Feature Story

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Most crop prices have been declining all year, causing Mississippi farmers to make tough decisions on which crops to plant.

"Major commodities have been in a free fall since Jan. 1," said Charlie Forrest, Extension agricultural economist with Mississippi State University. "When you look at futures charts, most of our crops are showing steep, sustained declines. Prices are below the cost of production, causing many decisions about planting to be made based on farm programs."

By Rebekah Ray

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Wild radish, winter peas, wild mustard, vetch and curly dock may sound like ingredients of a savory green salad, but these wild host plants harbor bugs that are unsavory for Mississippi crops.

By Rebekah Ray and Charmain Tan Courcelle

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station food researcher Juan Silva is making it safer to eat the five to seven servings of fruits and vegetables the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends for daily consumption.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Volunteers across Mississippi are sewing for a cause, finishing up quilts which will be auctioned off in support of literacy efforts.

Mississippi Homemaker Volunteer chapters in nearly every county are quilting projects they will donate for auction. Proceeds from the auction will build a scholarship fund that will eventually grant college money to relatives of homemaker volunteers.

Maggie Harris, Extension home economist in Simpson County, is heading up this year's auction.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The absence of positive incentives is influencing Mississippi growers to adjust planting intentions to the crops with the fewest strikes against them: cotton and sorghum.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's prospective plantings report released March 30 predicts Mississippi farmers will plant 15 percent more cotton and 11 percent more sorghum than last year. The only other crop showing any increase in acreage is rice, which is expected to increase about 2 percent. The biggest loss will be for soybeans, down 12 percent from 1.7 million acres to 1.5 million.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Two years of drought lowered Mississippi's underground water supplies, but recent rains have stopped the loss and should be helping replenish formations.

Aquifers are underground water stores found in sand and gravel confined between layers of clay or solid rock. These geologic formations overlap each other at varying depths and extend for miles. Individuals and municipalities tap into these aquifers with wells to supply the population's water needs.

FOXWORTH, Miss. -- Donald Pounds of Marion County depends on the Gelbvieh breed's reputation for heavy weaning weights and maternal characteristics, and his cattle depend on his reputation as a smart and honest producer.

Pounds has owned cattle since he was 12, but he officially entered the commercial (crossbred) cattle business with his uncle in 1969. He purchased his first Gelbvieh bull in 1987 and was so impressed with the results that he began purchasing registered (purebred) cows in 1990. He is slowly phasing out his commercial cattle in favor of a totally registered herd.

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Soft drinks, fast foods and super sizing are among the bad snacking habits of most Americans, and the rate of obesity in young people reflects the trend.

The increasing number of obese and overweight children is so significant that many health officials consider it an epidemic. With the extra pounds, children also gain an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease.

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Hundreds of Mississippians apply pesticides for private or commercial purposes, and training sessions help ensure applicators handle chemicals safely for humans and the environment.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Rising fertilizer costs brought on by natural gas price increases are no longer a future worry but a present problem for Mississippi farmers.

Natural gas prices rose from $2.30 per million British thermal units to almost $10 between January and December 2000. Much of that increase came in the last couple months of the year. But why do high gas bills affect farmers more than workers in other industries?

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Something fishy in Mississippi schools is motivating students to learn all about the state's fishery resources.

A new school enrichment module, "Something's Fishy in Mississippi," is now available to fourth grade classrooms through local 4-H agents. The traveling module features a large interactive display accompanied by two personal computers and CD-ROMs, as well as lesson materials to help teachers plan for two weeks of learning activities.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- What goes into farmland as additives impacts the The Total Maximum Daily Load, or TMDL, is the amount of a particular pollutant that can be released safely to surface water per day. TMDLs are set by the state Department of Environmental Quality, and are designed to ensure that state waters continue to meet quality standards.

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Tomato spotted wilt virus is a persistent and growing problem for commercial tomato producers and home gardeners, but new resistant varieties are available for this growing season.

Alan Henn, Extension plant pathologist at Mississippi State University, said spotted wilt is a common strain of tospovirus that is becoming a more costly threat to many crops in the South and the rest of the nation.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Local cooperatives are as much a part of the agriculture scene as are farmers, but changes in agriculture are prompting similar changes in these businesses.

Darron Hudson, MAFES agricultural economist at Mississippi State University, said co-ops are formed when a group of producers pool their resources to gain a market advantage.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Neglecting nutritional needs at any stage of life is risky, but for senior adults, the results could reduce their quality of life significantly.

Melissa Mixon, human nutrition specialist with Mississippi State University's Extension Service, said older adults should watch their diets closely, especially if they are prone to heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and osteoporosis.

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- The dream-granting program Bruce Brady envisioned while fighting his own battle with cancer was realized this year when 13-year-old Richard Dickson Jr. of Greene County experienced an outdoor adventure to remember.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Economic development is high on the priority list across the South, but some experts believe a contributor to this success is being overlooked.

Home-based businesses annually bring millions of dollars to the rural economies of the South. These are the earliest business form, and offer rural communities the opportunity to develop local assets and keep residents in the community.

By Charmain Tan Courcelle

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Research conducted at Mississippi State University will soon alter existing state nutrient management plans for Mississippi broiler producers since broiler house conditions are different than what was expected.

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Children love watching favorite television programs or movies, but when they are glued to the screen too much during development years, experts say the results get two thumbs down.

"Many studies are showing that media in large doses can have a significant negative impact on children," said Linda Patterson, Extension health specialist at Mississippi State University.

By Allison Matthews

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Lush, green fescue may look ideal for livestock before summer grasses are available, but beware of the invisible threat for pregnant horses lurking inside the winter grass.

Peter Ryan, assistant professor of animal science at Mississippi State University, said fescue is a common forage grass for horses and other livestock in the southeastern United States, but it is frequently infected with a strain of endophyte. The fungus is not harmful to the grass, but it can be hazardous to grazing animals and their offspring.