Arkansas Grown, Arkansas Made Campaign Widens Its Pitch

Wes Ward, Arkansas Department of Agriculture

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is opening up its Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made branding effort to all grower and producer members, the state announced this week.

Logos of Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made are now available at no charge in members’ promotional material and on their websites, Agriculture Secretary Wes Ward said in a statement.

Consumers can expect to see the logos much more widely in advertising and on banners and signs. Previously, memberships were tiered, with various benefits corresponding to those membership levels and fees. More than 900 producers and makers are members of the Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made program.

The Agriculture Department also introduced a new membership category, Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made Supporter. It is intended for retailers, restaurants and other outfits that sell Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made products, as well as other organizations generally supportive of promoting Arkansas products.

Annual membership on this level for operations with locations in the state costs $250. Membership dues for organizations with locations outside of Arkansas are $500.

The state is also developing a new and better website for the programs, due for launching in early summer, the state said in a news release.

“The Arkansas Grown and Arkansas Made branded programs support Arkansas agriculture, our state’s largest industry, by connecting consumers and producers and helping consumers more easily identify locally grown and made products,” Ward said in his statement.

“These changes and improvements are the result of much research and input from members and industry partners and are part of the Department’s ongoing efforts to provide effective and efficient service to Arkansas agriculture and the public. Interest in these new options has been positive, and we look forward to welcoming new members and to the programs’ continued success.”

The Arkansas Grown program launched in 2012 to promote Arkansas agricultural products. In 2014, the Department launched the Arkansas Made program to encourage the purchase of locally made products and create a community of producers and buyers.

More information about the programs is available by visiting arkansasgrown.org or emailing Karen Reynolds at karen.reynolds@agriculture.arkansas.gov.