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STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Experts from the Mississippi State University Extension Service will offer a workshop designed to help food-related business owners prepare for disasters.

“Food as a Business: Disaster Preparedness for Food Businesses” is for anyone who currently operates or is interested in operating an agriculture-based food business, including retail, cottage food or food processing operations.

Topics include financial preparedness, risk management, record keeping, crisis communication planning, emergency-action planning and food recall and traceability planning.

Mississippi fruit and vegetable producers, specialty foods producers and interested farmers can learn how to get their products on local store shelves and into new markets during an upcoming meeting.

PICAYUNE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Crosby Arboretum in Picayune will host the Piney Woods Heritage Festival Nov. 16.

The 17th annual event celebrates the region’s heritage with musical performances and displays and demonstrations of traditional skills and arts, including blacksmithing, spinning, quilting, butter churning, basket making, Native American dancing and more.

BILOXI, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service invites volunteers to participate in the rescheduled 2019 annual Mississippi Coastal Cleanup Nov. 16.

Volunteers will remove litter from 30 sites across Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties beginning at 8 a.m. A complimentary lunch will be provided after the cleanup ends at 11 a.m.

Community organizations are encouraged to participate in an upcoming community training forum on racial understanding Oct. 31 and Nov. 1.

Ryan Akers recently graduated from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s National Emergency Management Executive Academy at the Emergency Management Institute in Emmitsburg, Maryland.

Broadband internet access provides development opportunities for rural areas.

A post-flood recovery meeting on Oct. 22 will help tie up some loose ends with information on agronomic and financial considerations for land that was flooded this year.

South Mississippi Delta residents are in recovery mode after returning to homes that have been under water for nearly six months, but they need materials and assistance as they try to resume their normal lives.

Every approach to cleaning a house after a flood has its pitfalls.

The annual Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference will be in Natchez Oct. 21-23.

When you’re ready to hire a contractor to repair or rebuild property damaged by flooding, keep these tips in mind to help avoid being scammed.

From agricultural damage to financial challenges, the effects of a natural disaster can be physically and emotionally overwhelming for farmers and residents of an impacted region. As those in the Mississippi Delta and surrounding areas continue to cope and begin recovery from recent devastating floods, faculty and staff in Mississippi State’s Extension Service and Department of Psychology are extending reminders that can help.

Getting started on clean-up after a flood can seem overwhelming. Before you do any work, be sure you know what your insurance company needs to file a claim. Take photos and video of damage, inventory items damaged beyond repair, and keep track of expenses.

You’ve been waiting for months to clean up your flooded home, but before you start this daunting task, you need to purchase the appropriate safety equipment to wear. Mold and other toxins can pose a serious health threat inside a flooded home. By following the manufacturer’s instructions, safety gear can protect you from those dangers.

Mississippi’s 259 rice-producing farms rank the state No. 5 nationally in rice production, a fact highlighted in September when Mississippians are urged to “Think Rice.”

There’s always a lot going on in August. School is back in session, and everyone is trying to get back on their busy schedule. In the middle of the chaos, don’t forget your garden!

Although numbers on paper look about right for Mississippi row crops, the reality is actually quite grim in places.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- Producers and landowners can learn more about what to consider when leasing land for oil and gas drilling during a July 16 workshop.

Balancing Farm Success with Oil and Gas Growth will be held from 9 a.m. to noon at Southwest Mississippi Community College in the Horace C. Holmes Student Union.

Topics include leasing, new technology, water testing, environmental concerns and farm planning. Speakers will help landowners understand financial impacts, legal obligations and environmental management strategies.

Bullying is personal to Je'Kylynn Steen, whose experiences as a victim and witness, helped give her insight into a project that can help others who may face the same challenges.

As a community health intern with the Junior Master Wellness Volunteer Program, she served as the primary author of a new bullying module to help young people recognize this pervasive problem and learn strategies to stop it.