Stone County Conservation District

10/09/2026

Led by National Geographic Explorer and photographer Joel Sartore, the project uses the power of photography, education, and public awareness to inspire people to protect the world’s wildlife before it's too late.

10/08/2026

10/08/2026

Explore the remarkable world of bats.

10/08/2026

The entire state remains at high risk for wildfire, and burn bans are in place for 50 counties. Ongoing very dry conditions are expected through the week, and elevated wildfire potential will likely persist for several more weeks. We urge Arkansans to stay aware of these conditions and use caution. Even in counties not currently under a burn ban, the risk of fires escaping and becoming severe remains high.

View current conditions: https://mip.agri.arkansas.gov/agtools/Forestry/Fire_Info

10/04/2026

10/02/2026

Boo! 👻 Your October produce guide just dropped. Discover what's fresh and festive this spooky szn before they gourd away 🎃

10/02/2026

Did you know you can work with NRCS without signing a contract?

We talk a lot about financial programs like EQIP and CSP, but our technical assistance is always available to you at no cost! Swing by your local NRCS office for help like developing a custom cover crop seed mix, nutrient management planning, or web soil survey data information.

Your land. Your decision. Let us help you with your conservation goals.

10/02/2026

The pasture mealybug, first detected in the U.S. in 2025, continues to impact pasture grasses and sugarcane across affected states. USDA and our state partners are evaluating control options, expanding surveys, and increasing outreach to producers, universities, extension specialists, and industry groups.

As one of the lead USDA agencies in this coordinated response, APHIS will declare PMB as a priority pest for FY2027 in the Plant Pest and Disease Management and Disaster Program (Section 7721), ensuring up to $5 million in FY27 funding is available to support detection surveys, state-level response activities, outreach, and research focused on management strategies and potential control options. Additional funding may be provided as response needs evolve. APHIS also launched a dedicated website with PMB information and resources:
www.aphis.usda.gov/plant-pests-diseases/pasture-mealybug https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.aphis.usda.gov%2Fplant-pests-diseases%2Fpasture-mealybug&data=05%7C02%7CEric.Gabriel%40usda.gov%7Cb1ea261adf0b41c83a1d08df1d8e9b99%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C1%7C0%7C639262170485850220%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=gI47oQpmtGEN%2BwIq1CMExSB3Mpg7XE1XHNP62W5%2BOeA%3D&reserved=0

USDA has also launched new informational pages to help stakeholders stay up to date on survey activities, research, management guidance, and the broader cross-agency response:
https://www.usda.gov/farming-and-ranching/plants-and-crops/plant-health-and-research/coordinated-response-pasture-mealybug