AgHeritage names Reynolds EVP
AgHeritage Farm Credit Services is pleased to announce the appointment of JimBob Reynolds as Executive Vice President and Chief Credit Officer, effective June 30.
The company has branch offices in Batesville, Brinkley, Lonoke, McGehee, Newport, Pine Bluff, Pocahontas, Searcy and Stuttgart.
Reynolds has more than 30 years of experience in agricultural lending, executive leadership and credit. He previously served as chief credit officer for 13 years at AgTrust Farm Credit in Texas. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in agriculture economics and finance from Texas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Additionally, he completed the Graduate School of Banking at Texas Tech, according to the news release.
“JimBob’s leadership and vision will be instrumental in driving our credit operations to new heights,” said Greg Cole, president and chief executive officer of AgHeritage. “We’re excited to welcome him and his wife, Thedra, to the Central Arkansas area.”
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Drue Ford will transition to an advisory role as EVP and senior advisor and will remain a member of the executive leadership team, according to the release.
AgHeritage Farm Credit Services is a customer-owned rural and agricultural lender with owned and managed assets of approximately $2.80 billion as of Dec. 31.
Community foundation offers grants
Nonprofits in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County can apply for Giving Tree Grants through the Pine Bluff Area Community Foundation (PBACF), an affiliate of Arkansas Community Foundation. Applications must be submitted between now and Aug. 15 at arcf.org/givingtree.
Any IRS 501(c)(3) public charity, public school, government agency or hospital in Jefferson County is eligible to apply. Grants are not made to individuals or small businesses, according to a news release.
The JRMC Community Health Endowment is made possible through a gift from Jefferson Regional Medical Center in accordance with its goal to bring quality healthcare to the people of Southeast Arkansas. The PBACF grants committee evaluates proposals from organizations wanting to provide services aimed at educating, assessing and screening members of their organization or the larger community regarding health issues. Applicant organizations are those that serve residents of Jefferson and surrounding counties including Arkansas, Ashley, Bradley, Chicot, Cleveland, Dallas, Desha, Drew, Grant, and Lincoln.
Giving Tree grants can cover a very wide range of local and regional needs. Grants can fund “capacity building” such as upgrading equipment or providing training or provide project or program support. Grant applications that address food security or early learning will also be eligible for a 1:1 matching grant from Arkansas Community Foundation. These carry a specific designation in the application process. A special $5,000 grant is available this year to support local organizations promoting children’s physical activity.
“Our Giving Tree grants will generally range from $500 to $4,000,” said Lawrence Fikes, PBACF executive director. “Last year, our application process resulted in a total of over $132,700 grants awarded. Our board members want to fund worthy service programs designed to enhance the quality of life in our community.”
Any nonprofit that received a grant in 2024 must complete and return the grant report form to be considered for this current grant cycle. Applications will be reviewed by a grant-making committee from PBACF, according to a news release.
Locals among UA Honors fellows
The University of Arkansas at Fayetteville Honors College selected 100 high school students to receive Honors College Fellowships.
Southeast Arkansas residents include:
Dylan Dedman – Rison High School
Avery Williams – Sheridan High School
Riley Raymick – Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts (Sheridan resident.)
“The University of Arkansas Honors College was established in 2002 and brings together high-achieving undergraduate students and the university’s top professors to share transformative learning experiences,” according to a news release. “Each year the Honors College awards fellowships that provide $80,000 over four years, and more than $1 million in undergraduate research and study abroad grants.”
Poultry litter event topic
A workshop preparing poultry growers for the winter months will be held Aug. 28-29 in collaboration with the University of Georgia department of poultry science and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
The event takes place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Aug. 28, and from 8 a.m. to noon Aug. 29. Lunch and dinner will be provided on the first day and breakfast on the second day. The workshop will be held at Waldrip Hall in the Don Tyson Center for Agricultural Sciences in Fayetteville.
Yi Liang, associate professor of biological and agricultural engineering for the Division of Agriculture and the University of Arkansas’ College of Engineering, said the workshop will focus on managing poultry litter using best practices including ventilation to maintain healthy birds in broiler houses.
“Managing poultry litter is harder to do in the winter,” Liang said. “With the warm weather, the ventilation fans are on a lot, so the ventilation rate is high and helps keep the litter dry. But in the winter, we want to conserve fuel while keeping the house at certain temperatures, so the ventilation fans don’t run as much. It takes a suite of techniques to do it right.”
Liang is also affiliated with the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science, which is a unit of the Division of Agriculture.
The workshop is $350 per participant, and the deadline to register is Aug. 20. Register online at https://aaes.uada.edu/events/2025-poultry-litter-management-workshop/.
To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit uaex.uada.edu.