Conservationist of the Year – Jim McArthur
Jim McArthur was introduced to the agricultural industry through his father, Larry McArthur. Throughout Jim’s childhood, he helped his father with tasks around McArthur Farms. Jim had gone to college and was trained in Video Production. It wasn’t until 2009 that Jim became a full-time farmer. He saw an opportunity to become a farmer, having been raised in the agricultural industry by his parents, Larry and Pam McArthur.
During Jim’s college days, he met his wife, Damara, on a cruise ship in 2006. The first interaction between them was straight out of a romantic comedy. Jim walked right up and asked Damara how much a polar bear weighed. And of course she said, “What?” He got her attention, and it was enough to break the ice. Two years later, Jim and Damara married in 2008. Since then, they welcomed their three daughters, Atlynn (14 years old), Cassidy (10 years old), and Ellie Rose (6 years old). Damara is a stay-at-home wife/mother as she home-schools their daughters.
Over Jim’s agricultural career, he has implemented Best Management Practices to keep this farm operating efficiently. He uses a KMC Rip-Roller for strip tillage, which means they only disturb a narrow strip of soil for planting while leaving undisturbed rows between the strips. Additionally, every 3 to 5 years, Jim tests the soil pH levels by collecting soil samples. He has used soil moisture probes to gather data to determine the appropriate amount of water needed and when to apply it. Jim relies on cover crops to protect the soil, which prevents nutrient runoff and provides a slow release of the nutrients for the subsequent cash crop. Another conservation practice Jim uses is a spreader buggy, which agricultural equipment designed to apply dry granular materials over a field. It can be used for a variety of applications such as fertilizing, liming, and seeding.
The two primary crops that Jim plants are peanuts and cotton. This year he planted over 600 acres of peanuts and 340 acres of cotton. Additionally, he plants oats and other small grains, which he sells to customers. The peanuts are sold to the American Peanut Group (APG), and the cotton is sold to Clover Leaf Cotton Gin.
His employees, Keefe, hired in 2018, Kyle, hired in 2019, and Poncho, hired in 2024, help him with the production operations. The McArthur family chips in with production as well. His eldest daughter, Atlyn, helps pack cotton into modular builders, and his younger daughters, Cassidy and Ellie Rose, ride along in the tractors. However, his twin brother, Randy, does whatever he wants, and is very difficult to work with.
In February of 2020, Jim created his YouTube channel, Field Rows. He was interested in filming as a young child. So, he combined his love for farming with his love for video production. To date, there are videos from 6 growing seasons on the YouTube channel. Additionally, Jim has a series called Let’s Get Nuts, on Acres TV.
“Harvesting is the best time of the year for me. You get to see the reward for all the hard work that you have done over the past year. It is also quite fun to be able to pick the cotton, but once colder weather comes, it isn’t as enjoyable due to used equipment.”
The Conservationist of the Year is sponsored by the Jackson Soil & Water Conservation District. The Nominee was selected by the staff of the Florida Department of Agriculture’s Best Management Practice (BMP) Team and the Soil & Water Conservation District Board. Please join with me in congratulating Jim McArthur, the 2025 Conservationist of the Year.