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Feature Story from 2013

Mike McCain, research and development manager for Mars Food, left, presents a ceremonial $50,000 check to support rice research to Tim Walker, a researcher with the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and rice specialist with the MSU Extension Service, in Stoneville, Miss., on July 30, 2013. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Linda Breazeale)
August 2, 2013 - Filed Under: Rice

STONEVILLE – Farmers and consultants came to the 2013 Rice Field Day to learn the latest rice growing recommendations, but they also witnessed the industry’s support of Mississippi State University’s research program.

MSU hosted the annual event on July 30 at the Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. Following the keynote address by Andy Morris, a rice buyer for Mars Food, MSU received a $50,000 check from the company to support rice research in the state.

About 50 percent of salamander species worldwide are threatened. Researchers at Mississippi State University are working with these and other threatened salamanders to help them breed in captivity. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
August 2, 2013 - Filed Under: Environment, Natural Resources, Wildlife

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A tough bunch of salamanders found a home in a brand-new lab at Mississippi State University, where they are helping researchers learn how to keep populations of these amphibians from declining worldwide.

The 62 tiger salamanders took a long road before reaching MSU. They came from Nevada by way of Iowa and the Omaha Zoo before arriving at a Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station lab at MSU.

Mississippi State University faculty Lori Elmore-Staton and MSU Extension Service family life specialist Cassandra Kirkland discuss sleep strategies with Santee Ezell of Starkville at a family health workshop hosted by the Brickfire Project. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Scott Corey)
August 5, 2013 - Filed Under: Family, Children and Parenting, Health

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Getting enough sleep can significantly improve a child’s readiness for school and general well-being.

Mississippi State University researchers recently took on a project at a local child care center to offer research-based strategies for developing healthier families. One of those strategies is developing bedtime routines to ease kids into sleep.

August 5, 2013 - Filed Under: Poultry

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Two Mississippi State University poultry science graduate students took home honors from the Poultry Science Association annual meeting.

August 6, 2013 - Filed Under: Food

MISSISSIPPI STATE —Two Mississippi State University food science graduate students took top prizes for poster presentations at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo in Chicago.

Yan Zhao placed first in the Muscle Foods Division competition for her research on food safety in aging dry-cured hams. Her research looked at not only keeping the food safe but also at the effects different processes have on flavor and sensory quality.

August 8, 2013 - Filed Under: Technology, Family, Children and Parenting

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Back to school time means homework, and homework today typically means at least some time spent in front of a computer.

While the Internet has long been used for research, today it frequently offers tutoring, drills and games aimed at brushing up the skills learned in class.

Carla Stanford, an agent with the Mississippi State University Extension Service in Pontotoc County, said careful parents and students can often find help with problem assignments or concepts that are particularly difficult to master.

August 8, 2013 - Filed Under: Sweet Potatoes

PONTOTOC – Sweet potato growers, crop consultants and other agricultural professionals can learn about recent weed, insect and disease control research during an upcoming field day.

Researchers and specialists with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment station will host the event Aug. 22 at the Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station located at 8320 Highway 15 South.

From left, Ramona Edge, Itawamba County Extension coordinator, and Shelaine Pennington, Prentiss County Extension coordinator, learn how to make a flat pattern Aug. 1 during the annual Master Clothing Volunteers conference at Mississippi State University. (Photo by MSU Extension Center for Technology Outreach/Mariah Smith)
August 9, 2013 - Filed Under: Technology, Family, Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers

By Kaitlyn Byrne
MSU Office of Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A social media workshop recently taught Mississippi’s Master Clothing Volunteers how to reach out to new members through Facebook and Pinterest.

August 9, 2013 - Filed Under: Family, Food Safety

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A successful tailgate party requires a winning game plan for the food, not just for the football game that follows.

Food safety experts say one in six people gets a food-borne illness each year. While most of these incidents do not require hospitalization and are even blamed on a stomach bug or 24-hour virus, these illnesses are avoidable.

August 12, 2013 - Filed Under: Beef

HATTIESBURG – Mississippi cattle producers continue to go online to connect with livestock markets throughout the country.

The sixth annual Mississippi Homeplace Producers’ Sale was broadcast live to viewers across the state and nation Aug. 5 from Southeast Mississippi Livestock in Hattiesburg. Since 2008, the sale has been conducted with the assistance of Mississippi State University’s Extension Service.

August 14, 2013 - Filed Under: Technology, About Extension

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A new app from the Mississippi State University Extension Service connects the expertise of more than 150 county agents to clients wherever they are.

The Mississippi Extension Service Directory is a free app available for Apple products, including the iPhone, iPad and iPod, through the app store. Users can search the directory by county, region and agent’s name. Clients can launch an in-app phone call or view a map to the county office.

Betsy Padgett, Holmes County Extension agent, and Christina Meriwether, Leflore County Extension agent, learn how to program robots at Mississippi State University's 4-H Robotics Academy on Aug. 13, 2013. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
August 14, 2013 - Filed Under: Technology, Family, STEM – Science Technology Engineering and Math

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Although robots do dangerous and repetitive tasks and provide automation in industry, it was their role as really good teaching tools that drew trainers to Mississippi State University in early August.

The MSU Extension Service’s Center for Technology Outreach hosted the 4-H Robotics Academy Aug. 11-15. The center partnered with NASA and the University of Mississippi’s Center for Mathematics and Science Education to offer five days of robotics training at basically no charge. MSU’s Bagley College of Engineering was also involved.

August 15, 2013 - Filed Under: Peanuts

CLARKSDALE -- Mississippi peanut growers can hear the latest research-based recommendations and get close looks at demonstration plots in Coahoma County during a Sept. 6 field day.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service will host the North Mississippi Peanut Field Day beginning at 9 a.m. on the Mattson Flowers Farm, located at the intersection of Highway 322 and Highway 49.

August 15, 2013 - Filed Under: Animal Health, Pets

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Veterinary students will join a diverse group of public health and veterinary experts in late September to explore successes and challenges in rabies prevention on both local and global scales.

The Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine will host the sixth annual Merial Rabies Symposium on World Rabies Day, Sept. 28.

This year’s symposium is themed “Protecting Animals, People and Our Future.” Activities will take place from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Wise Center in Starkville.

Regions Bank representatives, from left, Brad Jones, Walt Stephens and Alan Sims join Mississippi State University forest products professor Phillip Steele as he accepts the Superior Faculty Award for research from Greg Bohach, vice president for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine on Aug. 2. Regions Bank pledged $50,000 over five years to fund DAFVM awards for exceptional merit in five areas: teaching, research, Extension and outreach, service, and international collaboration. (Ph
August 16, 2013 - Filed Under: Community

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine recently honored five faculty members with the Regions Bank-DAFVM Superior Faculty Awards in a new program designed to highlight exemplary work in five key areas.

James Warnock, associate professor of biomedical engineering program in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, received the Teaching Award for his innovative teaching methods and commitment to his students. He has been a faculty member at MSU for eight years.

August 19, 2013 - Filed Under: Technology, Health

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippians looking for more information about how to better care for themselves and their families have a new resource available online.

August 22, 2013 - Filed Under: Flower Gardens, Vegetable Gardens

VERONA – North Mississippi flower and vegetable gardeners will have the opportunity to tour fall horticulture plots at the North Mississippi Research and Extension Center on Sept. 28.

Mississippi State University Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station personnel will host the annual event from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on that Saturday in Verona.

MSU horticulture experts will lead educational seminars, answer questions and provide tours of the flower and vegetable gardens at the facility located at 5421 Highway 145 South.

Peter Ryan
August 22, 2013 - Filed Under: Equine

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The American College of Theriogenologists recently recognized a veteran Mississippi State University professor’s research and teaching career with an honorary membership.

Jason Krutz, irrigation specialist with Mississippi State University's Delta Research and Extension Center, says he believes that soil moisture sensors can save farmers money, conserve water and extend the life of irrigation pumps. Krutz is holding one of the sensors during the Corn and Soybean Field Day in Stoneville, Miss., on July 18, 2013. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Linda Breazeale)
August 22, 2013 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Irrigation

STONEVILLE – When it comes to irrigating crops, farmers are like Goldilocks.

“They don’t want too much water; they don’t want too little water; they want it just right,” said Jason Krutz, irrigation specialist with Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center.

Krutz explained that too much irrigation can damage a crop, drive costs up and reduce underground water supplies.

Quadry Antoine of Belle Chase, La., Rufus Warren of Indianola, and other members of Mississippi State University's football team play with a calf at the third annual Beefing Up the Bulldogs event at MSU on Aug. 18, 2013. (Photo by MSU Ag Communications/Kat Lawrence)
August 22, 2013 - Filed Under: Agriculture, Beef, Dairy, Community

By Kaitlyn Byrne
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Members of Mississippi State University’s football team traded helmets and shoulder pads for cows and hay bales at the third annual Beefing Up the Bulldogs event at the new Leo Seal Jr. Football Complex.

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