October 30, 2026

WELCOMING ACTING ARMY SECRETARY ADAM TELLE

It was a privilege to have Acting Secretary of the Army Adam Telle in Arkansas’s Third District this week to showcase how our region is contributing to the state’s reputation as a major U.S. defense hub.

Alongside Senator John Boozman and I, Acting Secretary Telle visited Walmart’s Global Security Operations Center, or the GSOC. Staffed 24/7, the GSOC identifies and tracks events that could disrupt supply chains around the world and can be a key partner in our national emergency response when disaster strikes.

At the University of Arkansas, Acting Secretary Adam Telle, Senator John Boozman, and I also saw firsthand how students, researchers, and experts are working to equip our warfighters with cutting-edge technology to protect our nation.

With the leaders of the Contested Logistics Consortium at the Sam M. Walton College of Business, we discussed how Northwest Arkansas’s supply chain expertise can assist the military in navigating complex operational environments.

Attendees also included Charles F. Robinson, Chancellor of the University of Arkansas; Dr. Margaret Sova McCabe, Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Arkansas; Dr. Brent Williams, Dean of the Sam M. Walton College of Business; Dr. Brian Fugate, Associate Dean for Graduate Programs and Research at the Sam M. Walton College of Business; Jay Sego, Director of Strategic Initiatives at the Sam M. Walton College of Business; Dr. Rob Curry, Assistant Professor in Industrial Engineering; Dr. Janeth Gabaldon, Supply Chain Management Managing Director of Research at the Sam M. Walton College of Business; Brig. Gen. Chad Bridges, Adjutant General of the Arkansas National Guard; and LTC Clay Woody, Army Operations Research Officer and Ph.D. Candidate – Industrial Engineering and Assistant Professor at West Point.

On a tour of the Multi-User Silicon Carbide (MUSiC) Research and Fabrication Laboratory with Inaugural Director of Business Development for the U of A Power Group (UAPG) Matthew Leftwich, we had a chance to see how their team is testing new applications in Silicon Carbide (SiC) electronics that give our military increased flexibility and a clear technological edge.

At the Grady E. Harvell Civil Engineering Research and Education Center (CEREC), Dr. Micah Hale and Assistant Professor Morgan Broberg gave us an up close look at the innovative ways they are tackling commercial and military infrastructure deployment challenges.

From conducting groundbreaking research to being the home of leading logistics experts, Northwest Arkansas is making strides to provide the solutions that strengthen our national security and give our warfighters a competitive edge against adversaries.

BUILDING BETTER INFRASTRUCTURE

Building better infrastructure in Arkansas’s Third District continues to be one of my top priorities in Congress, and this week I visited two cities where this important work is taking place.

In Crawford County, I joined Mountainburg Mayor Susan Wilson, Senator John Boozman, and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development (RD) State Director David Branscum to celebrate the completion of Phase 1 of Mountainburg’s water system improvement project.

USDA Rural Development awarded Mountainburg $8.9 million to help fund Phase 1, supporting the installation of miles of new water lines to bring potable water to previously unserved areas of north-central Crawford County.

But there is still work to do, which is why I secured $4.4 million through the appropriations process in Fiscal Year 2026 to help fund Phase 2 and ensure more families have access to clean, safe drinking water on demand.

In Greenwood, I saw firsthand the ongoing construction of Stage 2 of the Greenwood Bypass with Mayor Doug Kinslow, Planning & Development Director Sonny Bell, Street Department Director Jeff Turner, and Executive Director at Greenwood Arkansas Chamber of Commerce Bob Purvis.

Through the Fiscal Year 2024 appropriations process, I secured $5 million in federal funding to support this project through the appropriations process and am currently working on getting an additional $5 million signed into law as part of the Fiscal Year 2027 funding bills.

Once completed, the bypass will mean better infrastructure, less congestion downtown, and a more reliable route to work, school, medical care, and more.

Scroll down to photo highlights to see who else I met with this week.

CONSTITUENT SPOTLIGHT

This week’s constituent spotlight goes to Fred and Shirley Williams of Van Buren.

Fred is a fixture of the community and a longtime friend of mine, and I had the privilege of visiting his family’s homestead while I was in Crawford County earlier this week. They have an impressive 700 acres of land, 439 of which function as a multi-generation cattle operation known as Fair Oaks Farm. Here, the Williams raise registered Angus and Angus-Wagyu crosses. Shirley takes the lead on running the herd and Fred manages the homestead land.

While I was visiting Fair Oaks Farm, I had a conversation with Fred and Shirley about some of the struggles farmers face today, including high input costs and unpredictable weather, and how Congress can advocate for family-owned farms like their own. I’m grateful to have had this conversation with them and hear more about their perspective.

Check out this week’s policy update section below to learn more about my efforts in Congress to support our nation’s farmers.

In Arkansas, agriculture is not merely an industry, it is a cornerstone of the economy.

Contributing more than $20 billion annually to our state’s economy, agriculture is our largest industry. We rank 1st in the nation in rice production, 3rd in cotton production, and 12th nationally in beef cows on farms. Arkansas’s Third District is in the top three nationally for broiler chicken production and contributes more than $20 billion in economic output through its poultry processing alone.

Since coming to Congress in 2011, supporting our state’s agriculture industry has been one of my top priorities. As Co-Chair of the Congressional Chicken Caucus and a member of the House Appropriations Committee, I have secured multiple provisions in the Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appropriations bill to reduce regulatory burdens and make it easier for farmers to focus on what matters.

This includes language to defund Obama-era USDA rules under the Packers and Stockyards Act that would make it harder for farmers to receive compensation for producing high-quality birds.

I have also secured language in the Fiscal Year 2027 agriculture appropriations bill to defund the FDA’s 2009 Shell Egg Rule, which bars producers from selling excess broiler eggs into the breaker market. These eggs are perfectly safe for use in finished products, yet farmers are forced to discard them rather than sell them—throwing away a valuable source of revenue.

Beyond these appropriations provisions, we made important progress in strengthening farm policy in last year’s Working Families Tax Cuts (WFTC) law. In addition to historic individual tax cuts, this landmark legislation included much-needed updates to USDA farm programs and investments in agricultural research and trade promotion.

Specifically, WFTC extended and updated the Price Loss Coverage (PLC) and Agricultural Risk Coverage (ARC) programs, also known as reference prices, which provide critical support to farmers when things don’t go as planned. These updates are projected to deliver an additional $3.4 billion in risk coverage over the next decade.

The law also supports our livestock farmers by investing $1.5 billion in livestock biosecurity and authorizing a crop insurance pilot program for contract poultry growers. In addition, we provided $285 million for the new Agricultural Trade Promotion and Facilitation Program to significantly enhance the USDA’s ability to support international market development and access for American producers.

I could go on, but the investments made in the WFTC law will support our farmers and producers for the next decade. However, more help is needed, and Congress must prioritize passing an updated Farm Bill as soon as possible to support our farmers and ensure Arkansas agriculture remains strong.

Read more about the House’s Farm Bill HERE.

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HOW I'M HELPING

One of the most important things I do as a U.S. Representative is help people with federal problems. Although I cannot override the decisions made by a federal agency, I can often intervene on a person's behalf to answer questions, find solutions, or just cut through the red tape. Learn more HERE, and take a look at how we've assisted constituents so far this year.

River Valley Democrat-Gazette: ‘The most important thing’: Mountainburg receives $8.9 million for water infrastructure work

The University of Arkansas: NIFA Awards $2.5M Research Facilities Act Grant to UADA for Greenhouse Modernization

Talk Business & Politics: Northwest, central Arkansas drive statewide job gains in September

Have a great weekend ahead, and I hope to see you around! Be sure to check out my website, X, and Instagram pages in the meantime.

From The Front...

Congressman Steve Womack
Arkansas Third District

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