Feature Story

JACKSON -- Seasonal termite swarms cause Blake Layton’s phone to ring off the hook this time of year.

Layton, a Mississippi State University Extension Service entomologist, said all three major termite species in Mississippi mate from January through June in hopes of forming a new colony. Mating season is one of the rare times people see the secretive insects. Sightings often spark suspicion of an infestation.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – For the third year, the Mississippi State University Extension Service will partner with NASA to share hands-on science activities with the state’s young people.

This year, Summer of Innovation camps will be offered in 33 counties and serve 1,400 children and teens. Campers will enjoy all-new activities designed to promote science and space exploration, such as developing a rover that can land on the moon.

BILOXI -- Seafood producers and processors, regulatory agents and other interested individuals can receive training on mandatory procedures for the safe production and handling of seafood during a July 8 workshop.

Specialists with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will introduce participants to the principles of the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point management system for seafood, regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Some people want nothing to do with the insect world, but 26 adults, teenagers and kids paid money to spend a week catching, examining and learning about bugs.

The 20th annual Bug and Plant Camp was underway at Mississippi State University from June 16 to 20. Campers, ranging from veteran teachers to 10-year-olds, participated in five full days and nights of insect work.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Forage and livestock producers across the state are invited to learn the latest research-based forage management recommendations at a warm-season grass tour at Mississippi State University.

CRYSTAL SPRINGS -- Books are just one of the things children at the Crystal Springs Public Library are digging into during June. Soil is on their lists, too.

Kids enrolled in the Dig into Reading-themed summer library program recently got a lesson on plants from specialists at Mississippi State University’s Truck Crops Branch Experiment Station.

PONTOTOC -- Growers, crop consultants and other agriculture professionals in north Mississippi can learn about the latest crop research and emerging technologies during a July 11 field day.

Researchers and specialists with Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station will host the event at the Pontotoc Ridge-Flatwoods Branch Experiment Station at 8320 Highway 15 South.

JACKSON -- Mississippi State University is offering two deer management workshops in late July and August to landowners, hunters, and professionals working with Mississippi’s white-tailed deer populations.

Mississippi State University’s Extension Service and the College of Forest Resources, along with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks, will offer the two-day workshops in Starkville and Biloxi.

By Kaitlyn Byrne
MSU Office of Ag Communications

Students interested in veterinary school had an opportunity to get an inside look at the profession during the Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine Veterinary Camp.

During the recent three-day camp, 13- to 16-year-olds attended labs taught by MSU College of Veterinary Medicine faculty and participated in hands-on workshops.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – She is new to Mississippi State University, but her professional track record is well known across the country.

RAYMOND -- Mississippi State University will honor the memory of longtime employee Frank T. “Butch” Withers Jr. by naming the Central Mississippi Research and Extension Center in Raymond after him.

Former colleagues, friends and family members will gather at the center at 10:30 a.m. July 10 for a naming ceremony. The event will conclude with a luncheon at noon. The public is invited to attend.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Several Mississippi communities are taking on projects designed to help senior adults keep their independence and improve their health.

The Mississippi State University Extension Service has challenged communities to assess the resources they offer senior adults and is helping them develop a plan to strengthen and add to those resources.

JACKSON -- Whether families head to the local park or an out-of-town destination, veterinarians advise them this summer to take steps to ensure pets stay safe and healthy as they travel.

Dr. Joey Burt, assistant clinical professor and director of the Animal Health Center at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, said before setting out on any trip, pet owners should make sure their pets are comfortable with riding in an automobile. Burt suggested taking pets on short trips to gauge their tolerance.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Mississippi State University’s new livestock judging team coach invites young people and coaches interested in sharpening their livestock judging skills to one of two camps.

MISSISSIPPI STATE – Preparing for the 2013 hurricane season is wise, even if no major storm strikes the Mississippi Gulf Coast.

Susan Cosgrove, an area family resource management agent in Newton County with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the steps taken to prepare for a hurricane will help whenever an unexpected disaster strikes.

BILOXI -- Many frustrated gardeners have noted how plants often look their best on retail shelves, but ongoing tests at Mississippi State University helps these gardeners figure out which flowers will meet expectations.

Gary Bachman, horticulturist with the MSU Extension Service at the Coastal Research and Extension Center in Biloxi, said the university currently tests flower selections at two sites. Plans are underway to conduct flower variety testing at five locations around the state soon.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Four representatives of Mississippi State University’s Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine will participate in a national program targeting future agricultural leaders.

MSU faculty selected to participate in Leadership Development for the 21st Century: Linking Research, Academics and Extension include

By Karen Templeton
MSU College of Veterinary Medicine

MISSISSIPPI STATE – A group of veterinarians at Mississippi State University’s College of Veterinary Medicine is working to better understand cancer in dogs, work that will likely also advance knowledge of human cancer.

MSU scientists said there is little difference between cancerous tumors found in dogs and humans, and the opportunity to help both human and canine patients is growing.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Paring, slicing, dicing, and cubing are a few of the activities that young chefs will learn at Mississippi State University’s seventh annual Fun with Food Camp.

The five-day camp will be June 17-21 from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m on MSU’s Starkville campus. The camp is open to children entering third through sixth grades and provides an opportunity for hands-on food experiences.

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- When veterinarian Dr. Alicia Olivier arrives for work every day, she isn’t greeted by wagging tails and nervous meows. Instead, she spends her days behind a microscope to help better understand disease processes and therapy development.

Olivier is a member of a diverse set of veterinary scientists who conduct a variety of biomedical research that impacts animal and human health.