UAPB sets business teachers’ event
The Arkansas College Teachers of Economics and Business (ACTEB) will host its annual conference Feb. 21. This day-long event will begin at 8:30 a.m. at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.
Business owners, aspiring business owners, employers of students and alumni are encouraged to attendm according to a news release.
A meet and greet will be held the evening before for those traveling from Fayetteville and other parts of the state who would like to spend the night, according to ACTEB president Stephanie Cox, an assistant professor of accounting at UAPB.
The 2025 ACTEB Conference will feature speakers, panelists, breakout sessions, a campus tour and networking opportunities. The registration fee is $50 for general participants. Lunch is included in the registration fee. Registration is free for students. The student rate with lunch included is $20.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The theme is “Embracing the Business Culture of the Natural State.”
“With this year’s theme, I hope we can have some very beneficial and positive conversations about business in Arkansas,” Cox said. “Where are we going? Where should we be by now? What’s going to change?”
Experts are invited to help answer these questions and discuss various topics addressing data, trends, analysis, and economic and industry changes.
“The data is very, very important. A lot of individuals don’t know what’s going on in Arkansas, especially surrounding numbers, the number of businesses that we have (or) the type of businesses we have,” Cox said.
She added that many individuals are unaware of the financial resources to fund businesses.
The ACTEB recently announced a call for proposals to allow individuals to submit details of a topic they have researched and want to present during the upcoming conference. Presentation topics include the following: Accounting, Management/Leadership and HR, Operations/Supply Chain/Logistics, Business/Entrepreneurship, Pedagogy, Finances, Management Information Systems and Data Analytics, Marketing, International Business and Economics.
Individuals interested in presenting need to email a detailed abstract (150 to 200 words) to Thomas Snyder, professor of economics at the University of Central Arkansas, at tjsnyder@uca.edu by Feb. 10. Details: coxs@uapb.edu or (870) 575-8480.
Ag expo offers latest information
The Four States Agricultural Expo returns Feb. 13, bringing together growers and producers from Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma to learn about the latest research and resources available for commercial horticulture, livestock and forages, integrated pest management, home gardening, lawn, pond management and more.
The expo is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Four States Fairgrounds in Texarkana. Registration begins at 7:30 a.m. All growers and producers from the four-state region are invited.
The expo is free, open to the public and includes lunch. No registration is required.
Lunch will be provided by Farm Credit of Western Arkansas and Texas Farm Bureau – Bowie County. Sponsors and donors include Cavender’s Texarkana and Simmons Bank-Jonathan Shumate.
The event is a joint project of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, with experts from both agencies presenting workshops throughout the day.
“We usually have around 350 people attend,” said Jennifer Caraway, Miller County extension agent. “Every year we offer a variety of agricultural sessions about livestock and forages, row crops, horticulture, commercial horticulture, timber and wildlife management, and pond management.”
Continuing education units — CEUs — are available for licensed pesticide applicators. Texas pesticide applicators pay $10 for up to five hours of CEU credits. Arkansas pesticide applicator training will be available at the expo. The cost is $65, with $20 paid to Miller County Cooperative Extension and $45 paid to Arkansas State Plant Board to obtain a five-year license.
Concurrent programs include the following topics and speakers:
8:30 a.m.
Managing Vegetation in Farm Ponds – Tyson Keese, pond management program specialist, Texas A&M.
Vaccination Protocols for Beef Cattle – Meg Harrington, NAH Livestock Consulting.
Production & Management of Blueberries – Tim Hartman, assistant professor, extension specialist, integrated pest management Texas A&M.
9:45 a.m.
Alternative Forages for Livestock – Jonathan Kubesch, extension forage specialist, Division of Agriculture.
The Fate of Dicamba and Rice Weed Control – Bob Scott, extension weed scientist, Division of Agriculture.
Production and Management of Tomatoes – John Gavin, Bradley County extension agent, Division of Agriculture.
Beekeeping 101 – Garrett Slater, assistant professor and apiculture extension entomologist, Texas A&M.
11 a.m.
Managing Fish Populations in Farm Ponds – Tyson Keese, Texas A&M.
Treating Common Diseases in Beef Cattle – Robert Bonner, DVM, Nashville Animal Hospital.
Production and Management of Peaches – Tim Hartmann, Texas A&M.
Noon-1 p.m.: Lunch
1 p.m.
Safe Use of Pesticides Around the Farm – Bob Scott, extension weed scientist, Division of Agriculture.
Grassy Weed Control in Pastures and Hay – Chad Cummings, Texas A&M county extension agent-agriculture and natural resources.
Pests, Pathogens, Pesticides, and Poor Nutrition and Their Impact on Bee Hives – Garrett Slater, Texas A&M.
2:15 p.m.
Broadleaf Weed Control in Pasture and Hay – Chad Cummings, Texas A&M.
Arkansas Pesticide Applicator Training – Jennifer Caraway, Miller County agricultural extension agent, Division of Agriculture.
Texas Auxin Training – Brian Triplett, county agent-agriculture and natural resources, Texas A&M.
For more information about the expo, contact the Miller County Extension office at (870) 779-3609.