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Commissioner Andy Gipson
November 19, 2018
This week of Thanksgiving, I am #thankful for the opportunity to serve as your eighth Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce. The following is a report on the first seven months of my work as your Commissioner. An asterisk *indicates a result directly arising from the statewide Farm Listening Tour. Thanks for sharing your ideas and suggestions from all over Mississippi. Because of you, we have developed five significant strategies to further economic growth for Mississippi farmers and the overall Mississippi economy.
These include
• the Genuine MS branding and promotional campaign,
• the Genuine MS Strategic International Trade Initiative,
• the Genuine MS Youth Internship Program,
• the Genuine MS Agriculture Workforce Development Initiative, and
• the Private Business Review Committee of the Mississippi Land Water and Timber Resources Board.
Take a few moments and review what we have been able to accomplish together for Mississippi agriculture. And we are only beginning!
Sincerely,
Commissioner Andy Gipson
1) In May, initiated the “Genuine MS Statewide Farm Listening Tour” visiting farmers and community leaders in all counties. Many of the ideas and results over the last seven months represent the ideas of farmers and Ag leaders across the State of Mississippi.
2) Meet with Lt. Gov., Speaker, House and Senate Legislative Leadership
3) Served as President of Southern Association of State Departments of Agriculture (SASDA)
4) Elected to the Board of National Association of State Departments of Agriculture (NASDA)
5) Member of Ag America Caucus, the national GOP’s association of Agriculture Commissioners.
6) May 1 – * Hired New Ag Theft Director Dean Barnard and staff to fight agricultural crime in Mississippi.
7) May 14 – Hosted agricultural delegation from India; visited Mississippi Development Authority offices for an overview of Mississippi agriculture; visited the largest poultry plant; visits to institutions of higher learning. Today Mississippi is shipping poultry to India, the world’s fastest growing country and largest democracy.
8) May 31 – Met with EPA Administrator and key EPA Staff; developed positive working relationships with the Trump Administration EPA.
9) June 1 – Attended Delta Council Annual Meeting.
10) June 4 – *Mississippi State Fair Commission – Hired Executive Director Steve Hutton and began Fairgrounds improvement plan/naming rights.
11) June 15 – Detailed Delta Council briefings on key issues.
12) June 18 – Meeting with Dixie National Rodeo owners/officials and begin planning process for 2019 Dixie National Rodeo.
13) June 20 – Mississippi Agriculture Associations Roundtable with Commissioner Andy Gipson, hosted by Mississippi Farm Bureau Federation.
14) June 28-29 – Extensive tour of Mississippi State University and all agriculture departments with department leadership; meeting with Dr. Mark Keenum on ways we can collaborate toward the common mission of promoting and sustaining Mississippi’s leadership in agriculture.
15) June 29 – Meeting with MDAC Bureau of Plant Industry staff in Starkville.
16) July 3 – Meeting with all Fair Commission Staff.
17) July 4 – Speak at Jacinto Courthouse; listen to area farmers.
18) July 6 – *Meeting on supporting rural broadband deployment.
19) July 10 – *Launched the Genuine MS branding campaign; promoting everything “Grown, Raised, Crafted and Made” in the Magnolia State. Details available at www.genuinems.com. We are proudly investing in local Mississippi farmers and promoting Mississippi products around the world. Our slogan: “I am Genuine Mississippi.”
20) July 12 – Speak at Blue Mountain College Leadership Institute.
21) July 13 – Met with Mississippi Cattlemens Association Steering Committee and MS Beef Council.
22) July 15-18 – Hosted SASDA Annual Meeting on the Mississippi Gulf Coast; Present were all southern state Ag Commissioners and industry stakeholders in Mississippi and the southeast.
23) July 16 – Elected Vice President of the Southern United States Trade Association (SUSTA).
24) July 18-19 – *Farm and Marine Aquaculture and Research Tours on Mississippi Gulf Coast.
25) July 20 – Speak at Mississippi Farm Bureau 4-H Scholarship Luncheon.
26) July 20 – *Meet and assess building adjacent to Mississippi Farmers Market for reopening of Antique Market on High Street to increase foot traffic to Mississippi Farmers Market.
27) July 23 – Meeting with new Mississippi Farm Service Agency State Director Bobby Carson.
28) July 25 – *Meet with national Animal Agriculture Alliance; discuss and support right to farm issues.
29) July 26-27 – Speak at Annual Meeting of Mississippi Agriculture Industries Council.
30) August 1-3 – Attend and speak at Neshoba County Fair; awarded the famous “Commissioner’s Cup” for the fastest mile.
31) August 7-8 – Northeast Mississippi Farm Tours; listen to issues re: spring rains and flooding.
32) August 13 – *Co-chairman of Mississippi Land Water and Timber Board; held first meeting to discuss ongoing project and potential future projects.
33) August 17 – Planning Meeting re: Ag Museum Children’s Barn Rebuilding Project; work on insurance issues delaying the rebuilding project.
34) August 21 – *Attend Senate Agriculture hearing on poultry exemptions.
35) August 27 – *Hosted meeting with Ag Launch, helping raise capital for Mississippi Ag startup businesses. Following up in late November on this initiative.
36) September 4 – *Hosted Joint Meeting of Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi Farm Bureau, Mississippi Forestry Association to develop the Genuine MS Strategic International Trade Initiative.
37) September 9-12 – Attended NASDA Board Meeting and NASDA Annual Meeting; Meeting with USDA Sec. Sonny Perdue and State Agriculture Commissioners nationwide. Developed relationships to further Mississippi’s leadership in agriculture.
38) September 13-14 – Attend and speak at Mississippi Poultry Association Annual Meeting.
39) September 17 – Attend Mississippi Republican Party State Executive Committee Meeting.
40) September 20 – Speak at 25th Anniversary of Central Mississippi Friends of NRA Banquet.
41) September 25 – *Launched the Genuine MS Youth Internship Program; details available at https://www.mdac.ms.gov/agency-info/employment-opportunities/
42) October 3-14 – *Mississippi State Fair and Livestock Shows; unveiled Phase 1 Fairgrounds Improvements.
43) October 5 – *Hosted Mississippi Workforce Development officials, Mississippi State University NSPARC, and Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges to develop the Genuine Mississippi Agriculture Workforce Development Initiative.
44) October 11 – *Hosted U.S. Army Corps of Engineers General Kaiser and Staff for southwest Mississippi flood assessment in Wilkinson and Adams Counties; received commitment for USACE plan to relieve flooding in southwest Mississippi.
45) October 18 – *Hosted U.S. EPA for Roundtable with Mississippi Agriculture Industry leaders at Mississippi Farm Bureau.
46) October 22 – *Develop concept with architects for Mississippi Farmers Market/Antique Mall.
47) October 24 – Speak to Inaugural Meeting of Mississippi College School of Law Agricultural Law Society.
48) October 29 – 50th Anniversary Dixie National Rodeo Sale of Champions Planning Meeting.
49) November 1 – Speak at Mississippi Economic Council Annual HOBNOB on the importance of agriculture as Mississippi’s number one industry. “My goal is to be the greatest advocate for the greatest industry, Mississippi agriculture.”
50) November 1 – Speak at Mississippi Farm Bureau “Fly in to the Farm” and discussions on key issues to promote Mississippi agriculture with USDA Undersecretary Greg Ibach, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
51) November 3 – Speak at Mississippi State University Agriculture Alumni Homecoming Annual Breakfast.
52) November 5 – *Chaired second meeting of Mississippi Land Water and Timber Board; gained approval to establish a LWT Private Business Review Committee to identify and vet key future projects. Commissioner Gipson and MDA Director Glenn McCullough will jointly recommend private industry members.
53) November 5 – *Host delegation of Israeli business leaders at MDAC offices regarding expanding Mississippi agricultural trade opportunities and investment.
54) November 6 – *Host Taiwan delegation in Mississippi with legislative leaders to discuss furthering Mississippi agricultural trade and investment opportunities.
55) November 7-10 – Host and teach children at Harvest Fest; Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Museum.
56) November 9 – *Received USDA Secretary Disaster Declaration for Mississippi farmers as requested.
57) November 6, 13 – *Advertisement of bids for new Children’s Barn at Ag Museum; Breaking ground in January!
58) November 15 – Mississippi Bureau of Plant Industry Meeting addressing significant agriculture and agribusiness industry issues.
59) November 16 – *MDAC meeting to discuss poultry exemption and related regulations in response to Senate Ag Committee’s request.
60) Upcoming: November 26-27 – Ag Tech Innovation Conference!