Collins cattle ranch teams up with MS Farm Bureau, educates public on agriculture

COLLINS, Miss. - A Collins cattle farm, Rogers Bar HR Ranch, is helping to educate the public about the value that agriculture provides to farmers and the local communities.

According to Farm Families of Mississippi less than 2% of the American public is directly involved in production agriculture.

The vast majority of the public does not have a proper understanding of the issues facing farm families.

Farm Families of MS is working with the Mississippi Farm Bureau to educate the public on the value of agriculture and benefits it has for the state.

A fifth generation rancher, Doug Rogers said, "The state of Mississippi benefits greatly from either in land taxes, or income taxes from the people, or the people we employ to help operate our local farm."

Rogers added, "I have 6 people. My brother has 14 people just on these local farms to help operate these locations.”

Cattle farming is one of the biggest economic industries for Mississippi. Last year in Mississippi production was valued at $332 million.

Mississippi State Department Head of Animal and Dairy Sciences, John Blanton said, "Beef production in the U.S. and in Mississippi contributes largely to that production system." He added, "It is not a vertically integrated system like you would see when you manufacture a car it takes lot."

"And lots of families working together within different sectors, within the beef industry to get us there" Blanton said.

Farm Families of MS want Mississippians to understand that the Mississippi beef industry is valuable, sustainable, profitable, and environmentally friendly.

"So nationwide there is 970,000 families that work to produce beef and in Mississippi there are nearly 16,000 families" said Blanton.

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