TARIFFS AMONG WORRIES FOR SOYBEAN FARMERS AS BANKRUPTCIES RISE
The American farm economy is in turmoil. Bo Mason recently hosted NBC News correspondent Ellison Barber on his Monroe County farm to share his story, discussing the devastating reality of the current farm economy.
“My son’s out here, he’s 17 years old. He came to me earlier this year, ‘Daddy I think I may want to farm.’ And I’m like, ‘No son.’ Point blank, I said, ‘I don’t want you to farm’,” said Mason.
A perfect storm of extreme weather impacts, high production costs, low commodity prices and trade issues has unleashed uncertainty on the future of many Arkansas farmers. The University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture estimates Arkansas could lose as many as one third of Arkansas farms this year, setting up a potential dire situation for farmers and consumers in the state.
As harvest continues, farmers across Arkansas and beyond need immediate help to continue growing the nation’s food. Hear more of the story here.
Women’s Leadership Pop Tab Challenge, Page 2
Farm Bureau at the State Fair, Page 3
Arkansas
National News in Arkansas | Bo Mason recently hosted NBC News correspondent Ellison Barber on his Monroe County farm near Cotton Plant to discuss the devastating reality of the current farm economy.
ARFB WOMEN’S LEADERSHIP POP TAB CHALLENGE
During the 2025 Women’s Leadership Conference, each county received a pop tab collection bucket as part of a partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMH). These tiny tabs make a big difference. Funds raised from recycling them help provide a “home away from home” for families with children receiving medical care at nearby hospitals.
To make this effort even more fun and engaging, the State WLC is launching the Pop Tab Challenge! This contest will recognize counties that collect and donate the most pop tabs by weight. The competition is now open, and the final collection and weigh-in will take place during the 2026 Women’s Leadership Conference, April 17-18, in Little Rock.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three counties:
• 1st Place: $300
• 2nd Place: $200
• 3rd Place: $100
The winning counties will be announced and celebrated during the 2026 Women’s Leadership Conference. Contact Amanda Williams for more information and questions.
For specialty crop farmers, 2025 has offered little relief from mounting financial pressures. Markets that once promised stable margins are now defined by volatility, with production expenses outpacing price gains and exports at risk under global trade uncertainties. Despite contributing over $75 billion in farm-gate value — over a third of all U.S. crop sales — specialty crop producers have fewer risk-management and safety net options to help weather these challenges. The result is a widening gap between cost and revenue that threatens profitability across much of the farm economy.
Specialty crops encompass more than 350 commodities, from almonds and apples to lettuce and lemons, and account for roughly one-fifth of U.S. agricultural cash receipts across 220,000 farms. Yet the diversity that defines the sector also amplifies its vulnerability. Each crop relies on distinct production systems, marketing channels and labor demands, making it difficult to design one-size-fits-all safety nets or riskmanagement tools.
Specialty crops are a cornerstone of U.S. agriculture, supplying fresh, nutritious food to families worldwide and supporting hundreds of thousands of farm families. Yet in 2025, profitability for many of these growers is increasingly at risk. Rising production costs, trade uncertainty and limited safety net coverage have eroded margins, even in high-value markets, with few tools available to manage risk. Read more about the unique challenges for specialty crop farmers here
ARKANSAS FARM BUREAU AT THE STATE FAIR
Agriculture has always been at the heart of the Arkansas State Fair. From its earliest iterations in the late 19th century, the fair served as a showcase for crops and livestock across the state. In 1937, state leaders established the Arkansas Livestock Show Association to formalize this agricultural emphasis, and the first official livestock exposition was held in 1938. Over subsequent decades, the fairgrounds in Little Rock were developed with dedicated barns and exhibition halls for cattle, pigs, poultry and horses, while youth agriculture programs, especially the Junior Livestock Program, became central to the fair’s mission of educating Arkansans and promoting modern farming practices.
Arkansas Farm Bureau (ArFB) is a long-time supporter and played a growing role in supporting the agricultural mission of the Arkansas State Fair, especially through youth livestock and exhibition programs. In 2005, ArFB became the primary sponsor and coordinator of the Purple Circle Club, a long-standing honor society that recognizes top youth livestock exhibitors at the state fair. Throughout the state fair, ArFB works behind the scenes providing production support and staff, featuring stories, promoting Arkansas agriculture, supporting the Sale of Champions and highlighting the unique fair experiences, all in an effort to connect fairgoers with farming and food systems. Through these efforts, ArFB reinforces its commitment to fostering the next generation of Arkansas farmers and ensuring that agriculture remains central to the fair’s identity.
See more coverage of the Arkansas State Fair on ArFB’s social channels, or see more photos here.
MARKET NEWS
as of October 15, 2025
Contact Brandy Carroll brandy.carroll@arfb.com
Tyler Oxner tyler.oxner@arfb.com
Rice
Rice futures continue to trend lower, setting new six-year lows on a nearly daily basis. Harvest pressure has certainly been a factor in recent weeks as farmers finish the harvest with lots of last year’s rice still in the bins. The market is currently aligned with wheat futures, which isn’t always the case but seems to indicate that global food supplies are perceived as adequate. Rice supplies, both domestic and global, are abundant and potentially burdensome, adding downward pressure. There are reports that Thai prices are currently at a nine-year low. In the Aug. 1 stocks report, USDA raised its stocks estimate by 3.4 million cwt to 53.9 million cwt, the largest rice stocks since 1987 and up 35% from the previous year. The expected seasonaverage on-farm price was lowered by $1/cwt from the August to the September report, with the all-rice average now pegged at $13.20/ cwt and long grain at $12/cwt. The November contract currently has downtrending resistance below $11. USDA will not be releasing any new reports (exports, WASDE, etc.) until the shutdown is over, so there may not be anything to move the market out of the current trend for a while.
Corn December corn futures extended losses for the fourth straight session, slipping to their lowest level since late August. The advancing U.S. harvest, now estimated at roughly 46% to 50% complete, is adding near-term pressure, particularly as early yield reports continue to meet or exceed expectations in parts of the Corn Belt. Weakness in the crude oil market is also dampening ethanol
demand prospects, compounding bearish sentiment. The ongoing U.S.–China trade rift continues to weigh on global grain demand, with Chinese corn values sliding to multiyear lows. Technically, December corn briefly tested the 50-day moving average near $4.15 but failed to close above it. A sustained move below $4.10 could open the door to the $4.00–$4.05 support range, while a rebound above the 50-day average would be needed to shift momentum back toward neutral.
Soybeans
November soybean futures have traded lower in three of the past four sessions, again approaching key psychological support near $10.00. Weakness in soybean oil, linked to crude oil prices breaking below $58 per barrel, has kept overall sentiment defensive. Soybean meal’s slight firmness has provided little offset. Persistent uncertainty in U.S.–China trade relations remains a dominant market factor. Both nations are preparing to impose new port fees, which could elevate freight costs and hinder export competitiveness. From a technical standpoint, November beans have repeatedly found buyers near $10.00, but failure to hold this level could prompt a test of $9.90. Resistance remains firm at $10.75. Any signs of stronger export demand or confirmation of yield losses could stabilize prices in the short term.
Wheat
Wheat futures posted new contract lows across Kansas City and Chicago markets, with Minneapolis nearing the same. Despite strong export sales and tighter U.S. balance sheet expectations, global competition, particularly from Russia, remains intense, keeping rallies in check. Fundamentally, cash wheat prices appear deeply oversold, but technical weakness continues to dominate trade behavior. In Kansas City, March futures remain near new contract lows, with resistance around $5.20 and support at $5.00. A recovery above resistance would be the first signal of short-covering interest, but until then, wheat is likely to follow
corn’s lead and remain rangebound with a bearish bias.
Cotton
Cotton futures have been trending lower for about a month, but recent sessions have seen erratic trade and sharp spikes to new lows. Harvest pressure is obviously a factor, and weakness in crude oil futures is resulting in competition from cheaper synthetics. We won’t have new reports until the shutdown is over, but there is little indication that demand has improved. A trade deal with China should result in improvement here, but there is no new information suggesting a deal is close. From a technical perspective, there is little support on the charts with December testing the waters below 63 cents/lb. The continuation charts show the potential to test pandemic lows below 50 cents/lb.
Cattle
Cattle futures have rocketed to new highs in recent sessions after a brief consolidation period. Friday saw bullish technical signals as both live and feeder contracts posted outside days to the upside, and many contracts have now moved to new contract highs. Mexico continues to confirm new cases of New World Screwworm close to the U.S. border, postponing any possible reopening of the U.S. border to cattle imports from Mexico. Supplies here are already tight, and eliminating a trading partner will keep them that way.
Hogs
Lean hog futures appear to have topped in late September, with December falling nearly $8 from the high of $91.52 set on September 26. The next level of support is $81. Weakness in cash hog and wholesale pork prices are adding downward pressure.
