Mississippi Department of Agriculture and CommerceThe mission of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is to regulate and promote agricultural-related businesses within the state and to promote Mississippi’s products throughout both the state and the rest of the world for the benefit of all Mississippi citizens.
Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops, including floriculture. Specialty crops are plants that are intensively cultivated. There are many plants that are specialty crops when cultivated but are also collected from wild populations. Wild plants are not considered specialty crops even though they may [...]
The purpose of the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program (SCBGP) is to solely enhance the competitiveness of specialty crops. The Specialty Crops Competitiveness Act of 2004 authorizes the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to make grants available to provide assistance for specialty crops. The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program is funded by the United [...]
The Market Development Division works in conjunction with the Southern US Trade Association (SUSTA) to provide assistance to companies exporting high value food and agricultural products. SUSTA offers financial and technical assistance through various export programs and services: brand promotion programs, export market research, promotional trade events, export training, and trade contacts. Click to learn [...]
Agriculture, the number one industry in Mississippi , brings $8.83 billion to the state and employs, either directly or indirectly, approximately 17% of the state’s workforce. With approximately 34,700 farms statewide covering 10.4 million acres, agriculture makes significant contributions to all of Mississippi’s 82 counties. The Market Development Division is dedicated to promoting and heightening [...]