Montgomery County Extension Office, Mississippi

09/03/2026

Nominating your livestock and entering them for the Mississippi State Fair are two separate steps!

1) Exhibitors must nominate every animal on the Mississippi Youth Livestock Program Organization Page through Showman by September 4. Completing a nomination does not automatically enter animals into the Mississippi State Fair.

2) Once the nomination period closes, exhibitors can select from their nominated animals the ones they intend to show at the Mississippi State Fair and enter showmanship. The entry window for the Mississippi State Fair will be open from September 7 to September 18.

08/25/2026

08/23/2026

LIVESTOCK CLASSIFICATION/DNA COLLECTION REMINDER

All market steers, commercial beef heifers, market lambs, market hair sheep, commercial meat goat does, wether dams, breeding hair sheep, market hogs, and market goats MUST BE validated (DNA hair sample collected) to show at the 2026 Mississippi State Fair and 2027 District and Dixie National Junior Round-Up Livestock Shows during the week of September 14-16, 2026. During the validation period, steers, commercial beef heifers, market hair sheep, and breeding hair sheep will be classified as well. See the locations and times on the flier.

08/22/2026

REMINDERS FOR EXHIBITORS OF MARKET STEERS, MARKET GOATS, MARKET LAMBS, AND MARKET HAIR SHEEP

Paper nomination forms for all market steers, market goats, market lambs, and market hair sheep are due to your Extension agent or FFA advisor by September 1 for the 2026 Mississippi State Fair and 2027 District and Dixie National Junior Round-Up shows. This is the ONLY entry time for exhibitors of market steers, market goats, market lambs, and market hair sheep for these shows.

Exhibitors must also submit online nominations for these market animals on the Mississippi Youth Livestock Show Organization page (https://showman.app/shows #/organizations/mississippi-state-extension/) on the Showman app by the end of September 4.

The Mississippi State Fair entry window will be open from September 7 to September 18.

The entry window for previously nominated market steers, goats, lambs, and hair sheep for the District and DNJR shows will open after the State Fair.

08/17/2026

Friendly reminder: Two steps are required for livestock nominations!

Step 1) Paper nomination forms are due to your Extension agent or FFA advisor by September 1.

Step 2) Exhibitors must nominate their livestock on the Mississippi Youth Livestock Program Organization Page through Showman by September 4.

Complete both steps by the listed deadlines to keep your animals eligible for entry into the MS State Fair, District, and DNJR Livestock Shows!

08/11/2026

Attention Farmers! Online ZOOM Produce Safety Alliance Grower Training & GAPs Course & Training is coming up on August 25 & 27th. This course is free to Mississippi residents! To register https://bit.ly/4fxotsl

Who Should Attend?
Growers, packers, Extension agents, educators, industry suppliers and others interested in learning the requirements of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Produce Safety Rule and certification. One way to satisfy § 112.22(c) which requires that at least one supervisor or responsible party from a farm subject to the FSMA Produce Safety Rule must have successfully completed food safety training at least equivalent to that received under standardized curriculum recognized as adequate by the Food and Drug Administration. This is such a curriculum! Join us!

If you have questions contact Amy Ware at the Montgomery County Extension Office!

08/10/2026

Big changes and exciting improvements are coming as we modernize our nomination and entry process of livestock for the Mississippi State Fair, District, and Dixie National Junior Round-Up!

Beginning this show season, in addition to submitting paper nomination forms to Extension agents/FFA teachers, exhibitors must nominate all livestock online through Showman at https://showman.app/shows #/organizations/mississippi-state-extension/. You can also use the QR code on the graphic to access the nomination page.

The new nomination/entry process has three simple steps:
1️⃣ Submit paper nomination forms to your Extension agent or FFA advisor by September 1.
2️⃣ Exhibitors must nominate all animals online through Showman by September 4.
3️⃣ Exhibitors must enter their nominated animals for the Mississippi State Fair through Showman between September 7–18.

Most people know Showman as the place to find and enter livestock shows—but it offers so much more! Showman connects exhibitors with camps, clinics, and other educational opportunities that provide the tools they need to learn, prepare, and succeed before they ever enter the show ring.

Using Showman as the official entry portal for the Mississippi Youth Livestock Program will give families a clear and reliable place to find event information, register, and keep track of future opportunities for exhibitors.

The best exhibitors don’t just show up ready—they prepare on purpose. More and more, that preparation begins on Showman! We are excited to enter this new era of Mississippi livestock shows and create a simpler, more organized experience for our exhibitors, families, Extension agents, and FFA advisors!

08/04/2026

🚨 Don’t Miss Out! 🚨

⏳ The countdown is on—registration closes August 6, 2026!
Spots are limited, and you won’t want to miss this opportunity.

✅ Secure your place today
✅ Quick & easy online registration
👉 Click the link below and sign up NOW before it’s too late!
https://reg.extension.msstate.edu/s_reg/reg_registration_maintenance.aspx?ek=0081-0004-ab13c2a8bb7343f3ae1eba6876484eb8

07/29/2026

Today, Ag Commissioner Andy Gipson announced that MDAC will begin accepting a new round of applications for its Wild Hog Control Program starting this Saturday, August 1. The application period will remain open until Saturday, August 15, 2026.

“Wild hogs are non-native, nuisance animal that cause an estimated $60 million in damage to Mississippi agricultural lands every year,” said Commissioner Andy Gipson. “They destroy crops, damage pastures and personal property, and create problems for farmers and landowners across our state. Our Wild Hog Control Program gives landowners access to proven trapping equipment, training and technical support to control and reduce wild hog populations. I encourage all eligible landowners to apply and take advantage of this opportunity to better protect their property and livelihoods.”

🔗https://agnet.mdac.ms.gov/agManage/uploads/3418.pdf

07/17/2026

The Montgomery County Forestry Association will hold its quarterly meeting on Monday, July 27, at the First Baptist Church Fellowship Hall, located at 309 Summit Street in Winona. Registration will begin at 6:00 p.m.

The Wilsons will be catering the meal, so a head count is needed. If you plan to attend, please call the Extension Office at
662-283-4133 by July 22. We would like to thank Layton Horne with Tom Smith Land Company for graciously sponsoring the meal.

Annual membership dues are $15.00. If you have not yet paid your dues, they may be paid at the meeting. If you know someone who is interested in forestry, please invite them to attend.

Our featured speaker for the evening will be Jeff Breazeale, who will provide an update on current timber market conditions. Casey Anderson with MFA and Layton Horne with Tom Smith Land Company will also be joining us.

If you would like to stay informed about upcoming events and activities, please provide the office with your email address or cell phone number by calling 662-283-4133.

Be sure to follow us on Facebook at Montgomery County Forestry Association and Montgomery County Extension, Mississippi, to stay up-to-date on the latest news and events.