USDA
![Slim Chickens bought this 35,700-SF, four-story office building in Fayetteville in 2023. [Google Maps]](https://arkansasbusiness.wppcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Screenshot_2025-06-09_at_1.03.20e280afPM_opt-300x194.jpg)
Slim Chickens Sued by Restaurant Operator Over Alleged Deception and Frozen Chicken
The lawsuit alleges Slim Chickens misled investors with inflated earnings claims, hidden costs and false marketing about fresh food and house-made sauces. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Blake Rollins Talks Avian Flu, Automation & the Future of Arkansas Poultry
The executive vice president of The Poultry Federation in Little Rock said nutrition, robotics and biosecurity are driving innovation in the industry. read more >
Keo Fish Farms Celebrates 50 Years with Record Profits & Sustainable Growth
The producer of hybrid striped bass fry and fingerlings is thriving with record sales and profits while investing heavily in solar energy, water conservation and international expansion. read more >
by Chloe McGehee -
![RiverBank of Pocahontas was victimized in an embezzlement plot that led to a guilty plea by a former loan officer in 2023. [Google Maps]](https://arkansasbusiness.wppcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Screenshot_2025-03-28_at_4.17.09e280afPM_opt-300x194.jpg)
FDIC Fines Former RiverBank Loan Officer Over $88K Embezzlement Case
Former RiverBank loan officer Bryan Dalton was fined $35,000 by the FDIC and banned from banking after embezzling nearly $88,000 from clients. read more >
by Mark Friedman -
Arkansas Could Lose $665M in Conservation Funding Under Proposed USDA Cuts
The estimate comes from Jonathan Coppess, director of the Gardner Agriculture Policy Program at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. read more >
by Caitlan Butler -
El Dorado Fertilizer Plant Gets $77M Grant to Expand Production
The grant is a portion of $120 million awarded to six projects to help strengthen American fertilizer production. read more >
USDA Awards $2.1M to Arkansas Farmers and Small Businesses for Energy Upgrades
The grants aim to expand access to clean energy and improve energy efficiency in rural communities. read more >
Whole Hog Cafe Expands With New Wing It Forward Restaurant
The restaurant and kitchen will occupy 6,162 SF, taking up about half of the former Tuesday Morning space, next door to Whole Hog. read more >
US Farms are Increasingly Reliant on Contract Workers Who are Acutely Exposed to Climate Extremes
Some states have patchwork heat regulations in place for farm workers, but there are no federal rules about heat exposure in the U.S. And making a formal complaint can be fraught, though it’s a legal right. read more >
by Associated Press -
USDA Awards $16.9M for Broadband Project in Phillips County
The money is a portion of $700 million in grants and loans announced Monday for high-speed internet projects in rural areas of 22 states. read more >
US Beefs Up Campaign to Ensure Accurate Animal Welfare Claims on Meat, Poultry Packaging
Claims such as "pasture-raised," "humanely raised," and "raised without antibiotics" are increasingly popular with consumers and allow producers to charge a premium. read more >
Meat Processors in Jonesboro, Hope are First Licensed by State
The program, which received federal approval last fall, aims to expand the market for cattlemen by allowing state-certified facilities to sell beef within the state. read more >
USDA Loans $134M to Rural Electric Projects in Arkansas
The loans are a portion of $2.7 billion that the USDA is investing in 64 rural electric projects across the country. read more >
2023 Arkansas Rice Annual Meeting to be Held in Stuttgart
USA Rice CEO Betsy Ward will deliver an industry update followed by four panel discussions, beginning with a talk on the upcoming farm bill. read more >
USDA Awards $18M for Rural Arkansas Broadband Projects
The funds are a portion of $759 million in grants and loans the USDA is providing to enable rural communities to access high-speed internet. read more >
Arkansas’ Meat Inspection Program Gets Federal Approval
The program will open up new markets for cattlemen to sell their cattle. read more >
by Marty Cook -
Winrock Gets $45M for USDA Projects in Malawi, Thailand
The projects are part of an initiative aimed at helping developing countries and emerging democracies strengthen their agricultural sectors. read more >
USDA Gives Riceland Foods $20M for Climate-Focused Farming Project
Eligible farmers will be provided direct payments to adopt practices set by the Natural Resource Conservation Service. read more >
Little Rock Lawyer Pleads Guilty in USDA Fraud Case
Authorities say he played a role in a scheme to defraud the agency of $11.5 million. read more >
Fifth Woman Pleads Guilty in $11.5M USDA Fraud Case
Niki Charles admitted that she asked people to falsely claim discrimination to obtain money from two class-action settlement programs. read more >
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![Darrin Williams is the CEO of Southern Bancorp Inc., one of the United States’ oldest and largest community development financial institutions. [Karen E. Segrave]](https://arkansasbusiness.wppcdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/ARBusiness-Darrin-Williams-0011_opt-150x150.jpg)
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