Georgia-Pacific says it will invest $40 million in an expansion at its Fort Smith plant, which manufactures paper plates and other paper products. read more >

Kathy Deck, the director of the Center for Business & Economic Research at the University of Arkansas, said the state reported 155,100 manufacturing jobs in December 2013, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The drop of 300 jobs from the 155,400 reported in December 2012 is a decrease of about 0.2 percent. read more >

Some timber executives may not be particularly optimistic about the return of the building boom, but Arkansas Business’ annual survey of forest products companies indicates that employment has been stable or a bit improved over the past year. read more >

Arkansas is the No. 1 rice-producing state in the nation. Nearly 50 percent of all rice consumed in the United States comes from the 1.5 million Arkansas acres of rice planted each year. Part of Arkansas Business' 20th anniversary issue. read more >