Feature Story from 2018

Tyler Branch has been showing goats since he was 8 years old, and all his years of hard work really paid off this week.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi's critical need for medical professionals is the reason for a special summer program hosted at Mississippi State University.

STONEVILLE, Miss. -- Row-crop producers have two opportunities to develop risk management skills to use on their farms.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Those interested in running a sheep or goat operation can learn management and marketing techniques at a March 17 workshop at Mississippi State University.

Register now for the Small Ruminant Production Workshop that runs from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event is offered by the MSU Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Agricultural professionals, educators and service providers are invited to attend a training session on irrigation, water management and related technologies.

Two identical sessions will be offered. The first is March 6 at the Small Farm Training Center in Carriere. The second is March 7 at Jumpertown High School in Booneville.

Topics include production of specialty crops on small farms and application of federally funded cost-share programs and technical assistance for small farms.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- In response to new Environmental Protection Agency regulations on the use of the herbicide dicamba, the Mississippi State University Extension Service is developing two online training courses to help cotton and soybean farmers follow the new rules.

VERONA, Miss. -- Normie Buehring has plans for the 2018 trial crops at the Northeast Mississippi Branch Experiment Station, and he’s not even going to be there to see their harvest later this year.

VERONA, Miss. -- Producers provided a wide range of agricultural research, programming and staffing requests to Mississippi State University officials at the annual North Mississippi Producer Advisory Council meeting Feb. 15.

Held at the MSU Agri-Center in Verona, the meeting provided producers in 22 of the state’s northern counties from 16 commodity groups an opportunity to meet with representatives from the MSU Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Everything Garden Expo, presented by the Oktibbeha County Master Gardeners, will return to the Mississippi Horse Park on March 24 and 25.

HOUSTON, Miss. -- Sweet potato growers in Mississippi have been part of a growing industry in recent years, but they can do even better if they capitalize on export options.

That was the prevailing message at a recent meeting hosted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service at the Houston Civic Center Feb. 20.

Mississippi farmers are gearing up for the 2018 growing season, which means everyone needs to be prepared to share the road with tractors and other equipment.

Patrick Poindexter, Alcorn County coordinator with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said being aware and patient can keep everyone safe.

Mississippi temperatures got into the single digits this winter, which many people think of as bug-killing weather, but experts say that is not always the case.

Agricultural clients met with Mississippi State University personnel to discuss research and education needs during the annual Producer Advisory Council Meeting for the southwest region February 20.

March is a good time for landowners to take steps to prevent wildfires, not only because it is Wildfire Prevention Month, but also because more fires occur this month.

Heather Alexander, an assistant professor in the Mississippi State University Forest and Wildlife Research Center, said March sees more wildfires than summer months because it is a time of transition between winter and spring.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Two highly anticipated online training modules are now available for those who plan to purchase or apply dicamba and similar herbicides.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service, in cooperation with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce Bureau of Plant Industry, developed these new online training courses related to herbicides labeled for use with dicamba-tolerant cotton and soybeans in response to label changes from the Environmental Protection Agency.

ELLISVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University representatives met with agricultural clients in Ellisville recently to discuss research and education needs for 2018. More than 115 individuals attended this year's event.

POPLARVILLE, Miss. -- Designing an app that helps fruit growers know how many chill hours their crops have accumulated earned one Mississippi State University Extension Service specialist a regional award.

Teachers who want to provide hands-on learning about nature can bring students to a March 29 field day at the Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune.

Horticulture students will host their spring plant sale at the Mississippi Horse Park during the Everything Garden Expo on March 24 and 25.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS, Miss. -- The Southern Region of the American Society for Horticultural Science recognized what Mississippi gardeners already knew: Rick Snyder’s monthly gardening column is informative, entertaining and high quality.

 Snyder, a vegetable specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, received a Blue Ribbon Extension Publication Award in February for his work. Since 2005, Snyder’s column has appeared monthly in Mississippi Gardener magazine.