By Deseray McKinzy
After almost 25 years of teaching agriculture business and policy, one of the University of Arkansas at Monticello’s storied agriculture professors, Dr. Bob Stark is stepping down. Dr. Stark began his career at UAM in August 1996 currently is the Agricultural Economics Professor and announced that June 30, 2021.
In recognition of his 24 years of service, on Tuesday, April 20, Dr. Stark, along with other retiring
faculty members, Dr. Richard Clubb, Dr. Farrok Abedi, and the late Dr. Ted Hammett were honored with
a brief reception by UAM faculty, staff, and family.
In a letter he shared with staff and faculty, Stark said, “My decision was not easy to make because I love
teaching and extension. More directly, I love working with each of you and will miss sharing the joys of
your future accomplishments — individual, as a college, and as a university.”
Dr. Stark’s teaching responsibilities at the College of Forestry, Agriculture and Natural Resources have spanned fourteen separate courses, including farm management, commodity marketing, contract marketing and futures trading, and agricultural policy site-specific farm management.
His extension and research efforts have included soybeans and corn, where he publishes weekly ArkansasMarket Reports. He has compiled data and written the economics section of the Arkansas Soybean Research Verification Program annual report for the past seventeen years. Dr. Stark has served as secretary/treasurer since 2004 in the Tri-State Soybean Forum, a nonprofit soybean association with members in Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Stark has received multiple recognitions over his career, including a 2004 Teaching Award of Merit
from the North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture (NACTA), 2019 Faculty
Excellence in Teaching Award from the UAM College of Forestry, Agriculture, & Natural Resources,
2017 Service Award from the Tri-State Soybean Forum, and the 2016 John W. White Outstanding Team
and Extension Excellence Unit Team Awards from the University of Arkansas System Division of
Agriculture for his work on the Crop Sciences Blog.
