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JACKSON, Miss. – The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) has launched a new podcast series called Freshly Picked which spotlights specialty crops in Mississippi. Each episode focuses on a different agricultural commodity and features special guests with expertise on growing, maintaining and serving specialty crops.
Specialty crops are defined as fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and floriculture items. MDAC kicked off the podcast series with an introductory episode featuring special guests Donna Yowell, Executive Director of the Mississippi Urban Forest Council and Organizer of Flower Growers of Mississippi, and Paige Manning, Bureau Director of MDAC’s Market Development Division. As an expert flower grower, Yowell provides listeners with insights into Mississippi’s horticulture industry.
“Our agency is excited to announce this new initiative to educate and entertain listeners on Mississippi’s #1 industry, particularly focusing on its unique and abundant scope of specialty crops,” said Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson. “Specialty crops are an important part of our state’s agriculture, accounting for more than $205 million of our state’s ag industry last year. So be sure to tune in every week as we explore the vast world of Mississippi specialty crops!”
In a relaxed, conversational format, each podcast episode will include specialty crop farmers, experts, entrepreneurs and/or chefs as they tell the stories behind their farms, businesses and the unique products they offer. The first Freshly Picked podcast airs today, Thursday, September 5, at 9:30 a.m. Listeners can find new episodes every Thursday throughout the fall season at www.msfreshlypicked.com, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or other major platforms.
The Freshly Picked podcast series, which will include 24 episodes, is funded through the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the USDA.
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