It’s called the paradox of plenty. Despite having some of the richest soil and an ideal climate for food production, Mississippi imports 90% of the food its residents consume.
Although agriculture and forestry remain the state’s number one industry ($46.2 billion annually), less than 1% of the state’s farmlands are devoted to growing fruits and vegetables for the local market.
In fact, Mississippi’s agricultural industry is focused more on feeding animals than humans through the soybeans and corn it exports.
That such a bountiful climate produces so little food for human consumption is particularly troubling for a state that has the highest food insecurity rate in the nation, with a large portion of its population having limited access to grocery stores with healthy food options.
That is why what Mississippi State is doing as part of its College of Agriculture and LIfe Sciences this fall is worth following closely.
MSU’s student experiential farm is celebrating its first harvest – 50 to 100 pounds of leafy greens, including bok choy, mustard greens, collards and green onions, which are being used by the university’s campus dining service.
MSU is among a growing number of universities nationwide who use student gardens for hands-on education, research, experimentation and sustainability.
The addition of the garden is a natural complement to the university’s long history of home-grown products, such as milk, ice cream and eggs.
Although greens were chosen for the first harvest, the garden will produce fruits and vegetables throughout the year.
The goal of the garden is to support agricultural education while reducing its reliance on food that is imported from other states.
There are plans to introduce composting from dining hall waste back to the farm to create closed-loop food system that can work sustainably from soil to table and back again
As it is now, Mississippi’s agricultural system is primarily structured for volatile global commodity trade rather than local food self-sufficiency.
What the students learn from this program can be used to rebuild local food systems and improve food access. Mississippi State’s leadership in this area brings attention to the need for a self-sufficient food system that few other states can duplicate.
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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