Feature Story

Mississippians are finding ways to stay fit while sheltering in place to avoid looking like the humans in the animated movie “Wall-E” after generations of inert life on spaceships.

As families limit trips to the grocery store, they can use their freezers to preserve more than just meat, fruits and vegetables.

Dairy products and eggs also can be frozen.

When it feels like every aspect of life is changing daily because of the COVID-19 pandemic, even the calmest person can be overwhelmed.

Working from home can be a big source of stress, as balancing family and job responsibilities is intensified by social distancing and other protective measures.

STARKVILLE, Miss. – Agricultural economists with the Mississippi State University Extension Service will present an online webinar on the economic outlook of row crops in 2020.

Growers seeking insight on the effect of COVID-19 on commodity markets can remotely attend the workshop through the Zoom video conferencing application. 

Faculty with the MSU Department of Agricultural Economics will provide insight on farm management and policy considerations to help producers make informed planting decisions during this time.

Interest in gardening has nearly kept pace with social distancing and self-isolation rates across the country as the COVID-19 pandemic has circled the globe.

Unless they are carefully cleaned, phones and handheld devices now carry a greater risk than enabling users to waste time: virus transmission.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Weather always plays a role in the spring planting decisions of Mississippi row-crop producers, but the market impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is another variable they will have to consider in 2020.

Thanks to technology, meetings still can be held face-to-face while practicing social distancing, and some tips from the pros can help make the transition easier.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service Center for Technology Outreach has provided technological support for remote learning for more than 20 years. Advances in technology make it faster, easier and possible from home.

RAYMOND, Miss. -- As workplaces implement social distancing measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19, some Mississippians face the frightening reality of lost or reduced income.

Many families will need to stretch their budgets a little more, and cooking at home can help.

The strict biosecurity measures already practiced in Mississippi’s $2.7 billion poultry industry allow this “essential critical infrastructure workforce” to continue business as usual during the COVID-19 pandemic.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Necessary restrictions on travel and gatherings are affecting how the Mississippi State University Extension Service operates, but its ability to respond to the needs of its clients, the public and state agencies during the COVID-19 pandemic continues uninterrupted.

Extension’s roles during crises are many: emergency management, local level assistance, support for the state’s agricultural industry, and dissemination of public information and education.

Mississippi State University Extension experts join the chorus of voices urging all people to practice social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic, saying this is crucial for older adults.

RAYMOND, Miss. – As people reduce trips to the grocery store to help slow the spread of the new coronavirus, older adults should pay special attention to what they put in their pantries. 

“As we age, we don’t need as many calories, but we still need the same amount of nutrients or more of certain nutrients,” said Qula Madkin, an Extension instructor of nutrition in the MSU Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion. “Maintaining a nutritious diet helps our body systems work properly, including our immune system.”

The Mississippi State University Extension Service will host a free webinar to discuss the impact of the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19, on cattle markets March 26 at 7 p.m. Central Standard Time.

Agricultural economists Josh Maples of MSU and Derrell Peel of Oklahoma State University Extension will discuss the current situation and answer questions submitted by participants.

COVID-19 turned millions of families into homeschoolers who suddenly must decide how to structure learning for their students.

The Class of 2020, born in the shadow of 9/11 and graduating with traditional senior activities marred by COVID-19, will know without a doubt that life events can be unexpected.

As cases of COVID-19 grow around the country, many families are practicing social distancing to protect themselves and others.

This likely means people will be making fewer trips to the grocery store, cooking at home and using their freezers.

Fertilizer recommendations are constantly examined and rarely modified, but change came this year after Mississippi State University research demonstrated higher potassium recommendations increase soybean yields.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- The Mississippi State University Extension Service has postponed all of its in-person events, trainings and meetings across the state through May 10 amid public health concerns surrounding COVID-19.

All Extension offices and units will remain open, and basic operations will continue as normal until further notice. This includes the Bost Extension Center on the main campus in Starkville, the four regional Research and Extension Centers and each of Extension’s 82 county offices. Online educational programming will also proceed as scheduled.

The Dicamba Applicator Training required for individuals who plan to apply dicamba herbicide products in Xtend cropping systems is open online and scheduled at several sites across Mississippi.

The online modules are available at http://auxintraining.com.

The face-to-face workshops will be March 16-17 in Tunica, Coahoma, Hinds, Lee and Washington counties.