Blending Horticultural Research and Extension Priorities Into a Multi-Disciplinary Regional Center

Mississippi State University’s Coastal Research and Extension Center covers the 21 southeastern most counties in Mississippi.  The Center oversees Extension Agents in each county, Area Agents with multi-county responsibilities, multiple Experiment Stations with Research faculty, the main Research and Extension Center with Research and Extension faculty, and The Crosby Arboretum.  County programming covers a spectrum from agriculture, family and consumer science, 4H, to economic and community development.  Faculty focus areas range from livestock, forestry, food science, ecology, entomology, natural resource economics, Sea-Grant Extension, and horticulture.  Horticulture efforts range from commercial ornamental, consumer/urban, fruits, to vegetable crops and comprise the largest faculty concentration for Coastal Research and Extension Center.  Faculty positions based at Research and Extension Centers in Mississippi are not tenure-track, but faculty members do have affiliations with the appropriate academic department on campus.  Promotion through the Assistant/Associate/Full Research/Extension Professor ranks is handled through the academic department.  Field days showcasing research results have been a longstanding method of providing critical information to clientele.  Since county offices were placed under direction of the regional centers in 2005, several steps have been taken to insure that horticulture efforts are comprehensive.  County-based Agents are involved in the field day planning and promotion process.  In-service training hours are offered for Agent’s attending field days.  Master Gardeners serve as resources during field day events.  A Producer Advisory Council is held each winter.  Clientele from each county in the region are invited to participate and provide information regarding needed Extension and Research efforts.  Awards are given for the effort that best utilizes a diverse group of employees working together to serve the clients.  The effort must include Research and Extension personnel as well as county- and Experiment Station/Center-based employees.  This team-based approach has already resulted in shifts in production and research.  Finally, the multi-disciplinary faculty at Coastal Research and Extension Center provide a comprehensive approach to Research and/or Extension projects.