PINE BLUFF, AR – The National Black Growers Council (NBGC), an organization dedicated to advocating for and improving the efficiency, productivity, and sustainability of black row crop farmers in the U.S., recently kicked off their 2022 Model Farm Series here at a field day hosted by Board Member Lawrence “Wink” Conyer on his farm.
The morning started with welcoming remarks from NBGC Board Chair Philip Haynie III, NBGC Executive Director Dr. Hazell Reed, and Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson, followed by the reading of a proclamation by Pine Bluff Mayor Shirley Washington declaring June 17, 2022, as Model Farm Day.
More than 150 attendees, including USA Rice staff, then loaded onto buses and toured Conyers’ rice, soybean, wheat, and corn fields, learning about the latest opportunities and innovations from industry representatives at every stop.
During lunch at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, Corey Cornelius, Arkansas Natural Resources Conservation Service EQIP program manager, spoke about the financial and technical assistance opportunities available to producers to install new equipment and complete structural improvements on their farms.
Kanika Davis, a national outreach specialist for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (USDA FSA), was on hand to discuss heirs property and the importance of having a will, the absence of which could prevent future generations from participating in these programs.
“We could not have asked for a better field day to start our Model Farm Series,” said Haynie, who farms in Virginia and also is an owner of Arkansas River Rice Mill in Pine Bluff. “This is a wonderful opportunity for our producers to meet industry partners and fellow producers, as well as for us, as an organization, to educate others on the work that we are doing.”
The NBGC Model Farm Series will continue with upcoming field days in Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, and Alabama. More information can be found on the
NBGC website.