Extension supports city clerks during pandemic

Many things about the way Jo Ann Robbins did her job changed when coronavirus hit.

“The COVID-19 pandemic impacted my work and my personal life in ways I never dreamed possible” 

4-H’er uses tech to unite club, serve community

Not many teens—or adults, for that matter—know the ins and outs of Robert’s Rules of Order, but 17-year-old Chasity Moses is making a habit of knowing and doing things that set her apart.

The Lexington Food Pantry’s food giveaways in Holmes County came together because of a group of dedicated volunteers, many of whom are part of the AIM for CHangE coalition in Lexington. Advancing, Inspiring, and Motivating for Community Health through Extension—AIM for CHangE—develops community-led groups that develop health solutions specifically for local residents.

Vardaman producer named Farmer of the Year

When Joe Edmondson surveys his farming operation at Topashaw Farms, he thinks about his more than 40 full-time employees and the hundreds of seasonal workers who work the acres.

Extension helps clients with disaster recovery

Hulon McKenzie had various jobs over the years. He worked in the oil field, hauled cattle cross-country, and dispatched for a trucking company. But none of them matched the work he did on his small family farm in the Tilton- Sauls Valley community of Monticello.

Originally from Port Gibson, Jonnese Goings is now an inventory control analyst at the Belk Inc. corporate office in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her 4-H background taught her to be independent and committed to whatever she sets her mind to and helped her obtain several internships and leadership positions during her college years. The leadership and public speaking skills she developed in the 4-H youth development program coordinated by the Mississippi State University Extension Service continue to benefit her in her career today.

Mississippi Small Businesses Receive Extension Support

When federal and state lending programs specifically geared toward small businesses were announced as part of the government’s response to natural disasters and COVID-19, Mississippi State University Extension Service personnel went into action to distribute information to Mississippi Main Street’s businesses, organizations, and farmers markets.

Master Gardener volunteers despite pandemic challenges

The sun was beating down, the humidity oppressive, and the flower bed dry. It was April 29, 2020, and the pandemic had closed the Mississippi State University Extension Service office in Washington County, where the snapdragons are.

New endowment honors longtime Extension swine specialist

In his 34 years as swine specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, Dr. Mark Crenshaw was one of the state’s most prominent advocates for the pork industry. Now, an Extension endowment fund bears his name.

Patrick Lemoine has been guiding young people for nearly two decades. As a volunteer with the Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H youth development program, he’s coached numerous 4-H forestry, poultry, and livestock teams to victories. But his 2019 Rankin County 4-H forestry team’s second-place win at the National 4-H Forestry Invitational in August was one of his proudest accomplishments.

Tredell and Anthony Meeks have been riding horses since they were small children. But 6 years ago, they decided they wanted to join 4-H in Holmes County and participate in competitions. “We saw other 4-H members who were doing horse competitions, and we thought it looked like fun,” says 18-year-old Anthony. “We wanted to try it.”

Rice is one of Mississippi’s only commodities to be grown, milled, packaged, sold, and eaten right here in the state. And, for decades, the annual Rice Tasting Luncheon in Cleveland, Mississippi, has allowed local residents to show off their best rice-based dishes at Delta State University in Bolivar County, which produces more than 1.5 million hundredweight of rice annually.

Neal Smith grew up in Picayune in Pearl River County and has lived in Ohio for 27 years. As the chief executive officer and executive secretary for the American Jersey Cattle Association, Smith has been able to stay connected to the reason he joined 4-H as a child—his love of dairy cattle. He first joined 4-H because he wanted to show his Jersey calf at the Pearl River County Fair.

Back in 1991 when she retired, Prentiss County resident Sue K. Honeycutt had figured out that connecting with people in the community leads to great outcomes, both for the giver and the receiver.

Before Ann Tackett helped establish a farmers market and renovate the old railroad depot building in her town, she just wanted to start a cannery.

In a normal year, Clay Adcock grows 4,000 acres of corn, cotton, and soybeans. But 2019 was anything but normal.

Cousins Tredell and Anthony Meeks brought home top honors at the Southern Regional 4-H Horse Championship in Georgia in 2019. The pair has participated in the family pastime since they were small children but decided to join 4-H 6 years ago to meet new people, learn new things, and compete among their peers.

4-H S.A.F.E.T.Y. is Mississippi 4-H’s biggest program. Competitors in the Safe Archery and Firearms Education and Training for Youth program are immersed in essential firearm-safety training to learn maturity, self-discipline, responsibility, and sportsmanship.

Mississippi became the 25th state with a confirmed case of chronic wasting disease (CWD) in February 2018. Since then, state agencies have been working together to protect the state’s deer population.

Turning on a water faucet typically produces a clear and safe product. If that doesn’t happen, there’s trouble.