Winrock - U.S. Programs
Arkansas agricultural development
Agricultural and Rural Development
The Arkansas Rural Enterprise Center is a fully established cooperative development center. Primarily funded by United States Department of Agriculture Rural Cooperative Development Program, Winrock’s Arkansas Rural Enterprise Center is focused on providing assistance to minority and socially-disadvantaged groups.
The Arkansas Rural Enterprise Center is a member of Cooperation Works!, the national network of cooperative development centers. Through this relationship, AREC works closely with other centers to increase opportunities across the country.
Cooperative development projects are the foundation of our agile agricultural and rural development program. Projects include activities with sweet potato farmers and poultry producers, dairy and catfish marketing cooperatives and establishing the feasibility for farmers to diversify from traditional crops to change regional economies.
Diversification and Marketing Strategies
The agricultural development community has recognized that building efficient and equitable markets for smallholder farmers is essential if the strategy of introducing improved technologies that increase smallholder farmer productivity is to lead to better health and improved well-being for rural populations.
Small communities face numerous agricultural and rural development barriers to market participation including poor communication of current price information, lack of storage facilities, inadequate roads, limited understanding of input use, the inability to capture benefits from value-added processes, limited access to energy savings plans and lack of bargaining power and commercial relationships.
U.S. Programs’ commitment to on-the-ground research provides growers with vital energy-related information. Our Review of Biomass Furnaces for Heating Poultry Houses in the Northwest Arkansas Region gave poultry growers up-to-date information on the possibilities for controlling energy costs.
U.S. Programs’ successful history with the Arkansas Farmers Market Association, Arkansas Delta Produce Association, Poultry Partners Trade Association and the Arkansas Women in Agriculture prove that enhancing the ability of growers to diversify and market their products can change the face of industries in the mid-south.
Media Room
Appreciation of Arkansas Edamame Growers with Dr. Gene Chung and Dr. Kelly Cartwright
On Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012 a group gathered in Mulberry, AR to celebrate the ground breaking of not just a new edamame processing facility but the new American Vegetable Soybean and Edamame, Inc.(AVS) and the new roots of a edamame production and distribution center for the US, right here in Mulberry, Arkansas.
Governor Beebe speaks in Mulberry
Gov. Mike Beebe gave a speech on Tuesday January 31,2012 at the ground breaking ceremony for a new Edamame processing facility that will be located in Mulberry, Arkansas.