The Arkansas Beef Council announced on May 19 that it has approved $132,000 in funding for research and promotion projects to support the state’s beef industry.
The funding aims to help grow and develop Arkansas’ beef market by supporting educational programs, producer training, and research initiatives. The council received 25 proposals requesting more than $632,000; of these, 13 promotion projects were approved for a total of $97,000 and $35,000 was allocated for future research projects.
“Investing Beef Council dollars in research and promotion is vital to the strength and future of our state’s beef industry,” said Caleb Plyler, a beef producer in Hempstead County and Chairman of the Arkansas Beef Council. “This funding supports innovation, builds consumer trust, and helps ensure our producers remain competitive for years to come.”
Funded initiatives include expanding beef education at the Ag Learning Center at Four States Fairgrounds; Cattlemen’s College sessions on food safety and technology; media training through the Arkansas Cattlemen’s Leadership Course; community outreach by the Arkansas CattleWomen’s Association; updates to educational materials from the Arkansas Farm Bureau; grants for Family and Consumer Science teachers; meat science education at Arkansas Tech University; youth engagement through leadership events like ABLE; multiple educational programs by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture including quality assurance training, short courses on beef processing, quiz bowls for high school students as well as undergraduates attending national conferences.
Council activities are funded by a one dollar per head assessment on all cattle sold in Arkansas. Of this amount, fifty cents goes to the federal Cattlemen’s Beef Board while fifty cents remains with the state. The council consists of seven members who are cattle producers appointed by the Governor with Senate confirmation.
The request for proposals was open from April 1–30. Specific research projects will be selected later for fiscal year 2027. The council’s efforts align with broader agricultural initiatives managed by the Arkansas Department of Agriculture, which oversees funding boards allocating millions annually toward commodity market development such as rice or soybeans. The department also manages an agricultural sector contributing over $24 billion each year across about 37,400 farms spanning roughly 13.7 million acres statewide.
