Webinar to focus on Ag law center
Harrison Pittman, National Agricultural Law Center director, will discuss the future of the NALC in a webinar at 11 a.m. April 5.
NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural Library, according to a news release.
The webinar is called “Expanding Partners and Outreach: Strategic Update on the Future of the National Agricultural Law Center.” Registration is free online at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars/pittman-update-23/
Congress established the NALC in 1987 to serve as a nonpartisan, objective resource for the nation’s agricultural community. Today, it is the only institution of its kind in the United States with partners throughout the country, serving stakeholders at all levels of the agriculture and food supply chain, according to the release.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“The NALC has grown considerably in recent years, with a key strategic goal of expanding public and private sector partnerships and outreach throughout the United States,” Pittman said.
Details: nationalaglawcenter.org.
NAACP, ACO, residents address tax proposals
The political action committee of the Pine Bluff NAACP branch hosted the first of four informational sessions at the Breath of Life Church’s fellowship hall Thursday night.
The next town hall meeting will be held at Pine Hill Missionary Baptist Church at 6 p.m. April 11, according to a news release.
Thursday, Ivan Whitfield, NAACP Branch president and member of Pine Bluff Arkansas Community Organizations led the discussion.
“Why are we here? We are here tonight because our elected officials’ failure to lead and refusal to conduct the taxpayers’ business,” Whitfield said.
The meeting included a discussion about regressive and progressive taxation, a comparison between current and previous tax initiatives, review of the Re-live Downtown Master Plan and Go Forward projects, and ended with a question and answer session.
Grassroots, NAACP and ACO members attended. Last week, ACO voted unanimously to oppose the Go Forward Tax Initiatives, joining the decision of the Pine Bluff NAACP branch.
“Any kind of a sales tax is a burden on low to moderate-income people, especially during a period of raised prices everywhere,” said ACO President/Chair Rosetta Madison. “And, Go Forward Pine Bluff isn’t addressing the issues in the different neighborhoods, only downtown. So, at this time, the members of Arkansas Community Organization and I oppose endorsing another tax proposed by them.”