Arkansas
Arkansas farmers face 8% income drop in 2025 amid falling crop prices and bad weather
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KATV) — The net income for Arkansas farmers is dropping by 8% in 2025 alone, according to a report by the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and the Rural and Farm Finance Policy Analysis Center.
There has been quite a bit working against farmers this year, particularly torrential rainfall and declining crop prices. Hunter Biram, an extension economist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture, suggests that the best-case scenario of Arkansas farmers at this point is still not promising.
“We do not account for farmers to be able to pay themselves a wage, so the best-case scenario for a farmer is to volunteer their time to show up and plant the crop and break even.”
In 2024, Arkansas’ net farm income was $3.17 billion. In 2025, the net farm income is $2.91 billion.
According to Biram, this is nothing new. “Since 2022, crop prices have declined right about 27%, so this 8% is not an isolated decline, it’s not like we’ve seen some fluctuations, we’re entering a third straight year of a decline in the state of Arkansas.”
Biram says that rice, soybeans, corn, cotton, wheat, and peanuts, are the crops that have all seen a drop in value. “On average, we saw about an 8% decline in all of those crop prices year over year.”
Biram says that the farm safety net presented by the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill” is expected to provide relief to farmers across the country. However, farmers will have to wait on that relief.
“They won’t receive that cash from a cash inflow perspective until a year from now, and farmers need to go to the bank right now,” says Biram.
Throughout this time, Biram says farmers have been hopeful, especially with potential measures aimed to help them in 2026. There is still significant doubt though.
“Farmer are eternal optimists, and they always want things to be better, but right now, there is nothing to be optimist about in terms of where the markets are right now.”
Why is this important for Arkansas?
Agriculture is the #1 industry in the state, accounting for 8% of Arkansas’ gross domestic product. That is the greatest share of the GDP across all of the southern United States.
Click here to view the full report.
It’s been a bone-dry year in Arkansas. It’s now the 7th driest year on record in Little Rock since record-keeping began in 1875, as of April 20.
24 days so far this year in Little Rock have received measurable rainfall. 12 days received a trace amount of rain, meaning there were no rainfall measurements to report (it was too little to record), as it was just a sprinkle or a few spits.
Only 4 days have received an inch or more of rain so far this year. Those occurred on April 4, March 7, February 14, and January 24. January’s “rain” was really winter precipitation.
April is usually the rainiest month of the year in Arkansas. In Little Rock, April on average receives 5.59 inches of rainfall. So far this April, as of April 20, Little Rock has only recorded 1.17″ of rain for the month.
The rainfall deficit over the last 6 months is well over a foot for much of Arkansas, including Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pine Bluff, and Harrison.
Spring is the rainy season, and summer is the dry season. If rain isn’t recorded soon, the drought will persist into the summer. In fact, the latest seasonal drought outlook shows that while some areas of Arkansas could see improvements, the drought continues into July.
To fully end the drought, parts of central and northeast Arkansas need more than 25 inches of rain over the next 3 months. Parts of northwest Arkansas need between 15 and 20 inches of rain over the next 3 months. The rest of the state needs between 20 and 25 inches of rain over the next 3 months. All of this rain would need to be received slowly, not all at one time.
The odds of receiving this much rain slowly over the next 3 months are very low.
The Arkansas Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 19, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Cash 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Evening: 5-3-2
Check Cash 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Evening: 7-5-4-8
Check Cash 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Natural State Jackpot numbers from April 19 drawing
02-07-17-20-23
Check Natural State Jackpot payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Arkansas Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Cash 3 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 3 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Cash 4 Midday: 12:59 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- Cash 4 Evening: 6:59 p.m. CT daily.
- Lucky For Life: 9:30 p.m. CT daily.
- Natural State Jackpot: 8 p.m. CT daily except Sunday.
- LOTTO: 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by an Arkansas editor. You can send feedback using this form.
BENTON, Ark. (KATV) — Saline County residents got a fresh boost earlier today when the Central Arkansas Development Council hosted its third Fresh Market event in the county, handing out about 300 bags of fresh produce free of charge.
The council, described as the largest community action agency in Arkansas, said the event is part of its ongoing effort to address food insecurity in the state and expand access to healthy food options.
“What we’re here to do is we’re here to be what our community needs us to be,” Randy Morris, CEO of Central Arkansas Development Council, said. “We are here to serve our mission, which is to alleviate the causes and conditions of poverty, to help vulnerable populations achieve their potential and to build strong communities in Arkansas through community action.”
The council also said it was rewarded funds by the government to host an emergency food drive that will happen soon.
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