About Us

What is the Mississippi Agricultural Industry Council?
Written by Allison Jones
Wednesday, 28 June 2006

"Preserving the viability of Mississippi agriculture"

Our Past?
Organized in the early 1960s as the Mississippi Plant Food Council, then progressing in the late 1960s to the Mississippi Agricultural Chemicals Council, today's Mississippi Agricultural Industry Council has and will continue to be focused on maintaining the viability of Mississippi agriculture. The founding membership consisted of members of industry, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service. Through more than four decades of service to Mississippi agriculture, MAIC has provided leadership, communication and education to all aspects of the plant foods industry. In more recent years, the group has expanded its efforts to become a voice for important agricultural issues and to serve all segments of Mississippi agriculture.

Our Present?
Today's MAIC membership represents a broad cross section of the agricultural industry from chemical, seed and fertilizer companies to regulatory groups, the MSU Extension Service, USDA, the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, ag media and growers. MAIC, led by a slate of experienced and progressive officers and committee chairmen, work continually to keep MAIC members informed and up to date on the issues of importance to the industry. They also offer input to other organizations and agencies charged with regulatory and farm policy issues. Using newsletters, e-mail, a Web site, quarterly board of directors' meetings and an annual summer meeting as opportunities for sharing and relaying ideas and concerns, MAIC members are always aware of the news of agriculture, which could impact their business and/or responsibilities. In addition, MAIC provides scholarships for students, offers excellent training sessions for members to earn Certified Crop Advisor credits or Continuing Education Units and supports Mississippi State University through a financial endowment.

Our Future?
Economic relief for the nation's agricultural industry won't come quickly and it won't come without continued mergers and cutbacks so prevalent the last few years. MAIC, recognizing that every segment of the industry will continue to be faced with doing more with less is committed to making that ominous burden easier for its members. We will continue to search for educational opportunities that help our members move toward the future. We will strive to advise our state and national leadership on environmental, economic and farm policy issues and we are expanding our efforts to be proactive in telling the good stories and events of agriculture through meetings, media outlets and ag-related events. In the lifetimes and careers of our membership, we've seen technological advances that we seemingly read about one day and put into practice on the turnrow the next. We can't foretell the future; we can't even imagine it, but we are committed to be the agriculture organization, which prepares each of us for it and leads us optimistically, if not eagerly into agriculture's next generation. All we need to make it happen is you. Join MAIC now and prepare for the future.

Who are the officers in the Mississippi Agricultural Industry Council?
Written by Allison Jones
Wednesday, 28 June 2006

2009-2010 MAIC Officers
David Hodges, President
Pat Woods, First Vice President
Gill Corban, Second Vice President
Dr. Angus Catchot, Executive Vice President
Butch Alpe, Secretary-Treasurer
Zack Chesser, Asst. Secretary-Treasurer
Tracy Gregory, Admin Asst.

MAIC Board of Directors
Chad Savery
Rance Morgan
Ward Bloodworth
Larry Walton
Chad Moser
Dave Harris
Hugh Beckham
Loyd Pearson
Seth Herren

(front left-right) Ward Bloodworth; Dr. Angus Catchot, Executive Vice President; David Hodges, President; Chad Moser; Butch Alpe, Secretary-Treasurer
(back left-right) Seth Herren; Loyd Pearson; Hugh Beckham; Pat Woods, First Vice President; Chad Savery; Larry Walton; Ned Darbonne; Brett Dixon
(not present) Gill Corban, Second Vice President; Dave Harris; Rance Morgan

How do I join?
Written by Allison Jones
Wednesday, 28 June 2006

The mission of the Mississippi Agricultural Industry Council is to represent all segments of the state's agricultural industry and to provide opportunities for education, problem solving and communication to ensure the viability of agriculture at every level.
We want YOU to be a member of the organization that serves and leads Mississippi Agriculture

Continuing education
Networking
Liaison with regulatory and government agencies Scholarships
Communication
Service
Leadership

For Membership Information Contact:
Butch Alpe 662-325-7760
Tracy Gregory 662-325-3992
E-mail: Tracy@mdac.state.ms.us butch@mdac.state.ms.us