News From 1999

By Jamie Vickers

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Be A Champ camp comes to Mississippi this summer to teach 4-H and FFA students how to be winners in cattle and sheep showing, as well as how to be winners in life.

Mississippi State University's new AgriCenter will host the camp on June 18 through 20 for students age 9 and up. In the past 15 years, the camp was only available in Oklahoma and Louisiana.

"We are very lucky to have this camp available within the state," said Kipp Brown, livestock agent with the MSU Extension Service.

By Lani Jefcoat

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi's poultry industry reached an all time high value of $1.5 billion in 1998 according to final figures released in late April from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

In 1998, Mississippi broilers and eggs combined to bring a value of $1.5 billion, up 12 percent from 1997. Broilers saw a 12 percent increase in value to $1.4 billion and eggs increased 9 percent in value to $159 million.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

One of my favorite plants since I was a child has been moss rose. It is native to Brazil and has a ground hugging habit that means you cover much more space with fewer plants.

Known botanically as Portulaca grandilfora, it has green, fleshy, succulent leaves with unbelievable flower power. A similar plant, though weedier and not as showy, is Portulaca oleracea, known as purslane.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Oyster season is winding down in Mississippi, but early reports show it to be an excellent year in both quality and quantity.

Scott Gordon, biological program coordinator with the Department of Marine Resources in Biloxi, said the state had landed more than 276,000 sacks by March 31. A sack, a measurement of 1.98 cubic feet, weighs about 105 pounds and yields about 1 to 1.25 gallons of shucked oysters.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University established an agenda Wednesday to grow the Mississippi economy through agriculture, forestry and rural community development.

Dr. Malcolm Portera, MSU president, laid out a road map to the more than 450 leaders gathered in Jackson for the second Agriculture and Forestry Summit. The group heard the recommendations of task forces formed a year ago to study several aspects of Mississippi's economy.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Visionaries may not have dreamed big enough when plans began for the construction of a harness track at Mississippi State University, but now that it is operational, several upcoming events will compliment the track's training purposes.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

During last October's Fall Garden Day in Crystal Springs, people kept asking about a plant they thought was gorgeous. This really did my heart good because I could see these gardeners had arrived at a special plateau.

By Jamie Vickers

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many students around the state will soon celebrate at graduation parties, and some of the celebrations will include alcohol which could cause problems for students and party hosts.

"About 82 percent of high school students and 75 percent of college students in Mississippi have used alcohol within the past month," said Dr. Melissa Mixon, nutrition specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service. "Student drinking always increases around this time of year."

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A 25-year-old center uses its resources to share research and information important in keeping rural development issues a top priority in the South.

The Southern Rural Development Center, headquartered at Mississippi State University, works with 13 states and two territories. It serves Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virgin Islands and Virginia.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most vegetable gardeners have their crops planted and growing fast with hopes that Mother Nature will be kind.

Dr. David Nagel, horticulturist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said winter rains delayed some garden planting, much like last year's weather.

"We're hoping we won't see a repeat of the drastic temperature change from mild weather to hot, dry conditions in 1998," Nagel said. "Last year's spring garden did OK, but anything we tried to carry past June did not fair very well without irrigation."

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

Many gardeners are making their spring trek to the garden center for flowers with little thought as to what they will buy. Shoppers may base their purchases on what looks the freshest or which plants have the most color showing. A little forethought toward particular colors will make your efforts more rewarding.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- While some people are making sure all computer systems are ready to handle the millennium date change, others are using the occasion to scam money from unsuspecting people.

With just nine months to go before the year 2000, or Y2K, several scams have surfaced related to this issue. Dr. Dan Brook, head of computer applications for Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said people presented with Y2K problems or solutions should be careful because what is claimed may not be what it seems.

By Jamie Vickers

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- One Mississippi 4-H'er liked the organization so much that she continues to refine her leadership skills on a regional, collegiate level and plans to continue as an adult volunteer after graduation.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Getting shots is not a pleasant experience, but the large numbers of Americans immunized have helped eliminate widespread death and disability brought on by disease.

Linda Patterson, health education specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said 82 percent of Mississippi 2-year-olds had their basic immunizations at last count in 1998.

"This group had all the shots required by the state for their age for the vaccine-preventable diseases," Patterson said.

By Lani Jefcoat

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The Jackson Zoo will play host this summer to thousands of butterflies in a special six-month event.

The zoo, with assistance from the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, is preparing a 3,000 square foot shade-cloth butterfly house.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Farmers across Mississippi are moving some of their acres to cotton or soybeans based on poor prices and a bad year for corn in 1998.

Dr. Erick Larson, corn specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said last year's problems with aflatoxin have been the most significant factor keeping corn acreage low this year.

"Many growers are uncomfortable dealing with the risk of aflatoxin because it develops based primarily on environmental conditions over which the grower has little control," Larson said.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most cotton growers haven't planted the first seed, but they are already making decisions for managing insects.

Continued poor market prices, a mild winter and location in the state are among the issues growers are considering as they make choices between transgenic cotton that is resistant to budworms and nontransgenic seeds. Timely plantings for an early maturing crop continues to be another part of the insect risk management strategy.

By Norman Winter
Horticulturist
Central Mississippi Research & Extension Center

The Biloxi area is celebrating its tricentennial this year -- 300 years! Like this beautiful city captures the hearts of visitors, the 1999 Mississippi Medallion winner, Biloxi Blue verbena will snare the hearts of gardeners throughout the state.

Biloxi Blue is one of four outstanding plants chosen as a 1999 Mississippi Medallion winners with Indian Summer rudbeckia, Tonto and Sioux crape myrtles rounding out the list.

By Jamie Vickers

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- From the pound or with a pedigree, a pet is still a pet. There are advantages and disadvantages to both purebred and mixed breed animals.

Dr. Thomas Lenarduzzi, a veterinarian at Mississippi State University, said both purebred and mixed breed animals make wonderful pets.

"Sometimes purebred animals have more predictable traits than mixed breeds, but hereditary diseases may be a problem for some purebred animals," Lenarduzzi said.

By Lani Jefcoat

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Animals, like humans, need vaccinations to protect them from serious and potentially fatal diseases caused by bacteria and viruses.

Newborn animals receive protection from antibodies in their mothers' milk. To be sure that newborns receive this protection, immunize mothers before breeding.