Rural Development
As a predominately rural state, Mississippi has untapped potential for rural development. MSU Extension specialists and agents work with community leaders, business owners, nonprofit organizations, and state agency partners to address the increasing demand for a variety of experiences that can be found only in the country. Whether it’s developing a new business based on a landowner’s available natural resources or capitalizing on an existing agritourism venture, Mississippians have access to a wide variety of subject-matter experts who can help them shine a light on what makes their corner of the state special.
Publications
News
RAYMOND, Miss. -- A Mississippi State University Extension Service specialist was recently recognized for her work with the rural tourism industry. Rachael Carter, tourism specialist with the MSU Extension Center for Government and Community Development, or CGCD, received the Agnes Zaiontz Rural Tourism Leadership Award from the Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference committee.
RAYMOND, Miss. -- Tourism employees, city council members, elected officials and others interested in growing tourism in rural areas are invited to attend an upcoming tri-state conference. The Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference will be held Oct. 23-25 in Cleveland, Mississippi. The conference is open to anyone who works in tourism, economic development or public service. Attendees will have the opportunity to network with professionals in the tourism industry and attend multiple educational sessions.
RAYMOND, Miss. -- In Mississippi, 230,000 residents lack access to high-speed internet and the many benefits it offers, but the Mississippi State University Extension Service is working to help change that. Devon Mills, an assistant Extension professor of agricultural economics, is leading an effort to build an inventory of all the organizations in the state working to promote digital skills and literacy. This effort, called the Mississippi Digital Asset Mapping Project, is helping spread the word about a survey to help construct that inventory.
DREW, Miss. -- The small Delta town of Drew in the heart of Sunflower County has created a private, public and academic partnership to fight food insecurity.
For its efforts, the town recently received a big new honor, along with funding to advance ongoing health equity improvements. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) last month awarded Drew and nine other communities the 2020–2021 Culture of Health Prize, along with $25,000.
STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A team led by a Mississippi State University unit has been recognized on the national level for its contributions to race relations.
The Coming Together for Racial Understanding (CTRU) project received the 2021 National Diversity in Extension Award from the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, Cooperative Extension and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Success Stories
The Excellence in Tourism Leadership Program is training volunteers, employees, and board members involved in Mississippi’s tourism sector and related organizations as they build networks with fellow tourism professionals.
Former U.S. senators, award-winning authors, and influential musicians have called Carrollton home, so it makes sense that town leaders lean on those credentials to lure visitors to the town to generate revenue.
Imagine what Mississippi might look like if everyone had access to healthy foods. The state could set an example for other rural states in using existing resources, collaborating with officials and stakeholders, and creating solutions that have measurable impacts for individuals and families.
Bricks to Clicks provides free, low-cost, and easy-to-use marketing resources to help small businesses grow their audiences and income. Free marketing resources include a website course, one-on-one coaching, webinars, podcasts, a blog, and a bimonthly newsletter. With these marketing resources, business owners can get personalized guidance backed by decades of marketing experience to drive online awareness and engagement to increase sales.
Corey Proctor describes New Augusta as a small town with a big heart.
He would know as well as anyone. He has called the seat of Perry County home for most of his adult life and was elected to serve on its board of aldermen in 2021.
