The 2026 Southwest Arkansas Small Farms Conference, held April 30 at Hempstead Hall on the campus of the University of Arkansas Hope-Texarkana, brought together around 80 producers, landowners and agricultural partners from across the region. The event was hosted by the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Small Farm Program in partnership with the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture and Hempstead County.
The conference was moderated by Evette Browning, Arkansas Division of Agriculture Forestry Division agriculture coordinator, and opened with remarks from Karen Lee, UAPB Small Farm Program Extension specialist. Rusty Rumley, senior staff attorney with the National Agricultural Law Center, delivered a session titled “Protecting the Future of Family Land,” focusing on heirs’ property challenges, estate planning and legal strategies for maintaining family land ownership across generations.
O’Brennan Moss, director of Grow Sumthin Challenge Gardens Inc., delivered the keynote address “Harvesting Hope: Building Food Security through Community Agriculture.” He emphasized community-based agriculture as a tool for addressing food insecurity and strengthening local resilience. Moss encouraged participants to view agriculture as both a livelihood and a pathway to community empowerment.
Kesha Cobb, chief executive officer of The Sustainability Project Inc., delivered the luncheon keynote address. She highlighted community-driven agriculture and strategies for strengthening local food systems through sustainable networks that expand economic opportunity and improve food access.
Throughout the day, participants attended concurrent sessions covering heirs’ property, estate planning, asset protection, conservation practices, forestry management, broadband access, youth development, workforce opportunities and community wellness. Select tracks, including heirs’ property and natural resources, were also offered virtually to expand access for participants outside the immediate area.
The conference also aimed to expand the UAPB Keeping it in the Family Sustainable Forestry Program into surrounding counties and communities, supporting the development of healthy lands, the establishment of resilient management plans and assistance to landowners in creating long-term wealth and succession strategies.
Kandi Williams, conference coordinator, said, “Addressing food insecurity starts with education, access and collaboration. This conference brings all three together to ensure our communities and producers have the tools they need to succeed.”
Williams said participants provided immediate feedback praising the conference for its practical value and impact. One landowner said she was grateful for the opportunity to learn and ask questions, adding that she plans to share the information with her family to help guide future decisions.
Another participant said the conference provided practical tools and resources to support sustainability and resilience, describing the experience as “priceless” and noting that the range of free resources available was eye-opening.
“The Southwest Arkansas Small Farms Conference continues to serve as a platform for education, connection and resource sharing,” Williams said. “The event reflects a shared commitment to strengthening small farms, preserving land ownership and supporting sustainable rural communities.”
