Anvil Metals & Fabrication Wins Arkansas Ag Innovation Challenge

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Anvil Metals & Fabrication Wins Arkansas Ag Innovation Challenge

Anvil Metals & Fabrication Wins Arkansas Ag Innovation Challenge

Biostar

Farm Credit of Western Arkansas

Marketing & Communications Team

Anvil Metals and Fabrication (AMF) was the winner of the Arkansas Ag Innovation Challenge at Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock. In addition to winning the overall competition on November 30, AMF was voted as the People’s Choice Award winner for its presentation during the event’s trade show.

Anvil Metals & Fabrication Wins Arkansas Ag Innovation Challenge

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

Competitors in the Ag Innovation Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

AMF was founded in 2022 by Rob Conner, Cody Marquis and Damian Schilling after Conner and his wife purchased a welding shop in Gassville. Rob Conner volunteers as the career technical education coordinator for Mountain Home Public Schools and his two co-founders are former students turned business partners. The AMF team patented a tractor bucket attachment with folding forks, hay spikes, brush guards and other tools for use on farms and in rural areas.

Anvil Metals & Fabrication was named the winner of the 2023 Arkansas Ag Innovation Challenge. Competitors in the Challenge participated in a live pitch competition to showcase their startup during Arkansas Farm Bureau’s 89th annual convention in Little Rock.

“Winning this award is a meaningful step in our journey to build and manufacture the tools and equipment that save farmers time and make their work safer. The validation we heard at the Arkansas Farm Bureau convention confirmed we’re on the right track to make an impact for our customers.”

Rob Conner Founder, Anvil Metals and Fabrication

Brittany Scott of SMART Reproduction was named runner-up in the competition

SMART Reproduction, owned and operated by Brittany Scott of Jonesboro, was named runner-up in the competition. The biotech company collects and cryopreserves small ruminant semen and embryos for export and was the first exporter of its kind to hold the United Kingdom and European Union export certification. Three other finalists were recognized during the convention: HM Mobile Welding and Fabrication of Vilonia, CelluDot of Fayetteville, and Cureate of Fayetteville.

ArFB launched the Ag Innovation Challenge earlier this year in partnership with the Farm Credit Associations of Arkansas. The statewide business competition showcases Arkansas startups developing innovative solutions to address challenges facing Arkansas farmers, ranchers, and rural communities.

Cash prizes totaled $15,000. Anvil Metals and Fabrication received $10,500 in total, and SMART Reproduction earned $5,000.

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