Arkansas commodity promotion boards exist to support the growth, competitiveness, and market development of the state’s agricultural industries. Funded by assessments on the commodities they represent, these boards invest millions of dollars annually in research, marketing, promotion, and trade initiatives to benefit producers and strengthen Arkansas agriculture.
Below are the six research and promotion boards, each with the current status of its proposal period and details about eligibility, requirements, and submission information.
Arkansas Beef Council
Status: The council is not accepting proposals at this time.
Research and Promotion Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed five pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed research or promotion project.
- Describe the expected benefits to the Arkansas beef industry from the proposed research or promotion project.
- For research projects, Include a budget detailing salaries, benefits, travel, direct costs, and research costs.
- Budget documentation does not count toward the five-page limit.
- For promotion projects, include a budget and accountability plan.
- Date(s) or duration of the proposed project.
Contact: Questions should be sent to [email protected].
Arkansas Catfish Promotion Board
Status: The board will begin accepting proposals January 2, 2026, with a deadline for submittal of April 1, 2026. Funding amounts for research and promotion proposals will be determined during the funding meeting. The date for the funding meeting will be set during the board’s January 29, 2026, meeting.
Research Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed research project.
- Describe the expected benefits to the Arkansas catfish industry from the proposed research project.
- Include a budget detailing salaries, benefits, travel, direct costs, and research costs.
- Budget documentation does not count toward the four-page limit.
- State which preferred topic the research will best align. If a preferred topic is not chosen, the applicant will need to state the importance of the topic.
- Aphanocapsa: Identify contributing factors that make some ponds more susceptible to denser populations of Aphanocapsa. Describe how any of the following aspects could contribute to varying levels of Aphanocapsa- water quality, chloride levels, salinity, total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, total alkalinity, total hardness, and temperature ranges when problems are most likely to occur.
- Chemical and nonchemical treatment options.
- Effect of chemical treatment(s) of other phytoplankton species.
- Marketing: Development of single portion “heat and eat” catfish meals
- Current retail options are 5-pound boxes of frozen US Farm Raised Fillets or a frozen bag containing two imported fillets.
- No single serving “heat and eat” catfish meals are currently available.
- Develop a frozen product in a steamer bag that provides quick cooking and no preparation.
- Off Flavor: Identify the effects and timeline of algae and how that affects the on-flavor and off-flavor of fillets.
- Fillet Yields: Compare 28% vs 32% high feed proteins and the effects of the percentage during the off-feed durations of 3, 4, and 5 months. Identify the effects of each percentage on yield after the set timeframes. Identify the period of time to recover the yield after off feed for the next growing season.
- Spawning Strategies: Develop strategies to improve channel catfish spawning rates in ponds that are affected by fluctuations in water temperature due to the warming climate and unseasonable weather patterns.
- Spawning Strategies: Spawning, hatching, and rearing of channel catfish fry and fingerlings in an indoor Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS). At some point the industry will move indoors. Industry must have the means to produce disease free fingerlings to supply future indoor RAS grow-out facilities.
- Alternative harvest methods to corral fish without nets:
- Conventional means allow escapees to be left behind, which allows these fish to become too large and difficult for the processor to sell.
- Develop other methods that can be utilized to provide a 99% catch rate.
- For example, utilizing radio waves, sound waves, and electrical waves.
- Other research topics will be considered.
Promotion Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed promotion project.
- Describe the expected benefits to the Arkansas catfish industry from the proposed promotion project.
- Include a budget and accountability plan. (Note that funds cannot be used for administrative costs or duplicative activities.)
- Identify the target audience:
- State the estimated number of people reached and estimated number of people to attend proposed events.
- State what percentages of the target audience will be within and outside of the state.
- Describe the methods that will be used to track outreach achievement.
- Describe the benefit of the promotional opportunity and who will receive it.
- Social Media: Development of an Arkansas Catfish Promotion Board social-media campaign with weekly posts and an annual budget.
- Marketing Opportunities: Marketing opportunities for U.S. farm-raised catfish.
- Other promotional topics will be considered.
Submission Instructions
Proposals may be submitted here.
Contact: Questions should be sent to [email protected].
Arkansas Corn and Grain Sorghum Promotion Board
Status: The board is currently accepting proposals until January 9, 2026. Funding amounts for research and promotion proposals will be determined at the board’s meetings on February 2–3, 2026.
Research Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed research project.
- Describe expected benefits to the Arkansas corn or grain sorghum industry from the proposed research project.
- Include a budget detailing salaries, benefits, travel, direct costs, and research costs.
- Budget documentation does not count toward the four-page limit.
- Explain accountability for the use of funds.
- Provide audited financial statements for funding requests over $15,000.
Promotion Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State goals and objectives of the promotion project.
- Describe the expected benefits to the Arkansas corn or grain sorghum industry from the proposed promotion project.
- Promote generic corn or grain sorghum and non-specific business entities.
- Include a budget and accountability plan. (Note that funds cannot be used for administrative costs or duplicative activities.)
- Provide audited financial statements for funding requests over $15,000.
Submission Instructions
Proposals may be submitted here.
Contact: Questions should be sent to [email protected].
Arkansas Rice Research and Promotion Board
Status: The board is currently accepting proposals until January 9, 2026. The board has established a $2.4 million funding goal for research proposals. The board’s research funding meetings will be held January 29–30, 2026. Funding available for promotion proposals will be set at the board’s meeting on February 4, 2026.
Research Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed research project.
- Describe expected benefits to the Arkansas rice industry from the proposed research project.
- Include a budget detailing salaries, benefits, travel, direct costs, and research costs.
- Budget documentation does not count toward the four-page limit.
- Explain accountability for the use of funds.
- Provide audited financial statements for funding requests over $15,000.
Promotion Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed promotion project.
- Describe the expected benefits to the Arkansas rice industry from the proposed promotion project.
- Promote generic rice and non-specific business entities.
- Include a budget and accountability plan. (Note that funds cannot be used for administrative costs or duplicative activities.)
- Provide audited financial statements for funding requests over $15,000.
Submission Instructions
Proposals may be submitted here.
Contact: Questions should be sent to [email protected].
Arkansas Soybean Promotion Board
Status: The board is currently accepting proposals until January 31, 2026. Funding amounts for research and promotion proposals will be set at the board’s meetings on March 12–13, 2026.
Research Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the proposed research.
- Describe expected benefits to the Arkansas soybean industry from the proposed research project.
- Include a budget detailing salaries, benefits, travel, direct costs, and research costs.
- Budget documentation does not count toward the four-page limit.
- Explain accountability for the use of funds.
- Provide audited financial statements for funding requests over $15,000.
Promotion Proposal Requirements
Proposals should not exceed four pages and must:
- State the goals and objectives of the promotional activity.
- Describe expected benefits to the Arkansas soybean industry from the proposed promotion project.
- Promote generic soybeans and non-specific business entities.
- Include a budget and accountability plan. (Note that funds cannot be used for administrative costs or duplicative activities.)
- Provide audited financial statements for funding requests over $15,000.
Submission Instructions
Proposals may be submitted here.
Contact: Questions should be sent to [email protected].
Arkansas Wheat Promotion Board
Status: The board is not accepting proposals at this time. The anticipated proposal period is late spring.
Contact: Questions should be sent to [email protected].