| Tuesday, August 4, 2026 |
| A Maroon and White Welcome: MSU greets new, returning Bulldogs with student-focused events, supports | |
 | Mississippi State is welcoming new and returning Bulldogs to Starkville in the coming weeks with numerous student-focused events ahead of the upcoming academic year. Incoming freshmen and transfer students will acclimate to campus during August move-in days and community-building activities as the university provides support and resources, making the transition to their new home an easy one. "The start of the academic year is filled with excitement and nervousness, especially from our new students and their families. We are committed to making our campus feel welcoming from the moment our students begin to move into the residence halls and as they work to get settled and find their people through the first weeks of school," said Regina Hyatt, MSU vice president for student affairs. "We know how important it is to get students connected to campus resources and help them find their community to their success, and we'll do all we can to assist in making MSU their home away from home." |
| Programs lend hand to catfish producers | |
 | According to an MSU press release, Mississippi raises more than half of U.S. catfish, but overseas competition, rising input costs and bird depredation are among operational and financial challenges producers face just to stay in business. Two federal assistance programs approved in July aim to extend some relief. Two weeks before the U.S. Department of Agriculture officially set aside $20 million to buy U.S. farm-raised catfish under its Section 32 program on July 23, it updated its Emergency Assistance for Livestock, Honeybees, and Farm-Raised Fish Program. Known as ELAP, this program will pay $600 per acre per year to eligible farm-raised catfish producers who suffered inventory loss due to bird depredation. Jimmy Avery, catfish specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service, said the purchases will enhance supply chain mobility by reducing surplus inventory and supporting struggling producers who are warehousing fish in their ponds to wait for better prices. "Roughly 94% of catfish are sold to processors, so farmers in all states have to work closely with their processors to get their fish in the plant," Avery said. "If processors can't sell their products due to cheaper foreign imports or other marketing constraints, products accumulate in freezers, delaying the need for more fish to be processed." |
SPORTS
The Office of Public Affairs provides the Daily News Digest as a general information resource for Mississippi State University stakeholders.
Web links are subject to change. Submit news, questions or comments to Jim Laird.
