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More than 400,000 people live in poverty in Arkansas, according to the Center for American Progress. (W.Scott McGill/AdobeStock)<br />

'Day on the Hill' in Arkansas calls for investment in families

Family advocates are at the State Capital for a "Day on the Hill" rally today, to voice their concerns to lawmakers about issues affecting Arkansans' …

In Arkansas, an estimated 467,550 people do not always have enough nutritious food for regular meals. Almost 135,000 of them are children. (Allistair F/peopleimages.com/Adobe Stock)

Arkansas expands summer food access to combat childhood hunger

Arkansas wants to tackle childhood hunger this summer, by opting into a summer food program for kids. One in five children in the Natural State …

Food insecurity was higher than the national average in Arkansas and six other states and lower than the national average in 17 states, according to the latest USDA report. (Syda Productions/AdobeStock)

Report: Arkansas leads nation in food insecurity; urgent action urged

The number of families in Arkansas and across the nation that are struggling to put food on the table rose dramatically last year, according to the …

One of every five households in Arkansas is considered food insecure, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Nutrition Program Would Expand Access to Healthy Foods in Rural Arkansas

September is Hunger Action Month, and an advocacy group is working to get legislation expanded to provide more healthy foods to people in rural …

Arkansas is a major exporter of rice, soybeans, cotton, poultry and feed grains. Of the 49,346 farms statewide, 97% are family-owned. (Branex/AdobeStock)

Bill Aims to Foster Farmer-led Education Networks in Arkansas

New federal legislation aims to help farmers in Arkansas and elsewhere share their knowledge of conservation practices as they face an increasing numb…

Only about 20% of the water a person needs to survive comes from the foods they eat; they get the rest from the fluids they drink. (Goodluz/Adobe Stock)

Prioritizing Mental, Physical Health in AR Summer Heat

It seems the summer heat wave has made news headlines for weeks, and Arkansas is no exception. When temperatures soar, the heat can affect not only …

In Arkansas, a family of four can expect to spend an average of $8,838 per year on groceries, the fifth-lowest amount among states, according to the Economic Policy Institute's Family Budget Calculator. (Prostock-studio/AdobeStock)

Arkansas Joins USDA to Probe Grocery Price Gouging

Attorneys general from more than 30 states including Arkansas recently announced a bipartisan effort to bring down costs and create more choices at th…

The Kids Count Data Book reports in 2020-21, 15% of children from birth to age 5 in Arkansas lived in families in which someone quit, changed, or refused a job because of problems finding or affording child care. (ShunTerra/Adobe Stock)

Report: Arkansas Ranks 43rd in Child Well-Being

A new report found Arkansas consistently ranks toward the lowest 10 states for child well-being. The annual Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E…

Arkansas is one of nine states with levels of food insecurity above the national average from 2019-2021, according to the USDA's Economic Research Service. (disha1980/Adobe Stock)

AR Changes SNAP Requirements to Ease Hunger, Temporarily

People may still be able to qualify for SNAP food benefits if they have up to $5,500 in assets, under a bill passed by the Arkansas Legislature…

According to Feeding America, one in seven people in Arkansas faces hunger. Local food banks are always in need of volunteers to help. (Adobe Stock)

Arkansans Encouraged to Roll Up Their Sleeves and Volunteer

National Volunteer Month, and AARP Arkansas is encouraging people to dedicate a little more time and energy to the communities and causes important …

In Arkansas, more than 400,000 people face hunger, and 138,410 are children, according to Feeding America. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)

March is 'School Breakfast Month' in Arkansas

Better health and educational outcomes are being touted as Arkansans recognize March as School Breakfast Month. Research has proven providing …

The most recent Arkansas Food Desert Working Group report found the state has

Grocery Chain Mega-Merger Could Affect Rural Arkansas

The proposed merger between the grocery chains Albertsons and Kroger has antitrust laws in the spotlight, as the supermarket companies are already …

More than 444,000 Arkansans are not always sure where their next meal is coming from, according to Feeding America, and more than 138,000 of them are children. (Monkey Business/AdobeStock)">

Report: Group Works to Alleviate Arkansas Food Deserts

A recent report shows Arkansas has a "food desert" issue in urban and rural communities. Gov. Asa Hutchinson formed the Arkansas Gov.'s Food Desert …

Arkansas ranks fifth for the per capita number of households with children that reported not having enough food in their homes this past year, according to a U.S. Census Bureau survey. (Oksana Kuzmina/AdobeStock)

Group Develops Ways to Combat Rural Child Hunger

Save the Children's Rural Child Hunger Research and Innovation Lab aims to help communities design and test new, creative ways to reduce rural child …

People facing hunger in Arkansas would need additional income of more than $200 million in order to actually meet their food needs, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Syda Productions/Adobe Stock)

AR Group Reduces Food Waste to Provide Hunger Relief

September is National Hunger Action Month, and groups across Arkansas are part of a nationwide push to get more people involved with reducing food …

In Arkansas, nearly 500,000 people face food insecurity, with almost 150,000 of them children, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Ark. Grants to Help Address Food Insecurity in Pulaski County

A new initiative in Arkansas' most populous county focuses on increasing healthy options at food pantries to help families experiencing challenges as …

Households with children in Arkansas are more likely to rely on SNAP benefits, according to Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Worried More Rural AR Kids May Go Hungry This Summer

Federal waivers put in place at the height of the pandemic allowed federal child nutrition programs more flexibility in delivering meals to households…

Due to the adoption of the child-nutrition waivers, an estimated 90% of Arkansas school districts were able to continue to provide meals to kids during the pandemic shutdown, according to the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates: Extend Child-Nutrition Waivers Past June 30

Children's advocates are sounding the alarm about the expiration of a program they say has been key to keeping low-income children fed during the pand…

There are an estimated 42,000 farms in Arkansas, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

USDA Audit Can Help Small AR Farms Expand to Wholesale

SPRINGDALE, Ark. -- New efforts are underway to help small-scale farms in Arkansas expand their business. The Food Conservancy, a northwest Arkansas …

Arkansas farmers produce more than 9 billion pounds of rice each year. (Adobe Stock)

UArk Studies Profit Potential of Farming Organic Rice

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas produces more rice than any other state, and a new grant will help farmers explore ways to transition the industry to …

In a survey of young people who have experienced foster care, nearly 20% reported they ran out of food. (Maya Kruchancova/Adobe Stock)

AR Youth in Foster Care Eligible for Pandemic Relief Payments

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansans ages 16 to 26 who are or have been in the foster-care system now are eligible for one-time payments of at least $750…

More than 355,000 Arkansas residents rely on SNAP benefits to purchase food. (Adobe Stock)<br />

AR Bill Could Nix Discretionary Exemptions for SNAP

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A bill that would impose even stricter work requirements for Arkansans receiving SNAP benefits has advanced to the state Senate …

There are more than 5,000 types of PFAS chemicals, a portion of which are found in fast-food packaging. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates Urge Food Industry to Follow McDonald’s on PFAS Packaging

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- After McDonald's recent announcement it will stop using toxic chemicals called PFAS in its food packaging, health advocates are …

Food insecurity and child hunger both have skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic across the United States. (Adobe Stock)

Child Hunger Climbs in Rural AR, as Groups Work to Deliver Food Boxes

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Child hunger is on the rise across Arkansas, and advocates warn families are struggling to access resources in communities far …

Pigweed siphons nutrients and sunlight away from soybean crops, and is resistant to most herbicides. (Adobe Stock)

Battle Over Herbicide Dicamba Continues in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- An Arkansas farmer says he suspects retaliation for speaking out against use of the herbicide dicamba. Dicamba is used to kill …

More than one-fifth of Arkansas children live in poverty, and 14% of households report sometimes not having enough to eat.<br />

AR Survey Finds Declines in Poverty Reversed By Pandemic

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas's poverty rate has trended downward over the past few years, but since the pandemic there's been a sharp rise in …

Research shows seniors who receive SNAP food-assistance benefits are 23% less likely to enter a nursing home than non-participants. (Adobe Stock)

Millions of Older Adults Unaware They Qualify for Benefits

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-- Low-income, older adults struggling to make ends meet during the pandemic may be unaware of federal benefit programs that could …

Only 42% (2-in-5) eligible seniors nationwide participate in SNAP, according to data from the Food Research and Action Network. (Adobe Stock)

Stigma, Sacrifice Perpetuate Food Insecurity for Many Senior Arkansans

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Older Arkansans who need help buying groceries are less likely to participate in the federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance …

More than 23% of children in Arkansas live in families that face hunger on a regular basis. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Arkansas Trails Much of Nation for Children's Well-Being

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Being a kid is a very different experience depending on where you live in Arkansas. Saline County is the top-ranked county in …

Last year, China bought nearly 264,000 tons of soybeans from farmers in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. (Adobe Stock)

Report: US-China Trade Deficit Cost AR More than 24,000 Jobs

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas lost more than 24,000 jobs between 2001 and 2018 because of the ongoing trade deficit with China, according to a new …

Arkansas health officials say residents in rural counties don't always have access to healthy food choices, often having to shop in gas stations or convenience stores for their groceries. (Diaz/AdobeStock)<br /><br />

Life Expectancy Trending Downward Across Arkansas, America

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Recent studies have found that where you live can have an effect on how long you live, and life expectancy in Arkansas is …

School lunch programs are a part of the federal anti-hunger effort, but the meals often are not available during summer months. (USDA)

Arkansas Remains Among Worst States for Food Insecurity

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Even though the national rate of food insecurity is dropping, Arkansas still has the second highest rate of hunger in the …

Scientists say the herbicide dicamba often drifts from the fields where it is applied, and ends up killing native plants and birds in nearby areas. (Pholiprids/WikimediaCommons)

Groups Object to Arkansas Panel's Approval of Herbicide Dicamba

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - A coalition of sustainable-farming and conservation groups is protesting a move by Arkansas officials to roll back restrictions …

The average worker bee produces only about one-twelfth teaspoon of honey in its lifetime. (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture/Flickr)

Arkansas Bees Feel the Sting of Parasites, Pesticides

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Arkansas beekeepers may be hearing less buzz from their hives this spring. A new survey by the Bee Informed Partnership …

Volunteers help sort products at the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank in the Fayetteville area, one of four regional food banks in the state. (NWArkansasFoodBank)<br /><br />

Report Ranks Arkansas 2nd for Food Insecurity

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Despite making some progress in recent years, a new report shows that Arkansas remains the second highest state in the …

Arkansas ranks ninth in the nation in the value of grain sorghum produced annually, exporting the majority of it to China. (Arkansas Farm Bureau)

Report: Trade War Over Tariffs Could Cost Arkansas Farmers Millions

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – If President Donald Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum imports start a trade war, Arkansas could take an almost $400 …

The poultry industry is proposing to speed up the production lines at chicken processing plants in Arkansas and other states. (USDA)

Poultry Industry Seeks Faster Production Lines in Arkansas, Elsewhere

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The poultry industry is proposing allowing faster production-line speeds in factories - but at what cost to workers and …

Soybeans are Arkansas�s largest agricultural export, but a labeling change proposed by the FDA could affect sales. (photokostic/GettyImages)

Proposed FDA Rule Change Could Affect Arkansas Soy Products

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Soybeans and soybean products are Arkansas's largest agricultural export, but a planned rule change by the U.S. Food and Drug …

A new study shows that fewer Arkansas seniors are missing meals because they can't afford them. (TimBoyle/GettyImages)

Arkansas Lowers Food-Insecurity Rate Among Seniors

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas once had the highest rate of senior hunger in the country, but a new study says that is changing. The rate of Arkansans …

Food banks play a key role in the fight against food insecurity, sometimes called the meal gap, in Arkansas and across the U.S. (GettyImages)

Arkansas Ranked Second-Worst in U.S. for Food Insecurity

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The rate of food insecurity is improving across Arkansas, but a new report shows the state remains the second worst in the …

Health care for children in Arkansas is ranked 44th among the 50 states and the District of Columbia in a new WalletHub survey. (Getty Images)

Survey: Arkansas 8th-Worst State for Children's Health

LITTLE ROCK, Ark -- This week, April 24-28, is Every Kid Healthy Week, and a new survey shows that Arkansas ranks near the bottom for the health of …

Arkansas schools are ranked seventh in the country for the number of low-income students in the School Breakfast Program. (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture)

Arkansas Boosts Participation in School Breakfast Program

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The annual School Breakfast Scorecard ranks Arkansas seventh in the nation for the number of low-income students who …

Arkansas now ranks sixth in the country for adult obesity rates, down from first place last year. (iStockimages)

Arkansas Obesity Rates Slim Down in Annual Survey

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- Arkansas health officials are calling the state's slide to sixth place in the national adult obesity ranking a significant step …

A new report says more retailers are selling bee-friendly plants, raised without using insecticides. (Bee Aware)

More Retailers Backing Sales of "Bee-Friendly" Plants

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — New tests found significant decreases in the use of bee-killing pesticides on "bee-friendly" plants. That’s good news …

Legislation currently under debate in Congress could force schools to reapply in order to participate in free meal programs. (USDA)

School Nutrition Bills Under the Microscope

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Two bills to renew childhood nutrition programs are being debated by Congress, and advocates say if they are approved, it could …

A new report says increasing the amount of SNAP benefits people receive by just $30 a month would help them eat healthier. (usda.gov)

Report: Higher SNAP Benefits Would Mean Healthier Diets

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – New research commissioned by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities shows giving low-income families in Arkansas a …

A grant program is geared toward getting more Arkansas children to eat fresh food. (Virginia Carter)

Money on Way to Fight Hunger and Obesity in Arkansas

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Almost $17 million in grants are heading to organizations that help feed the hungry with the goal of getting low-income residents …

Arkansas is the third leading producer of farm-raised catfish in the nation. (USDA)

Do You Know Where That Fish Came From?

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Catfish farmers in Arkansas are fighting back against an effort to gut the country's only safety inspection program, saying it …

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AR: Hunger/Food/Nutrition