News

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.

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.

Spring has sprung, at least in my Ocean Springs landscape, and gardeners once again are venturing out and taking an inventory of plant damage from this winter’s cold. Performing this yearly garden task is easier when many plants haven’t started their new growth yet.

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.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- From February through April, calls begin coming in about sick and dying fish in backyard ponds.

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.

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.

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.

I came to a conclusion after a series of events reminded me that spring is really close.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Shock. Disbelief. Denial. Anger. Acceptance. Get busy. This pretty much sums up my range of emotions after the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks released a statement that a 4-year-old buck tested positive for chronic wasting disease, or CWD, in Issaquena County last week.

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.

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.

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.

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. -- 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.

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

Distylium Vintage Jade is an exciting new plant that brings pizazz to the traditional role of foundation planting.

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

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Deer season is over, and prescribed fire, timber management, planting food plots and other habitat improvements come later in the year, but one activity that's perfect for February and early March is planting trees.

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