Meet The Speaker: Dan Hooks

We are excited to introduce Dan Hooks as one of our speakers for the 2026 Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference and Irrigation EXPO.

Dan Hooks, current President of the White River Irrigation District, is a semi-retired American farmer managing approximately 1,200 acres of irrigated farmland in Prairie County near Slovak, Arkansas, alongside his brother and son. Their family operation primarily produces rice and soybeans, with some wheat cultivation, and has successfully transitioned to surface water irrigation to ensure sustainability—a change Dan believes was essential for the future of farming.

A graduate of Subiaco Academy (1969) and the University of Arkansas (1974), Dan has served on the White River Irrigation District board for more than 30 years, beginning in 1994. His leadership roles include Past President of the Prairie Farmers Association and Prairie County Farm Bureau, as well as serving on the Board of Directors for Hazen Grain Drying–Riceland Foods.

Dan is a strong advocate for surface water use and credits early adoption of this practice in the 2000s as critical to maintaining his farming operation. He and his wife, Paula, have two sons and four grandchildren.

Come see his presentation, Surface Water Diversion Projects --- History and Status in Arkansas, at the Arkansas Soil and Water Education Conference and Irrigation EXPO at the Arkansas State University Student Union on January 14.