Below is a press release from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce:
Commissioner of Agriculture and Commerce Andy Gipson recently announced the members of the 2022-2023 Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council. High school senior, Amy Estes of Lincoln County, was one of the 12 student finalists chosen to serve on the 2022 Ag Youth Council. Amy, daughter of Coleman and Cindy Turnage, attends Loyd Star High School in Brookhaven.
The other high school seniors selected include Pacey Baucom of Jones County; Chase Boone of Smith County; Grant Goree of Smith County; Caroline Chapman of Tippah County; Leighton Horton of Tippah County; Owen Massey of Covington County; Sadie Morris of Panola County; Hannah Reed of Rankin County; Sy Sullivan of Simpson County; Jenna Walters of Jones County; and Jon Tyler Wells of Scott County. Members were chosen through an application process and were interviewed by a committee of representatives from the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC).
“I’m excited to announce the new members of our department’s Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council,” said Commissioner Gipson. “This past year’s council went on a number of educational tours and gained industry exposure from farm, ranch and agritourism operators, legislative leaders and other knowledgeable speakers. It was a pleasure to watch these students gain hands-on experience and insight into the vast world of agriculture, and I’m very proud of each of the students who served on our inaugural 2021 Mississippi Ag Youth Council. As we continue to look toward the future and those who will directly affect our ag workforce, I want to congratulate the 12 new student finalists selected for this distinguished honor.”
The 2022 Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council is comprised of 12 high school seniors with an interest in agriculture. The goal of this council is to expose the students to a variety of agriculture career fields and to teach them how to advocate for various aspects of the agriculture industry. Council members will visit Mississippi agricultural companies and organizations, learn about the legislative process and how it affects the agriculture industry, hold discussions with industry professionals and hone career-development skills.
Council members will serve for one year, from August 2022 to June 2023, and attend a minimum of four meetings at the MDAC headquarters located in Jackson.
For more information about the Mississippi Agriculture Youth Council, visit www.mdac.ms.gov or contact Gayle Clark at gayle@mdac.ms.gov or Emily Stovall at emilys@mdac.ms.gov.
