Rice Farming Magazine and Corteva Honor Independent Consultants
Rice Farming magazine and Corteva were honored to present Mr. Gary Dodd (pictured second from left in left photo) of Yuba City, California, as the 2024 Rice Consultant of the Year.
Dodd is California’s first honoree and is the eighth RCOY. Rice Farming and Corteva are proud to present this prestigious award annually in Memphis, Tennessee, at the Mid-South Farm & Gin Show.
Additionally, the Killen family was presented with the honorary 2024 Rice Consultant of the Year award for William “Bill” Killen. Killen was an independent consultant based in Cleveland, Mississippi, for many years.
Be on the lookout for nomination forms in upcoming issues of Rice Farming magazine to nominate a deserving individual for the 2025 RCOY.
Navigating Farm Debt, Ag Bankruptcy Focus at Mid-South Conference
Financial hardship hits agricultural producers in the Mid-South in a variety of ways — through increased costs, decreased commodity prices, natural disasters, and more — and an upcoming conference session aims to shed light on what producers can do in the face of heavy debt and possible bankruptcy.
At the 12th Annual Mid-South Agricultural and Environmental Law Conference, the session “Dealing with Debt: Practical Considerations in Preparing for and Navigating Ag Bankruptcy” will be presented by Russell Morgan, certified agricultural consultant, agribusiness advisor, and owner of Morgan Agricultural Consulting Services, and Renee Williams, Chapter 12 trustee at the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas. Morgan and Williams have years of professional experience in navigating financial matters.
The conference will be held June 5-6 in Memphis, Tennessee, at the University of Memphis Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law and co-hosted by the National Agricultural Law Center and the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture Foundation, or NASDA Foundation. A livestream option is also available.
Registration for the Mid-South is available online at nationalaglawcenter.org/midsouth2025.
“Agricultural producers face an array of production and financial challenges in their daily business operations — many of them unique to agriculture,” said Morgan. “A number of these challenges are outside their direct control, potentially impacting overall financial and debt situation to a very significant degree. Declining commodity prices, rising input costs, abnormal weather patterns, natural disasters, and various other factors can lead to substantially increased debt and/or reduced debt repayment capacity. Chapter 12 bankruptcy may be an option for these producers to ‘Pause, Pivot, and Proceed.’”
With Chapter 12, a debtor submits a repayment plan to a court for approval. The plan details how payments will be made to creditors, or those whom the debtor owes, on a consistent basis. Creditors are involved in the court proceedings.
Williams noted that filing for Chapter 12 bankruptcy is not something that should be taken lightly.
“Agricultural bankruptcies have lingering impacts on producers and families,” she said. “There’s a lot to navigate when considering this process and if it’s a feasible option for your farm and family. I’m looking forward to discussing this important topic with Russell at the Mid-South.”
NALC Director Harrison Pittman said many farmers are suffering financial difficulties.
“Many parts of the farm economy have been hit pretty darn hard year-over-year, and current market projections are often less than ideal,” said NALC Director Harrison Pittman. “This is creating a lot of issues for producers, landowners, lenders, and attorneys that represent these folks. We’re honored that Renee and Russell will share their deep experience with this year’s in-person and online attendees.”
For information about the NALC, visit nationalaglawcenter.org. The NALC is also on X, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Subscribe online to receive NALC Communications, including webinar announcements, the NALC’s Quarterly Newsletter, and The Feed.
Continuing Legal Education Available
The Mid-South conference will be submitted for CLE accreditation in Arkansas, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee. Approval for CE will also be sought from the American Society of Farm Managers and Rural Appraisers. Those who register by May 13 are eligible for bonus CLE/CE through the online conference “Early Bird” on May 14.
— Drew Viguet, National Agricultural Law Center
Arkansas Professor Emeritus Goodwin Honored with Lifetime Achievement Award from Southern Agricultural Economics Association
H.L. Goodwin, Arkansas professor emeritus, was honored recently by the Southern Agricultural Economics Association with its lifetime achievement award.
Goodwin was nominated for the award by Deacue Fields, a fellow agricultural economist, who is also head of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture.
“Early in my career, Dr. Goodwin was viewed as one of the icons in SAEA,” Fields said. “He was always present and very active in SAEA events. He was always welcoming and extremely approachable. He had outstanding technical knowledge; however, his mentorship and words of wisdom to early career professionals were extremely valuable.”
Fields praised Goodwin for his engagement in the three land-grant missions: teaching, research, and Extension.
“As part of the teaching mission, he taught more than 10 undergraduate and six different graduate courses throughout his career,” Fields said, adding that “student testimonials indicate that he was very engaging in the classroom and had a lasting impact.”
Goodwin was also productive in the research mission, which is confirmed by nearly 50 articles in professional journals.
“Goodwin’s scholarship in land-grant activities is balanced by his numerous contributions to outreach and Extension,” Fields said. “He was well known and respected for his expertise as a poultry economist.”
In addition to creating lasting relationships with key poultry industry players such as Tyson Foods, Simmons Foods, and Cobb-Vantress, “Goodwin has extended all areas of his work to the international community,” Fields said.
Lanier Nalley, head of Arkansas’ agricultural economics and agribusiness department, for both the Division of Agriculture and Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food, and Life Sciences, underscored Fields’ comments.
“H.L. Goodwin is a model of a land-grant faculty member,” he said. “His work on poultry Extension and research and in the classroom has made him one of the top poultry economists globally and one of the most respected teachers at the University of Arkansas.
“The state of Arkansas has been fortunate that H.L. has chosen to serve its stakeholders over his career. This award is well deserved and speaks to H.L.’s reputation as one of the country’s best ag economists,” Nalley said.
Goodwin served as SAEA president in 2007, served on the executive committee for several years and remained extremely active in the organization until his retirement. He was also co-director of the Southern Risk Management Education Center.
Goodwin joined the faculty at Arkansas in 1996, and a year later joined the Center of Excellence for Poultry Science as a poultry economist. He retired as a full professor in 2018.
Before 1997, Goodwin was agricultural and food systems adviser to Slovakia’s minister of agriculture and was a Fulbright Scholar in the former Czechoslovakia from 1991-1992.
Prior to joining the Arkansas faculty, Goodwin was associate director of the Texas Agriculture Market Research Center from 1989-1995.
Goodwin earned his bachelor of science in agricultural education from Oklahoma State University and stayed to earn a master’s and doctorate in agricultural economics.
— Mary Hightower,
University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture
New Executive Takes Helm at Agriculture in the Classroom
The California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom has a new executive director. Amanda Fletcher assumed the position last month, succeeding Becca Whitman, the interim executive director.
Fletcher previously worked as CFAITC’s administrative coordinator, with active roles in fundraising, donor relations, budget oversight, and event coordination. She was an auction manager at BidCal Online Auctions in Butte County, where she developed strategic planning, operational oversight, and management skills. She grew up in Dixon, where her family was involved in hay, row crops, and cattle.
“My agricultural roots run deep,” Fletcher said. “From my early involvement in 4-H and FFA to earning an agriculture education degree from California State University, Chico, my lifelong commitment to agriculture has shaped my career.”
Whitman, who served six years on the CFAITC’s board of directors before guiding the organization through its transition, will continue to serve CFAITC with a focus on strategic partnerships and leadership development.
— Provided by California Farm Bureau