Swearing-in set for new police chief
A formal swearing-in ceremony for new Pine Bluff Police Chief Shawn Davis will be held at 11:30 a.m. Friday at the Masonic Lodge, 2906 E. Harding Ave. This is a change from the previously announced location.
Davis has been captain for the Pine Bluff Police Department, where he has served more than 23 years.
A native of Pine Bluff, Davis is a 1986 graduate of Watson Chapel High School. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and is a 2021 graduate of the Southern Police Institute in Louisville, Ky., according to a news release.
Warming center opens
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
The city of Pine Bluff opened a warming center at the Opportunity House (old First Ward School), 1305 E. Sixth Ave. The center will operate from 6 p.m. to 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The center opened in partnership with DePaul USA. This initiative underscores the city’s dedication to protecting vulnerable populations during extreme weather conditions, according to a news release. To make contributions or for details, contact Mar’Tavius Proctor at (870) 209-5827 or mproctor@cityofpinebluff-ar.gov.
Chamber observes New Year’s
The offices of the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Alliance for Jefferson County will be closed Thursday for New Year’s Day, according to the chamber newsletter.
Community blood drive set
A Pine Bluff Community Blood Drive will be held from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Jan. 6 at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Free gifts of a T-shirt, Museum of Discovery ticket and other items are available while supplies last.
Photo IDs are required for blood donations. Walk-ins are welcome, however. To make an appointment call 877-340-8777 or visit obi.org, according to a flyer.
Enterprise budgets aids ag industry
The annual crop enterprise budgets created by the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture, aren’t just a tool to help farmers manage the crop season to come, they are a mirror of farming’s economic landscape, according to a news release.
Breana Watkins, instructor-crop budgets and conservation economics for the Division of Agriculture, develops the budgets along with input from Extension Economists and Assistant Professors Hunter Biram and Ryan Loy, and Program Associates Scott Stiles and Evan Ware.
Watkins said that “with everything endured in production agriculture, it’s been hard to find highlights on a crop budget to share.
“For input pricing, it appears as though we’ve peaked and softened on things like seed, crop protectants, and interest rates,” she said. “Although the softening hasn’t been dramatic, the budgets are beginning to reflect a breakeven situation — which is welcome considering the previous year returns for most crops were negative.
“When compared to the previous year, fuel and fertilizer prices are mixed,” Watkins said. “Equipment costs have continued to increase over the last few years. A new budget for cotton with ThryvOn technology, was released with this update
Watkins said that “soybean prices have been the star of the show.”
“In the fall of 2024 — when the 2025 budgets were originally developed — new crop soybeans were being forward contracted at $9.50 per bushel. Peak harvest 2025 cash soybean prices were steadily above $9.50,” she said.
She also commented on the difference seen with the barge traffic along a major river.
“The Mississippi River cooperated a bit more this harvest allowing river terminals to resume the $0.50-$0.60 per bushel basis on soybeans delivered at harvest,” she said.
“For the upcoming 2026 crop season, the average forward contract price was $10.25 per bushel,” Watkins said.
Operating costs for soybeans have remained steady.
There are two main versions of each crop budget available based on the user’s needs: lease or full budget. Crops available are corn, cotton, grain sorghum, peanut, rice and soybean, based upon irrigation type.
The crop enterprise budgets are developed with the support of the Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Board, the Arkansas Rice Check-Off and the Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board.
The mention of brand names does not imply endorsement by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. To learn more about the Division of Agriculture research, visit uaex.uada.edu.