Crops
Mississippi’s diverse soils, abundant rainfall, and moderate climate allow producers to plant a wide variety of agricultural crops. From iconic cotton to cutting-edge energy crops for biofuels, MSU scientists support the state’s agricultural commodities in a variety of ways.
Extension agents and specialists address growers’ immediate needs and challenges and help producers use university-based research to determine the most efficient production methods, best management practices, and most effective seed varieties for their unique needs.
For the most up-to-date information on the state’s agricultural crops, visit the Mississippi Crop Situation blog.
Publications
News
As happens in every other industry, when costs rise and markets stay flat or decline, farmers look for ways to either cut costs or increase income.
At the Row Crop Short Course hosted in December by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, those in attendance heard about a double-cropping system not yet tried in Mississippi. One presenter gave research data on growing corn and then soybeans in South Carolina as a way to increase the annual income from the same acreage.
Insect pests are ongoing issues in row crop farming, and deciding when, how and whether to treat is never a simple decision.
Offered by the Mississippi State University Extension Service, the Row Crop Short Course in December featured sessions informed by MSU’s ongoing research that helps growers make management decisions. Several sessions addressed insect control from a variety of angles.
BILOXI, Miss. -- A large group of agricultural producers gathered at the 2025 Producer Advisory Council meeting Jan. 14 at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi. The annual meeting serves as a forum for agricultural producers to discuss their needs with Mississippi State University personnel, including administrators, researchers, specialists and Extension agents with the MSU Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station and MSU Extension Service.
Success Stories
For J. W. “Bill” McKie (pronounced Mackey), working for the Mississippi State University Extension Service was more than just a job—solving agricultural problems for Mississippians was McKie’s calling.
More than 80 grade-school students from Choctaw Tribal Schools visited Mississippi State University in March to participate in Choctaw Preview Day.
Many Clay Countians know Art Sanders as the man who brought an abandoned pecan orchard back to life.
