Mississippi Business Journal » Agribusiness & Timber

Agriculture remains king of state’s economy

Lynn Lofton — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 05:03:00 +0000

Agriculture remains the number one industry in Mississippi with one out of every four residents employed directly or indirectly in that industry. In terms of the state’s best cash crop economically, the production of chickens and eggs is our number one commodity, with soybeans at number two and forestry at number three. “Our economy is [...]

The post Agriculture remains king of state’s economy appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

This time Cochran brings more power to another swing at Farm Bill

Ted Carter — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 04:42:23 +0000

Chip Morgan of the Delta Council isn’t in the business of trying to predict what Congress will do. But of this he is certain: Thad Cochran, Mississippi’s senior senator, will be on hand when the Senate Agriculture Committee puts its final stamp on a new Farm Bill extension. As the Agriculture Committee’s new ranking member, [...]

The post This time Cochran brings more power to another swing at Farm Bill appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Allan Nations spearheads U.S. grass farming revolution

Becky Gillette — Sat, 02 Mar 2013 04:34:36 +0000

When Allan Nations bought Stockman Farmer magazine in 1977, the magazine was about conventional feedlot production with cattle “finished” by being fed grain before slaughter. Then in 1984 Nations went to New Zealand on an international farm tour, an experience that changed his life. It was the first time he heard a rancher refer to [...]

The post Allan Nations spearheads U.S. grass farming revolution appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

TimberCorp turns profit through difficult times

Wally Northway — Fri, 01 Mar 2013 13:03:22 +0000

Heading toward its quarter-century anniversary, TimberCorp Inc. has managed to turn a profit every year. However, there were some slim times at the land management company that has thrived through natural disasters, invasive species and a recession/housing market collapse. “About three or four months of opening the company, I needed to buy a gate for [...]

The post TimberCorp turns profit through difficult times appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Bryant unsure of migrant labor crackdown’s economic costs

Ted Carter — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:01:54 +0000

Gov. Phil Bryant says he has no idea what the costs would be to Mississippi’s agricultural sector if a tough anti-immigration law caused undocumented immigrants to leave the state en masse as they have in Georgia and Alabama. While Georgia and Alabama sustained serious economic losses from crops that went un-harvested after the workers left, [...]

The post Bryant unsure of migrant labor crackdown’s economic costs appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Ag researcher sees good times ahead for farmers

Lynn Lofton — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:01:48 +0000

He has the same name as a famous comedian and even though he’s serious about the work he does, Mississippi’s Steve Martin can be humorous too. He serves as the head of the Delta Research & Extension Center and extension professor at the Mississippi State University facility in Stoneville. His areas of research include production [...]

The post Ag researcher sees good times ahead for farmers appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Bryant’s office set conference to coincide with Catholic Day

Ted Carter — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:01:33 +0000

Mississippi’s Catholic leaders have spoken out strongly against the state’s plans to adopt a stringent Alabama-style immigration law, but Gov. Phil Bryant’s supporters set aside “Catholic Day” at the Capitol last Wednesday to champion just such a law. Bryant joined with Mississippi Tea Party and the Mississippi Federation for Immigration Reform and Enforcement to detail [...]

The post Bryant’s office set conference to coincide with Catholic Day appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

For Mississippi farmers … Cost uncertainties temper cheers for prospect of higher crop prices

Ted Carter — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 06:01:23 +0000

A pair of Mississippi agriculture economists say 2012 crop winners should be soybeans, corn and — to a lesser degree — cotton. But don’t expect farmers are sleeping all that well as March arrives and planting choices must be made, said John Michael Riley, an agriculture economist with the Agricultural Extension Service at Mississippi State [...]

The post For Mississippi farmers … Cost uncertainties temper cheers for prospect of higher crop prices appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

TWEETING FARMERS

Lynn Lofton — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:00:56 +0000

If tweeting farmers seems like a far-fetched idea, think again. Much of agriculture is now high tech and that includes farmers who are turning more and more to social media for a variety of reasons. “Just like the rest of the population, farmers’ use of Facebook, blogs and other social media has increased and is [...]

The post TWEETING FARMERS appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.

Lee County Agri-Center faces uncertain future prospects

Lynn Lofton — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 06:00:16 +0000

When it was built in 1994, the Lee County Agri-Center was one of the first such centers in the state and was thought of as a regional center. Hopes were high that the 150,000-square-foot complex would not only pay for itself but bring in additional revenue for the county. The facility has not lived up [...]

The post Lee County Agri-Center faces uncertain future prospects appeared first on Mississippi Business Journal.