PBHS plans Career Council
Pine Bluff High School will hold a kick off for the Pine Bluff Career Council from 6-7:30 p.m. Oct. 1 at First United Methodist Church, 200 W. Sixth Ave.
PBHS is seeking community leaders to provide local support to connect students and families to career resources, according to a flier from the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Students, family members, employers, civic leaders, community representatives, faith leaders, teachers, and disability advocates are invited to attend. Details: Kim West, family and community engagement coordinator, at kimberley.west@pinebluffschools.org .
CARTI sets Business After Hours
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
CARTI Cancer Center, 5001 Bobo Road, will host a Business After Hours event from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Oct. 8. There will be refreshments, tours, and networking opportunities.
Participants may also schedule mammograms with special appointment times, according to a flier from the Pine Bluff Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Landowners conference set
The Cooperative Extension Program’s 11th annual Landowners Conference is set for 9 a.m. Oct. 3 at the University of Arkansas at Hope-Texarkana at Hempstead Hall in Hope.
The conference is hosted by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and Prairie View A&M University, according to a news release.
Topics will be discussed until 11:45 a.m. Lunch and a tour of Derrick Gant Farm in Hope is planned for 12:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Participants will learn about utilizing drones for forestry, agricultural risk management strategies, beef quality assurance, soil health, no-till farming, and leasing land and livestock.
Details: Kandi Williams at williamska@uapb.edu or Brandon Hawkins at brhawkins@pvamu.edu.
Webinar to feature USDA official
Students, faculty and student mentors interested in agricultural and food law can hear directly from Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Xochitl Torres Small, second-in-command at the United States Department of Agriculture.
Torres Small will present the National Agricultural Law Center’s free webinar at 11 a.m. Oct. 2, “Growing Careers in Ag & Food Law: USDA Deputy Secretary Xochitl Torres Small.”
The webinar will also include a question and answer segment as attendees can send in questions during the presentation.
The webinar is part of the NALC’s Bridges Initiative, a student-focused, public-private partnership that offers professional development, networking, and increased legal knowledge to pre-college, undergraduate, and law students interested in agricultural and food law issues or careers, according to a news release.
Prior to taking on her role on July 11, 2023, Torres Small served as the department’s under secretary for Rural Development. Before her time at USDA, Torres Small was a U.S. Representative.
“Investing in our students is key to the future of agriculture and an effort that I am focused on as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture,” Torres Small said. “The NALC is a tremendous partner to USDA in this, and I’m excited to connect with young people who are interested in agricultural and food law careers.”
Registration for the webinar is free and available at https://nationalaglawcenter.org/webinars/growing-careers-torres-small/.
Farmers to learn about high tunnels
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service will host a workshop to teach growers and gardeners how to use high tunnels to extend their growing season.
The High Tunnel Workshop is scheduled for Oct. 10 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Greene County Extension meeting room in Paragould. The cost is $20, which includes lunch, according to a news release.
High tunnels, often called hoop houses, protect crops from temperature extremes and can extend the growing season for fruits and vegetables.
“Whether you are a beginning grower or an experienced one, a backyard gardener or a large producer, this workshop can benefit you,” said Taunya Ernst, extension high tunnel and urban agriculture educator for the Division of Agriculture.
Ernst said she is seeing an increased interest in high tunnel production basics across the state. The workshop will focus on high tunnel basics as well as soil health and conservation. Workshop participants will visit a high tunnel and hear from other growers who are effectively using high tunnels.
WORKSHOP SCHEDULE
High Tunnel Production Must-Knows — Taunya Ernst, High Tunnel and Urban Ag Instructor, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Managing Soil and Soil Health in High Tunnels — Amanda McWhirt, Extension Horticulture Production Specialist, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
Conservation with High Tunnels — Katy Brantley, State Urban Conservationist, USDA — Natural Resources Conservation Service, Arkansas
Registration is open through Oct. 5 at https://uada.formstack.com/forms/high_tunnel.
The workshop is funded by the Natural Resources Conservation Service. Details: Taunya Ernst at ternst@uada.edu or https://www.uaex.uada.edu/farm-ranch/crops-commercial-horticulture/horticulture/high-tunnel-production.aspx or contact a local Cooperative Extension Service agent.