News Filed Under Economic Development

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- With the right resources and partnerships, now is not too late for aspiring entrepreneurs to StartUp their small businesses in 2020.

StartUp is a series of online courses designed to provide the education and training needed to start a business in 30 days. To access the free virtual sessions, participants need about three hours a week and a smartphone, tablet or computer. Faculty and staff with Mississippi State University Extension will host the seminars beginning Nov. 30.

A sharper focus on the economic impact of the lower Delta backwater flood of 2019 helps predict the implications of continued flooding this year.

Many small business owners temporarily closed their doors and sent their employees home amid efforts to slow the spread of the new coronavirus. But that does not mean they are closed for business.

The annual Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference will be in Natchez Oct. 21-23.

Almost 10 percent of Mississippi’s $11 billion in annual exports are agricultural products, and Mississippi State University Extension Service experts are working to see that amount increase.

The most recent set of economic, community health and retail data is available to developers working to improve Mississippi counties and towns.

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Massive quantities of local economic, community health and retail data gathered and organized help the Mississippi State University Extension Service fulfill its mission of extending knowledge and changing lives.

Alan Barefield, Extension economic development specialist, oversees the process of gathering retail, health and economic data from sources that include the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and several proprietary data sources. The team analyzes this data and provides information to Mississippi counties and towns.