JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
Farm Woman of the
Year
A PUBLICATION OF MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU FEDERATION • MSFB.ORG
VOLUME 93 NO. 1
MISSISSIPPI
FARMCOUNTRY VOLUME 93 NUMBER 1 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
C O N T E N T S
FEATURES
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Mississippi Farm Country (ISSN 1529-9600) magazine is published bimonthly by the Mississippi Farm Bureau® Federation. Farm Bureau members receive this publication as part of their membership benefit. Periodicals postage is paid at Jackson, MS and at additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to P.O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215 EDITORIAL AND BUSINESS OFFICES 6311 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211 601-977-4153 EDITOR — Glynda Phillips ADVERTISING Angela Ellis 1-800-227-8244 ext. 4242 aellis@msfb.org
HONORARY VICE PRESIDENT Louis J. Breaux III Material in this publication is based on what the editor believes to be reliable information. Neither Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation nor those individuals or organizations contributing to the MFBF publication assume any liability for errors that might go undetected in the publication — this includes statements in articles or advertisements that could lead to erroneous personal or business management decisions. FARM BUREAU,®
FB® and all Farm Bureau logos used in
this magazine are registered service marks owned by the American Farm Bureau Federation. They may not be used in any commercial manner without the prior written consent of the American Farm Bureau Federation.
Jo Lynn Mitchell of Covington County was recently named Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Farm Woman of the Year. She was recognized for her contributions to Farm Bureau, Mississippi agriculture and her local community. Come with us as we learn more about this outstanding individual.
RECIPES In each issue, we feature recipes from Country Cooking, Vol. V. The proceeds from the sale of this cookbook are used to strengthen the Ag in the Classroom program in Mississippi.
FARM BUREAU OFFICERS President — Mike McCormick Vice President — Donald Gant Vice President — Ted Kendall IV Vice President — Reggie Magee Treasurer — Billy Davis Corporate Secretary — Kent Bloodworth FARM BUREAU DIRECTORS Carla Taylor, Prentiss Matt Ormon, Benton Jeffrey (Jeff) Hollowell, Lafayette Bob Workman, Quitman Gabriela Brasher, Tallahatchie Dan L. Bishop, Lee Scott O’Brian, Clay Craig Canull, Lowndes David Hayward, Grenada Dott G. Arthur, Leake William Jones, Lauderdale Paul Myrick, Jasper James R. Ford, Smith James G. “Jimbo” Newman, Issaquena Tammy Layton, Simpson Earl Gay Edwards, Amite Everett A. “Pud” Stringer, Marion Dot Cole, Perry Clayton Lawrence Jr., George Tom Daniels, Harrison Betty Mills, Montgomery David Arant Jr., Leflore
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26 AG BOOK OF THE YEAR
The 2017 Ag Book of the Year is “The Cow in Patrick O’Shanahan’s Kitchen” by Diana Prichard, illustrated by Heather Devlin Knopf. Ever wonder where your breakfast comes from? Patrick O’Shanahan never gave it a second thought, until one morning when he found a COW in the kitchen!
DEPARTMENTS 4 6 24 30
PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE NATIONAL AFFAIRS REPORT FROM THE FIELD
WOMEN’S AG TOUR Every other year, the State Women’s Leadership Committee sponsors a Women’s Ag Tour to give participants a look at agricultural operations in different areas of the state. This year, the women toured the central and southwestern corners of Mississippi.
28 ABOUT THE COVER Farm Woman of the Year Jo Lynn Mitchell visits a field of sunflowers at Mitchell Farms near Collins.
MEMBER BENEFITS MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
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P R E S I D E N T’S
M E S S A G E
Farm Bureau Teamwork As i write my first column of the new year, state convention has come and gone, and I am reminded once again why Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation is such a great organization. One of the most important reasons is the effort you make to work together as a team. Mike McCormick I am always impressed and President, Mississippi thankful for the strong sense Farm Bureau Federation of teamwork that exists among our volunteer leaders and staff. Through the years, as I’ve served Farm Bureau on the county, state and national levels, I have watched you work together tirelessly and selflessly to achieve so many important goals. There is a definite power in sharing ideas and a single vision as we strive to carry out the programs of our organization. I know you will be working as a team to ensure that the upcoming Winter Commodity Conference, Legislative Reception and Ag Day at the Capitol are all unqualified successes. I also know that I will continue to be impressed and humbled by your strong sense of teamwork and all that you do for Farm Bureau and our membership. LEGISLATURE & CONGRESS
With that in mind, I want to remind you that the 2017 Regular Session of the Mississippi Legislature is scheduled to convene at noon on Jan. 3. I encourage you to get to know your legislators, whether through county meet and greets or by simply picking up the phone and calling them. I also welcome your visits in the halls of the State Capitol. In order to better serve our membership and the policy development process, we restructured our state staff this year to include a national affairs coordinator and a policy development coordinator. The national affairs coordinator focuses on working with our national congressional staff on issues important to agriculture. The policy development coordinator works closely with our county Farm Bureaus and our commodity advisory committees to source and develop sound policy resolutions to present to the State Resolutions Committee in November and to 4
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the Delegate Body at state convention in December. We also added an in-house public policy coordinator who continues to work with Camille Scales Young and her team at Cornerstone Government Affairs. I’m pleased with all that we have accomplished in 2016, and I look forward to working with you in the coming year to ensure that the Voice of Agriculture® in Mississippi remains strong in every important arena on the local, state and national levels. Honoring Farm Bureau’s mission to serve the rural people of Mississippi will continue to be of paramount importance to all of us. If you need more information, I invite you to contact your regional manager or our Public Policy Department here at the state office. MEMBERSHIP GROWTH
As we begin another year of service to Farm Bureau, I want to encourage you to tell your friends and neighbors about us. Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation stands over 192,000 member-families strong. That’s fantastic news, but we can’t stop there. In the year 2017, let’s continue to work together to grow our organization. A strong membership base is essential if Farm Bureau is to remain dynamic and relevant in a complex, ever-changing world. Tell your friends and family members that we speak with one powerful voice on issues that matter most in the lives of farmers and other Mississippians. Tell them our influence is felt in many diverse arenas across the state and nation. Tell them we offer a Membership Benefits package that is without equal. Most importantly, tell them that God, family and country are the core values of our great organization. This was true when we were chartered nearly a century ago, and it remains so today. These important, time-honored values haven’t gone out of fashion with us, and they never will. We are farmers, after all. In conclusion, I want to remind you that my door is always open. Any time you’d like to visit, feel free to stop by my office. I welcome your thoughts, your ideas and your dreams for our organization. Working together, we will ensure that Farm Bureau and Mississippi agriculture remain strong and successful both now and in the future. As always, I covet your prayers. Thanks for all you do for Farm Bureau. FB
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Mississippi Top 50 Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation President Mike McCormick and Camille Scales Young with Cornerstone Government Affairs have been named to the Mississippi Top 50 list. Outstanding individuals included on this list were judged to be the most influential leaders in the state. They were selected from the ranks of elected and appointed officials, economic development professionals, business, media and government affairs. Recognizing the state’s most influential leaders helps to spotlight what is right with Mississippi as well as the leaders who can be the keys to helping the state become all that it can and should be. McCormick was cited for his work with agriculture through his many years of service to Farm Bureau on the county, state and national levels. He has also served on the National Cattlemen’s Beef Board and is a founding member of the Farm Families of Mississippi Ag Promotion Campaign, which he served as vice president. His farm at Union Church is one of the oldest family farms in the state, dating back to the 1820s. He and his wife, Suezan, are members of Union Church Presbyterian Church.
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Young and her team at Cornerstone Government Affairs help Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation with our Public Policy Program. She has nearly two decades of background in the practice of state and federal government affairs and also serves her clients as a communications specialist, director of media relations and government relations specialist. She and her husband, Keith, have two daughters and one son. They are active members of Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Madison. She is a past president of the Mississippi State University National Alumni Association. The awards were sponsored by Y’all Politics and SuperTalk Mississippi, and awardees were nominated through an open process. The selection process was bipartisan. For more information, visit these websites: http://mstop50.com/winners/lobbying-and-government-relations and http://mstop50.com/winners/ business-media-and-culture/12. Please join us in congratulating these two very deserving members of our Farm Bureau family. FB
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NATIONAL AFFAIRS REPORT ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
BY JUSTIN FERGUSON Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation National Affairs Coordinator & Commodity Coordinator for Major Row Crops
Temporary Guest Worker Visa Program and U.S. Agriculture U.S. agriculture faces a critical shortage of workers every year, This spring specifically, H-2A employers in Mississippi experienced as U.S. citizens are largely unwilling to engage in these rigorous unacceptable delays in the processing of labor certifications, visa petiactivities and guest worker programs are unable to respond to tions and other procedures for farm worker arrival at the worksite. the marketplace. This situation makes our farms and ranches less Farmers from all across Mississippi have seen significant delays at the competitive with foreign farmers and our products less available U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration for the American consumer. Securing a reliable, legal and compe- Service. This breakdown has threatened millions of dollars in perishtent workforce for our nation’s farms and ranches is essential to able agricultural products in Mississippi. Farm Bureau leaders and agriculture and the U.S. economy. staff have met with numerous impacted producers about these delays. Agriculture needs anywhere from 1.5 to 2 million hired workers Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation policy speaks to this issue: a year. Labor costs account for 48 percent of the variable production “We support a practical guest worker program that is reasonable and costs for fresh fruits and 35 percent of the variable production costs simple for growers to comply with. We support immigration legfor fresh vegetables. The current labor situation is most critical for islation that will enable farmers to maintain adequate agricultural commodities such as blueberries and other easily bruised produce. immigrant workers to carry out sufficient production practices in These jobs in agriculture are physically demanding, conducted in all agricultural commodities.” all seasons and are often transitory. To most U.S. residents seeking Immigration reform is critical for the agricultural industry. employment, these conditions are not attractive. Without reform, farmers are forced to plant less labor-intensive In times of labor shortages, farmers have relied on foreign workers commodities, or the American consumer is forced to buy food who are admitted under a legal process under a government-spon- produced outside of the U.S., under foreign food safety standards. sored temporary worker visa program known as H-2A. The H-2A Either we import our labor or we import our food. program accounts for only 6-7 percent of the total ag labor force. As Congress takes up immigration reform in the future, U.S. The H-2A visa program is so costly and bureaucratic that it is used agriculture must have a seat at the table. We hope that you as an only out of necessity. Rather than easing the process of hiring labor, American consumer will tell our elected officials how important the H-2A program has created obstacles for farm and ranch families. it is that our food is produced here in the U.S. under our food Farmers and even professional H-2A agents are routinely forced safety protocols and not in a foreign country with substandard to hire lawyers to help them get through the process successfully. food safety regulations. FB
2017 Winter Commodity Conference THE 2017 MISSISSIPPI FARM BUREAU FEDERATION (MFBF) WINTER COMMODITY CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD JAN. 23-24 AT THE MFBF BUILDING IN JACKSON. THE ANNUAL LEGISLATIVE RECEPTION IS SCHEDULED FOR THE EVENING OF JAN. 23.
Speakers and topics for the row crop segment of the conference include the following: AGRICULTURE POLICY IN A NEW ADMINISTRATION, CONGRESS & 2018 FARM BILL ISSUES
Dale Moore, Executive Director, Public Policy, American Farm Bureau Federation MACRO-ECONOMIC SITUATION & TRADE UPDATE IN WORLD & U.S. AGRICULTURE
Roger Bernard, Policy Analyst, Informa Economics 6
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MARKET OUTLOOK FOR MAJOR CROPS
Alan Brugler, Brugler Marketing & Management LLC CROP PROTECTION INDUSTRY UPDATE
Doug Rushing, Director of Industry Affairs, Monsanto Moore and Bernard will also address the conference’s livestock segment. Outlook for the Livestock Industry will be presented by Dr. Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University. For more information, contact Nancy Britt at (601) 977-4230. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
A Hunting Lease Can Earn Income for Landowners B Y W. D A R Y L J O N E S, P H.D. — W I L D L I F E P R O F E S S O R, M I S S I S S I P P I S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y E X T E N S I O N S E R V I C E
If you own land and have ever considered allowing individuals to use or rent your land for recreation, such as hunting and fishing, there are several things that deserve some thought. Considerations, including drafting a legal contract for the arrangement, accident liability concerns and what to charge, are important factors. A recreational or hunting lease is an arrangement whereby a landowner grants access to his or her land for recreational purposes for a certain period of time in exchange for fees or services rendered. Following discussions between a likely outdoors enthusiast or hunter and the potential landowner, a lease agreement should be drafted for the interest of both parties. Provisions in the lease should include the lessee name(s), game species to be hunted and activities to be undertaken on property, legal location and description of property, dated terms of lease, and payment terms. Rules about what activities will be allowed on the property should be established by the landowner and communicated to lessees via the lease agreement. General conditions or rules articulated in your lease should be the requirement for lessees to adhere to state laws while recreating on property, potential damage to live trees, hunting blinds or stands allowed, garbage removal, trespass and fire prevention, and acceptance of the land “as is.” Violations of these rules or conditions are terms for potential termination of the lease and should be understood by all parties involved. Lastly, I advise landowners to establish the maximum number of users or guests to be allowed on the property, use of motorized vehicles and restricted locations of such use, and hunting methods allowed. Remember to conduct safety checks annually on your land and document this procedure in writing for your records. If possible, eliminate
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hazards on the property prior to leasing your land and warn guests on your land of any known perils in writing as a part of your lease agreement. Don’t use generic-type agreements that one finds on the internet. Tailor your lease agreement to your property, to your situation and to your recreational guests. Private lands with high-quality habitats for wildlife are harder and harder to come by with an ever-increasing number of in-state and out-of-state hunters looking for properties in Mississippi to lease. I believe what a landowner can charge in leasing fees for these quality lands will only increase in the future. To assist landowners to advertise their lands offered for lease, we have designed a website entitled Mississippi Outdoor Adventures. Using this site, landowners can anonymously list their properties available as a hunting lease free of charge. Hunters interested in a lease listed on this website can contact us directly, and we in turn will contact the landowner with the name (s) of interested parties in the lease. The landowner then contacts inquirers at their discretion to discuss the property and potential leasing arrangements. The landowner’s name is never listed or seen on the website. We hope that this website will make leasing your property more convenient and facilitate your locating trustworthy hunting clients willing to pay you fair-market value for your land leased for hunting. Go to the Mississippi Outdoor Adventures website at http://www. msoutdooradventures.com to learn more about advertising your hunting lease lands in Mississippi. To learn more about ways to diversify income on your land through wildlife-related outdoor recreation and other helpful land management tips, visit the Natural Resource Enterprises Program’s site at http://www.naturalresources.msstate.edu. FB
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Farm Woman of the Year B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S
Jo Lynn and daughter, Jacy
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MITCHELL FARMS ovington County row Mitchell Farms, begun in 1960 crop/agritourism farmer Jo by Dennis and Nelda Mitchell, is Lynn Mitchell of Mitchell a 1,500-acre row crop operation Farms in Collins has been named that includes corn, wheat, soythe Mississippi Farm Bureau Federbeans, peanuts, pumpkins, peaches, ation (MFBF) Farm Woman of the sweet corn and a pine plantation. Year. The announcement was made The farm’s agritourism enterprise prior to state convention activities was begun in 2006 and includes a in December. Jo Lynn was selected pumpkin patch and two corn mazes from among entries from around in the fall. In addition, the farm the state. serves as a year-round venue for Jo Lynn says she appreciates weddings, family reunions, birthday the many ways Farm Bureau sup“I LOVE THE IDEA OF TEACHING KIDS AND parties and corporate events. There ports farmers, especially its efforts to carry the farmer’s story to the ADULTS TO APPRECIATE FARMING THROUGH OUR is a big barn that can be rented, AGRITOURISM BUSINESS, BUT I ALSO LOVE THE pavilions with picnic tables, several general public. FACT THAT IT BRINGS FAMILIES TO OUR FARM.” play areas and 15 acres of sunflow“I work with the Farm Families of ers for photo ops. The sunflowers Mississippi Agriculture Promotion JO LYNN MITCHELL can also be purchased. Campaign, and I believe deeply in all The family farmers who operthat it has accomplished for the farmate Mitchell Farms include Dennis and Nelda; their son, Don; and ers of our state,” she said. “We must make an effort to teach both children and adults to appreciate agriculture and what farmers do for all of Don’s wife, Jo Lynn. Don’s sister, Beverly Bakalyar, is responsible for us every single day. So many people don’t know where their food comes all of the artwork on the farm, especially the agritourism operation. Jo Lynn is responsible for scheduling field trips, advertising and from or what it takes to grow their food. A lot of work goes into it. day-to-day activities. She helps in the summer with sweet corn and “Mitchell Farms has an agritourism business, so I also appreciate Farm Bureau’s work on behalf that industry,” she said. “The limited peaches and with planting pumpkins. She also helps when needed liability legislation Farm Bureau helped to get passed in the Mis- during harvest times for corn and peanuts. Jo Lynn enjoys all aspects of farming, but she is passionate about sissippi Legislature has been a major reason why Mississippi’s agriagritourism. She served for two terms as vice president and two tourism industry has been able to grow.” JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
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terms as president of the Mississippi Agritourism Association. “I love the idea of teaching kids and adults to appreciate farming through our agritourism business, but I also love the fact that it brings families to our farm,” she said. “Sometimes, the members of a family will arrive here from different states or different areas of Mississippi to spend the day together. That brings us a lot of joy.” Jo Lynn says agritourism is a growing industry, but it is not for everyone. “You must love people, have a passion for agriculture and possess a determination and a willingness to work hard,” she said. “When I came to the farm in 2004, I wanted to find my own niche. We put in a pumpkin patch in order to get more people to visit the farm so we could sell more peanuts. The pumpkin patch has grown to include 75 acres and 25 varieties. Along with the pumpkin patch, other aspects of the agritourism business blossomed, too.” For more information about Mitchell Farms, visit the website at www.mitchellfarms-ms.com.
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COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES
Jo Lynn serves on the Covington County Farm Bureau Board of Directors, as chairman of the Tourism Committee for Covington County, and as a member of the Mississippi Forestry Association, Mississippi Cattlemen’s Association and Mississippi Agritourism Steering Committee. She works closely with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce and the Mississippi State University Extension Service to organize meetings that will grow agritourism in the state. Jo Lynn is an active member of Willow Grove Baptist Church and is active in her community. She and Don have three children, Lauren, Jared and Jacy. The MFBF Farm Woman of the Year Award was established to recognize, encourage and reward the achievements of women farmers. The recipient personifies the highest level of professional excellence in agriculture. For more information about the award, contact MFBF Women’s Programs and Ag in the Classroom Coordinator Clara Bilbo at (601) 977-4245. Or visit the Farm Bureau website at www.msfb.org. FB
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Master Gardeners Extend Knowledge to Others
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B Y L I N D A B R E A Z E A L E — M I S S I S S I P P I S TAT E U N I V E R S I T Y E X T E N S I O N S E R V I C E
or more than a quarter century, Mississippians with a love for groups, and Bates’ inaugural class in the metro area set the pace. horticulture have been helping to educate and serve their com- They started a spring Yard and Garden Jamboree at the Mississippi munities through a nationwide Extension Service program. Ag Museum, conducted a water garden demonstration in Crystal “Master Gardener volunteers help to extend the educational arm Springs, obtained an urban forestry grant in Madison County and of the university to the public by providing horticultural information started the “Mississippi Growing” newsletter. based on university research and recommendations,” said Lelia Kelly, Kelly said the annual volunteer hours statewide have become a horticulturist with the Mississippi State University (MSU) Exten- a challenge to calculate. sion Service. “The Master Gardener approach helps the local Exten“In 2015, basically 25 years after the first Master Gardeners started sion office reach a broader audience than sharing their skills with their communities, is possible with only one or two agents.” Mississippi’s 10-year average was 1,174 Kelly is serving as the program’s active participants annually in the program,” fourth state coordinator. She said John Kelly said. “They averaged over 414,000 Davis, who was an MSU Extension assocontacts and volunteered more than 46,000 ciate horticulture specialist on the Gulf hours with a value of $1.2 million.” Coast from 1977 until his death in 1998, In 1999, the Mississippi Master Garinitiated the first pilot Master Gardener dener Association was chartered. The MSU class in Mississippi in 1989. Davis was Extension Service educates and certifies the unofficial coordinator during the early individuals in consumer horticulture and years of the state’s program. related areas through a nationwide program. Success from the pilot program on In exchange for 40 hours of training, particthe Gulf Coast led to a statewide effort, ipants become part of the Master Gardener beginning in the capital area. Program and volunteer to return 40 hours Milo Burnham, who became the first of service to their communities within one official state coordinator in 1992, said year of their certification. there were many challenges in starting the program The Washington State University Cooperative Extenin Mississippi. sion Service created the Master Gardener Program in 1972 “Mississippi’s existing consumer horticulture programin response to a high demand for urban horticultural and ing was not compatible with the criteria spelled out for a gardening advice. The founders’ goal was to develop a core Master Gardener Program,” he remembered. “It was obviof trained volunteers to assist Extension in providing relious that considerable preparation would be necessary. able gardening information to communities. “John Davis took the bull by the horns and independently started The concept has spread to all 50 states and all Canadian prova Master Gardener Program on the Gulf Coast,” Burnham said. “He inces. The principles begun by the Master Gardener Program of worked hard to develop a training manual and was conducting volun- training volunteers to give back to their communities can be found teer training meetings early on. John actually sold me on the program.” in other programs, such as Master Clothing Volunteers, Master Rebecca Bates, Extension area horticulture agent, held the first Wellness Volunteers and Master Naturalists. official Master Gardener class for Hinds, Rankin and Madison To remain certified in the program each year after the initial county residents in 1992. certification, Master Gardeners attend 12 hours of training and “When I was hired in 1989, one of my instructions was to start return 20 hours of volunteer service annually. Continuing educaa Master Gardener Program,” Bates said. “We had several hundred tion encourages long-term commitments, and most certified Master apply for the first class, and we had to screen it down to 24 people.” Gardeners serve five to seven years. Jackson resident Nellie Neal, also known as Garden Mama, was For further information on the MSU Extension Service Master in that first class shortly after she moved to the state. Today, she is a Gardener Program, visit the Master Gardener webpage on the MSU semiretired garden writer working on her 12th book, contributing Extension Service website: to newspapers and magazines, and hosting “Weekend Gardening” http://extension.msstate.edu/community/leadership/master-gardener. on the SuperTalk Mississippi radio network. Anyone interested in becoming a Mississippi Master Gardener Service to the community is a hallmark of Master Gardener should contact their local county Extension office. FB JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
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B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S
Loyd Star Agriculture Academy is preparing students for a future in the agriculture industry by combining academics with career technical education. All of the core 8th- through 12th-grade teachers at Loyd Star Attendance Center, including math, science, English, social studies and special education, are a part of the endeavor.
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he academy uses the Agriculture Environmental Science and Technology (AEST) program, which is designed to introduce students to the sciences, technologies and applied practices of the modern agriculture/agriscience industry. The focus of the program is to begin preparing students for agriculture-related jobs after high school or for further college study leading to careers in the agriculture industry. At Loyd Star Ag Academy, the concepts of agriculture are taught in the following manner: (1) entry level science; (2) agricultural mechanics; (3) animal husbandry; and (4) leadership. In addition to classroom instruction, the academy offers hands-on experience through a mechanics lab, where students can learn welding, fabrication and design, and through an animal husbandry lab, where students can learn how to care for animals. “We have seen students really blossom because now they understand the practical application of some of the subjects they are
studying in the classroom,” said Billy Sumrall, an instructor in the ag academy. Sumrall’s parents farm in the Lawrence County area. His son also works at the ag academy. The Loyd Star Ag Academy program was developed under the guidance of the Mississippi Department of Education (MDE) and with the help of a three-year $45,000 MDE grant and other funds. Instructors and administrators trained for three years. They talked with other schools across the nation that were doing something similar, and they attended conferences and worked with a consultant.
TODAY'S AGRICULTURE
Loyd Star Attendance Center has had an ag program and FFA chapter since the late 1930s. The Loyd Star Ag Academy is an attempt to make that program applicable to today’s agriculture industry and the many jobs that are available in that industry. Continued on page 14
All photos except bottom two are compliments of Loyd Star Agriculture Academy. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
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“We have businesses come in and talk to our students,” Sumrall and renovations,” Sumrall said. “Through the ag academy program, said. “We are opening their eyes to all of the career opportunities our students have done most of the renovations. For example, we had out there, especially in the field of agriculture. a master carpenter come in and talk to them, demonstrating his craft.” “I have one student aspiring to become a veterinarian with a Sumrall says the school is getting ready to expand its services focus on embryology. I have another with a gift into the lower middle and elementary schools, LOYD STAR AG ACADEMY using the older students to do peer teaching. for mechanics. He will definitely do something in the field of mechanics, but he is still explor- uses the Agriculture Environ“We are having our students design and mental Science and Technol- teach a lesson in horticulture,” he said. “We ing how he will best use his gift.” Sumrall says the program is also working ogy (AEST) program, which is will have raised gardens or container plants, with other area groups to help Lincoln County designed to introduce students where they can plant seeds and tend them here become a work-ready community so that indus- to the sciences, technologies and or take them home. We already have young try will consider locating there. applied practices of the modern students coming down here periodically so we “Through our ag academy, we get students agriculture/agriscience industry. can teach them about animals and their role thinking about what’s going to happen not only on the farm and how they are fed and cared in their own futures but the future of their com- The focus of the program is to for on a farm. munity,” he said. “Many will stay here and work. begin preparing students for “A better understanding of agriculture is a Some will leave then return home later in life.” agriculture-related jobs after priority of this program. We are giving stuhigh school or for further college dents the correct information about agriculEXPANDING SERVICES study leading to careers in the ture as opposed to what they see in the media. Sumrall says he and Loyd Star Attendance It is important that they know that farmers are agriculture industry. Center Principal Robin Case had talked for a good stewards of the land and that farmers are long time about having an ag academy and using an historic build- very important to our nation. ing on campus to house the program. “Some people said this would never work,” Sumrall said. “But it is “This building dates back to 1938, but it needed some updating working. Other small schools are incorporating this model.” FB
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FarmFacts: S T R A I G H T F R O M A M I S S I S S I P P I FA R M E R
Family Farming Tradition in South Mississippi by J.B. Brown
My ancestors have been in South Mississippi since before the War of 1812. Our earliest ancestors settled in this area from the Carolinas and Georgia. Interestingly enough, they did not settle in the more fertile soils of the Delta. They did not want to dig in the dirt. They much preferred to run free-range cattle and sheep and harvest what virgin timber remained in the area to raft down the rivers on high water to the mills on the coast. The counties and parishes of South Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana, known as Spanish West Florida, were ideal for grazing sheep and cattle and for growing timber. Growing up in rural South Mississippi, this lifestyle was still strong in my youth. My life has revolved around farming and agriculture in some form or fashion since my earliest memories. As a child, we spent our summers shearing sheep and tending the many cucumber patches that supplied the local pickle plant in Wiggins. Every house had a chicken coop and a few milk cows. The Piney Woods area of South Mississippi was still home to open-range cattle and sheep. It was this environment that shaped my passion for the land and farming. As soon as school was out for the summer is when our biggest workload kicked in. We would wake up before daylight, saddle our horses and ride to meet up with other penners. We would gather and drive sheep to wherever the shearing was taking place that day.
We would start shearing sheep after dinner and would usually finish just before dark, leaving just enough time to run the sheep through the dip vat before turning them loose. You then saddled the horses and rode home to do it all over again the next day. This daily routine would go on each day till Wool Sale Day, which usually occurred in late August. Some people would not favor this lifestyle, but I loved it, and it's a love affair that has never left me. South Mississippi counties began passing laws in the 1960s that repealed open range. The loss of open range had a profound impact on South Mississippi and how we farmed this ground. As soybean prices climbed, many farmers started growing soybeans in the summer, followed by grazing steers on ryegrass on the same ground in the winter. I began farming soybeans and backgrounding steers myself at this time. I continued farming through the 1970s and into the 1980s, increasing my acreage, diversifying my crops and running more cattle on ryegrass. Like many other farmers, the market crash of the early 1980s was a hard hit to my farm. I was forced to sell off equipment and liquidate assets and regroup. This was especially difficult considering that my wife, Louise, and I had started a family by this
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Kevin and J.B. Brown
I give all the thanks to the Lord Almighty every day for the ability to rise each day and farm this ground. The family farm is the backbone of the Mississippi economy, and I am proud to be a part of that and glad to know that our farm is being left in good hands. — J.B. BROWN
time. We put in many long days and nights and skipped vacations to hold onto the main farm. I made the decision to do what my ancestors originally came to South Mississippi to farm, cattle and timber. Most of the land was taken out of production and planted in pine trees, leaving enough acreage to convert to permanent pasture to sustain a cow/calf herd. This task was made easier with the help of my children. There were days that made you wonder if it was all worth it, but then things would come together, and it would remind you of why you get up before daylight and go down well after dark. Those days when you see your son get the same joy from herding cows and farming that you still get. The day when you see your son become as interested in the land as you are. The day your son is no longer just a son but a valued partner in the farm. It is one of my greatest pleasures that I have been able to continue that farming heritage today and that my son, Kevin, and his wife, Greggina, will continue that tradition, too. Today, we graze 110 brood cows and manage the timber for profit and wildlife. Kevin and I are both certified prescribed burn managers, and we use prescribed fire as our main timber management tool. Each year during the dormant season, we aim to burn a minimum of 2,000 acres. With restrictions on days when we can get a permit to burn, JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
we usually achieve around 1,200 to 1,500 acres. The acreage that is not burned is the first to be burned the following year. We graze our cattle on ryegrass in the winter and bermudagrass and bahaigrass in the spring and summer. We have continued to cull inferior genetics from our herd and maintain and promote desirable traits in replacement heifers and bulls. I give all the thanks to the Lord Almighty every day for the ability to rise each day and farm this ground. The family farm is the backbone of the Mississippi economy, and I am proud to be a part of that and glad to know that our farm is being left in good hands. A noted American Indian chief made a great comment about the land once. He said, “We do not inherit this land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.� My hope is that Kevin and Greggina will receive the land in better shape than I found it and carry on the tradition of farming in our family. FB The Farm Families of Mississippi (FFM) Agriculture Promotion Campaign was created to educate the public about the agriculture industry. For more information, contact Greg Gibson at (601) 977-4154. MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
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“It is hard work, but I was lucky enough to have a role model and a mentor in the late William Tackett of Schlater. He said, ‘You’ll make it as long as you don’t stop working and you don’t stop studying God’s word.’ I owe a debt of gratitude to him.” — SHORTY JONES
Growing Farm-Raised Catfish B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S
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ssaquena County catfish farmer Robert "Shorty" Jones has worked in the Mississippi farm-raised catfish industry for almost 30 years. He has owned Aquacenter near Leland, a store that supplies products to the industry, since the late 1980s. Shorty began farming catfish in 1990. He also has a hatchery for hybrid and channel catfish, which his son now runs. “I saw a need and knew some people in the industry, so I took a risk,” he said. “It is hard work, but I was lucky enough to have a role model and a mentor in the late William Tackett of Schlater. He said, ‘You’ll make it as long as you don’t stop working and you don’t stop studying God’s word.’ I owe a debt of gratitude to him.”
and feeding practices. Researchers have helped to improve catfish genetics and health issues and have improved harvesting and grading efficiencies. “We couldn’t do what we do without the support of the Thad Cochran Warmwater Aquaculture Center in Stoneville,” Shorty said. “We are also proud of the domestic and import inspection system we have in place that assures consumers are getting a safe product. We are a small industry, so a scare about the quality of either domestically grown or imported fish can have a detrimental effect on the industry as a whole.” In the past, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) examined less than 2 percent of imported fish, with limited testing for drugs and “I see a world of possibilities for chemicals banned for use in the United States. this industry. We went through a ALL ABOUT THE WORK Now, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection period of adjustment in the 1990s, Like most catfish farmers, Shorty enjoys his Service (FSIS) inspects 100 percent of all domesand we are still dealing with some work. tic and imported fish. challenges, but that has only served “Some of the issues we have faced in recent “USDA FSIS has the people and the facilito make our industry strong. I years have been frustrating, but this type of ties for the job, and we can thank U.S. Senabelieve the future looks bright for the farm-raised catfish industry.” farming is so rewarding,” he said. “There are a tor Thad Cochran for getting the USDA FSIS lot of good people in the catfish industry, and inspection provision in the 2008 and 2014 farm — SHORTY JONES most of them are farming in Mississippi.” bills,” Shorty said. “Imported catfish or catfishNinety-four percent of all U.S. Farm-Raised like fish are now inspected with the same closeCatfish is grown in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. ness as imported swine, beef and poultry.” Mississippi is No. 1 in catfish production in the nation. The catfish In addition, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Tenindustry is a major source of economic activity and employment nessee have Country of Origin labeling for all fish served in restauin many Mississippi counties. rants. Grocery stores must also have the country where fish was High feed prices, cheap foreign imports and stagnant live fish grown on the package. prices have caused economic hardship for catfish producers in recent “Farm Bureau has been a tremendous support to catfish farmyears, and Mississippi has seen a decrease in water acreage from a ers,” Shorty said. “I can’t say enough about Mississippi Farm Bureau high of 130,500 acres in 2001 to 36,000 acres in 2016. The good Federation (MFBF) President Mike McCormick and his staff. They news is that prices are good and feed costs are down to the $350- to have worked tirelessly to get us recognition and support on the $380-per-ton range as opposed to the almost $500-per-ton cost in national level. They truly do care about catfish farmers. 2013 and 2014. In addition, farm-raised catfish continues to enjoy “We have also gotten support from ag commissioners throughout increased consumer demand. the South, including Mississippi Ag Commissioner Cindy Hyde“I see a world of possibilities for this industry,” Shorty said. “We Smith, and from multiple states in the Midwest. We’ve had support went through a period of adjustment in the 1990s, and we are still from The Catfish Institute and the Catfish Farmers of America; the dealing with some challenges, but that has only served to make our American Farm Bureau Federation; the Food and Water Watch; and industry strong. I believe the future looks bright for the farm-raised our Mississippi Congressional Delegation. catfish industry.” “I think the opportunities are better than ever for growing U.S. Farm-Raised Catfish,” he said. “We have a product that has survived INDUSTRY SUPPORT despite us. Hard times have made us better managers, and I’m real The Thad Cochran Warmwater Aquaculture Center in Stoneville optimistic. I want my son and his son and daughter to be able to has helped farm-raised catfish farmers improve pond management work in this industry for as long as they choose to do so.” FB JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
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B Y G LY N D A P H I L L I P S
DAVID BROWN WANTED TO COMBINE TWO LOVES — FOOD AND FOOTBALL — BY OFFERING HIS CUSTOMERS A HALL OF FAME-WORTHY HAMBURGER WHILE PAYING HOMAGE TO MANY OF OUR FOOTBALL GREATS. Hall of
Fame Restaurant near Bentonia and Little Yazoo is the result. While the walls of the restaurant are filled with photographs and other memorabilia of hall of fame football legends, it could be said that the hamburgers have become pretty legendary themselves. Through the years, they have gained a loyal and devoted following. “They are just delicious old-fashioned burgers cooked fresh daily,” David said, as we visited inside the tiny wood-framed restaurant which resembles an old-timey shotgun shack with cedar siding. Most of the hamburgers are named for famous football players. Here you will find the Donald Driver Burger and the Fletcher 20
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Cox Burger. Burgers are also named for Willie Brown, Eli Manning, Peyton Manning and Brett Favre. The Jerry Rice Burger has triple patties. There are several other types of hamburgers as well as a variety of sides and more. You will also find barbecue and a buffet. David started out in the food industry some 16 years ago offering barbecue on a strictly carryout basis. At the time, he had two partners. The partners are gone now, but the barbecue remains. “I have a smokehouse out back,” he said. “Barbecue is more of a seasonal food, but in addition to the hamburgers, I try to have some type of barbecue weekly.” Hall of Fame Restaurant is mainly a takeout business, but customers are welcome to dine inside at one of three small tables. An outdoor picnic table invites al fresco dining if the weather is nice. JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
YOU WILL FIND DOZENS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO HAVE BEEN INDUCTED INTO THE PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME, ESPECIALLY SHOTS OF DAVID’S BROTHER, WILLIE, A NATIVE OF YAZOO CITY. WILLIE BROWN, WHO WAS INDUCTED INTO THE HALL OF FAME IN 1984, PLAYED FOR THE DENVER BRONCOS AND THE OAKLAND RAIDERS.
FOOTBALL MEMORABILIA
At Hall of Fame Restaurant, you will find dozens of photographs of football players who have been inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, especially shots of David’s brother, Willie, a native of Yazoo City. Willie Brown, who was inducted into the hall of fame in 1984, played for the Denver Broncos and the Oakland Raiders. He currently works in administration with the Oakland Raiders. Willie may be best known for that moment during Super Bowl XI in 1976 when he intercepted a pass from Fran Tarkenton and returned it 75 yards for a touchdown, a Super Bowl record. His record stood for 29 years. “We get a lot of football fanatics who enjoy looking at the photos, which bring back memories,” David said. “I get most of the photos from my brother. He goes to a lot of autograph signings and brings me back stuff. “I have also gotten to know a lot of professional football players through my brother, and they give me photos,” he added. “Some of my customers bring photos for me to add to my collection, and I welcome those, too.” MORE INFORMATION
Hall of Fame Restaurant draws customers from Bentonia, Little Yazoo, Yazoo City and the surrounding area as well as tourists traveling on Highway 49. Sometimes folks from other areas of the state JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2017
hear about the restaurant and pay it a visit. Sometimes they return again and again. David says he has had customers from several foreign countries and many different states stop by. Hazel and Tina Davis are the cooks. Hazel also serves as the restaurant manager. An additional cook is added when needed, depending on the time of the year. “At times, we get very busy,” David said. “We’ve been talking about expanding, but we are just in the talking stage right now.” HALL OF FAME RESTAURANT IS LOCATED AT 54 DOVER ROAD, WHICH IS AT THE CORNER OF DOVER ROAD AND HIGHWAY 49. IT IS OPEN SIX DAYS A WEEK, FROM 10 A.M. TO 7 P.M. TO PLACE AN ORDER, CALL (662) 755-8330.
David Brown, a native of Yazoo City, moved to Cleveland, Ohio, after a stint in the military, because his mother was teaching there. He retired as the chief deputy bailiff for Cleveland Municipal Court in 1979 and moved back home to Mississippi to tend to his ailing father. He served in local law enforcement for many years, and now works for 911 Addressing with the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. David and his wife, Cynthia, a teacher, have one son and one daughter. They are active in their church and are longtime Yazoo County Farm Bureau members. FB MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY
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Recipese Cranberry Drops
Crock-Pot Candy
½ c. butter 1 c. sugar ¾ c. brown sugar, packed ¼ c. whole milk 2 T. orange juice 1 lg. egg 3 c. all-purpose flour 1 tsp. baking powder ½ tsp. salt ¼ tsp. baking soda 1 c. chopped walnuts 2 ½ c. cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 (15-oz.) jar unsalted peanuts 1 (11 ½-oz.) pkg. chocolate chips 1 ½ block almond bark 1 (15-oz.) jar salted peanuts 1 bar German chocolate Lay above ingredients in crock pot. Cover. DO NOT STIR. Heat on low for 2 to 3 hours. Stir well. Drop by spoonful onto waxed paper. Let cool.
dough in half. Roll out thin on floured surface. Combine remaining ingredients and sprinkle on dough. Roll as for a jelly roll. Cut in slices and bake on a cookie sheet for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Eddie Myrtle Moore Rankin County
Wanda Hill Humphreys County
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar and brown sugar until fluffy. Add milk, orange juice and egg, and stir until combined. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda until wellblended. Add to creamed mixture; stir until well-blended. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Drop dough by teaspoonful onto a greased baking sheet. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
2 ½ c. self-rising flour 1 c. sugar ¾ c. Crisco 1 tsp. cinnamon ¾ c. milk 1 tsp. nutmeg or cloves ¾ c. butter, melted 1 tsp. allspice ½ tsp. vanilla extract
Betty Mills Montgomery County
Mix together the flour and shortening. Add milk and melted butter; blend. Divide
Grandma Hall’s Spice Cookies
COUNTRY COOKING, VOLUME V: These recipes are from “Country Cooking, Volume V,” available at most county offices. The cost is $20. If you order a cookbook from the state office, you will pay $20 plus postage. For more information, contact Pam Jones at (601) 977-4854. 22
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CALENDAR of EVENTS JAN. 3 Mississippi Legislature Convenes At Noon JAN. 8-11 AFBF Annual Convention Phoenix, Arizona JAN. 23-24 Winter Commodity Conference Jackson
JAN. 23 Legislative Reception
FEB. 24-26 YF&R Leadership Conference Natchez MARCH 1 Ag Day at the Capitol Jackson MARCH 21 Women’s Day at the Capitol & Ronald McDonald House Jackson
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NOTES FROM THE FIELD ★
★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
BY ANDY BROWN
Region 1 Regional Manager
Telling the Farmer’s Story In my travels around this great state, not a day goes by that I ing cotton pickers when they toured The Bibb Company picking don’t see or encounter agriculture. With the rural life of most Mis- cotton in Tunica County. sissippians, I would say this is the norm. Everywhere you turn, there Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) also strives to eduare pine trees, poultry houses, row crop fields, cattle, aquaculture or cate our policymakers on the practices of providing a global prodmany other scenes of this state’s largest industry. Mississippi State uct. National Affairs Coordinator Justin Ferguson, along with other University Extension Service reports that approximately 10.8 mil- MFBF staff, Mississippi State University, Alcorn State University lion acres of land are attributed to agriculture and forestry in Mis- and the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, sissippi, grossing a little over $8 billion of revenue for the state’s coordinated a tour for the congressional staffers for Mississippi’s economy. With such an important economic and social impact, delegation in both the U.S. House and Senate. you would think most of Mississippi’s 3 million people would be These young people work daily on many issues in Washingconnected to this industry or understand ton, D.C., to represent the interests of the and value what farmers, ranchers and forconstituents of Mississippi. These particesters provide. ular staffers handle agricultural issues, so Unfortunately, also with my travels and MFBF hoped to inform them about some interactions within the state, I am under of the state’s most highly valued products. the impression that this is far from realWith their eyes opened to poultry producMISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY ity. With the efficiencies of the estimated tion, cattle trade, catfish inspection and 36,700 farms in Mississippi today, most EXTENSION SERVICE REPORTS THAT other practices, one staffer told me, “It is APPROXIMATELY 10.8 MILLION of the population goes day in and day out so nice to see these things we are asked to never questioning how a meal will be pro- ACRES OF LAND ARE ATTRIBUTED fight for firsthand. I did not grow up on a vided or where their clothing and shelter farm, but now I can relate to these issues a TO AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY come from. This only worsens once you IN MISSISSIPPI, GROSSING A LITTLE little more closely.” look beyond the rural life of many MissisLastly, and maybe the most direct influOVER $8 BILLION OF REVENUE sippians. However, all of these statistics are ence, was Farm Bureau’s opportunity to FOR THE STATE’S ECONOMY. not what shocked me into writing this piece. help educate groups of elementary students Only when I brought those close to me out to see the world I work on how important agriculture is in our daily lives. In conjunction in did I realize not everyone is privileged to see the educated deci- with Mississippi State University Extension Service’s FARMtastic sions, technological advances and global impact that farmers make Program, MFBF staff and volunteers from the State Women’s in their profession daily. Leadership Committee led students through learning stations at During harvest, I was able to take my wife for her first ride in a the Mid-South Fair in Southaven. Eyes were opened, and ears combine with a friend of mine who was cutting soybeans. She told heard that without farmers and foresters, many of the products me excitedly when climbing down from the buddy seat, “Andy, I we love and need daily would not exist. (See photos of all of these had no idea how impressive that machine is! It takes that whole groups and events on the adjoining page.) plant from the ground, and it leaves the machine as clean soybeans These are just a few examples of how Mississippi Farm Bureau ready for the bin. And what about all John (our friend) has to do?!? Federation is working to bridge the gap from the farm to the table. He has to keep his eye on and adjust all kinds of different knobs, You can join with us in supporting this great way of life and educate switches and wheels, all in different places!” Needless to say, she yourself and your families on the bountiful and nutritious products was impressed. that fellow Mississippians are producing for their family and yours. Even those within Mississippi Farm Bureau can have their eyes One way to do so is by visiting our website at www.msfb.org. Join opened to new developments in agriculture. Farm Bureau member- us on Facebook or visit the Farm Families of Mississippi Ag Promoship secretaries, many of whom have grown up around agriculture tion Campaign at www.growingmississippi.org. and work with farmers every day, were amazed at the efficiencies We can all have a part in supporting agriculture and all that that come with a cotton harvest using John Deere’s module-build- farmers do for us every day. FB 24
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★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
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Women’s Ag Tour The 2016 Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation (MFBF) Women’s Ag Tour visited Hinds, Madison, Claiborne, Copiah and Adams counties in early October. Stops the first day included Salad Days (hydroponic lettuce and tomatoes) and Two Dog Farms (naturally grown produce), Flora; Providence Hill Farm (equestrian facility), with lunch at Providence Hill Farm, Jackson; First Presbyterian Church,
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Port Gibson; Stanton Hall, Natchez; and dinner at the Carriage House Restaurant, Natchez. Stops the next day included an earlymorning devotional beside the Mississippi River, Natchez; lunch at Porches Restuarant, Wesson; and the Flower & Garden Fest, Crystal Springs. The Women’s Ag Tour is organized every two years by the State Women’s Leadership Committee. FB
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Ag Book of the Year The 2017 Ag Book of the Year is “The Cow in Patrick O’ Shanahan’s Kitchen” by Diana Prichard, illustrated by Heather Devlin Knopf. Ever wonder where your breakfast comes from? Patrick O’ Shanahan never gave it a second thought, until the morning he found a cow in his kitchen! This eye-opening romp will have kids and foodies of all ages laughing out loud and maybe asking their own questions about how those chicken fingers and pudding snacks arrived at the lunch table. “The Cow in Patrick O’ Shanahan’s Kitchen” sells for $10 and comes with a free educator’s guide. TO ORDER, CALL PAM JONES AT (601) 977-4854.
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SEE PAGES
15&30
FOR SOME OF OUR FARM BUREAU MEMBER BENEFITS.
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Ag Mags Available
The most recent issue of our Ag Mag children’s newsletter features land and water. You can order Ag Mags for your local classroom or ag promotion events from our Ag in the Classroom program. Dairy, corn, poultry, horticulture, cotton, peanut, honey bee, soil, beef and soybean editions are also available. Contact Pam Jones at: pjones@msfb.org or (601) 977-4854.
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