Net farm income for the 2026 growing season is projected to be $153.4 billion, a 0.7% drop when compared to last year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Economic Research Service. As tight margins continue to hurt Arkansas farmers, University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture researchers are focused on providing recommendations that improve profitability and long-term resilience. More than 200 people gathered for the 2026 Rice and Soybean Field Day at the Division of Agriculture’s Northeast Rice Research and Extension Center on July 30. A new herbicide technology is under review which could help address the rapid rise of herbicide-resistant barnyardgrass in Arkansas rice. Additional field stops featured research on soybean planting dates, furrow-irrigated rice production, nitrogen management and the long-running planting date studies that support Arkansas’ DD50 Rice Management Program.