broiler-chick tally up 3%
More than a year after bird flu cut down the number of broiler chickens and eggs in the country, more broiler chicks are being placed with poultry farmers in A…
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New president at Tyson ready for spot on team
A former Hillshire Brands Co. executive has made his way to Tyson Foods' top ranks more than a year after Tyson's $7.7 billion acquisition of the company.
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Tyson promotes Hayes to president
Tyson Foods Inc. CEO Donnie Smith has been replaced as president of the company, part of a companywide shift away from commodities and toward branded products,…
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Investors list farm acreage as stable bets
Large investment companies are increasingly looking at Arkansas farmland as a stable investment after the recession made other options, such as stocks, a risky…
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Senator opposes Asia-fish test rules
New rules directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to inspect catfishlike imports from Asia are being challenged in Congress, leaving Arkansas catfish farm…
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State’s peanut planting a record
Arkansas farmers are planting more peanuts, hitting record acreage as the profitable crop gains popularity with growers throughout the South.
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State's wheat is too wet to reap
Heavy rain has delayed the winter wheat harvest for Arkansas farmers, a setback that could mean lower profits this year.
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Beef prices lower in time for grilling season
Consumers can expect cheaper burgers and lower prices for other meat this weekend and throughout grilling season, the most important time for the meat industry…
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State's out front of U.S. on jobs
Arkansas is, for the first time in a while, outpacing the national economy in job growth and unemployment, largely because of improvement in the state's rural …
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As cotton acres shrink, gins vanish in state
Cotton gins, one of the most visible symbols of the state's cotton industry, have dwindled to about a third of their previous number as farmers abandon cotton …
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State's rice planters beat clock
Arkansas farmers are ahead of their rice-planting schedule -- a year after wet weather meant low rice yields.
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SeaArk Boats bought by Florida firm
SeaArk Boats, a long-time, family-owned company in Monticello known for aluminum catfish boats, will change hands to a Florida-based firm, the companies announ…
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China's chicken tariff challenged
The U.S. government is challenging tariffs that make it hard for U.S. companies to sell chicken competitively in China.
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Tyson Foods credits product-line strategy for strong 2Q results
Tyson Foods Inc. topped expectations in the second quarter, typically the most difficult for the company because of its timing after the holiday season and bef…
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Firms' role in low cattle prices getting a look
Meatpackers -- including Cargill, JBS and Tyson Foods -- are facing a possible Government Accountability Office investigation over business practices that an a…
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ArcBest reports $6.1M loss
Trucking company ArcBest Corp., based in Fort Smith, lost $6.1 million in the first quarter, the company reported Friday.
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Soybean-based treat on UA menu
FAYETTEVILLE — Navam Hettiarachchy’s bright green spinach-vanilla frozen dessert hasn’t hit store shelves yet, but the University of Arkansas is pushing to get…
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State agency woos travel groups
EUREKA SPRINGS -- Conspiracy is Jim Marrs' full-time job.
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Tyson plans to build $136M plant in Green Forest
Tyson Foods on Thursday announced plans to build a $136 million facility in Green Forest.
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Vilsack to visit, give talk in state
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack will speak tonight at the Clinton Presidential Center about the USDA's efforts to improve the nation's rural economy.
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On tap, a 12% water-use reduction by 2020, Tyson says
Tyson Foods is aiming to reduce its water usage by 12 percent by 2020, the company said Wednesday.
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Little Rock, Spa City still top tourist stops
Arkansas' traditional travel markets such as Little Rock and Hot Springs continue to pull in the most tourism dollars for the state, but the state Department o…
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Tyson loses appeal of $5.8M verdict
Tyson Foods lost a closely watched Supreme Court case on Tuesday as justices upheld a $5.8 million award to workers in Iowa.
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Groups doubt Tyson's no-abuse data
Animal-welfare groups were not placated by Tyson Foods' latest report on animal welfare that shared new details about the results of the company's FarmCheck pr…
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Skills gap at forefront of tech forum
Camden, a city of 10,000 in southern Arkansas, is dominated by a large, high-tech aerospace and defense company. About 650 people work at Lockheed Martin's Mis…
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USDA chooses state for job-training plan tied to food stamps
The 30,000 Arkansans who could lose food stamps this year will have more options to receive training and find jobs through a program sponsored by the U.S. Depa…
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Small producers in state: Too few slaughterhouses
The local-food scene in Arkansas is growing, but small-scale producers are still struggling to make a profit as the infrastructure these producers need disappe…
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Tyson campaign to market its name
Tyson Foods is revamping its title brand, and aims to strengthen others, by introducing a stream of new products this year and continuing to expand its prepare…
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Activists target poultry industry
The Northwest Arkansas Workers' Justice Center has spent the past two years traveling the state, collecting stories and data from poultry workers that point to…
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Herbicide OK labeled vital for state
Arkansas farmers are hoping for quick approval to use certain herbicides, as weeds resistant to approved methods pose a risk to two of the state's core crops -…
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Record profit predicted for '16, Tyson chief says
Tyson Foods projected record profit for the year, citing a sharp drop in feed and livestock costs that offset falling revenue this quarter, before its annual s…
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6 bids on ballot for shareholders at Tyson Foods
Tyson Foods shareholders will vote on a slew of proposals Friday that address social impact and transparency within the company.
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USDA forecasts rise in meat supply
A predicted upswing in supply of beef, poultry and pork this year means tougher competition among meat producers, leading to lower prices for consumers, analys…
