Feature Story from 2015

COLUMBUS -- Mississippi chefs with a flair for cooking wild game can enter their best recipes in a contest at the Lowndes County Wildlife Tasting Buffet on Feb. 19.

The competition runs from 5:30-6:15 p.m. at the Trotter Convention Center in Columbus. Dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. Admission is $1 for those who bring a wildlife dish with a recipe, a dessert or a side item. Admission is $5 for those who do not bring a dish.

Contest categories include commercial processors, antlered, wild hog, fin, feather and fur. First place winners will receive certificates and prizes.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi farmers interested in growing sesame have to rely mainly on recommendations made for Texas fields, a problem Mississippi State University researchers are working to address.

Sesame produces small, edible seeds valued for consumption and oil production. Consumers recognize it most frequently as the tasty seeds on hamburger buns, but a lot of cooking is done with sesame oil. When the seed is toasted, it has a nutty smell and pleasant taste.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A comprehensive reference book on all aspects of bovine reproduction was recently published under the leadership of a Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine professor.

Dr. Richard Hopper, professor in the MSU-CVM Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, is lead author and editor-in-chief of “Bovine Reproduction.” Hopper is section leader for the CVM Theriogenology, Ambulatory and Food Animal Medicine Service. Theriogenology is the study of animal reproduction.

PICAYUNE -- The Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune invites artists and craftsmen of all media to enter an art show scheduled for April 10-12.

The show, sponsored by the Crosby Arboretum Foundation, will celebrate the Piney Woods region of Mississippi. It will feature paintings, photography, and sculptures, in addition to works of art in clay, metal, wood, thread and cloth. Awards will be presented April 12.

BILOXI -- Coastal region agriculture producers and other interested clients are invited to help direct educational programming and research provided by Mississippi State University.

The Commodity Advisory Council meeting will begin at 9 a.m. on Feb. 24 at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi.

Experts with the MSU Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will share research results, answer questions and listen to producer needs for 2015.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Rebecca Melanson recently joined the Mississippi State University Extension Service as a plant pathologist.

She will focus on disease management issues in fruits, vegetables and nuts.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Lisa Mensah, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new undersecretary for rural development, visited Mississippi Friday, her first trip since being confirmed to the post.

Mensah visited with officials from Mississippi State University and Alcorn State University, as well as stakeholders in central Mississippi and the Delta, to discuss rural development issues.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A free webinar series will offer business owners tips for using technology to increase sales and customer satisfaction.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service, Mississippi Main Street Association and Mississippi Development Authority Entrepreneur Center are partnering to deliver four sessions related to business development.

GOODMAN, Miss. -- Fruit and vegetable producers can learn how to improve profits during the Feb. 20 field day at the Alliance for Sustainable Agriculture Production Farm near Goodman.

Speakers from the Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group will provide information to help farmers gather the right data to make decisions that can increase profits.

QUITMAN, Miss. -- Livestock exhibitors work hard for trophies and blue ribbons, but they occasionally earn intangible rewards that will never collect dust.

Christy King, an agent with the Mississippi State University Extension Service in Clarke County since 2010, knows what typical 4-H members learn through livestock projects.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine invites visitors of all ages to attend its 30th annual Open House on April 10 and 11.

The college will open its doors from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the Wise Center in Starkville. The April 10 program is for preregistered school groups. Everyone is welcome to attend on April 11.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi Saves will launch its second America Saves Week campaign on Feb. 23 to promote financial responsibility throughout the state.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- With spring right around the corner, experts say now is the time for producers to control weeds that have developed resistance to commonly used herbicides.

Jason Bond, associate research and Extension professor at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, said glyphosate-resistant Italian ryegrass is a problem weed for producers in Mississippi.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- A unique, annual competition at Mississippi State University is designed to match graduate students in applied production agriculture with industries seeking to hire new employees.

The third annual Future of Agriculture Graduate Student Competition will be Feb. 5 at the Bost Extension Center. Nearly 40 masters and doctoral degree students working in production agriculture will present the results of their research to a panel of farmers, consultants, industry personnel and academic professionals.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University Extension Service agricultural economists will hold a series of workshops related to the Agricultural Act of 2014 in February.

“Farm Bill Summary, Analysis and Decision Aids” will address six topics related to the new farm bill. Workshops will cover the fine points of the legislation and how the state’s crop producers will be affected. Topics include agricultural risk coverage, price-loss coverage, supplemental coverage option, stacked-income protection plan, farm bill analysis and decision aids.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Small-business owners and entrepreneurs can participate in an upcoming workshop to help them establish, develop and grow their businesses.

The Mississippi Small Business Forum will be March 17 at the Mississippi State University Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond.

The MSU Extension Service, Alcorn State University Extension Program and Hinds Community College Entrepreneurship Business Development Program will deliver 12 educational sessions and help business owners understand the resources available from these colleges.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University researchers are preparing for the day when unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones, can be used commercially in agriculture.

Their size, cost and capabilities make UAVs useful for a wide range of jobs. Some MSU researchers are already using these vehicles, and many others are examining their potential applications.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Cogongrass will not be in bloom for at least another two months, but now is the time for people who suspect they may have this weed on their property to find out for sure.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University faculty members and students received top honors at the Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy meeting in Atlanta earlier this month.

Normie Buehring and Christian Baldwin, faculty members in the MSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, were awarded for research and teaching, respectively.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Mississippi State University experts will share the latest research on managing unseen soybean yield killers at five seminars across the state in February.

The goal is to heighten awareness of soybean-management issues that often go unseen but can severely impact yield. These issues include nematodes, soil fertility and fertilizer management, and soil crusting and irrigation-infiltration problems. The seminars are sponsored by the MSU Extension Service, Mississippi Soybean Promotion Board and Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.