Feature Story

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Mississippi’s agriculture industry remains vibrant with an overall production value estimated at $9 billion, despite a drop in row crop prices.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- 2024 marks the 30th consecutive year for poultry to outperform every other agricultural commodity in Mississippi, and for the second time in three years, its farm gate value fell just shy of $4 billion.

“We have seen a ramp-up in both broiler and table egg production in 2024 compared to production rates seen in 2023,” said Jonathan Moon, poultry specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. “This increase in meat and egg production directly impacts the value of the state’s commercial poultry industry.”

Although prices for timber were lower in 2024, harvest on the state’s forest land was up about 8%, giving forestry an expected value of $1.5 billion, similar to what it had in 2023.

Coastal wetland conservation and restoration projects along the Mississippi Gulf Coast and beyond are running into a distinct challenge: there often aren’t enough locally sourced native plants readily available to complete these efforts.
The Mississippi State University Extension Service is meeting this problem head-on by enlisting plant enthusiasts to grow and sell these marsh plants. The effort is organized as the Native Plant Producer Network, or NPPN, and it was started in 2023.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Hunters and birders in Mississippi who spot ducks wearing backpacks in the next five years do not need to get their eyes checked.

A new Mississippi State University Extension Service waterfowl study aims to arm landowners with practical habitat management recommendations that will support mallard populations in the Southeast. MSU Extension is teaming with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, or MDWFP, to track the movements and migration patterns of female mallards for the research.

early 100 professionals from across Mississippi met for two days in late October to build Trust-Based Relational Intervention, or TBRI, skills used in their daily work with trauma-exposed children and families. Participants at the Building Bridges Conference work with children and youth who come from hard spaces such as the foster care system.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A federal raw milk testing mandate has been issued to address bird flu outbreaks in U.S. dairy herds.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, or APHIS, declared the federal order Dec. 6 in response to more than 700 herds in 16 states having tested positive for H5N1. The agency billed the announcement as the start of its National Milk Testing Strategy program.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Agricultural specialists with Mississippi State University will share updates and forecasts for 2025 on the state’s largest industry during a conference in January.

The 2025 Mississippi Agricultural Outlook Conference will be held Jan. 14 at the Mill Conference Center in Starkville from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Producers, ag lenders and farm managers are encouraged to attend.

Community groups with a passion for stewarding their local water resources have the opportunity until Jan. 31, 2025, to apply for a mini-grant to help with their efforts.

VERONA, Miss. -- Current and prospective commercial vegetable growers can learn about specialized production methods during Mississippi State University’s 2025 Vegetable Short Course Feb. 25-26.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- For agricultural producers, careful planning in advance of each planting is critical to making a profit or breaking even, but the practice will be especially necessary going into 2025 due to a confluence of unfavorable economic conditions.

Kevin Kim, Will Maples and Brian Mills, agricultural economists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, are part of an effort to help producers make sound business decisions as they enter what will likely be a difficult year financially across the country for agriculture.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Agriculture and forestry are Mississippi’s top industries, but their significance to the state’s economy extends beyond the revenue they generate on their own.

An analysis produced by agricultural economists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service found these sectors combined were an estimated $46.2 billion industry in 2022, accounting for 185,744 jobs and more than 14% of the state’s total economic activity.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Individuals who are interested in running for municipal office in 2025 have three opportunities to learn more about the roles of elected officials and the election process during a free, virtual workshop. The Mississippi State University Extension Center for Government and Community Development is offering Ready to Lead: A Workshop for Aspiring Municipal Leaders in Mississippi.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- As the holidays approach, consider three ways to share the joys of the season by supporting local food pantries. Gifts of money, time and food items are all welcome.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Frustration is mounting for deer hunters across Mississippi whose cool-season food plots died or never got planted because of drought conditions. Although it’s November, hunters still have time to replant.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension professor of wildlife sciences has earned the top individual honor for excellence in Extension.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Agricultural producers and consultants are encouraged to register for the annual Mississippi State University Row Crop Short Course.

Hosted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, the 2024 Row Crop Short Course will be held Dec. 9-11 at the Mill Conference Center in Starkville.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- History enthusiasts of all ages can try their hand at traditional skills and crafts at a festival hosted by the Crosby Arboretum.

The 22nd Annual Piney Woods Heritage Festival will take place on Nov. 9, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Crosby Arboretum, located at 370 Ridge Road in Picayune. This yearly event celebrates traditional skills and crafts, providing a platform for artisans to show their expertise in various heritage activities.

Retired state specialist Larry Alexander was honored by being inducted into the National 4-H Hall of Fame for his career spent serving young people through the Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H Youth Program.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University associate Extension professor of water and wastewater systems is one of nine recipients of annual awards presented by the Universities Council on Water Resources, or UCOWR.

Jason Barrett, interim director of the Mississippi Water Resources Research Institute, or WRRI, was honored with the UCOWR Institute Mid-Career Award for Extension, Outreach and Engagement. The award acknowledges outstanding contributions to water-related efforts in each of these areas.