Family photo of 2 parents and 3 young adults standing with arms around each other in front of a small body of water.

Frank Brumfield, originally from Inverness, Mississippi, in Sunflower County, now resides in Chicago, Illinois. Brumfield was a futures trader at the Chicago Board of Trade for 18 years and now operates his own private investment firm, the FSB Companies. Brumfield’s cattle operations take place in Three Oaks, Michigan, and Wilsall, Montana. 

View from a green kayak of the back of two women paddling a kayak.

2020 Pearl River Clean Sweep removes thousands of pounds of trash

Since it began 4 years ago, the Pearl River Clean Sweep has removed more than 135,000 pounds of trash from the Pearl River Basin, including the Pearl, Strong, and Bogue Chitto Rivers across 15 Mississippi counties and two Louisiana parishes.

The Clean Sweep offers an opportunity for volunteers to participate in a coordinated effort organized by like-minded leaders. Many people affiliated with the Mississippi State University Extension Service participated in the 2020 cleanup, and lead organizer Abby Braman is an Extension-certified Master Naturalist volunteer.

A man with his arm around a smiling woman standing on a sidewalk in front of a lake.

A Reward for Hard Work

Doss Family Endows Scholarship for Future Extension Agents

In the Doss family, a strong work ethic is the hallmark of success. That is why, as a tribute to his parents, Roy and Helen, Derrell Doss arranged for their trust to fund a scholarship for Mississippi State University students who want to pursue careers related to agriculture, home economics, and the Extension Service.

Two men standing in a row crop.

Variety trials exemplify Extension’s service to growers through pandemic

For 10 years, a small portion of Moody Farms in Tishomingo County has been sectioned off for cotton variety trial plots. That streak continued in 2020, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

A woman wearing a light blue blazer and pink shirt stands smiling with her hand on a light pole.

Lexington coalition organizes food giveaway amid pandemic

When the Guardian (U.S. edition) released its article “In the poorest county, in America’s poorest state, a virus hits home: ‘Hunger is rampant’” in early April 2020, a local coalition in Holmes County had already organized to create a food pantry in Lexington.

A young boy wearing a NASA sweatshirt stands on a sidewalk holding a camera by his side.

4-H’er creates instructional video

4-H’ers learn by doing, pandemic or no pandemic. So, even though Aaron Lampley could not meet with the Winston County Photography Club, he could leverage technology to increase his own skills and share his expertise with other photo enthusiasts.

A smiling woman holding a tablet stands outside in front of a flagpole.

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” 

A smiling young girl wearing an orange shirt sits on a ledge in front of flowers.

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.

A group of 11 men and women wearing masks stand in front of a brick building.

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.

A man and woman stand next to a crate stacked with boxes of sweet potatoes.

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.

An elderly man stands next to his son.

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.

A young woman wearing a black shirt smiling.

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.

Three signs with “Handwashing Station Here,” “Keep a 6-foot distance from others,” and "Hand Sanitizer Here” next to a large watermelon sculpture.

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.

A woman kneels next to a bed of flowers.

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.

A man stands next to an 18-wheeler truck.

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.

A man wearing a collared red shirt stands holding a large wooden trophy with a large wooden acorn on top in one hand and a plaque in the other.

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.

Two boys sit on two horses facing the camera. Both boys are wearing blue shirts and safety helmets.

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.”

A woman stands smiling in front of a room full of people working at long tables.

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.

A man wearing a light blue shirt with “US Jersey” above the chest pocket stands smiling in front of several cows.

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.

An elderly woman holds a scrapbook page while sitting behind a table full of several more pages.

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.

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Extension Matters Issues

About Extension Matters Magazine

Extension Matters magazine is the premier publication of the Mississippi State University Extension Service, telling our clients’ own stories of success through Extension education.

“We are excited to have our clients tell their stories, and we are thankful for the opportunity to interact with Mississippians through our local offices in all 82 counties across the state,” says Dr. Gary B. Jackson, director of Extension.

Extension Matters profiles people just like you, men and women who want to expand their knowledge base and learn about the latest innovations. Families, farmers, business owners, and government leaders are benefitting from the educational opportunities Extension agents and specialists are bringing to people and communities just like yours. Extension Matters shares our clients’ successes to show how you, too, can succeed through Extension.