Congratulations to MDAC’s own Vivian Purvis, Supervisor and USDA Inspector within our Fruits and Vegetables Division, for earning her USDA certification in the area of sweet potato grading.

Purvis is working with several producers in the Vardaman area, conducting shipping point inspections headed out of state. She is also certified in Farmers Stock Peanut Inspection, Shipping Point Inspection, GAP Harmonized and GAP Harmonized Plus.  

Purvis has been with the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce since 2018 and currently resides in Pelahatchie.

We are proud of our staff and want to recognize Vivian Purvis for this achievement. Well done!

Officially merging with MDAC in 2020, the Mississippi State Fairgrounds operates as a branch of the State Department of Agriculture & Commerce to host various events and competitions and serves as an emergency response staging area as the need arises. 

Starting with the construction of the Mississippi Coliseum, the State Fairgrounds has been home to concerts, rodeos, comedy shows, circuses, monster truck rallies, wrestling matches, basketball games, contests, crusades, worship nights, conferences and more since the early 1960s. Today, the 105-acre complex includes a mile-long Midway, as well as the Coliseum, Kirk Fordice Equine Center, Livestock Barns, Mississippi Farmers Market and the newly renovated, state-of-the-art Trade Mart.

Every year, the Mississippi State Fairgrounds hosts around 150 events, equaling 500 total event days, given the multiple events that occur on the same day. And as a main focus, agriculture is promoted heavily by MDAC and the Mississippi State Fairgrounds – particularly at the two largest events hosted each year, the Mississippi State Fair and the Dixie National Livestock Show and Rodeo. Each of these annual events brings tens of thousands of visitors to the Fairgrounds and the Capitol City, contributing millions of dollars to the local economy.

In addition to serving as an event venue, the State Fairgrounds is also used as an emergency response staging area. Throughout the years, the Fairgrounds has been the headquarters for emergency operations during hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, pandemic relief and most recently, the Jackson water crisis. Currently, the State Fairgrounds is serving as the headquarters for joint-agency operations in the efforts to resolve water issues within the Capitol City. Likewise, the Fairgrounds is continuing to provide fresh, potable water from its well system to multiple facilities in the surrounding area.

No matter the event or conditions, the Mississippi State Fairgrounds’ staff works tirelessly to provide first rate entertainment, and when needed, assistance to all Mississippians. 

With inflation at its highest levels since 1981 and drivers getting squeezed at the pump by high gas prices, consumers are not just paying more for goods and services, they’re also paying more attention. We see that at the Department of Agriculture and Commerce as our consumer protection inspectors receive more requests for investigations at stores, and our petroleum inspectors field more complaints about questionable fuel. We want customers to get what they pay for, and we want businesses to succeed. Both of those depend on a fair market and that’s just good business.

I suspect you’re keeping an eye on costs, too. If you’re in a retail grocery store and see a discrepancy between the cost on the shelf and the price at the register, or notice spoiled or unsanitary food, please reach out to the MDAC Consumer Protection Division at 601-359-1148. Likewise, if you have problems at the pump and suspect you’re not getting the right fuel, the correct amount of fuel, there is water in the fuel, or you’re being charged incorrectly, please contact the Petroleum Products Inspection Division at 601-359-1101.

Most businesses in Mississippi in violation of our fair market laws do so inadvertently. They want to treat their customers – their neighbors – fairly, and, when we point out noncompliance, they work quickly to remedy the situation. So, be sure to look for the “seal of approval” on all scales and pumps where you shop. You, our inspectors and Mississippi businesses working together can continue the fair standards that make our free market work.

The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce has recently hired three new employees within the Bureau of Regulatory Services' Weights & Measures and Meat Inspection divisions.

Jason Bell has recently been hired to work in the Weights and Measures Division, inspecting all scales with a capacity up to 10,000 pounds at scrap yards, co-ops and feedstores and hardware stores, as well as conducting package check inspections to ensure package weight and UPC inspections. In addition, gram scales used to purchase gold at jewelry and pawn shops are also included in his inspection duties.  

Also new to the Weights and Measures Division is Justin Crawford. Crawford has previous experience with commercial trucking and will be a tremendous asset to the division. Crawford’s duties include certifying commercial scales used in weighing devices with a capacity of over 10,000 up to 400,000 pounds, typically rail scales, poultry and livestock vehicle scales, and hopper scales used in industrial businesses.

In addition, Rachael Cotten has recently been hired to work in MDAC's Meat Inspection Division. Cotten is assigned to Home Place Pastures Plant in Como as well as Kim’s Processing Plant in Clarksdale. The Meat Inspection Division provides inspection services to establishments that prepare meat and poultry food products for entry into intrastate commerce and to some establishments that engage in interstate commerce. The Division inspects all establishments engaged in the slaughtering of food animals and poultry, except for those plants operating under federal inspection. The Division also inspects the further processing of meat, meat-food products, poultry, and poultry food products and their preparation for consumer items. 

Welcome aboard all!

The Mississippi Farmers Market recently hosted a Back-to-School Bash which included a school supply drive. In addition, the Mississippi Egg Marketing Board participated by offering breakfast taco cooking demonstrations by Natasha Haynes with the Mississippi State University Extension.

In addition to the usual variety of farm fresh foods and handcrafted items, shoppers were treated to complimentary popcorn, children’s activities including face painting and games, vendor giveaways and specialty snack foods from Dad’s Dogs.

The Mississippi Farmers Market, a division of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce, is located at 929 High Street in Jackson and is open every Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

Find locally grown rice products that you can trust are Genuine Mississippi at genuinems.com and try out some all-new, delicious rice recipes found at USArice.com!

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