Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders joins Arkansas economic development leaders for an announcement in Little Rock on Nov. 14, 2024. Left to right: Sanders; Cody Waits, executive director of Arkansas Workforce Connections; Mike Rogers, the state’s chief workforce officer; Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate)
The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB) has been awarded $5 million to support its workforce training program focused on precision agriculture, which aims to enhance farming efficiency and productivity.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the funding on Nov. 14 as part of $48 million in grants allocated to 19 organizations across the state, primarily colleges and universities. The grants were issued under the Higher Industry Readiness through Educational Development (HIRED) program’s Track 2 initiative, which is administered by the state Department of Commerce and Workforce Connections.
The funding, primarily sourced from federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars, was distributed to support training programs designed to address workforce demands in industries critical to the state’s economy. Three organizations also received funding under Track 1, supported by state allocations through the Workforce Initiative Act of 2015.
Mike Rogers, Arkansas’s chief workforce officer, emphasized the importance of the initiative during Thursday’s announcement.
“It is meeting people where they are,” Rogers said. “It’s transforming lives for rural Arkansas, for metro areas, places of men and women that need the next step of talent recognition and what they can do.”
Precision agriculture involves the use of data to optimize farming practices, reducing input costs and improving yields, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The sector plays a critical role in addressing growing global food demands.
Mary Hennigan at the Arkansas Advocate has a detailed rundown of Thursday’s announcement. Click here to read.
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