mississippi farm country november december 2011

A Publication of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation • MSFB.org

FARMM I S S I S S I P P I

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2011

VOLUME 87 NO. 6

3MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

CONTENTS

Features88 VOTE YES ON #31Farm Bureau members from across thestate take a look at Mississippi’s needfor strong private property laws. Theyplan to vote YES on Initiative 31 foreminent domain reform in theNovember 8 general election. Theyurge you to do so, also. Let your voicebe heard on this matter.

2244 SOLVE THE MYSTERYWhich Rankin County town takes itsname from the Choctaw word meaning“crooked creek?” Read the clues andmake your guess.

2266 COUNTRY GIRLS CREAMERYKiahnell and Butch Smith of Wigginsoperate a value-added dairy that bottlespasteurized milk and makes cheese,sour cream and yogurt. Come with usas we learn more

Departments44 President’s Message

66--77 Commodity Updates 2200 Counsel’s Corner2222 Public Policy Notes3322 Member Benefits

SpotlightAbout the coverDeniese Swindoll of DeSoto County stands in a soybean field while holding the Americanflag as a gesture of respect for our country. Swindoll and nine other Farm Bureau memberstalk about their love of our state, our nation, and Mississippi’s agricultural industry. Theyalso speak out on behalf of eminent domain reform. Read their stories inside.

“Our mission is to create an environmentin which Mississippi farmers, ranchers,and Farm Bureau members can have a

better life and make a better living.”

MMIISSSSIISSSSIIPPPPII FFAARRMM CCOOUUNNTTRRYYVolume 87 Number 6

November/December 2011

MMiissssiissssiippppii FFaarrmm CCoouunnttrryy(ISSN 1529-9600) magazine ispublished bimonthly by the

Mississippi Farm Bureau® Federation.

EDITORIAL and BUSINESS OFFICES6311 Ridgewood Road Jackson, MS 39211

601-977-4153

EEDDIITTOORR - Glynda Phillips

AADDVVEERRTTIISSIINNGGAngela Thompson

1-800-227-8244 ext. 4242

FFAARRMM BBUURREEAAUU OOFFFFIICCEERRSSPresident – Randy Knight

Vice President – Donald GantVice President – Ted Kendall

Vice President – Reggie MageeTreasurer – Billy Davis

Corporate Secretary – Ilene Sumrall

FFAARRMM BBUURREEAAUU DDIIRREECCTTOORRSSDr. Jim Perkins, IukaMike Graves, Ripley

B.A. Teague, New AlbanyBill Ryan Tabb, Cleveland

Coley L. Bailey, Jr., CoffeevilleNeal Huskison, PontotocJeffrey R. Tabb, WalthallBobby Moody, Louisville

Wanda Hill, IsolaJames Foy, Canton

William Jones, MeridianJames Brewer, ShubutaStanley Williams, Mt. OliveLonnie Fortner, Port GibsonMoody Davis, Brookhaven

Mike McCormick, Union ChurchD.P. O’Quinn, PurvisGerald Moore, Petal

Clifton Hicks, LeakesvilleKen Mallette, VancleaveBetty Mills, Winona

Noble Guedon, Natchez

HHOONNOORRAARRYY VVIICCEE--PPRREESSIIDDEENNTTSSLouis Breaux, David H. Bennett

Warren Oakley

Farm Bureau members receive this publication as part of their membership benefit. Periodicals postageis paid at Jackson, MS and at additional mailing offices.

Postmaster: Send address changes toP. O. Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215

Material in this publication is based on what the editorbelieves to be reliable information. Neither Mississippi FarmBureau Federation nor those individuals or organizationscontributing to the MFBF publication assume any liabilityfor errors that might go undetected in the publication —this includes statements in articles or advertisements thatcould lead to erroneous personal or business managementdecisions.

FARM BUREAU®, FB® and all Farm Bureau logos used inthis magazine are registered service marks owned by theAmerican Farm Bureau Federation. They may not be usedin any commercial manner without the prior written consentof the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Design: Coopwood Communications, Inc.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

NOVEMBER/DECEMBERMISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY4

Every morning, long before the sun comes up, my fatheris out at the milking parlor. He is 78 years old, and I know thatas long as he is able, he will farm. He loves it just that much,and he is not alone.

I am often invited onto the farms of our members, and I seethe pride of ownership in their eyes. They tell me that farm-ing is all they ever wanted to do. They tell me that they grewup following their father or another relative around the farmand knew from an early age that this is how they wanted tospend their lives.

I also hear their frustration, over the economy, rising in-put costs, land availability, and the public’s lack of under-standing about agriculture. As a third-generation Mississippifarmer, I totally understand. I consider it a privilege and a trustto bring these experiences back to Jackson with me, where weuse them to shape the course of the programs that we offer.

Farming isn’t easy. I would go so far as to say that it is oneof the most difficult jobs in the world. But it is also one of themost rewarding. Farmers make a real difference in the livesof every single person on the planet, from the foods they eatto the clothes they wear to the shelter they enjoy over theirheads.

Farm Bureau members and staff work hard every year tomake sure that our farming industry remains strong. Weknow that one of the most important keys to this is good avail-able land. You’ve heard me say this on more than one occa-sion, but it bears repeating. Land is the single most essentialnatural resource in a farmer’s attempts to make a living eachand every year.

Recognizing the importance of our land, the MississippiFarm Bureau Federation (MFBF) established a Land Programin 2007 to address those issues faced by private property own-ers. Doug Ervin coordinates the program. Ervin is also thefederation’s Commodity Coordinator for Dairy and our Re-gional Manager for Region 7.

In addition, we offer an Environmental Program. Begun in

the 1980s, this program addresses environmental issues en-countered by farmers and other rural landowners. The Envi-ronmental Program is an integral part of the Public Policy De-partment and is coordinated by Andy Whittington.

Each year, these programs work with other programs andstaff to represent Farm Bureau members at the State Capitoland with state regulatory agencies on all issues related to land.In recent years, we have dealt with private property rights rel-ative to eminent domain, trespass protection for privatelandowners, CAFO regulations, and taxation issues, to namejust a few.

We also explore land use opportunities. Farm Bureau rec-ognizes that land and land use values are the single greatestsources of income and assets in Mississippi. Income poten-tial exists in the areas of agritourism, mineral rights, huntingleases, recreational uses, and government conservation in-centive programs.

I encourage you to become familiar with our Land and En-vironmental programs and to become better informed aboutthe most valuable commodity of all — your land. You cangain access to Doug Ervin and Andy Whittington by callingthe state office.

Let’s talk for a moment about eminent domain reform.This time last year, approximately 120,000 registered voterssigned petitions calling for an initiative to be placed on the2011 ballot that will strengthen our weak private propertylaws. Initiative 31 is the result. When you participate in theNovember 8 general election, look for Initiative 31 and voteYES for eminent domain reform.

John Adams got it exactly right when he said: “The mo-ment the idea is admitted into society that property is not assacred as the laws of God ... anarchy and tyranny commence.Property must be secured or liberty cannot exist.”

Let’s stand together on this most important issue and putan end to eminent domain abuse for good.

See you at the polls.

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

Randy Knight, PresidentMississippi Farm Bureau Federation

Land: A ValuableCommodity

5MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRYNOVEMBER/DECEMBER

Eminent Domain is the ability of the govern-ment to take private property for public use, suchas roads and schools. Do you support taking pri-vate property with eminent domain for private de-velopment projects? If a company would providejobs to the state, would you still support it?

As mayor, I’m intimately familiar with the em-inent domain issue. The use of eminent domain forpublic use is sometimes necessary but shouldnever be used lightly. That has always been myapproach from the city’s standpoint. However,the use of eminent domain for private use shouldnever be allowed. That is a line I would not cross,and it is a path fraught with dangerous precedent.Hopefully, the constitutional amendment banningsuch a practice will pass in November.

Agriculture is the largest contributor to thestate’s economy, and our land-grant universitiesplay a vital role in keeping agriculture viable. Doyou support keeping the agriculture units as sep-arate budgets from IHL? Do you support level tofully funding the agriculture units of MississippiState University and Alcorn State University?

I support keeping the units separate, just as Isupport fully funding agriculture units at MSU

and Alcorn. Furthermore, I believe we must useour public universities as economic developmentcatalysts to help create more jobs related to theprocessing and packaging of our agricultureproducts as well as helping to find ways for us togrow our export business of targeted agricultureproducts, such as timber.

Agriculture is a vital part of Mississippi andone of the most recognizable aspects is animalagriculture. Several national organizations areworking tirelessly to ban approved scientific prac-tices for raising livestock. Do you support non-agriculture groups dictating livestock practices?

I don’t believe any one group should dictatepolicy. As mayor of Hattiesburg, I have a recordof bringing people on different sides of any givenissue to the table to seek workable, common-sense solutions. As governor, I’ll do the samething. If changes are necessary, then I pledge towork with the experts in that field, which in thiscase would include the livestock farmers in Mis-sissippi. Likewise, I promise not to bend to polit-ical pressure to institute policies that will harmagriculture in Mississippi if no change is needed.

Eminent Domain Reformand Other Issues

On the eve of the November 8 general election, Phil Bryant and Johnny DuPree,the Republican and Democratic candidates for the office of governor, were askedto present their views on eminent domain reform and other issues of interest toFarm Bureau. Here are their responses.

Eminent Domain is the ability of the gov-ernment to take private property for public use,such as roads and schools. Do you support tak-ing private property with eminent domain forprivate development projects? If a companywould provide jobs to the state, would you stillsupport it?

No.

Agriculture is the largest contributor to thestate’s economy, and our land-grant universitiesplay a vital role in keeping agriculture viable.Do you support keeping the agriculture units asseparate budgets from IHL? Do you support

level to fully funding the agriculture units ofMississippi State University and Alcorn StateUniversity?

Within the financial realities of the statebudget, yes.

Agriculture is a vital part of Mississippi,and one of the most recognizable aspects is an-imal agriculture. Several national organizationsare working tirelessly to ban approved scientificpractices for raising livestock. Do you supportnon-agriculture groups dictating livestock prac-tices?

No.

Phil Bryant

Johnny DuPree

Mississippi farmers are working on getting another crop suc-cessfully harvested and hauled to storage or market. The 2011 sea-son presented many considerable challenges to grain-crop pro-ducers, including historic Mississippi River flood levels and severedrought during the summer. Mississippi growers planted an esti-mated 860,000 acres of corn — a 110,000-acre increase com-pared to last year; 340,000 acres of wheat — 215,000 acres morethan last year; and 40,000 acres of sorghum — an additional28,000 acres more than last year.

Floodwater rising during May, primarily in the lower Delta, de-stroyed or damaged an estimated 40,000 acres of corn. Farmerslikely planted the vast majority of the damaged acres to soybeansand occasionally sorghum because these crops are generally bet-ter-suited for the exceptionally late plantings encountered after thefloodwater receded. The floodwater timing also occurred just priorto wheat maturity and thus destroyed nearly 12,000 acres or pre-cipitated premature harvest.

The exceptionally abundant rainfall system in the Ohio RiverValley, which contributed to record floods, lingered into north Mis- sissippi this spring as well. This rainfall caused substantial flood-ing along the Coldwater and Tallahatchie rivers in north Mississippiduring early May. Most importantly, it delayed corn and otherspring row-crop planting well into May throughout much of northand east central Mississippi. Thus, these late corn plantings wereeven more dependent upon midsummer rainfall to maintain pro-ductivity.

Considerable drought was prevalent across the entire state frommid-May through mid-July, when corn’s moisture demand is high-est. This stress took a considerable toll on our dryland corn cropand severely strained our irrigators’ abilities and expenses to sup-ply moisture to meet crop demand. Although areas of Mississippiwere blessed with above-average rainfall during July, the northernregion of the state was generally quite dry, producing significantdrought stress for the late corn crop.

Midsummer temperatures were also exceptionally hot, furtherintensifying drought stress. In fact, 2011 ranks among the highesttemperatures during the past 20 years, along with 2010 and 1998,when Mississippi had serious issues with aflatoxin contaminationin corn.

Considering the exceptional drought stress predominant duringthe growing season, Mississippi growers are often producing bet-ter corn than anticipated. This season’s dry, warm weather provedvery favorable for our primary winter crop, which is wheat. NASSestimates Mississippi growers harvested a new record yield of 64bushels per acre.

This article was written by Dr. Erick Larson, Grain CropsAgronomist, Mississippi State University.


COMMODITY UPDATE: CORN, WHEAT AND FEED GRAINS

This Season PresentedMany ChallengesJan Hill, MFBF Corn, Wheat and Feed Grains Advisory Committee Chair

Britton Hatcher, MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Corn, Wheat and Feed Grains

HatcherHill

No matter how you slicethem, fry them, bake them,or mash them, sweet pota-toes are rapidly gaining thefavor of U.S. consumers.This positive trend for thesweet potato industry hasresulted in increased sweetpotato sales, expansivemarket opportunities,heightened sweet potatoproduction, and the devel-opment of endless creativeproducts to be made fromthis popular and healthful commodity.

In Mississippi, sweet potato growers are excited about thepossibilities that lie ahead for their industry, and they have beenproactive in jumping on board in an effort to take advantage ofthe opportunities coming their way. From 2009 to 2010, sweetpotato purchases climbed 14 percentage points, causing thesweet potato to become one of the highest-increasing vegetableitems for year-to-year growth. Per capita usage of commer-cially produced fresh and processed sweet potatoes was 6.3pounds in 2010, up from 5.2 pounds per capita in 2009 and 4.5pounds in 2005.

In fact, 2010 marked the sixth consecutive year of steadygrowth in per capita usage of sweet potatoes. One report evenshowed that nearly half — 44 percent — of U.S. householdspurchased sweet potatoes during the previous year. Addition-ally, it has been reported that, already in 2011, pounds ofsweet potatoes sold through retail outlets rose by approxi-mately 2 percent, with sweet potato retail sales dollars havinggained an increase of almost 1 percent.

Much of this growth in consumption may be attributed toan increased public awareness of the health benefits that sweetpotatoes bring to the table, as they have increasingly beenpraised for being high in fiber, beta-carotene, antioxidants, andvitamins A, C, E, and B6. In addition to their delicious taste andsuperior nutritional qualities, sweet potatoes bring to the platesomething unique in color and consistency. These attributeshave allowed the sweet potato industry to grow, even as U.S.consumers are confronted with a depressed economy.

Along with an increase inconsumer demand, has comea vast increase in value-added sweet potato products.The biggest increase in theindustrial market for sweetpotatoes is currently in thefrozen- and processed-prod-uct markets. With the busy,fast-paced lifestyle led by somany Americans today, hav-ing easily accessible, quicklyprepared products is essen-tial.

The sweet potato industry has not fallen short in the devel-opment of tasty and nutritious products available to consumers.Leading the charge is the continuously popular sweet potatofrench fry; however, many other products made from sweet po-tatoes, such as boxed and frozen casseroles and scalloped po-tatoes, tater tots, hash browns, bread pudding cups, muffins,and baking mixes are becoming favorite consumer choices.

In addition, the fresh market has included value-addedproducts to increase the convenience of preparation, such as in-dividually wrapped microwaveable sweet potatoes, fresh-cut-and-bagged sweet potato spears and cubes for steaming, andfoil-wrapped easy-griller potatoes. These diverse product op-tions have appealed to consumers and boosted their likelihoodof purchasing sweet potatoes and sweet potato products on amore frequent basis.

These trends in sweet potato consumption and product de-velopment are good for Mississippi’s sweet potato growers,who increased the state’s planted acres of sweet potatoes tonearly 22,000 acres in 2011. These growers not only sell theirproduct through the fresh market as whole potatoes, but alsosell their potatoes to processors who produce these processedfood items.

Mississippi’s growers have been innovative and progressivein seeking out unique market opportunities for their sweet po-tatoes and have been pleased with the increase in available mar-ket outlets. Sweet potato producers statewide look forward towhat appears to be a promising year ahead for the sweet po-tato industry.


Randle Wright, MFBF Sweet Potatoes Advisory Committee ChairSamantha Webb, MFBF Commodity Coordinator for Sweet Potatoes

COMMODITY UPDATE: SWEET POTATOES

Sweet Potato ConsumptionBroadens Grower Opportunities

WebbWright


Farm Bureau members are reminded daily that God shed His grace uponthis great nation of ours … from sea to shining sea. We are thankful thatwe live in a country where we can enjoy abundant natural resources and

unprecedented rights and freedoms. As a gesture of gratitude and respect, the Mississippians featured on

these pages proudly display the American flag. They talk about their farm-ing operations, their Farm Bureau memberships, and their great love of ourstate and nation. They also speak out in support of eminent domain reform.

These men and women believe that the government should be prohibitedfrom using eminent domain to obtain property for private projects, and theyknow that Initiative 31 addresses this issue, strengthening our state’s privateproperty laws. On Nov. 8, they urge you to vote YES on Initiative 31, the lastmeasure on the ballot.

By Glynda Phillips

VoiceLet Your

Be Heard

YES on Initiative

31

VOTE

They urge you to letyour voice be heard.


We Want to Decide for Ourselves

DeSoto County

“My husband’s father worked on otherpeople’s farms, saved his money, and wasable to buy his own land,” said DenieseSwindoll of Hernando. “He made sacri-fices, but he also possessed discipline andforesight. Our land is our livelihood, butmore than that, it is our father’s legacy tous.”

The Swindolls grow soybeans, cottonand corn on land in Tunica, DeSoto and Tate counties. Within thelast 10 years in this northwestern corner of the state, they have seena lot of good available farmland disappear into shopping centers andhousing projects. They say that all of this is slowly moving in theirdirection.

“If someone approaches you and you decide that you want to sellyour land at a good price, then that is your decision to make and thatis fine,” Deniese said. “But when someone tries to use the eminent

domain process to take your land forprivate purposes, that is something elseagain. We want to make our own deci-sion about this and not be forced. Wehope you do, too.”

The Swindolls worry that most peo-ple don’t realize how important an issuethis is.

“If you own land, a home, or even asmall business, this should concern you,” Deniese said. “We planto make sure that the people in our area understand why we needeminent domain reform.”

In the general election on Nov. 8, Deniese and her husbandTommy urge you to vote YES on Initiative 31. They encourage youto let your voice be heard.

Deniese is chair of the Region 1 Women’s Committee. Tommyis president of DeSoto County Farm Bureau.

“ If you own land, ahome, or even a smallbusiness, this shouldconcern you.”


AStrongDomesticFoodSupply

Prentiss County

“Farmers seem to be getting pushed fartherand farther down our nation’s list of priorities,and that is scary,” said Clay Green, a memberof the Young Farmers and Ranchers StateCommittee. Clay has farmed row crops andbeef cattle in Prentiss County for 11 years.

“Our weak private property laws here inMississippi are a perfect example,” he said. “IfMississippi loses its good available farmlandto private use, then where will we farm? If ournation loses its farmers, then who will growour food? America needs a strong domesticfood supply. We can’t afford to become de-pendent upon another nation for our food.”

Clay believes in Farm Bureau’s work withissues like eminent domain reform. He knowsthat our organization has always done the rightthing.

“Farm Bureau is the Voice of Agriculture®

and our main support. I am so glad our organ-ization is speaking out for eminent domainreform,” he said. “Farm Bureau has never dis-appointed me, and I don’t think it ever will.”

Clay urges you to become involved in thiscampaign. He says if the people of Mississippidon’t stand up and stand behind Farm Bureau,they will be sorry.

“This is a very serious matter,” he said. “Idon’t think most people have stopped to con-sider just how important it really is. Our rightto own land is a basic Constitutional right.We can’t have weak laws protecting thatright.”

Clay encourages you to vote YES on Ini-tiative 31 in the upcoming Nov. 8 general elec-tion. He urges you to let your voice be heard.

If our nation loses its farmers, then who will grow our food?”“


“Our freedoms as Americans are precious,” said Warren Oakley,a Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation honorary vice president.“One of our most important freedoms is the right to own and enjoyour own property.”

Warren inherited his farm-land in Oktoc from his parentswho, in turn, inherited it fromtheirs.

“I was born and raised inthe house my grandparentsbuilt,” said the 88-year-oldlifelong farmer. “That land means more to me than money becauseit has great sentimental value.”

Warren’s grandmother started a dairy on the farm. The dairy waspassed down to Warren’s father, who passed it down to him. War-ren operated the dairy for more than 50 years, until the day he re-tired well into his 70s.

Warren raised his family on the farm, and he is proud to say thathis sons now farm the land in timber and beef cattle.

Warren joined Oktibbeha County Farm Bureau in 1946 and hasserved as a county president, state director, state vice president, andhonorary state vice president. He believes in Farm Bureau andknows that the organization works hard to uphold the conservativevalues of its grassroots members.

Warren also believes deeply inAmerica. He was quick to volun-teer during World War II, servingin the U.S. Army under GeneralGeorge S. Patton. In the course ofthat conflict, he twice sustainedinjuries in the Battle of the Bulge.Oakley is pictured displaying the

American flag and his purple-heart pin with the extra oak leaf clus-ter that signifies he was injured in battle more than once.

Warren Oakley encourages you to vote YES on Initiative 31 inthe upcoming Nov. 8 general election. He urges you to let your voicebe heard.

Oktibbeha County

One of our most importantfreedoms is the right to ownand enjoy our own property.”“

OurFreedomsare Precious

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We Must Drawa Line in the Sand

Humphreys County

“Everyone should be concerned about Mississippi’s weak em-inent domain laws,” said Shea Whitfield, a former Young Farm-ers and Ranchers State Discussion Meet winner and a currentmember of the Young Farmers and Ranchers State Committee.

“If we don’t do something now to strengthen those laws, thenthe individuals who favor them will push a little harder eachtime,” he said. “We must draw a line in the sand, or we will findour nation moving away from its roots. This matter shouldn’t bedictated to us. We must be allowed to decide for ourselves.”

Shea hails from generations of family farmers. In the 1820s, hisfourth great-grandfather on his father’s side came to Mississippifrom the Carolinas and began farming land in what is now HindsCounty. His second great-grandfather bought land adjacent tothat property in Hinds County right after the Civil War, andShea’s father is still farming it today.

“Eminent domain has the potential to affect our family landtremendously,” he said. “Already, some of our land is locatedaround a golf course and some of it has been annexed by the cityof Clinton. The threat of the government taking our land for pri-vate use is always with us. It hasn’t happened yet, but it could very

well happen in the future.”Shea uses this example to illustrate the importance of eminent

domain reform: “What if someone were to drive by your property and say to

themselves, ‘You know, that’s a beautiful place. I bet it doesn’tgenerate as much tax revenue as I could generate by building afactory there.’

“The next thing you know, your land is taken for a factory. Thatpossibility concerns me,” he said. “It should concern you, too. Idon’t mind having some of my land taken for roads, bridges andutilities because we all benefit from that. But private use is some-thing else. That is not how the law was intended.”

Shea appreciates Farm Bureau coming out on behalf of emi-nent domain reform.

“We need a large group of concerned citizens working to-gether on this,” he said. “Individuals don’t have the time, moneyor influence. But with everybody involved, it becomes a realmovement.”

Shea encourages you to vote YES on Initiative 31. He urgesyou to let your voice be heard.

We need a large groupof concerned citizensworking together on this.”

“


Private Use — Not Howthe Law was Intended

Hinds County

Peggy McKey and her husband Keith raisepaint horses and grow timber and pecan trees ontheir Hinds County farmland near Edwards. Theypreviously raised cattle. The land has beenpassed down by both of their families for gener-ations and has been continuously farmed since1827.

Keith’s family had a brush with eminent do-main when the Natchez Trace Parkway camethrough the area many years ago.

“The Natchez Trace Parkway passed overtheir farm and divided it, and they were promisedby the government that a pass-under would beconstructed so that their cows could be drivenfrom one side of the Trace to the other,” Peggysaid. “That promise was never honored. Even-tually, the isolated part of the farm was sold be-cause it wasn’t practical to keep it.

“I still believe in eminent domain for utilities,roads and bridges but not for private use,” sheadded. “That is not how this law was intended.

“Our land has a lot of sentimental value, butfarmers need land to farm,” she said. “Theamount that the government is willing to pay foryour land under a threat of eminent domain isusually not enough to equal the true value of theland, so it’s hard to find good quality farmland toreplace the land that has been taken.”

Peggy’s family, the Cannadas, has long beeninvolved in Farm Bureau. Her father helped toorganize Hinds County Farm Bureau and wasone of its early presidents. Peggy and her hus-band joined in 1975, and she has served as acounty board member continuously since 1981.Peggy is the Region 3 Women’s Chair.

“Farm Bureau has helped the farmers of Mis-sissippi a lot,” she said. “We wouldn’t be awareof the important land issues and political issuesconnected with farming if it weren’t for FarmBureau keeping us informed and up to date.”

Peggy encourages you to go to the polls onNov. 8th and vote YES on Initiative 31, the lastmeasure on the ballot. She urges you to let yourvoice be heard.

“ I still believe in eminentdomain for utilities, roads andbridges but not for private use.”


America MustSafeguard its Freedoms

Jasper County

Lonnie Thigpen, a Jasper County timber grower,manages the timberland his father Chester managed sowell that he was named Tree Farmer of the Year in1995 for both the state and nation.

Lonnie appreciates that we live in a country wherecitizens are free to work hard, save their money, andpurchase their own land. His father slowly boughtold cotton and row crop fields, then spent half a cen-tury reclaiming the land and turning it into a workingtree farm. Chester and his wife, Rosett, were able toearn income off the trees to send their children tocollege. They also enjoyed sharing the land with theirfamily and friends.

Lonnie says we must remain vigilant in order tosafeguard our right to own and enjoy property.

“If the government wants our land badly enough,they should be willing to pay a commercially fairprice before using the eminent domain process,” hesaid. “I have been a supervisor in Jasper County forseven years, and we have always negotiated for theland we needed for roads, bridges and utilities. Wehaven’t had to use eminent domain yet, and I hope wenever will.”

Lonnie says that when a few people begin decid-ing for the rest of us what we need regarding a basicright, then that is the moment when our country beginsmoving away from a true democracy. He says it is cru-cial that we speak up and let our voices be heard.

In the Nov. 8 general election, Lonnie encouragesyou to vote YES on Initiative 31, the last measure onthe ballot.

Lonnie is retired from the United States Depart-ment of Agriculture’s Natural Resources ConservationService, where he worked for 34 years. He will serveas a Jasper County supervisor until January 2012.

Lonnie Thigpen joined Jasper County Farm Bureauin 1972.

“ If the government wants our landbadly enough, they should be willing topay a commercially fair price beforeusing the eminent domain process.”

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 15

Farm Bureau has Never Steered Me Wrong

Smith County

James Ford of Taylorsville in Smith County is a retired vegetablegrower and cattleman. His son now operates all of that, while Fordgrows timber.

James has been a member of Smith County Farm Bureau for 50-plus years. He has served on the Smith County Board of Directorsfor 48 years, and is presently the board’s oldest member. He alsoserved two terms on the Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation Boardof Directors.

“Farm Bureau is the best farm organization period,” he said.“Farm Bureau has never steered me wrong. With Farm Bureau, it’snot what the staff or the members can do to help themselves but whatthey can do to help others. That’s the way this organization has al-ways operated. Farm Bureau has the best interests of all Mississip-pians at heart.

“Farm Bureau also works hard to educate non-farmers aboutwhat it takes to farm,” he said. “People don’t appreciate the pres-

sures, the sweat, the grind, the time, and effort. It is not easy beinga farmer. We do everything right and sometimes see our hopes fora good crop wiped out by the weather or low prices.

“But for all the challenges, I have always loved being a farmer,”he said. “And I have always relied on Farm Bureau to help me withany issues that threaten my way of life and my livelihood.”

Regarding eminent domain reform, Ford encourages you to lis-ten to Farm Bureau.

“If you own land, whether it has sentimental value or not, youhave put a lot of effort and money into it over the years and youshould have the right to manage it for the rest of your life … or un-til you decide the time is right to sell it,” he said.

“You should never have to be afraid that the government will usethe eminent domain process to take your land and transfer it to a pri-vate party,” he said.

James encourages you vote YES on Initiative 31, the last meas-ure on the ballot. He urges you to let your voice be heard.

You should neverhave to be afraid thatthe government willuse the eminentdomain process totake your land andtransfer it to a privateparty.”

“

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY


We Support this IssueCarolyn Turner and her hus-

band Wendel once raised 500head of brood cows and someswine on their 400-acre farmnear Ellisville in Jones County.Now they grow pine trees.

“Our farm is a certified Cen-tennial Farm,” Carolyn said.“Wendel’s grandfather beganfarming this land many years ago. He was a cattleman from Texas,but he also grew broom straw and made and sold brooms. The oldblock building called The Broom Shop still stands on our property.”

Wendel, who has a degree in animal husbandry from MississippiState University, inherited his father’s farmland, but he and Carolynalso bought a former dairy farm as they were starting out as new-lyweds many years ago. Wendel also worked in commercial lend-ing for a time, helping farmers with ag-related loans.

“We hope that our land will be around for our grandchildren toenjoy and benefit from for many years to come,” she said.

Hattiesburg is growing by leaps and bounds, and some propertyadjoining the Turners’ land was recently developed into subdivi-sions. The Turners say that a few of the other old farmsteads in thearea have been purchased and developed into subdivisions.

“It is always on my mind, that Hattiesburg is drawing closer,”

Wendel said. “We feel we needstronger laws protecting privateproperty rights.”

The Turners point to HowardPark in Ellisville as an exampleof how existing industrial parksaround the state can and shouldbe used for private industrial de-velopment purposes. The 600-

acre park already possesses the infrastructure necessary for privateindustry to locate there. A $56 million GE plant is slated to be builtthere in the near future, and the park is presently home to other in-dustry and to an addition to Jones County Junior College.

The Turners joined Jones County Farm Bureau in the mid-1970s. They became members of their county board in the early1980s, where she served as county women’s chair and he served onthe executive committee. She is currently the Region 7 Women’sChair.

“We couldn’t operate without Farm Bureau,” Wendel said. “It hasstood beside us and been there when we needed it. If Farm Bureausupports eminent domain reform, then we do, too.”

The Turners encourage you to go to the polls on Nov. 8th andvote YES on Initiative 31. They urge you to let your voice beheard.

Jones County

We hope that our land willbe around for our grandchildrento enjoy and benefit from formany years to come.”

“


Farm Bureau is aForum for Farmers

Amite County

Earl Gay and Betty Edwards raise cattle and grow timber on a lit-tle over 1,000 acres of farmland in Amite County. Earl Gay had fin-ished cutting hay for the year, but on the day that I visited the farm,he ventured out into 100-degree August heat to cut hay for a Texasfarmer impacted by drought.

The Edwards inherited some of their land and bought the rest.The family farmland has been in Earl Gay’s family since 1921. Heis a third-generation farmer.

The Edwards have been members of Amite County Farm Bureausince they were married. She has served as a county and regionalwomen’s chair, and he has served as county vice president. He isalso chair of the Amite County FSA Committee and serves on thelocal co-op board of directors.

“Farm Bureau is a forum for farmers,” Betty said. “Here inAmite County, we are doing wonderful things for our farmers andfor many other area residents. For example, we support educationthrough scholarships to local students. We also assist the local 4-H,forestry and beef organizations.”

On the subject of eminent domain reform, Betty says she thinksall property owners should have a choice. If they want to sell, fine, butno one should be forced to give up their home or land for private use.

“We were approached by a business that wanted to buy threeacres of our land so they could relocate. We said no,” she said. “Noamount of money could persuade us to sell this land. It means fartoo much to us. But we do support public uses like bridges, roadsand utilities. In fact, we donated some of our land so that a new con-crete bridge could be built in our community.

“I guess that farmers are just a different breed. There’s justsomething about our land,” she said. “We already have a plan for

how it will be handed down.”One son and his wife al-

ready farm part of the land incows and horses. The otherson and his wife live inStarkville, where he is a fire-man and works for an engi-neering firm in Starkville

Earl Gay and Betty Ed-wards urge you to vote YESon Initiative 31. They en-courage you to let your voicebe heard.

No amountof money couldpersuade us tosell this land.”

“


Farm Bureau does a lot for all Mississippians

Ken Mallette is a born cattleman.It is evident that his gentle, soft-spoken way of working with his

cows has earned him their trust and respect. They are also beauti-ful animals. Mallette raises Brangus crossbred cows and Angus sirebulls in a cow-calf operation in the Mallette Community near Van-cleave in Jackson County. Heand three other cattlemen mar-ket their cattle together in loadlots on his farm.

Ken also grows pine trees.He conducts prescribed burnsannually, and at other times ofthe year, the cows graze on theundergrowth around the trees. Sometimes, farmers interested in pur-chasing cattle will visit the farm, see the well-tended trees, and be-come interested in their own timber options. He says it works outwell.

Ken’s farm is a one-man operation since the deaths of his father,Conrad, and his brother, Kyle. He gets help once a year from abrother duo from Alabama, but most of the time, he works alone.He doesn’t mind. He loves the freedom that farming offers him.

“This is all that I ever wanted to do,” he said. “I rarely go intotown because I just enjoy working out here on the farm so much.When you do what you enjoy at your own pace, you are blessed.”

Ken’s family members have long been involved in Farm Bureau.His father served as a county president and a state director. Ken is

serving his first term on the board ofthe directors of Mississippi FarmBureau Federation. He is also vicepresident of Jackson County FarmBureau.

Ken appreciates all that FarmBureau does for the farmers andother citizens of our state. He is es-

pecially thankful for Farm Bureau’s hard work on the eminent do-main reform issue, Initiative 31. He believes that our private prop-erty laws must be strengthened.

Ken thinks that people interested in acquiring land for profitshould deal with the landowner just as any private person or busi-ness must do. He urges you to become well-versed about this mat-ter and to vote YES on Initiative 31 in the Nov. 8 general election.

Ken encourages you to let your voice be heard.

Jackson County

I rarely go into townbecause I just enjoy workingout here on the farm so much.” “


EMINENT DOMAIN Q & A

Q: Why change the current law?In 2005, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Kelo v. City

of New London that private economic development qualified asa public use. Government can now use the eminent domainprocess to take property for private projects. Again, governmentis only required to pay fair market value for the property, basedon its current value, and not the enhanced value that an economicdevelopment project might bring.

Q: What happened in the Kelo v. New London case?The Pfizer Corporation wanted to build a research facility in

New London, Connecticut, and wanted the city to use eminent do-main to obtain the land that Pfizer wanted to use. The city forced15 homeowners to sell their land to Pfizer so improvements couldbe made there. One of the homeowners, Suzette Kelo, filed a law-suit alleging that the city’s actions were unconstitutional since eco-nomic development was not a “public use.” The case went all theway to the U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in a 5-4 decision thateconomic development was indeed a “public use” since the in-creased tax revenue generated would benefit the public. However,the court stated that “nothing in our opinion precludes any statefrom placing further restrictions on its exercise of the takingspower.” Since that time, 43 states have strengthened their eminentdomain laws.

The will of the people should prevail on this important con-stitutional issue. Otherwise, as predicted by Justices O’Connor,Scalia, Thomas and the Chief Justice in the Kelo case: “Thespecter of condemnation hangs over all property. Nothing is toprevent the state from replacing any Motel 6 with a Ritz Carlton,any home with a shopping mall, or any farm with a factory.”

Q: What does this mean to me?Because Mississippi has not yet strengthened its eminent do-

main laws, the government can use eminent domain to take yourproperty and transfer it to a business to make a profit. Therefore,government can take your property and transfer it to a businesswanting to expand, or to a developer wanting to build a shoppingcenter, because that would generate more tax revenue than the cur-rent owner.

Q: What does Initiative 31 do?Initiative 31 will strengthen Mississippi property owners’

rights and greatly reduce the chances that eminent domain will beused to take property for private projects. It will force any gov-ernment entity that takes property for private projects to hold thatproperty for 10 years before turning it over to any private party.

Q: What does Initiative 31 NOT do?Initiative 31 does NOT affect the traditional uses of eminent

domain. Governments can still use eminent domain to acquireproperty for roads, bridges, utilities, schools, etc. Initiative 31 doesNOT change the Bill of Rights in the Mississippi Constitution.

Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd ruled as follows: Initiative31 does not put forth anything which would change any portionof the Bill of Rights. Further, Initiative 31 does not conflict withthe Bill of Rights. The initiative would merely prevent propertytaken for public use from being transferred to private citizens for10 years. As such, the Court finds that Initiative 31 is a proper ini-tiative as contemplated by Article 15 §273 of the Mississippi Con-stitution of 1890. Therefore, the plaintiff's action has no merit andshould be dismissed with prejudice. Further, the Secretary ofState should be allowed to proceed with preparation of placing Ini-tiative 31 on the November 8, 2011, ballot.

Q: Is this going to stop economic development in thestate?

No. This claim is being used in an attempt to deceive the vot-ers. Economic development is not dependent on eminent do-main, which can still be used, as in the past, for public use suchas roads, schools, public parks, etc. Initiative 31 does not comeinto play until after the eminent domain proceedings are finishedand title passes to the acquiring authority. Initiative 31 is notagainst economic development, which has not suffered in the otherstates that have enacted eminent domain reform. This is about pri-vate property rights, not economic development. Don’t be fooledby this claim.

Q: What does the 10-year provision mean?Simply this: If your property is taken by eminent domain, it

cannot be transferred to any private party for 10 years after it isacquired, thus discouraging taking private property for private de-velopment. That is the only way to do it under Mississippi law andeven this is being challenged in court by the rich and powerful.This is a people’s initiative to help protect their homes and farms.

Q: Would this stop eminent domain from being used at all?No. This would only stop eminent domain from being used to

transfer property to a business or a developer immediately. Tra-ditional public uses will still be able to use eminent domain forparks, schools, highways, roads, utilities, etc.

Q: Where can I get more information about this?You can go to www.savingmyland.org for more detailed

information.

Q: What is eminent domain?Eminent domain is the process that government uses to take property from individuals for

public use. Historically, public uses have included parks, schools, roads, utilities, etc. The UnitedStates Constitution provides that property cannot be taken without just compensation. Gov-ernment is only required to pay fair market value for the property, based on its current value.


When I was growing up in the 1940s and 1950s, itwas not only another time, it was another world.As I reminisce about it, I realize that in my par-

ents’ life the world changed even more. They married in theDepression and never forgot it. Some of it I miss — suchas family reunions — and some I don’t, mowing a big yardwith a push mower or annual typhoid shots. I can hardlybear going back now, seeing the sad fate of small farmingcommunities in the Delta. Thankfully, the memories abide.

During the summer, before I was old enough to drive atractor, I was assigned numerous and miscellaneous choresby my parents. One of them was going to get the mail. I canstill remember the simple post office box combination;but even more, I remember, when riding my bicycle andparking it on the sidewalk, there would usually be three orfour amateur elderly philosophers sitting on the bench bythe post office door, discussing, debating and, yes, often ar-guing the great issues of the day, including:

• Who would gin the first bale of cotton?• Was Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams or Stan Musial thebest hitter?

• Was a John Deere model A tractor better than a Farmallmodel M?

• Would a pointer or a setter find more quail?• The relative merits of Ford V8s vs. Chevy straight 6s• Would the Y&MV RR train (a/k/a The Yellow Dog) beon time for a change?

All the while these great debates continued, the partic-ipants were smoking their pipes with Prince Albert, takinga chew of Brown’s Mule or rolling their own cigarette (anart in itself, especially when done with one hand). Mete-orological questions were posed from time to time such as,if it rains at night in July will it be a “chunk floater?” In ad-dition to the knowledge and oratorical skills, they alsoproduced objects of art by whittling on cedar, creating notonly beauty but sublime smell. Now whittling is a lost art.

Horses, teams of mules, and sundry other vehicles cameto town on Saturday. The wide sidewalks in front of thestores were crowded and the stores stayed open late. Once,I operated a popcorn machine on the street and also soldtickets for the short-lived movie theater (a/k/a pictureshow). All of the parking places in front of the stores werefilled until late in the evening.

Mobility in this community was spartan compared to to-day. There were no paved streets, no stoplights, stop signs,

etc. If you came to a place where one street intersected an-other, there was either an unwritten accepted code for whoyielded, or you just took your chances. There were two ex-ceptions to taking your chances — Mrs. Dr. Stone and Mr.E.W. Taylor. Both developed their driving habits late in lifeand were loath to change them. There being no signallamps on cars then, a quite sensible method of arm signalshad developed, arm straight out the driver’s window for aleft turn and an arm bent 90 degrees upwards for a rightturn; but both Mrs. Stone and Mr. Taylor refused to give orrecognize them as though they were nothing more thanmodern frivolities. Also, though they each drove on onlyhalf the road, their half was right in the middle. But therewas a very simple and logical resolution of this potentialproblem: everyone just got out of the way.

Church attendance in my family, as in many others, wasde riquere, and in summer, men wore white short-sleevedshirts, hung their Panama hats in the foyer (now strangelycalled the narthex) and the ceiling and funeral home fanskept us alive, but just barely, if there was a long-windedpreacher. Someone always had the preacher and his wife todinner after church (I never knew about lunch until I wentto college), and the hostess usually got out the best chinaand silver and real linen napkins. You could count on thepreacher to say a good, if sometimes a bit long, blessing.The food was wonderful, meat, vegetables, cornbread andhomemade pie. The tea was cold and sweet, and obesitywasn’t one of the biggest health issues of that day.

If you were sick, the elderly Dr. House would come toyour home and make you well. If you went to his office, hewould come to the door and say “next” and everyonemoved up a seat or two in an orderly manner. If anyone hada TV or swimming pool, it was community-accessible.There were also many problems in that era, either unrec-ognized or ignored, wrongs never made right, but life wasquiet and simple. We always tend to remember what wasgood and forget what was bad.

I could go on and on. I wouldn’t want to live that waytoday, but I’m thankful for my time in that other world.

Sam E. Scott is general counsel for Mississippi Farm BureauFederation and practices law in the law firm of Samuel E. Scott,PLLC, in Jackson. The foregoing information is general in natureand is not intended as nor should be considered specific legal ad-vice, nor to be considered as MFBF’s position or opinion. Some-times he gets sidetracked, as the above.

Thankful for Timein Another World

COUNSEL’S CORNER

By Sam E. Scott, MFBF General Counsel

PUBLIC POLICY NOTES

NOVEMBER/DECEMBERMISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

Nov. 3State Resolutions Meeting

MFBF BuildingJackson

Nov. 8General Election

Nov. 21-25National Farm-City Week

Dec. 3-5 MFBF Annual Meeting

Hilton HotelJackson

Jan. 8-11 AFBF Annual Meeting

Honolulu, Hawaii

Jan. 23 Winter Commodity Conference


Jan. 24Winter Commodity Conference


Feb. 6-8Washington D.C. Trip

Calendarof Events Eminent Domain Reform

and Other FB Efforts

Our heritage issomething that everyAmerican is proudof, and that is whyso many of our citi-zens chose to beAmerican over theirnationality. Our rightsand our freedomsstill drive people torisk their lives to come to America.

I am proud to be an American and proudto be a Mississippian. On November 8, Iwill cast my ballot for an issue that I feelvery strongly about, eminent domain re-form. I am not the only one who feelsstrongly about this. Approximately 120,000certified signatures were collected by fellowMississippians who feel the same way.

Eminent domain reform is one effort thatFarm Bureau has worked on. Below aresome of Farm Bureau’s recent legislativehighlights.

Sales Tax on Farm EquipmentIncreases the rate on farm tractors from

1 percent to 1.5 percent and reduces therate on sales of self-propelled equipmentfrom 3 percent to 1.5 percent and parts andlabor from 7 percent to 1.5 percent. Thefarmer must sign an affidavit saying he is afarmer to receive the sales tax reduction.

Right to FarmRevises immunity for certain agricul-

tural operations from nuisance lawsuits andadds honeybees to the definition of agricul-ture operations in the Freedom to Farm Act.

Harvest PermitsExtends the repealer on the provisions of

law that authorize MDOT to issue harvestpermits to owners and operators of vehicleshauling certain products through 2013.

Farmers Market Clarifies the sales tax provisions as re-

lates to certified farmers markets throughthe Department of Agriculture and Com-merce.

Boll Weevil Warehouse DiversionDiverts the cotton warehouse tax to the

Boll Weevil Management Board. The dollarassessment will go to help run the Boll Wee-vil Management Board and keep cost downfor cotton producers.

Boll Weevil ReauthorizationStreamlines the reauthorization of the

Boll Weevil Management Program and cre-ates a statewide program in the post-eradi-cation phase.

Emerging CropsAllows for additional money for up-

grading and retrofitting agribusinesses up to$200,000 interest-free. This program is ad-ministered by Mississippi Development Au-thority.

Livestock BurialSenate Bill 2838 allows county supervi-

sors to bury dead livestock consisting of10,000 Confined Animal Feeding Opera-tions (CAFO) units when an emergency sit-uation arises.

Animal WelfareAllows for a felony on the second of-

fense within five years of the first offensewhen someone is: maiming, mutilating, tor-turing, burning, disfiguring, or starving adomesticated dog or cat. Each offense iscounted as a single offense. There are ex-ceptions for livestock, hunting, and groom-ing practices. The bill also cleans up themisdemeanor language for a domesticateddog or cat and the misdemeanor languagefor any living creature that was ruled un-constitutional by the Mississippi SupremeCourt.

Farm Families Tag Creates a specialty tag for Farm Families

of Mississippi, with the funds going to helpsupport the Farm Families of Mississippicampaign. Call Greg Gibson at 977-4154.

For more information about these issues,contact Public Policy at 977-4226.

By Samantha CawthornMFBF Public Policy Director

22

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER24

Mystery?Solvethe

Which Rankin County town takesits name from a Choctaw wordthat means crooked creek? Readthe clues and make your guess.


Correct GuessesMail guesses to Solve the Mys-

tery, Mississippi Farm Country, P.O.Box 1972, Jackson, MS 39215. Youmay also e-mail your guesses to:[email protected]. Please remember to include

your name and address on the en-try. Visit our Mississippi Farm Bu-

reau Federation Web site at:www.msfb.org. When all correct guesses have

been received, we will randomlydraw 20 names. These 20 nameswill receive a prize and will beplaced in the hat twice.

At the end of the year, a winnerwill be drawn from all correct sub-missions. The winner will receive aWeekend Bed and Breakfast Trip,courtesy of the Mississippi FarmBureau Federation.Families may submit only one

entry. Federation staff membersand their families are ineligible toparticipate in this contest.The deadline for submitting your

entry is November 30.

September/OctoberThe correct answer for the Septem-

ber/October Solve the Mystery isTishomingo.

Our mystery town was incorporated in 1904 andgrew up around the Alabama and Vicksburg Rail-road and a huge sawmill. It reached its zenith in the

1920s, when the lumber trade was very big. Back then, ourmystery town boasted approximately 3,500 residents, a ho-tel named Lessel House, which was the largest in the area,and the first sewer, water system, and sidewalks in thecounty. This town was once the biggest town in RankinCounty

Today, our mystery town boasts a number of historichomes and churches. In addition, the historic ShilohMethodist Campgrounds, established in 1832, can be foundnearby. The 179th Annual Camp Meeting of the ShilohMethodist Campgrounds was held this summer.

In recent years, our mystery town has begun to grow andchange. Mayor Knox Ross says the town boasts a new li-brary and city park/playground, a renovated city hall, a5,000-square-foot town center and a city museum. Plans areon the drawing board for a large ballpark. You will find newstreetlights, new street signs, and wireless Internet accessthroughout the town.

“The whole goal of my administration has been to makethis town a place where people want to live,” he said. “Weenjoy a tremendous partnership between the town and thecounty. Another goal is for the town to sustain itself.”

The mayor says our mystery town enjoys a good mix ofolder, retired residents and young families who want asmall-town atmosphere and closer access to area schools, in-cluding the approximately 850-student East Rankin Acad-emy and two public school systems.

Our mystery town boasts many thriving businesses.Some of these include Rhodes and Robby Pharmacy, Hol-liday Woodworks, and Fairway Foods. The town has a den-tal office, dental lab, police and fire departments, and twobarbershops. The industrial park is home to Multicraft In-ternational, Mississippi Baking Company, and Hydra Serv-ice Inc., to name a few.

This town is proud of Yogi on the Lake, which offers alake, water park, cabins, RV hookups and campsites.

Our mystery town holds a Muscadine Festival each yearthat is well-attended.

This town was awarded the Municipal Excellence Awardas Best Overall Town in Mississippi in 2011.

Oh and one more important clue … our mystery town isthe hometown of Randy Knight, stocker calf, timber anddairy farmer and president of the Mississippi Farm BureauFederation.

Name this town.

A special thanks to Rankin County Women’s Chair Ed-die Myrtle Moore and to Mayor Knox Ross for their helpwith this article.


Country Girls Creamery near Wiggins is a suc-cessful value-added dairy that was begun twoyears ago for two reasons. Kiahnell Smith wanted

to be able to continue to dairy even as the industry in Mis-sissippi was experiencing a steady decline, and his sonButch wanted to join him in the family dairy business.

“Several years ago, I went to my father and told himthat I wanted to help him. He said that there was no waythe dairy could support his family and mine, too,” Butchsaid. “My dad’s been in the business for 30 years. Hisgrandparents started the dairy and had a milk route.”

A chance meeting provided the Smiths with a possi-ble solution.

Kiahnell and Butch were at the Neshoba County Fair whenthey happened to strike up a conversation with someone whoknew Billy Ray Brown. Billy Ray operates a successful value-added dairy in the Yacona Community near Oxford. Soon af-terwards, Kiahnell read an article about Billy Ray in the Mis-sissippi Farm Country magazine.

“We decided to visit the Browns, and we were most im-pressed,” Kiahnell said. “They are great people, and what theyare doing is innovative and promising.”

At the time, Billy Ray was marketing bottled pasteurizedmilk at two local farmers markets. He was making $8 a gallonon 200 gallons of milk a week provided by six Jersey cows, andhe was selling out of milk each week.

Kiahnell and Butch could see possibilities.

ValueMMiissssiissssiippppii

to a

DDaaiirryy

Adding

By Glynda Phillips


GGeettttiinngg SSttaarrtteeddTwo years ago, the Smiths began meeting with experts

at Mississippi State University and the Mississippi HealthDepartment, learning how to make value-added milk prod-ucts and how to develop a marketing plan for a creamery.

Today, Country Girls Creamery bottles pasteurizedmilk, churns butter, and makes cheddar, jalapeno, brie andmozzarella cheeses, sour cream, and yogurt. The businesshas three full-time employees, including Butch’s brotherMike.

When the Smiths began the venture, they had plannedto sell only to local farmers markets. What they hadn’tcounted on was that one of the larger dairy processingplants in the area would decide to stop delivering productsto the smaller, locally-owned grocery stores, country storesand specialty shops in the area.

The Smiths picked up those customers and now deliverCountry Girls products to 30 businesses within a 60-mileradius of their dairy. The Smiths have never solicited thistype of business — all of the stores have called them.Butch says these businesses believe in their products andare willing to push them.

The Smiths also sell at farmers markets in OceanSprings, Long Beach and Biloxi. Butch says the farmersmarkets are very interesting.

“We start at 9 a.m., and as our customers arrive, they getin line and keep us steadily busy for two hours,” he said.“We thought that this would be a supplemental income tothe farm. We thought we would sell about 200 to 300 bot-tles of milk a week. As of March 2011, we were selling1500 bottles a week, including 400 gallons of fluid milkand 250 gallons of milk in cheese.

“When you are doing something like this, your moneyis in the value-added products,” he said. “Milk is a staple.Customers come for the milk then buy the other productswhile they are there.”

DDaaiillyy OOppeerraattiioonnssThe Smiths invite customers to visit their farm to see

how well they take care of their animals, what goes onthere, and how clean it is. The creamery gets some adultvisitors but most are children.

“We invite school kids to plan field trips out to ourfarm,” Butch said. “We tell them about the cows andshow them the processing room. We let them see thecows being milked. We let them wax a little piece ofcheese and take it home with them to age. We do grilledcheese sandwiches, chocolate milk and fruit, and we eatout under the trees.

“Our milk is fresh. It tastes better than the milk instores and has a longer shelf life … over two weeks,”Butch said. “When we first started out, we thought that ourcustomers would primarily be older adults who rememberhow it used to be, or younger families who want to eatmore natural products. We have both of these types of cus-tomers, but we also have lots of youngsters who just likethe taste of our milk and won’t let their parents buy the milkthey had previously been purchasing in the grocery stores.”

LLooookkiinngg TToowwaarrdd tthhee FFuuttuurreeKiahnell and Butch say that a creamery takes a lot of

work.“If you get into this, just know that you will have to

build a processing facility then hire more employees,”Butch said. “Plus, I don’t think every area of the state couldsupport this. It’s good to be located near an urban area.”

The Smiths presently own 170 head of cows, but milkabout 75 Jerseys a day. Kiahnell started out with 30 dairycows.

“We added a processing facility to the dairy in 2010,with an addition in July 2010,” Butch said. “We have justordered another pasteurizer, and we will make our last ad-dition in November 2011, which will include a cheesecooler and bigger storage area.”

Butch and his family invite you to visit Country GirlsCreamery, located on Sammy Jo Road, off Highway 26near Wiggins.

You may also visit their Facebook page.

Anumber of Mississippi’s agriculturalleaders were shaped by a past in-volvement in the Mississippi Farm

Bureau Federation Young Farmers andRanchers (YF&R) Program. Many of thesemen and women served on the YF&R StateCommittee.

Each year, the YF&R State Committeehelps to coordinate YF&R activities, includingthe Young Farmer Scholarship Fund and a va-riety of fundraising activities. The committee’shard work and dedication benefit not only theYF&R Program but the Farm Bureau programas a whole.

The following young farmers are going offof the Young Farmers and Ranchers StateCommittee in 2012. We would like to take thisopportunity to thank them for a job well done.

Matt & Carrie EdgarMatt is a fourth-generation Yazoo County

row-crop and cattle farmer who farms wheat,corn and soybeans and runs about 100 headof commercial beef cattle. Carrie is a regis-tered mammography technologist at the Uni-versity of Mississippi Medical Center. Mattand Carrie have two boys, Adam, 4, and Wy-att, 8 months. Matt serves on the YazooCounty Farm Bureau Board. They attendParkview Church of God in Yazoo City.

Chris & Sylvia McLemoreChris operates a six-house chicken farm

and a poultry cleanout and litter sales busi-ness in Philadelphia, providing litter to fel-low farmers around the state for use asfertilizer. Sylvia has a degree in RespiratoryTherapy and works for the Rush FoundationHospital’s Heart Station, performing NuclearCardiac Stress Tests. The McLemores havetwo boys, Quinton, 14, and Quade, 8.

William & Julie WhiteThe Whites own a small commercial cow-

calf operation along with William’s parents.William is the Facilities Coordinator for theMississippi State University (MSU) LeveckResearch Unit, where he works with over 500head of registered beef cattle and horses. Julieis the MSU Extension Director for OktibbehaCounty. William serves as chair of the Ok-tibbeha County YF&R Committee. Julie servesas secretary of the YF&R State Committee.William and Julie have two children, Matthewand Morgan.

Shea & Susan WhitfieldThe Whitfields have a small row-crop op-

eration. Shea works as a chemical salesmanfor Helena Chemical, and Susan is a part-time hair stylist and full-time mother to theirtwo sons, Lije and Law, ages 5 and 4. TheWhitfields have served on the HumphreysCounty Farm Bureau YF&R Committee,where Shea served as chair for two years.Shea now serves on the county Farm Bureauboard and is a past State Discussion Meetwinner. He represented Mississippi at theNational Discussion Meet in Seattle, Wash-ington. They are active members of FirstPresbyterian Church in Belzoni.

Brad & Brittany JonesThe Jones grow 25 acres of watermelons

and graze around 500 stocker calves eachyear. Brad works with the MSU ExtensionService as a 4-H/Agriculture Agent in StoneCounty. Brittany teaches eighth-grade Eng-lish at Stone Middle School. Brad served asa member of the county YF&R Committeeand currently serves on the YF&R StateCommittee. The Jones are involved withtheir county Cattlemen’s Association andCounty Fair Board. Because of the nature oftheir jobs, they enjoy spending time workingwith area youth. They have one child, Tyler, 3.

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

By Kirsten Johnson, MFBF Young Farmers and Ranchers Coordinator

YF&R State Committee:

A Job Well Done

MISSISSIPPI FARM COUNTRY

The Guedons

The McLemores

The Edgars

The Grahams


Noble & Fayla GuedonNoble and Fayla live in Natchez and have a row-crop operation

that consists of rice, soybeans and cotton. He is a fifth-generationfarmer, and Fayla works at the Natchez Regional Medical Centeras a Medical Laboratory Technician. Noble says he has enjoyed histime as chair of the YF&R State Committee and encourages allyoung farmers to become involved in this program. Noble andFayla have two children, Caroline and Grayson. Caroline is in thethird grade, and Grayson is in first grade.

Dee & Kimberly SteedIn 2007, the Steeds began Random Shot Farms, a 3,500-acre

row-crop operation in partnership with Kimberly’s parents. Theyproduce soybeans, rice, corn, wheat and cotton. Dee is a board

member of Tallahatchie County Farm Bureau, served on the YF&RSporting Clays Committee, and previously served on the AmericanCancer Society Relay for Life Committee. Kimberly is a memberof the Junior Auxiliary and has served as chair of the YF&R Schol-arship Committee. They are alumni of the DuPont Young LeaderProgram. They have two sons, Lawson, 7, and Rolin, 3.

Jeremy & Beth GrahamThe Grahams own Graham Dairy in Hurricane, Mississippi. Je-

remy’s grandparents started the dairy in 1928. Beth works at OxfordDiagnostic Center in Oxford as an x-ray tech. Jeremy serves on thePontotoc County Farm Bureau Board of Directors. He also serves onthe board of directors for Midsouth Dairy Herd Improvement Asso-ciation. They have a 1-year-old daughter, Mary Hatley.

YoungFarmers talkabout their

Experiences

What interested you about the YoungFarmers & Ranchers Programinitially?

We became excited about the program afterwe became involved with our Adams CountyFarm Bureau. We were very interested inmembership benefits other than just insur-ance. We enjoyed the aspect of learningwhat Farm Bureau can do for all its mem-bers, including how policy is developed fromthe counties up and how we can networkwith other members throughout the state.We loved the idea of promoting agriculture.I have been involved in this industry my en-tire life and love talking about how great itfeels to help feed the world. I love being in-volved in an organization that is all aboutpromoting agriculture.

- Noble & Fayla Guedon, Adams County

The chance to give back and the fact thatthe scholarships helped us tremendously incollege made us jump at the opportunity togive back and help so that this program willbe there for others.

- Brad & Brittany Jones, Stone County

We were interested in learning more aboutfarming, since we were new to the profes-sion. We wanted to meet others like us, andwe felt that it would be a great way to getmore involved with the farming industry.

- Dee & Kimberly Steed,Tallahatchie County

What has been the most valuablething you will take from yourinvolvement with the YF&R StateCommittee?

The encouragement we received from FarmBureau to become more involved and totake leadership roles and, of course, thelifelong friendships.

- Matt & Carrie Edgar, Yazoo County

The broad base of knowledge we havegained from other farmers has helped usgrow as individuals and as Mississippi farm-ers.

- Chris & Sylvia McLemore,Neshoba County

The broad baseof knowledge wehave gained fromother farmers hashelped us grow asindividuals and asMississippi farmers.

The Whitfields The Whites


Serving on the YF&R State Committee has al-lowed us to make new friends across the stateand to learn more about the different types ofagriculture and the different methods, prac-tices and issues concerning each. Also, wehave learned about policy development fromthe grassroots level to the Legislature andhow we can influence our elected officials.

- William & Julie White, Oktibbeha County

The lifelong friendships we’ve made throughthe program will be the most valuable thingwe take from this experience. We’ve alsogained a broader view on how producersacross our state are affected differently bylaws and regulations.

- Jeremy & Beth Graham, PontotocCounty

What would you say to new membersjust getting involved in their countyprograms?

Get involved, go to meetings, attend commodity meetings, talk toyour regional managers and don’t be afraid to use your voice. It ishard to make it to every meeting; however, going as often as youcan is important.

- Brad & Brittany Jones, Stone County

Get involved as quickly as possible and don’t be scared to jump inwith both feet. I would say get in touch with whoever is in chargeof these programs and volunteer for them. I think some people missout while waiting on someone to ask them to get involved.

- Shea & Susan Whitfield, Humphreys County

First of all, get involved! It is a great way to meet other farmers fromacross the state and learn from each other. But you have to be will-ing to “step out of your comfort zone,” so to speak.

- Dee & Kimberly Steed, Tallahatchie County

How do you think your involvement in the state YF&RProgram has helped you grow as a farmer or rancher?

By getting to meet people from operations that are like ours andsome that are completely different. We knew very little about thedairy and poultry business coming into this but now have a new re-spect for those guys.

- Shea & Susan Whitfield, Humphreys County

Being on the YF&R State Committee has broadened our knowledgeand perspective of agriculture as a whole and has shown us wayswe could improve and build upon our current operation.

- William & Julie White, Oktibbeha County

With the knowledge that we have acquired serving on this com-mittee, we are making sounder financial decisions that will help en-sure our future in farming.

- Chris & Sylvia McLemore, Neshoba County

Where do you hope to see the program in the future?

We hope to see a continued focus on this program, encouragingmembers from all parts of the state to become more involved.

- Matt & Carrie Edgar, Yazoo County

We hope to see Farm Bureau continue to utilize former committeemembers to its benefit. After serving on the YF&R State Commit-tee for two years, former members have been educated on manydifferent beneficial aspects of Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.These former members could be utilized to help develop, con-struct and implement future policy. They also could be used to helpcommunicate issues between county Farm Bureaus and state gov-ernment.

- Noble & Fayla Guedon, Adams County

The YF&R Program has seen many changes recently, and we hopeto see the program advance, with each committee member servingwith the main goal of developing leadership skills in agriculture.

- Jeremy & Beth Graham, Pontotoc County

The Steeds

The Jones


Ford Discount andOther Member Benefits

Member Benefits Spotlight

We are excited to welcome Ford Motor Company to ourFarm Bureau family. Members can now receive a $500 dis-count on select Ford cars and trucks. All vehicles are in-

cluded in the program with the ex-ception of the Edge SE AWD,Mustang Shelby GT500, F-150 Rap-tor, and the Taurus SE. This programreplaces the Dodge discount that wasdiscontinued earlier this year.

Your membership in Farm Bu-reau costs you a few dollars eachyear, but that membership fee allowsyou to participate in this and many

other Member Benefits programs that can save you hun-dreds, perhaps thousands, of dollars.

Farm Bureau has signed agreements with many partnercompanies to provide products and services to Farm Bureaumembers at a discount. All of these services are availableto you as a member, and all you have to do is provide yourmembership number or the special Farm Bureau code thatis associated with that particular program.

Here are two more.

HotelsOne of our most popular programs is the 20 percent dis-

count offered by Choice Hotels. By reserving rooms on theChoice Hotel Web site and using Farm Bureau’s savingscode, you can save 20 percent on every night you stay in aChoice Hotel, which includes Comfort Inn, Comfort Suites,Quality Inn, Sleep Inn, Clarion, Mainstay Suites, Suburban,Econo Lodge, and Rodeway Inn.

Affordable Hearing AidsFarm Bureau has signed a new agreement with Clear

Value Hearing to offer Farm Bureau members significantdiscounts on hearing aids. Members can receive a free hear-ing test, free annual retests, free programming and mainte-nance, free case of batteries, and 25 percent off Starkey dig-ital hearing instruments.

For more information on all of the Farm Bureau Mem-ber Benefits programs, call your county Farm Bureau officeor visit our Web site at www.msfb.org and click on theMember Benefits link. Or you can call Farm Bureau’sMember Benefits Coordinator Dedra Luke at 601-977-4169.

By Greg Gibson, MFBF Member Services Director


Jackson County Farm Bureau was char-tered in 1924 and has served area farmers foralmost 90 years. The first president was EdwinBooth.

Today, Perry Meyers serves as president,Ken Mallette as vice president, Debbie Hack-ler as women’s chair and Matt Mizelle asyoung farmer chair. Directors include ClydeBrown, Brian Rouse, Doug Winters, Carl Wy-att and Kerney Tilley.

Mike Tingle is agency manager. Lisa Tay-lor, Keshia Nash and Tammy McCollum aresecretaries. Kevin Brown is Regional Man-ager for Region 8 and Commodity Coordina-tor for Horticulture and Forestry. CarolynTurner serves as Region 7 Women’s Chair.

The office has a satellite facility in Vancleave.Jackson County Farm Bureau has been

named the Outstanding County in its region for

the past two years. It won the Women’sAchievement Award in 2010, and has won anAward of Excellence every year for the pastfour years. Debbie Hackler serves on the Mis-sissippi Farm Bureau Federation Communi-cation Committee, which plans and carries outthe Farm Families of Mississippi campaign.

“I am so proud of Jackson County FarmBureau,” Perry said. “Our members work welltogether, and they are very responsive to theprograms. Farm Bureau is like one big family.It is just a great organization.”

Jackson County does something unique.Every two years, members organize a farmtour to a different area of the state. Here’swhy.

“We go to Farm Bureau meetings in Jack-son where we vote on policies, and a lot of thetime, we are unfamiliar with the types of farm-ing enterprises connected with these issues,”

Perry said. “We wanted to actually visit the op-erations and see for ourselves what goes onthere.”

For their first farm tour, the group trav-elled to the Delta to learn about soybeans,rice, cotton, corn, timber and farm-raised cat-fish. Participants toured GT &T Farms, Mar-vin Cochran’s farm, Tommy Nelson and KingFarms, and Ken Middleton’s farm. The groupalso visited with Blake New with the NaturalResources Conservation Service (NRCS)about soil conservation and erosion controland toured the Thad Cochran NationalWarmwater Aquaculture Center in Stoneville.They met with Dr. Jimmy Avery to learn aboutfarm-raised catfish research.

“Our tour members were astounded by thesize of the Delta farms, the size of the plantingand harvesting equipment, and the complexityof the technology,” Perry said. “We were fas-

By Glynda Phillips

Jackson CountyFarm Bureau Spotlight

Perry Meyers and Lisa Taylor Keshia Nash and Lisa Taylor


cinated by the cotton gins and by the scopeand types of irrigation systems used in thefields.”

This year, the group travelled toNeshoba, Covington and Choctaw coun-ties to learn about swine, poultry and hon-eybees. In Choctaw County, they visitedBob Power’s 8,000-head swine farm.

“We were surprised by how large anoperation it was and how clean it was,”Perry said. “We were also astonished byhow many chickens Stanley Williamsraises on his Covington County poultryfarm and how clean those facilities were.We watched, fascinated, as Stanley’smother tended a huge commercial egg op-eration.”

The group visited beekeeper KennethThompson of Neshoba County, who madebiscuits with honey and homemade butter.They were amazed by what they learnedabout honeybees. For example, the queenbee can’t feed herself and bees can bemailed. Thompson builds his own beehives. The group also toured his cattlebarn.

Also in 2011, the group invited thosecounties that had hosted them to visitJackson County and learn about agricul-ture in that area of the state. Farmers fromJackson, Washington, Choctaw, Coving-ton, Rankin, Stone and Harrison countiesdiscovered that forestry and cattle areJackson County’s two main agriculturalcommodities, but that the area also boastsnursery and vegetable production.

The group toured the Port ofPascagoula and noted the large volume ofcommodities shipped out all over theworld through that port.

The group also visited research facil-ities and learned about the research beingconducted and how this impacts and im-proves Jackson County’s agricultural com-modities.

Also attending the Jackson County AgTour were Mississippi Farm Bureau Fed-eration (MFBF) staff, MFBF PresidentRandy Knight, and staff members fromthe Mississippi State Extension office, theJackson County Forestry Association andthe Mississippi Forestry Association.

“We really enjoyed the tour,” Perrysaid. “We are proud of our area. Y’allcome on down, and we will show youaround.”

Perry also encourages other countyFarm Bureaus to conduct similar farmtours.

“This type of effort not only increasesyour knowledge of Mississippi agricul-ture, it makes you appreciate our state’sagricultural industry and the state as awhole.”


Patricia Mann of Smith County and JennySowell of Oktibbeha County each receiveda $2,000 Berta White Scholarship from theMississippi Farm Bureau Federation(MFBF) Women’s Program. Both arestudents at Mississippi State University.Pictured are, from left, MFBF PresidentRandy Knight, Mann, Sowell, and StateWomen’s Chair Betty Mills.

Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation boardmembers and spouses toured agriculturalenterprises and research facilities in thesoutheastern region of the state in August.They are pictured with Butch Smith ofCountry Girls Creamery, Wiggins, and DanBatson of GreenForest Nursery, Perkinston.Mike Howell, the Mississippi State UniversityExtension Service southeast district areaagronomist, updated tour participants onarea research then took them to researchplots of cotton and edible peanuts in GeorgeCounty. The group also toured the CoastalResearch and Extension Center in Biloxi.

Farm Bureau Events

The 90th annual membership meeting of theMississippi Farm Bureau Federation will be heldDec. 3-5 at the Hilton-Jackson hotel on EastCounty Line Road in Jackson.

Saturday morning highlights include the FarmBureau Ambassador Contest at 9 a.m., theWomen’s Communication Workshop at 10:30a.m., and the Young Farmers and Ranchers Dis-cussion Meet Semifinals at 10:30 a.m. General

Session begins at 1 p.m. and will be followed byconferences on estate planning at 2:30 p.m.,safety at 3:30 p.m., and environmental issues at4:30 p.m.

The annual “Music and a Meal for Agricul-ture” fundraiser dinner will be held at 6 p.m. atthe Ag Museum.

Sunday morning highlights include a FarmBill Update program at 9 a.m., the Women’s

Breakfast at 7 a.m., the Women’s Business Ses-sion at 9 a.m., and the morning Worship Service.

This year’s worship program will featureLaDonna Gatlin, sister of the legendary GatlinBrothers. LaDonna has spent her entire careerempowering people to “sing their own song”through their words, deeds and actions. She hasshared her message everywhere … from corpo-rate powerhouses to the prison cells of deathrow.

The County Recognition Program begins at2 p.m. The Sunday evening General Sessionfeatures presentations of the winners of theYoung Farmers and Ranchers State Achieve-ment Award and Young Farmers and RanchersState Discussion Meet contests.

The annual Business Session will be heldMonday morning at 8 a.m.

A Gift That Keeps On GivingChristmas is a time of giving. At this year’s annual meeting, you will have

several great opportunities to do your Christmasshopping while helping a good cause. TheYoung Farmers and Ranchers Program willagain host silent and live auctions, and theWomen’s Program will host the Farm BureauGeneral Store. Proceeds from these events willhelp students with tuition costs.

This year, the Young Farmers and RanchersScholarship Foundation awarded $10,000 inscholarships to deserving college students. TheWomen’s Program awarded the $2,000 BertaWhite Scholarship to two female college stu-dents.

Remember to bring your checkbook, do yourChristmas shopping and give our ag students agift that keeps on giving.

For more information, contact Young Farm-ers and Ranchers Coordinator Kirsten Johnsonat 601-977-4277 or Women’s Program Coordi-nator Clara Bilbo at 601-977-4245.


MFBF Annual Meeting Highlights

LaDonna Gatlin


Chris Shivers has beenelected to serve on the In-ternational Society for AgSafety and Health (ISASH)Board of Directors, for-merly known as the Na-tional Institute of FarmSafety.

ISASH members includeengineers, educators, insur-ers, physicians, nurses, veterinari-ans, statisticians, communicators,business leaders, and others who

work for a safer and health-ier agricultural workplace.

“Safe practices onfarms and ranches alsolead to safer and healthierrural communities,” saidISASH President MarshaPurcell, American FarmBureau Federation.

Chris is the Missis-sippi Farm Bureau Federation(MFBF) Safety Specialist in SouthMississippi.

Chris Shivers willServe Ag Safety Board

Shivers

Public Relations HonorsPublic relations and commu-

nications professionals from stateFarm Bureaus across the nationreceived recognition this summerat the annual American Farm Bu-reau Federation Public RelationsConference in Virginia Beach,VA.

Mississippi took home severalhonors, including a first-place

award for Best Pamphlet orBrochure (80,000 members andover category), Danielle Ginn,and a first-place award for BestVideo Feature Story, Greg Gib-son and Mark Morris.

Honorable mentions went toGibson and Morris for BestVideo News Story and Best Pub-lic Relations Campaign.

mississippi farm country november december 2011

Documents

farm bureau memberstalk

mfbf publication

mississippi farmers

foreminent domain reform

country girls creamerykiahnell

new albanybill ryan

vancleavebetty mills

leakesvilleken mallette