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COTTON ACRES AND GINS Graph showing relationship between number of active gins and cotton acreage in Arkansas. Numbers from National Agricultural Statistics Service. (U of A System Division of Agriculture image by Scott Stiles)
Arkansas gained one more cotton gin, raising the number of active gins to 30 in 2020, compared to 29 in 2019, according to numbers from the National Agricultural Statistics Service.
The increase coincided with a year that saw Arkansas’ second-highest yield, at 1,179 pounds of lint per acre.
“The NASS numbers confirmed the new construction projects we had been following over the past year in Desha and White counties,” said Scott Stiles, extension economist with the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture. “In one sense it’s great to see optimism toward cotton. On the other hand, this year and next could be very challenging for gins.”
Freddie Black (left) and Chad Rawls (Submitted by Simmons Bank)
Simmons Bank said Thursday that it created two separate banking divisions a community bank division and metro bank division that will be led by Freddie Black and Chad Rawls, respectively.
Black has been promoted to chief community banking officer; Rawls has been promoted to chief metro banking officer. Simmons Bank was built on relationships and establishing community and metro divisions provides Simmons Bank more opportunity to make decisions on a local level, steward our customers and pursue scalable growth in new markets, Matt Reddin, Simmons Bank executive vice president and chief banking officer, said in a news release.