Arkansas Department of Agriculture

What Arkansas Department of Agriculture does

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is the State of Arkansas's cabinet-level agency charged with developing and implementing agricultural and forestry policy across the state. Operating from its headquarters at 1 Natural Resources Drive in Little Rock, the department serves farmers, ranchers, livestock and poultry producers, crop producers, and forest landowners through four primary divisions — Animal Health, Plant Industries (managing 58 programs), Forestry, and Natural Resources — plus a Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025 accredited) and a Bureau of Standards. Its mandate covers zoonotic and communicable animal disease response (including HPAI and New World Screwworm programs), meat and poultry inspection under cooperative agreement with USDA-FSIS, pesticide registration and enforcement (~14,000 products annually), weights-and-measures enforcement, water management under the Arkansas Water Plan, and wildfire protection for more than 15 million acres of non-federal forestland.

The department's revenue model is that of a state government entity rather than a commercial firm: funding flows from state appropriations, federal grants (notably USDA Regional Food Systems Initiative, USDA specialty crop block grants, and NFWF), and program fees including pesticide product registrations ($250), dealer licenses ($65), commercial applicator licenses ($35-$150), private applicator licenses ($10-$45), poultry feeding operations registration ($10/annum), and LAWMS permits. Service delivery occurs through direct field offices, an online application portal, partnerships with the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service across multiple Arkansas locations, and collaboration with USDA, EPA, USDA-AMS, NAHLN, Arkansas Farm Bureau, the Arkansas Division of Environmental Quality, and county governments in all 75 counties.

The department is led by Cabinet Secretary Wes Ward and reports to Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, with Secretary Ward holding a Master of Law in Agriculture and Food and an M.S. in Agricultural Economics. Recent strategic moves include the 2023 absorption of the LAWMS Program via Act 824 of 2023, receipt of $5.6M from the USDA Regional Food Systems Initiative, $336,560 in specialty crop block grants, $250,000 from NFWF, and $3.17M for 18 water quality projects, alongside launch of Phase I of the Arkansas Water Plan and ongoing support for Arkansas State University's planned veterinary college. The underlying technology footprint is modest: web-based Cognito Forms applications, NAHLN-coordinated laboratory information systems, FieldWatch geographic mapping integration, and a public-facing website at agriculture.arkansas.gov.

Name

Arkansas Department of Agriculture

Legal name

Arkansas Department of Agriculture

Website

https://agriculture.arkansas.gov

Company type

Public

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is a state government agency that develops and enforces agricultural and forestry policy, serving farmers, ranchers, livestock and poultry producers, and forest landowners across all 75 Arkansas counties through regulatory, inspection, and support programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Government Agricultural Regulatory Services

NAICS

Regulation of Agricultural Marketing and Commodities (926140), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAAAO

Agriculture, Fisheries & Food Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Central/Federal Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIABAL

State/Provincial Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/State/Provincial & Regional Government Administration

SECONDARYBPAIAMAF

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

Keywords

• Agricultural regulatory services
• Animal health programs
• Pesticide licensing
• Food safety inspection
• Forestry and water management

Headquarters

HQ city

Little Rock

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is the state government agency responsible for developing and implementing agricultural and forestry policies and programs across Arkansas. It provides regulatory oversight, inspection services, licensing and permits, laboratory diagnostics, grant administration, and emergency response across Animal Health, Plant Industries, Forestry, and Natural Resources divisions, serving farmers, ranchers, livestock and poultry producers, crop producers, forest landowners, schools, and food distribution programs.

Product overview

The Arkansas Department of Agriculture is a state government agency operating as a unified department with multiple specialized divisions. The organization provides regulatory oversight, inspection services, and support programs across the agricultural sector, including the Animal Health Division (protecting livestock and poultry health), Plant Industries Division (managing 58 programs for crops, pesticides, and standards), Natural Resources Division (water management and Arkansas Water Plan), Forestry Division (wildfire protection), and Food & Nutrition Division (food distribution and farm-to-school programs). Key operational units include the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory (ISO/IEC 17025 accredited), Bureau of Standards (weights and measures), and State Meat Inspection Program (cooperative agreement with USDA-FSIS). The department also manages specialty programs such as the Hemp Program, Poultry Feeding Operations Registration, Abandoned Pesticide Program, and various commodity promotion boards (Beef, Catfish, Corn, Rice, Soybean, Wheat).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Animal Health Division Services
• Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory
• State Meat Inspection Program
• Egg and Poultry Grading and Certification Programs
• National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) Program
• Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) Response Program
• New World Screwworm Response Program
• Pesticide Registration and Licensing Program
• Abandoned Pesticide Program
• Plant Industries Division Programs
• Hemp Program
• Bureau of Standards Enforcement
• Liquid Animal Waste Management System (LAWMS) Program
• Poultry Feeding Operations Registration
• Forestry Division Programs
• Arkansas Water Plan
• Food Distribution Programs
• Farm to School Program
• Arkansas Century Farm Program
• Research and Promotion Boards

Quantifiable outcome

• Arkansas agriculture contributes over $24.3 billion annually to the state's economy
• +3 more outcomes

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension ServicecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUAEX collaborates with the department on numerous programs including hosting blood tester schools at multiple Arkansas locations (Fayetteville, Little Rock, Batesville), agricultural training, pesticide education resources, and research support. The partnership provides venues and educational infrastructure for department certification and training programs.
• Arkansas Farm BureaucoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArkansas Farm Bureau partners with the department on the Abandoned Pesticide Program and serves as a key agricultural stakeholder organization supporting Arkansas farmers and ranchers alongside department initiatives.
• Arkansas Division of Environmental QualitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADEQ partners with the department on the Abandoned Pesticide Program and environmental protection initiatives related to agricultural operations and water quality in Arkansas.
• Local County GovernmentsmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal county governments collaborate with the department on the Abandoned Pesticide Program, hosting collection events, and supporting grassroots agricultural service delivery across Arkansas's 75 counties.
• Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe department implements EPA's Endangered Species Protection Program and Pesticide Management Plan, and coordinates on groundwater monitoring using EPA-approved protocols. The EPA also registers pesticides and provides regulatory framework that the department enforces.
• USDA Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Egg and Poultry Section operates under a cooperative agreement with USDA-AMS for grading, inspection, and certification services in accordance with federal and state standards.
• National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Arkansas Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory participates in NAHLN, coordinated by USDA, to strengthen national capacity for early detection and response to animal health threats. The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Tollett Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Fayetteville serves as a branch lab under this agreement.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS): Federal counterpart that delegates and cooperatively funds many state-level animal health and plant protection programs. Operates as the upstream federal partner that Arkansas implements through cooperative agreements.
• Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship: Larger, more established state agriculture agency with broader commodity scope (notably corn and soybeans). Comparable in core regulatory function but operates at a significantly larger scale and budget than Arkansas.
• Texas Department of Agriculture: State agriculture agency administering programs across a significantly larger agricultural economy than Arkansas. Directly comparable as a peer state agency with licensing, inspection, and commodity promotion functions, but operating at much greater scale and scope.

Direct peers

• Tennessee Department of Agriculture: Regional state agriculture agency operating similar divisions for animal health, plant industries, forestry, and consumer services. Comparable in scope and structure, with comparable program fees, regulatory authority, and federal cooperative agreements.
• Missouri Department of Agriculture: Neighboring state agriculture department with similar program structure, regulatory scope, and crop/livestock mix. Directly comparable as a peer state agency managing animal health, plant industries, weights and measures, and agribusiness development.
• Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce: Neighboring state agency with a closely comparable agricultural profile (poultry, row crops, catfish) and regulatory program structure. Operates parallel licensing, inspection, and market development functions for Arkansas's primary peer states.
• Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry: Direct regional peer combining agriculture and forestry oversight in a single department structure matching Arkansas's model. Operates similar livestock, crop, and forestry programs with comparable regulatory authority.
• Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry: Regional state agency combining agriculture, food safety, and forestry oversight similar to Arkansas's organizational model. Comparable scope across animal health, plant industries, weights and measures, and forestry protection.

Others

• National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA): Umbrella organization representing state agriculture departments including Arkansas. Comparable as the institutional ecosystem in which ADA operates, sharing best practices, federal coordination, and policy advocacy.
• Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies: Quasi-governmental association that coordinates multi-state fish and wildlife programs comparable to Arkansas's Forestry Division. Indirectly comparable as a coordinating body for state-level natural resource programs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ARDeptofAgricul
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCSUNExyO_lfb9E9apGWRJ4Q
• Facebookfacebook.com/ARDeptAg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arkansas-department-of-agriculture
• Instagraminstagram.com/ardeptag

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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M&A

Investments1 record

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Arkansas Department of Agriculture