WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator John Boozman (R-AR), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, is launching his annual Ag Tour next week, kicking off the week-long highlight of Arkansas agriculture operations on Monday in Fayetteville.  

The Ag Tour, a cornerstone of the senator’s August in-state work period, will continue through Friday with stops at farms and facilities across the state.

“Agriculture is our state’s leading industry, so it is important to hear directly from Arkansas farmers and ranchers about how Washington can address their needs, particularly as we begin writing the next farm bill. As the lead Republican on the Senate agriculture committee, I want to ensure the next farm bill has the input of Arkansas’s growers, private forestland owners, nutrition professionals and rural communities. I look forward to visiting with our producers on this tour, finding out what is working and what needs to be fixed, and sharing their experiences when I return to Washington to strengthen and support food and fiber production in the Natural State,” said Boozman.

Boozman’s Ag Tour will include meetings with ranchers, farmers and other agricultural stakeholders as he visits farms, production facilities and research operations. The tour stops in Washington, Franklin, Johnson, Pope, Yell, Faulkner, White, Lonoke, Prairie, Phillips, Arkansas, Lincoln, Chicot, Ashley, Union and Columbia counties. 

Follow the Ag Tour on social media at #ARisAg.

Media is invited to the following:

Monday, August 22

Event:             University of Arkansas Research and Extension Tour

Time:              9:30 a.m.

Location:        Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Center

                        1335 W. Knapp Dr.

                        Fayetteville

Boozman will tour the farm and meet with agriculture professors and students to discuss the ongoing research improving farming practices in Arkansas and across the country.

Event:             Wiederkehr Winery

Time:              1:15 p.m.

Location:        3324 Swiss Family Dr.

                        Wiederkehr Village

Boozman will tour the winery.

Event:             Peach Pickin’ Paradise

Time:              3 p.m.

Location:        1901 McGuire Rd.

                        Lamar

Boozman will visit with owners of the orchard and discuss the impact rising input costs and the drought have had on their business.  

Tuesday,  August 23

Event:             West Fraser Sawmill Tour

Time:              8 a.m.

Location:        2401 S. Arkansas Ave

                        Russellville

Boozman will tour the sawmill.

Event:             Stokes Family Farm

Time:              9:30 a.m.

Location:        13328 Harkey Valley Rd.

                        Dardanelle

Boozman will visit the Stokes farm. The Stokes family is the chief caretaker of Tusk, the live Razorback mascot.

Event:             Bell Urban Farm

Time:              11:45 a.m.

Location:        2011 Tyler St.

                        Conway

Boozman will visit the Bell Urban Farm, a certified naturally grown farm producing cut flowers and plants.

Event:             White County Farm Bureau Roundtable

Time:              3:45 p.m.

Location:        501 E. Booth Rd.

                        Searcy

The White County Farm Bureau is hosting a roundtable to share concerns of producers with the rise in input costs, current markets and drought-related issues.

Wednesday, August 24

Event:             Bayou Meto Pump Project

Time:              9:15 a.m.

Location:        Anderson Minnow Farm

4377 Hwy. 70 W.

                        Lonoke

Boozman will get a status update on the progress of the Bayou Meto Pump Project.

Event:             Grand Prairie Pump Project

Time:              12:15 p.m.

Location:        WRID Canal System

                        Downs Rd.

                        Hazen

Boozman will get a status update on the progress of the Grand Prairie Pump Project.

Event:             Haynie Farms

Time:              2:15 p.m.

Location:        CR-145

                        Marvell

Boozman will tour the farm.

Event:             Visit Local Foodbank

Time:              3:45 p.m.

Location:        Michele D. Hunter Pantry

586 Phillips County 241 Rd.

Lexa

Boozman will visit the new food pantry in Phillips County.

Thursday, August 25

Event:             Visit LTD Farms 

Time:              8 a.m.

Location:        LTD Farms

                        4037 US-165

                        Stuttgart

LTD Farms is part of the Discovery Farms Program run by the University of Arkansas Extension Service.

Event:             Tour Miles Goggans Tree Farm

Time:              10:15 a.m.

Location:        40760 State Highway 11 S.

                        Star City

Miles Goggans is the Arkansas Tree Farmer of the year.

Event:             Epstein Gin Co.

Time:              1:45 p.m.

Location:        537 Reynolds St.

                        Lake Village

Boozman will tour the Epstein Gin Co. operated by Sammy Angel, the President of the Southern Cotton Ginners Association.

Event:             Catpro Catfish Farm

Time:              3:15 p.m.

Location:        405 Highway 165 N.

                        Portland

Boozman will visit the catfish farm owned and operated by Brad Graham, President of the Catfish Farmers of Arkansas.

Friday, August 26

Event:             Tour Draggin’ M Ranch 

Time:              8 a.m.

Location:        785 Hinson Rd.

                        El Dorado

Boozman will tour the ranch.

Event:             Tour 777 Farms 

Time:              10 a.m.

Location:        2758 N. Dudney

                        Magnolia

The farm is owned by the Daniels family who raise and butcher farm fresh beef.