Mississippi
Sweet potato named Mississippi state vegetable
(Photo: David Ammon, MS State University Extension Service)
- Sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables, from savory casseroles and hashes to sweet pies.
With the sweep of a pen, Governor Tate Reeves signed Senate House Bill 2383, and in so doing, he raised the status of a lowly root vegetable to state vegetable status. Effective July 1, the state’s sweet potato crop’s significance to the state’s agriculture sector and food culture will be recognized by its designation as Mississippi’s official state vegetable.
Across the state, sweet potato farmers are rejoicing. And joining the farmers in their celebration is Lorin Harvey, a sweet potato expert at Mississippi State University.
“Farmers in Mississippi work hard to produce the safest, most nutritious and affordable sweet potatoes out there,” said Harvey, an assistant agronomy professor in MSU’s Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. “I’m always glad to see them get any recognition for producing such an important vegetable in our state.”
Sweet potatoes are one of the most versatile vegetables. From savory casseroles and hashes to sweet pies, the sweet potato often steps in for carrots, pumpkins, or even other potatoes. But there is no comparison to the taste and nutritional value – and there is no doubt that the sweet potato packs a punch.
Will Maples is an agriculture economist at Mississippi State University, which means he studies the economic impact of crops. According to Maples, sweet potatoes are considered a specialty crop. They have a statewide production value of $82 million annually, which may sound impressive, but compared to yields of soybeans and corn, that’s small potatoes. Maples does say that Mississippi is known as a major producer of sweet potatoes in the United States, third to North Carolina and California.
The epicenter of sweet potato production in Mississippi is the town of Vardaman in Calhoun County. The first plants were grown there around 1915, and they took off, thriving in the fertile soil and climate that is ideal for growing the orange-colored root vegetables. With a population of about 1,060, between 28,000 and 30,000 acres of Beauregard variety sweet potatoes are grown in what is known as “The Sweet Potato Capital of the World.”
Harvey said, “Vardaman’s staying power as the center of production is most likely infrastructure. Most operations there have built washing and packing facilities, as well as long-term refrigerated storage buildings.”
Farmers aren’t the only ones excited about the sweet potato’s newfound elevated position as the official state vegetable. Jill Conner Browne, the celebrated Sweet Potato Queen, was delighted about the announcement.
On the “O-fficial (Facebook) Page of the World Famous Sweet Potato Queens,” Browne stated, “Celebrating TWO GREAT THINGS TODAY! First, OBVIOUSLY – the long-awaited announcement that the SWEET POTATO will finally and forever be enshrined as MISSISSIPPI’S O-FFICIAL STATE VEGETABLE! AND – BRAVO! Italian Restaurant and Bar is NOW serving Salad Days Produce Lettuce! So, in honor of these two wonderful events, I betook myself to Bravo! and had a beeyooteeful Chicken and SWEET POTATO salad, made with the tastiest lettuce on earth!”
Here’s the nominees for Clarion Ledger girls Athlete of the Week for May 4-9
Here’s the five nominees for the Clarion Ledger girls Mississippi high school Athlete of the Week for May 4-9.
There were several top performers across the state in girls high school sports, but only one can be voted as the Clarion Ledger athlete of the week for May 4-9.
Fans may vote in the poll BELOW one time per hour per device. The poll closes at noon on Friday.
To nominate a future athlete of the week, email mchavez@gannett.com or message him on X, formerly Twitter, @MikeSChavez.
To submit high school scores, statistics, records, leaders and other items at any time, email mchavez@gannett.com.
Nominations
Kara Applewhite, Sumrall: Applewhite had four hits with a home run and five RBIs in Sumrall’s 10-0 win against East Central.
Caydance Brumfield, West Marion: Brumfield produced four hits and five RBIs in West Marion’s two wins against Pisgah.
Addison Collum, West Union: Collum pitched eight innings and recorded seven strikeouts and only two earned runs in West Union’s wins against Smithville.
Addison Cornish, West Lauderdale: Cornish recorded five hits and a home run in West Lauderdale’s wins against Choctaw Central.
Addison Davis, George County: Davis pitched nine innings with 20 strikeouts and recorded two home runs and four RBIs in George County’s wins against Pearl River Central.
Michael Chavez covers high school sports for the Clarion Ledger. Email him at mchavez@gannett.com or reach out to him on X, formerly Twitter @MikeSChavez.
‘We’re doing this to decrease the pressure we get early in the season. We’re trying to move that pressure on into later in the season.’
Bobcat stalks and strikes at Wisconsin turkey hunter
Turkey hunter Carson Bender of Wisconsin Rapids recorded a video of a bobcat that stalked and lunged at him as he hunted April 18, 2026 near Nekoosa, Wis.
Carson Bender
If a proposal made in the April meeting of the Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks is finalized, nonresident turkey hunters will see big changes in the 2027 spring turkey season.
“We’re doing this in a way to impact how hunting pressure occurs and how the harvest happens in the early season,” said Caleb Hinton, Wild Turkey Program coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks. “We’re doing this to decrease the pressure we get early in the season. We’re trying to move that pressure on into later in the season.”
Turkey hunters enjoy a three-bird bag limit and a little more than six weeks of hunting in spring, which is similar to some other states. What is at issue is when it opens. March 15 is the typical opening date for the regular season, making it one of the earliest in the nation.
That early opening date combined with a growing trend among turkey hunters is where the problem lies.
Mississippi is a destination for early season, nonresident hunters
Possibly more than any other group of hunters, turkey hunters like to travel. For some, it may be a matter of seeing a different landscape and hunting birds under condions they don’t encounter in their home state. For others it may be a quest to harvest each of the subspecies in North America.
For yet another group, it’s the challenge of harvesting a gobbler in each of the 49 states that have turkeys.
“It seems to be getting more and more popular every year,” Hinton said.
Regardless of why a turkey hunter chooses to travel, it puts a target on Mississippi’s back because for the first few weeks of the season, it’s almost the only game in town, so hunters flock to the state.
In an effort to curb the amount of hunting pressure in those first weeks of turkey season, MDWFP proposed limiting nonresident hunters to two legal gobblers per season and only one of those can be harvested before April 1.
“Hopefully, it will help curb the massive influx of pressure we get the first week or two of the season,” Hinton said.
When will turkey season changes for nonresidents be voted on?
The proposed changes aren’t the first that have been geared toward alleviating pressure on turkeys in the early part of the season by nonresidents. In 2022, the commission passed a rule requiring nonresident hunters to enter a drawing for a hunt on public land during the first two weeks of turkey season. Currently, the number of hunters drawn is limited to 800.
Like that change, the current proposal will pass or fail by a vote of the wildlife commission. In the April commission meeting, the proposal passed an initial vote. It is now in a 30-day public comment period and a final vote will be taken in the May meeting.
Public comments may be submitted at https://www.mdwfp.com/proposed-rules-regulations.
A lifelong outdoorsman and wildlife enthusiast, Brian Broom has been writing about hunting, fishing and Mississippi’s outdoors for the Clarion Ledger for more than 14 years. He can be reached at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.
Mississippi
Mississippi high school addresses social media post, says it won’t tolerate racism or harassment
LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Miss. (WLBT) – A Mississippi high school has made a statement after a social media post involving a student surfaced.
Northeast Lauderdale High School officials say they’re reviewing a social media post involving a student.
In a statement, the school said administrators are aware of the post and are “reviewing the situation.”
The school said it is committed to maintaining a safe, orderly and respectful environment for students and staff.
“Neither our district nor our school accept or condone racism, discrimination, harassment, or behavior that is inconsistent with the expectations of our school community,” the statement said.
Officials said they are working with the appropriate parties and will address the matter in accordance with district policies and procedures.
The school added that it cannot share additional details because of student privacy laws.
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