Feature Story

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Two undergraduate student teams from Mississippi State University with an interest in muscle foods took top honors during their first appearance at the American Meat Science Association Intercollegiate Quiz Bowl.

The two MSU teams, a collaborative effort between the Departments of Animal and Dairy Sciences, and Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, won first and second place among 20 collegiate teams from across the country. They competed at the 2008 Reciprocal Meat Conference in Gainesville, Fla., June 22 and 23.

By Courtney Coufal
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Shopping for back-to-school clothes does not have to stress family finances if parents plan their spending and stick to the basics.

Bobbie Shaffett, family resource management specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said there may not be much room left in the family budget for clothing this year because of rising prices and energy costs.

This does not have to keep parents from treating their children to an annual back-to-school shopping trip if they follow a few tips.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The cost of getting an education is high, and with gas prices hovering near $4 a gallon, just getting to school has never been more expensive.

Traffic picks up when school starts back as school bus drivers, carpooling parents and commuting college students hit the road en mass to get an education or take someone to class.

By Steven Nalley
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Both children and adults must follow safety rules to protect children from the dangers of riding, entering and exiting school buses.

Karen Benson is an area child and family development agent based in Neshoba County with the Mississippi State University Extension Service. She said children who move throughout the bus while it is moving risk not only falling, but also distracting the driver.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The need to manage diabetes goes to school or daycare with the child who has the disease, but parents and teachers can lessen their anxiety about the child's welfare with communication.

“Communication must be open and ongoing between parents and a child, and also between parents and school personnel, to help the child cope with diabetes,” said Tabitha Staier, family education specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

By Steven Nalley
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Freshmen and international students in college can deal with homesickness by getting involved in new activities and establishing strong social networks.

Tabitha Staier, family education and policy specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the cause of homesickness often is not only a detachment from family and social networks at home, but also adjusting to newfound independence.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Michael and Shuping Zhang work at the same facility, but you won't find this husband and wife team making dinner plans or coordinating transportation for their kids.

“If people ask about my husband, I tell them my husband is at home. We are just colleagues at work,” Shuping said. “We work in the same facility, but we each have our own sections.”

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Pecan growers will have the opportunity to see exhibits on every production aspect at the 2008 Tri-State Pecan Trade Show and Convention coming up July 24-25 in Vicksburg.

Instead of the traditional orchard tour, meeting organizers are offering an expanded focus on vendors in the 17,000 square feet of the Vicksburg Convention Center exhibit hall.

By Courtney Coufal
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Many Mississippians will celebrate this Fourth of July at home, as high fuel prices cut into budgets, but they still can have a safe and memorable holiday weekend.

A survey conducted by Travelzoo.com revealed that six in 10 Americans feel it would be easier to host a large barbecue gathering during the holiday weekend than to find an affordable airline ticket.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A female-dominated profession is getting some competition from men who have only begun to make their presence known in the scientific field of dietetics.

“We're starting to see more students who are interested in the health-care area, and that begins with nutrition,” said Benjy Mikel, head of Mississippi State University's Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion. “We're seeing some males enter this field.”

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- James “Wes” McPherson had his mind set on veterinary school three years ago when he began his freshman year at Mississippi State University, but his heart refused to listen.

The junior from Inverness grew up tending soybeans and corn on his stepfather's farm. The more he thought about leaving the Delta behind, the more it beckoned. This soul-searching caused McPherson to face facts and examine options. At stake were scholastic success and personal satisfaction.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi State University’s Institute for Digital Biology hosted a four-day international conference in May on avian genomics.

In hosting this conference, MSU joined a prestigious list of genetic research institutions that includes biomedical institutes in the United Kingdom, Japan and Spain, as well as the Stowers Institute in Kansas City, Mo., and the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratories in New York.

By Steven Nalley
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- A “to-go” box usually lets diners save restaurant food, but in disaster's wake, a different kind of to-go box can do the same for insurance, certificates and other documentation.

As hurricane season begins, it is important to keep copies of irreplaceable documents packed and ready for evacuation at a moment's notice.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The 600,000 acres of 16th section land located in 67 Mississippi counties generate more than $45 million each year and supplement a budget of more than $2 billion for K-12 education.

Sixteenth section land is public acreage set aside when the state was first surveyed to help fund education and other programs. The 15 counties in north Mississippi that do not have school trust lands receive annual appropriations to compensate for this lost source of local education funding.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Just days remain for Mississippi farmers to be counted in the 2007 Census of Agriculture, a tally that actually impacts the agriculture industry in the state.

The ag census attempts to gather information from all farmers in the country. The U.S. Department of Agriculture conducts the survey every five years through the National Agricultural Statistics Service. Farmers have until June 18 to be counted in this census.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The challenge has begun for Mississippi youth to make the next hundred years of 4-H more remarkable than the first.

More than 600 youth, their volunteer leaders and Mississippi State University Extension Service staff worked hard to make the 2008 4-H Congress successful. The event took place May 28-30 at MSU.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The trend toward green or organic production has made its way to many home gardeners, but Mississippi's climate makes it a challenging place to grow plants without harsh chemicals to control pests.

Lelia Kelly, consumer horticulture specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said a big part of growing organic gardens is being conscientious.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Dairy experts have planned a day of intensive education on issues related to dairy production in Mississippi, and everyone involved in the industry is encouraged to attend.

The Statewide Dairy Field Day is June 25 in Tylertown at the Southwest Events Center Conference Facility. There is no cost to attend this event, hosted by the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

By Patti Drapala
MSU Ag Communications

VERONA -- Home gardeners want to share their dirty little secrets.

They will forego any inconvenience if they feel they can help even one person. Such enthusiasm for plants and nature is why some people across the state will drive a good distance to exhibit at or attend field days, such as the recent Spring Garden Day at the North Mississippi Extension and Research Center in Verona.