THE NEWSLETTER FOR FRIENDS AND MEMBERS OF DELTA COUNCIL Vol. 9, Issue No. 3

ReviewThe Delta Council

May 2013

Stu Rothenberg, widely rec-ognized political analyst, willaddress Delta 1000 members andthe Delta Council Officers at9:00 a.m., on the date of the May17 at the Delta Council AnnualMeeting in Cleveland.

“Stu Rothenberg has becomea staple at Delta Council meet-ings because his many friendsand admirers in the region wantto continue recieving his insightsand knowledge,” stated BowenFlowers, Executive CommitteeChairman of Delta Council. “Heis not only on target in his elec-tion predictions, but he also has akeen grasp of the factors that

influence the way those electionscome out.”

Rothenberg willaddress the standingroom only group of DeltaCouncil Directors andDelta 1000 members inthe McPherson Room ofthe Bologna PerformingArts Center. Rothen-berg, one of the mostrespected voices in politi-cal commentary in theNation, has addressedDelta Council numerous timesduring the past decade. The edi-tor of the Rothenberg PoliticalReport, a nonpartisan, nonideo-

logical political newsletter cover-ing U.S. House, Senate and

gubernatorial cam-paigns. He is also atwice-a-week columnistfor Roll Call. A frequentsoundbite, Rothenberghas appeared on Meetthe Press, This Week, Facethe Nation, the New-sHour, Nightline andmany other televisionprograms. He is oftenquoted in the nation’s

major media, and his op-eds have

MEETING continued on page 7

Rothenberg

Rothenberg To Address Delta 1000Members At Delta Council Day

Cameron Named 2013Good Middling Lady

Greenville resident BettyLynn Cameron hasbeen named the 2013Good Middling Lady ofthe Year. Cameron is theDirector of Main StreetGreenville. As director,she works with city andcommunity leaders tokeep the city beautiful

and bring excitement back to thePort City.

She received a Bache-lor of Arts in Businessfrom Delta State Univer-sity where she has receivedthree Alumni Awardswhich includes the 2000DSU DistinguishedAlumni Award. Among

other awards won by Cameronare the 2000 Jake Stein Commu-nity Achievement Award for herdiligent volunteerism in her com-munity. As a staple in the com-munity she is a member of theGreenville Jr. Auxiliary, GreenvilleGarden Club, Washington Coun-

CAMERON continued on page 3Cameron

2013 ANNUAL MEETINGMAY 17, 2013

9:00 - 10: 15 a.m.DELTA 1000 POLITICAL EVENT

“Lame Duck: What’s Ahead for President Obama and the Republicans?”Featuring Stu Rothenberg, Political Analyst

Location: McPherson Recital Hall

9:30 – 10:15 a.m.2013 SALUTE TO DELTA HONOR GRADUATES

Mr. William LaForge, President, Delta State University, HostMike Espy, Former United States Secretary of Agriculture, Master of Ceremonies

Location: Southeast Side of Bologna Performing Arts Center

10:30 a.m. WELCOME AND OPENING REMARKS

Bill Litton, President

INVOCATIONDr. Rusty Douglas

First Presbyterian Church, Greenwood

PRESENTATION OF COLORSBoy Scout Troop 4200, Greenwood

Boy Scout Troop 91, Belzoni

PATRIOTIC MUSICSt. Joseph/Our Lady of Lourdes Choir

Greenville, MSDirected by Mrs. Laura Jackson

BUSINESS-Recognition of Special Guests

-Achievement Awards-Recognition of Delta’s Top Honor Graduates

-Wear Cotton Recognition-Good Middling Lady Presentation

-Introduction of New Officers

INTRODUCTION OF KEYNOTE SPEAKERU.S. Senator Thad Cochran

KEYNOTE ADDRESSU.S. Senator Debbie Stabenow

State of MichiganChairwoman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Nutrition

12:00 NoonCATFISH LUNCHEON

Delta State University, Quadrangle Lawn

2 | | May 2013ReviewThe Delta Council

DELTA COUNCIL2012-13 Delta Council OfficersPresident: BILL LITTON, Greenwood

Vice-President: EMILY CARTER, Glen AllenVice-President: ROB FARMER, Cruger

Vice-President: PATRICK JOHNSON, TunicaVice-President: STEVE NAIL, Greenville

Vice-President: BILLY NOWELL, ClevelandVice-President: BUBBA SIMMONS, Arcola

Treasurer: RUSSELL STEWART, Anguilla

POSTMASTER: Send all address changes to

Delta CouncilP.O. Box 257, Stoneville, MS 38776

The Delta Council Review accepts no responsibility forunsolicited materials and in general does not return them tosender. Manuscripts and photographs submitted for publicationare welcomed, but no responsibility can be taken for them whilein transit or in the office of publication. All editorial information istaken from sources considered to be authoritative, but thepublication cannot guarantee their accuracy. Neither thatinformation nor any opinion expressed on the pages of The DeltaCouncil Review in any way constitutes a solicitation for the sale orpurchase of securities mentioned. No material in The DeltaCouncil Review may be reproduced in any form without thewritten consent of Delta Council.

Layout and design of The Delta Council ReviewCoopwood Communications

Cleveland, MS

CONTACT INFORMATION:Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 257, Stoneville, MS 38776Shipping Address:

433 Stoneville Rd., Stoneville, MS 38776Phone: 662-686-3350Fax: 662-686-3378

Web Address:www.deltacouncil.org

E-mail: info@deltacouncil.org

As a businessman in the Delta andone who has watched the feast and

famine economy ofDelta agriculture overmy years in Green-wood, I am compelledto share perspectiveswhich I feel morestrongly about nowthan I did when I was

a paying member of Delta Council andserved on committees. From the obser-vation point of someone who gets to seemore of Delta Council from the inside,instead of the outside, I first want toreport that without question, DeltaCouncil is in shape to meet the futuredemands that might be ahead of us. Infact, whether you are evaluating thefinancial condition of Delta Council,the operational activities, or the recruit-ment of a new generation of leadership,Delta Council has a good balance sheet,

from a businessman’s perspective. My outlook? My business relies

heavily on the economy of Delta agri-culture. For years in the past, I won-dered if future investments inagriculture were sound business deci-sions. However, the events that havehappened over the past decade in Deltaagriculture have convinced me that wehave arrived at a new standard, in termsof the market demand for U.S. agricul-tural products. That means businessopportunities for the Mississippi Delta.Make no mistake about it, there will belean times in the future of Delta agri-culture, and we should brace and beprepared for that event, but on balance,I am optimistic about the enormouscontribution which agriculture willmake to the future economy of theDelta over the next 50 years.

Since I will be Chairman of DeltaCouncil next year, and consequently be

at the beck and call of the new Presi-dent, I can say some things in reflectionthat I probably would not have said asthe current President. Some of thesethings are as follows:

We will not achieve our true poten-tial in a balanced and growing economyin the Delta if we complacently adoptpessimism about the future of ourregion. Further, there are thousands oftowns like Delta communities acrossrural America that do not enjoy theeconomic sustainability of an agricul-tural base nor do they have a manufac-turing or commercial economic base.We long for the return of pieceworkmanufacturing jobs like those that werescattered across the Delta when I was inhigh school. Those jobs are not asprevalent in the U.S. as they once were,and according to the Bureau of Census,

By Thomas Wetzel Congressional Fellow of 2013 sponsored by

DSU, Delta Council, and StapleCotn

The Congressional Fellowship of2013 has been one of the most valuablelife experiences I have had thus far. In

the four months Ilived on Capitol Hill,not only was Iexposed to the leg-islative process thatour Senators gothrough to advanceMississippi’s interests,I was also able to gethands-on experience

involving media relations, constituentservices, health concerns, and agricul-ture. Nothing was shielded from me inSenator Thad Cochran’s office, whichenabled me to truly take in everythingthis internship had to offer.

I first arrived in Washington, D.C.awestruck and admittedly a little nerv-ous to be in the place where “it all hap-pens.” Everyone had on suits and wasswinging briefcases as they ran from one

side of the street to the other. It wasthen; I realized that I had willingly trad-ed my truck keys for a pair of walkingshoes. But, that did not stop me fromspending my first weekend trekking tothe National Mall to gaze at monu-ments and our great Nation’s Capital. Ifelt humbled and looked forward toMonday morning when I would beginworking in the Senate.

Parah Fishburn, Intern Coordina-tor, Darrell Dixon, a Legislative Aide,and Daniel Ulmer, a Legislative Assis-tant, were the first to greet me into theoffice and introduced me to the rest ofthe staff. After shaking hands witheveryone, I was told repeatedly that ifthere were any hearings I wanted toattend, all I had to do was ask. Whatbetter way was there to find out criticalconcerns of our State than going tobriefings? I took advantage of theopportunity and attended multiplemeetings concerning health care, agri-culture, and education as well as some ofthe more high-profile meetings involv-ing national defense, drone usage, andbig lobbyist.

Once I was given an office desk, eachlegislative aide seemed to rotate throughand show me something new. My firstassignment was to help Chris Gallegos,the Press Secretary with his morningpress clips. He taught me how to gatherinformation from the media thatinvolved all of the Mississippi Represen-tatives and compute them in a list thatwas easy for other staffers to utilize. Injust a few days, I had it down pat. Otheroffice tasks soon followed such as sort-ing through constituent mail, sendingresponse letters, answering phones, run-ning errands, and of course, making cof-fee. They might seem like small tasks,but it gave me an opportunity to askquestions and learn what matters toMississippians the most. Thanks tothose opportunities, I was asked tospearhead a handful of projects, mostnotably, creating a shareable databasethat compiled specific information onMississippi counties.

Halfway through the internship, Ihad made some great memories: I had

My Year in Washington

President Message

PRESIDENT continued on page 6

GUEST continued on page 3

Wetzel

GUEST COLUMN

Outlook

Litton

May 2013 | | 3ReviewThe Delta CouncilNews

met Senator of Arizona, JohnMcCain, sat in on controver-sial hearings regarding Beng-hazi by former Secretary ofState, Hillary Clinton, theconfirmation of the new Sec-retary of State, John Kerry,the nomination of the Secre-tary of Defense, ChuckHagel, and had a front rowticket to the State of theUnion address by PresidentObama. It was nostalgic get-ting to watch all of this live,recalling seeing these politicalfigures on television just a fewmonths ago.

The one event that standsout most was my opportunityto experience budget balanc-ing for the Senate. It had been4 years since the last balancing,and tensions were high. Sena-tor Cochran’s office, however,was fully prepared for theobstacle as they reviewed each

and every bill that hit thefloor; burning the midnightoil well into the early hoursmaking sure that the Senatorwas kept well informed. Afterwitnessing their hard work, Ican assure all Mississippianswe have one of the most, if notthe most dedicated and effec-tive team in Congress.

I would like to extend avery special thanks to DeltaCouncil, Staplcotn, and DeltaState University for support-ing the Congressional Fellow-ship program and allowing meto gain an enormous wealth ofexperience. This programtakes a selected student andallows him or her to coupletheir college experience withhands-on work at the federallevel. I am grateful for beingallowed the opportunity andwill use the skills and connec-tions gained from The Hill topromote the needs of the Mis-sissippi Delta.

GUEST from page 2

Recently, William N. LaForge wasnamed the 8th President of Delta State Uni-versity by the Board of Trustees of StateInstitutions of Higher Learning. A DeltaState University alumnus, LaForge hasenjoyed a career in both the public and pri-vate sectors, spanning the fields of law, gov-ernment, higher education and public policy.For more than 35 years, he has been involvedwith the public policy arena at local, Stateand federal levels.

“I am humbled and honored that theBoard of Trustees has selected me to lead myalma mater,” said LaForge. “I am excited tobe coming home and to have the opportunityto help guide Delta State to new levels of

success. I look forward to the challenges andopportunities that lie ahead. I amvery mindful of the responsibili-ties with which I am entrusted,and I look forward to engagingand empowering all stakeholdergroups to position Delta StateUniversity as a Mississippi publicuniversity of national distinc-tion.”

“We are so fortunate, in theDelta, to have attracted one ofthe top people who could haveever been recruited to replace thevacancy left by John Hilpert’s retirement,”stated Bill Litton, Leflore County Business-

man and current Delta Council President.Cass Pennington, longtime

educator and civic leader, calledthe recruitment and placementof Bill and Nancy LaForge “aperfect fit for DSU.” As a for-mer Executive Assistant toPresident David Potter, I knowthat Bill is the man who cansustain and grow the progresswhich we have seen during theHilpert years. We are so verypleased with the CollegeBoard’s wise judgment in select-

ing the LaForges for this challenge.”Growing up in Cleveland, LaForge

attended the public schools and graduatedwith honors from Delta State University.He was one of the first four students induct-ed into Delta State’s Student Hall of Fame.He earned his law degree from the Universi-ty Of Mississippi School Of Law, received anLL.M. in international law from George-town University, and studied internationallaw at Cambridge University. He received anhonorary doctorate of laws from StetsonUniversity College of Law.

LaForge and his wife Nancy have twochildren: Caroline and Clayton who are alsolawyers.

LaForge succeed Dr. John Hilpert whoretired last month.

Wayne Ebelhar, a research professor with the MississippiAgricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, recentlyreceived recognition for outstanding career achievements bythe Southern Branch of the American Society of Agronomy.His research emphasis has been on nutrient management forcotton, corn and soybean production in the MississippiDelta.

MSU weed scientist Jason Bond was named the 2013Rice Researcher of the Year at the 2013 Conservation

Tillage Systems Cotton and Rice Conference in BatonRouge, La. Bond has conducted research with an emphasison rice, corn and cotton at MSU’s Delta Research andExtension Center in Stoneville for six years.

MSU Extension Service Cotton Specialist DarrinDodds was named 2013 Cotton Researcher of the Year.Dodds, who has worked at MSU for six years, studies cottonvariety performance and management, fertility, plant growthregulator use, irrigation management, and weed control.

LaForge

MSU Scientists Honored

LaForge named President of Delta State University

ty Republican Women, and Greenville Rotary Club. Sheenjoys volunteering with the American Red Cross and lobby-ing in Washington, D.C. for individuals affected by arthritis.

Cameron is the mother of one child and two grandchil-dren. She is a member of the First Presbyterian Church whereshe is an Elder.

“Betty Lynn is a real work horse for positive activities forGreenville and the Delta. When you want something donewell, you ask Betty Lynn to get involved. She will be a niceaddition to the Good Middling Ladies,” said Mary VirginiaWatson of Greenville, a past recipient of the Good Middling

Lady Award.“There is no one in the Delta that is more “pure Delta” than

Betty Lynn. She has energy, enthusiasm, and a deep devotionto civic pride and service,” stated Chip Morgan, Delta CouncilStaffperson.

Cameron will be recognized at the 78th Annual DeltaCouncil Meeting on Friday, May 17, 2013 at Delta State Uni-versity Bologna Performing Arts Center in Cleveland, MS asGood Middling Lady of the Year. Coined after the term “goodmiddling,” the highest grade in quality cotton production, theGood Middling Lady Award recognizes individuals who havesustained significant efforts to promote community and eco-nomic vitality in the Mississippi Delta.

CAMERON from page 1

Ag Committee Chairman Prepares for Senate Committee Package as Appearance at Delta Council ApproachesSenate Agriculture Committee Chairwoman Debbie

Stabenow submitted her committee proposal to be printed onWednesday night in order to be introduced on Tuesday beforethe Delta Council Annual Meeting where she will be theKeynote Speaker. Stabenow and U.S. Senator Thad Cochran,the Ranking Republican on the Committee, have workedtogether closely to forge a relationship that produces that anend-product that is balanced regionally and by crop.

“Assuming the Committee passes the Chairwoman’s pro-

posed Committee bill this week, we will have ChairwomanStabenow on stage for her first public appearance followingCommittee passage,” stated Bill Litton, Delta Council Presi-dent.

The Senate Committee proposal reflects several changes inthe Commodity Title which are important to resolving theregional and crop-specific objections which Senator Cochranshared in the 2012 Senate proposal.

“The 2013 Senate measure appears to be much friendlier to

Southern agriculture and we are grateful for the spirit of coop-eration exhibited between Senator Cochran and SenatorStabenow in bringing this measure through the Committee,”stated Dan Branton, Chairman of the Farm Policy Commit-tee and Washington County farmer.

The next step, assuming final action by the Committee, willbe Senate floor consideration, where Cochran and Stabenowwill fight off unfriendly amendments. Reportedly, full Senateaction will possibly take place before Memorial Day recess.

4 | | May 2013ReviewThe Delta Council News

International Court Rules Against Foreign Imports of CatfishThe courts of international trade recently

notified U.S. Senator Thad Cochran thatVietnam has violated anti-dumping because ofunfair pricing of farm-raised catfish in the U.S.consumer market. The Catfish Institute andCatfish Farmers of America have spent millionsof dollars of their farmer-research and promo-tional dollars toward insuring that the enforce-ment authorities of anti-dumping laws and thefood safety issues surrounding foreign importsof catfish are carried out in a timely and aggres-sive manner.

“This is very good news for Mississippi’s cat-fish farms and those who work on them. They

have been harmed for years by unfair trade prac-tices. I am pleased that the Commerce Depart-ment will now begin to move toward ensuringfair trade for our American catfish producers,”Cochran said. “I believe that on a level playingfield, our producers can compete with anyone.”

Sunflower County catfish operator AustinJones, who serves as Vice Chairman of theAquaculture Committee of Delta Council,expressed appreciation for a congressional sup-port which Senator Cochran has provided inorder to bring violations of international tradelaws to the point of action by our government,but Jones explained that such continued viola-

tions, accompanied by reaction by our govern-ment, allow for “one more layer of the economicbase of the catfish industry to be stripped away.”

“For 10 years, we have been telling USDA,FDA, and the Congress that Trade violationsand food safety standards are effectively beingignored by our government while a U.S. indus-try that is headquartered in the most impover-ished areas of our country is disintegrating dueto the slow response and less-than-enthusiasticenforcement of standards that would not be tol-erated if the U.S. public knew the whole story,”added Jones, the Sunflower County catfishoperator.

“We have lost thousands of jobs in my homecounty alone, because even after U.S. SenatorThad Cochran enacted a law requiring thatcatfish inspection, similar to that performed byUSDA on chickens, beef, pork, and eggs, beimplemented, we are sitting here 5 years hence,and our government has refused to enact theinspection programs that Congress mandat-ed—consequently the public keeps consumingforeign imported catfish because our govern-ment refuses to perform food safety inspectionson our domestic and imported catfish,” Jonesexclaimed.

Four aerial applicators were recently recognizedfor exemplary environmental stewardship. Selectedpilots were ranked highest among their peers basedon criteria established through the A.C.E. Pilot Pro-gram. Those pilots selected for recognition includeEllis Russell of Planters Air Service, Inc. in Alliga-tor, MS, Kelly Peeler of Producers Flying, Inc. inYazoo City, MS, Matt Brignac of Brignac FlyingService, LLC in Columbus, MS and Jimmy Dukeof Sunflower Flying Service in Sunflower, MS.

Ag Pilots Recognized For Environmental Stewardship

Pictured from left to right, Ellis Russell, MattBrignac, Jimmy Duke and Kelly Peeler.

The Mississippi State University ExtensionService has strengthened its administrative teamby adding a second Associate Director. Dr. PaulaThreadgill, who served as the State ProgramLeader for Family and Consumer Sciences andthe Interim State Program Leader for the 4-HYouth Development Program, has begun a newrole as an Extension Associate Director.

Threadgill will be responsible for the 4-HYouth Development Program, the Family andConsumer Sciences program, and the Center forContinuing Education. Threadgill

Threadgill Made Associate Director

Delta F.A.R.M. was founded in 1998 to ensure a more eco-nomic and environmentally sustainable future for agriculturein the Mississippi Delta. This private, producer lead organiza-tion has found success in addressing regional natural resourceconcerns by advancing the adoption of econom-ically viable conservation practices on the farm.In February of this year, Delta F.A.R.M. Direc-tors voted to expand the Executive Committeeby electing five new producers to join the orga-nization’s leadership ranks. Those elected toserve included Jeremy Jack of Belzoni, PatrickJohnson, Jr. of Tunica, Will Jones of YazooCity, Darrington Seward of Louise and C.D.Simmons, III of Arcola.

Delta F.A.R.M. Director and past-Chair-man, Mike Sturdivant, Jr., had good things tosay about the group. “These five producers are among the mostprogressive and environmentally attuned in the Delta and willcertainly strengthen the leadership of Delta F.A.R.M. withtheir experience and fresh perspectives.” Current DeltaF.A.R.M. Chairman, Reese Pillow, provided additional acco-lades to the group by stating, “This group will surely lead byexample as each of the new Directors currently exhibit atremendously high level of environmental stewardship on theirown farms.”

New Delta F.A.R.M. DirectorsJeremy Jack graduated from Mississippi State University

after earning two degrees and lettering in football. Jeremy

later worked in Senator Thad Cochran’s Office before return-ing home to farm in Humphreys County. Today, Jeremyactively serves several organizations to advance agriculture andconservation. He is married to Elizabeth Jack and is a mem-ber of the First Presbyterian Church of Belzoni.

After graduating from the University of Mississippi,Patrick Johnson, Jr. returned home to farm with his familywhere he is now a Partner in Cypress Brake Planting Compa-ny. Patrick lends his free time to several agricultural organiza-

tions and the Tunica Presbyterian Church. Patrick is marriedto Emily Purifoy and resides in Tunica.

Will Jones attended Mississippi State University beforemoving to Jackson Hole, Wyoming to work for several years.

Will returned to the Delta in 2007 to beginfarming with his family. Today, Will operatesJones Planting Company. Will and his wifeLiza Parkes reside in Tchula and are membersof the Tchula Presbyterian Church.

Darrington Seward attended the Univer-sity of Mississippi where he earned a degree inHistory and English. Darrington returned tothe Delta after college to become a fourth gen-eration family farmer and is now the Manag-ing Partner of Seward & Son PlantingCompany headquartered in Louise. Darring-

ton and his wife Mary Katherine Crowley have five childrenand attend the First United Methodist Church of Yazoo City.

C.D. “Bubba” Simmons, III graduated from MississippiState University before working for the Kappa Alpha Order.In 2000, Bubba began farming with his family where he isnow a Partner in Simmons Planting Company in WashingtonCounty. Bubba is a resident of Tribbett, a member of theAvon United Methodist Church and serves on several organi-zations that advance and promote agriculture.

Delta F.A.R.M. Leadership Grows by Five

SewardJack Jones SimmonsJohnson

May 2013 | | 5ReviewThe Delta CouncilThe Delta…working together.

(L to R Front) Ray Makamson (Greenwood), Ray Rounsaville (Charleston), SenatorThad Cochran, Ben Lamensdorf (Cary), Cliff Heaton (Clarksdale), Howard Sanders(Hollandale). (L to R Back Row) Bryan Jones, (Yazoo City), Sledge Taylor (Como),Huey Townsend, (Belzoni), Frank Sibley (Marks), Al Rankins (Greenville)

Mike Sturdivant, Jr. (left) of Itta Bena introduces Keynote Speaker, Gov-ernor Kirk Fordice to the media at the 50th Delta Council Annual Meeting.

1960 Annual Meeting Guest speakers (L to R) Richardson Wood and Robert Steventsenjoying dinner.

Dan Branton (left), Former Delta Council President, Governor Barbour and Mar-sha Barbour present 1st Delta top Honor Graduate Rachel Wheeler with grandscholarship award at 2004 Annual Meeting.

The late John Aldridge and the late Betty Dean dis-play their cotton attire as Wear Cotton Winners in1996.

ta Counci

(L to R) Betty Jo Parker, Bobbie Jean Hill, Melissa Thomas,Susan Carter, Tammy Hargett, and Joy Barret displays paperdresses at the 2000 Annual Meeting Fashion Show.

Senator Thad Cochran appears with Secretaryof Agriculture John Block at the 36th AnnualMeeting of Delta Council.

Delta Council Past President Curt Presley of Clarksdale seen atthe 55th Annual Meeting of Delta Council with Governor RonnieMusgrove.

Platform Dignitaries at Annual Meeting of 1954: (L to R) Congressman Frank Smith, J.R. Flautt, Mrs. Wynn Richards Taylor, Mrs. W. W. Gre-sham, Howard Grittman, W. M. Garrard, Jr., John Coleman, Walter Sillers, and Governor Hugh White

John Sharp Howie, Past Delta Council President (middle) and Congressman Mike Espy(right) present plaque to Keynote Speaker and Chair of the House Agriculture Commit-tee, Kika de la Garza at the 1989 Annual Meeting.

Angela McClure displays her cotton attire at the Wear CottonFashion Show in 1976.

6 | | May 2013ReviewThe Delta Council

Mississippi Delta 2013 Honor GraduatesBOLIVAR: Laura Hayden Bowen - Bayou Academy

TeKierra Bush - East Side HighLavenus Dudley - East Side HighMaleena Frazier - Broad Street HighApril Harris - John F Kennedy HighWilliam Hawkins - Cleveland HighMary Parker Janoush - Cleveland HighRegina Johnson - John F Kennedy HighAntwanette Keys - Broad Street HighFatima Leaks - West Bolivar HighJasmine McRoy - Shaw HighMichael Portner - Bayou AcademyShannon Smith - Ray BrooksDalvin Williams - West Bolivar HighDemerrius Williams - Shaw HighTericka Wright - Ray Brooks

CARROLL: Peyton Banes - Carroll AcademyRachel Brewer - Carroll AcademyKasey Holman - J.Z. George HighRaul Ledesma - J.Z. George High

COAHOMA: Shelby Babb - Lee AcademyCierra Citchens - Coahoma Co. Agricultural HighCandi Ellis - Clarksdale HighMarquisha Lester - Coahoma Co. Agricultural HighAndra Lewis - Clarksdale HighGrace Briana Mitchell - Lee AcademyAshley Smith - Coahoma County HighJakirah Starks - Coahoma County High

DESOTO: Kemary Barnes - Olive Branch High Kelsey Boyd - Olive Branch HighDallas Bright - Southaven HighByron Davis - Horn Lake HighMelissa Dollar - Center Hill HighVictoria Ferguson - Lake Cormorant HighHunter Gibbs - Southern Baptist Educational CenterRyne Golden - Desoto Central HighCaitlyn Hamilton - Hernando HighGrace Hamm - Lewisburg HighColleen Hughes - Hernando HighMarissa Kizer - Desoto County AcademyIsaac Lias, Jr - Southaven HighA J Parmley - Lewisburg HighJulia Roberson - Lake Cormorant HighJeremy Sorel - Southern Baptist Educational CenterNaomi Taylor - Desoto Central HighJonathan Uksas - Horn Lake HighJennifer Weeks - Center Hill High

HOLMES: Keyoshia Donelson - S.V. Marshall High

Brandi Hudson - S.V. Marshall HighLily Fran McCrory - Central Holmes Christian SchoolDestiny Mitchell - Durant HighKordarius Parker - Williams Sullivan HighKaneesha Roby - Durant HighArtrista Saffold - J.J. McClain HighTamara Sly - J.J. McClain HighBrett Spell - Central Holmes Christian SchoolShanice Wimsett - Williams Sullivan High

HUMPHREYS: Cody Alleman - Humphreys AcademyTayla Frizell - Humphreys Co. HighAlexius Paige - Humphreys Co. HighDaniel Reed - Humphreys Academy

LEFLORE: Shanecia Beckworth - Leflore County HighMarvin Conrod - Leflore County HighCayla Freeman - Greenwood HighJames Jackson, III - Pillow AcademyZoe Moore - Greenwood HighMikia Rich - Amanda Elzy HighJoseph Tillman - Pillow Academy Jamelia Whitehall - Amanda Elzy High

PANOLA: Amelia Bailey - South Panola HighCharla Darby - North Delta SchoolJohn Huntington Howell - North Delta SchoolAnastasia Johnson - North Panola HighLauren Middleton - South Panola HighTeariny Wheatley - North Panola High

QUITMAN: Emma Haynes - Delta AcademyIvy Spradling - Delta Academy Larry Strickland - M.S. Palmer HighAkeyla Young - M.S. Palmer High

SHARKEY/ISSAQUENA: Roger Davis, Jr. - South Delta HighAmber Ford - South Delta HighLaKen Fulton - Sharkey-Issaquena AcademyTaylor Howle - Sharkey-Issaquena Academy

SUNFLOWER: Terradeshia Dixon - Gentry HighPeyton Garrett - North Sunflower AcademyAntonia Jetts - Ruleville Central HighHolly Pitts - Indianola AcademyJustice Scott - Ruleville Central HighChris Seto - Indianola AcademyMelanie Stuckey - Gentry HighJ B Willingham - North Sunflower Academy

TALLAHATCHIE: Jamal Brock - Charleston High Jacquelyn Brooks - Strider AcademySepreta Ellis - West Tallahatchie HighAlkeira Gooch - West Tallahatchie HighAlexis Ross - Charleston High

Bradley Williamson - Strider AcademyTATE: Emily Ballhelmer - Magnolia Heights School

Ashley Blackburn - Coldwater HighParker Durham - Magnolia Heights SchoolKassie Geeslin - Independence HighRaven Gordon - Senatobia HighDiana Grindlay - Strayhorn HighLetia McGee - Coldwater HighMallory Payne - Senatobia HighAlexandria Rowland - Strayhorn HighBen Stump - Independence High

TUNICA: Samuel McGee - Tunica AcademyClaire Schubert - Tunica AcademyBrittany Smith - Rosa Fort HighJamal Stevenson - Rosa Fort High

WARREN: William Ballard - Warren Central HighSteven Cialone - St Aloysius High SchoolTabitha Hayden - Vicksburg HighClaire Kendall - Warren Central HighHannah Krapac - Porter’s Chapel AcademyVictoria Lewis - Vicksburg HighKatherine Ann Locke - Porter’s Chapel AcademyMallory McGuffee - St Aloysius High School

WASHINGTON: Krista Barrett - Washington SchoolLauren Bostic - St Joseph High SchoolChristian James Bradshaw - Greenville Christian SchoolKeshia Brady - Riverside High Courtland Brown - Simmons Jr/Sr HighRichard Deangelo Carter - St Joseph High SchoolHannah Gammill - Greenville Weston HighHaley Hobart - Deer Creek SchoolAmber Love - Simmons Jr/Sr HighChristopher McWright - Leland HighHailey Melton - Washington SchoolScanita Miller - O’Bannon HighKeyanna Nealon - Leland HighOlivia Peyton - Deer Creek SchoolAustin Smith - Riverside HighKennedy Washington - Greenville Weston HighKeyondria Williams - O’Bannon High

YAZOO: Nora Grace Davis - Benton AcademyJenquil Dent - Yazoo City HighKathryn Homel Dooley - Benton AcademyStephen Matory - Yazoo County HighLyncyn Reliquias - Manchester AcademyCubdeerix Robinson - Yazoo City HighRoyce Swayze - Manchester AcademyAlice Thornton - Yazoo County High

News

those jobs have been shrinking across theNation at an escalating pace for all of the past3 decades.

So, my message is that if we are to be as suc-cessful in attracting non-agricultural employ-ment to the Delta as we have been in buildingone of the largest agri-industrial complexes ofjobs in the Nation here in the Delta, we aregoing to need to renovate our thinking aboutthe zip code on our mailing address. Instead,we must consider combining our resources,similar to the way Delta agriculture has done

for so many years, and focus on our strengthsas a region.

We have a large number of responsible andeffective public officials throughout most ofour counties and cities. In order for them tobecome comfortable with regional approachesto job development, whether these jobs areagricultural or non-agricultural manufacturing,their local constituency must agree to supportthese new approaches. As President of DeltaCouncil, I have been in conference rooms andin meetings with State and local officials whohave re-enforced the value of regionalism, asthe catalyst for job development and new

investments. The Delta has no task in creatingregionalism, because we are regional.

Someone told me once that salt would havenever become the popular commodity which ithas been over the past 200 years in America, ifit didn’t melt and lose its identity. The Deltahas always melted over 5 million acres, over 75towns, and 18 counties, underscoring theabsolute fact that we are regional. When Iwent to college, we were not from Clarksdale,Greenwood, Indianola, Yazoo City, or RollingFork—we were known as a group because wewere simply from the Delta. I am proud of ourhome. I believe that Delta people have a strong

work ethic. I have a lot of employees and Iknow firsthand, that Delta people of allincome levels have good workplace values.

My parting message as I move into anotherrole in Delta Council is that whether workingwith industrial site location specialists, theMississippi Development Authority, therecruitment of school teachers, or seeking newinvestors on the growing inland waterway sys-tem that borders our western boundary, ourbest efforts will fall short if we do not workhard, work smart, but more than any otheringredient, work together as a Delta.

PRESIDENT from page 2

May 2013 | | 7ReviewThe Delta Council

Bill Battle,TunicaLarry Brown, Indianola

Brian Crawford, Carrollton, PresidentAndy Jones, Moorhead

Shorty Jones, Glen AllanMark Koehn, Macon

Joe Oglesby, IndianolaBen Pentecost, DoddsvilleEd Pentecost, Cleveland

Louis Thompson, Tchula, ChairmanChris McGlawn, Swiftown

Buddy Allen, TunicaColey Bailey, Grenada

Kendall Garraway, BoltonBernard A. “Bernie” Jordan, Jr., Yazoo City

Norman D. “Davis” Owen, RobinsonvilleLawrence Long, Indianola

Rob Coker, Yazoo CityPhillip Good, Macon

Jan Hill, MeridianLarry Killebrew, LexingtonBobby Mashburn, Bolton

Turner Massey, RichMike Pannell, New Albany, President

Charlie Pilkinton, ColumbusPepper Roberts, BelzoniBen Robertson, Indianola

Walker Sturdivant, GlendoraTodd Williams, Olive Branch

Morgan Beckham, LelandTim Clements, Greenville

Paul Dees, LelandJan DeRegt, Hollandale, President

Wayne Dulaney, ClarksdaleMike Guedon, NatchezKeith Morton, Falkner

C.D. “Bubba” Simmons, HollandaleJerry Slocum, ColdwaterJimmy Sneed, Hernando

Billy Tabb, ClevelandDavid Wansley, Valley Park

Ronald Aguzzi, ClevelandJames Allison, Sarah

Curtis Berry, RobinsonvilleNolen Canon, Tunica

Gip Carter, Rolling ForkMarvin Cochran, Avon

Gary Fioranelli, ClevelandDonald Gant, Merigold

Tom Hollingsworth, HollandaleRandy Howarth, ClevelandDoug Simmons, Hollandale

Gibb Steele, President, Hollandale

“Voices of Mississippi Agriculture” represent the farmer-funded research and market development efforts of the five major commodities produced inthe Mississippi Delta — catfish, corn, cotton, rice and soybeans. Combined, these industries account for the economic chassis that the economy ofthe region rides upon, producing over 31,000 jobs and accounting for more than $580 million in local, state, and federal tax revenues to support basicservices, from school teachers to garbage pick-up. These farmer funded programs work to invest in the future of agriculture, so that the ag part of ourDelta Gross Domestic Product (GDP) continues to generate a positive cash flow on the farm and provide a major contribution to the State’s economy.

For over 100 years, BankPlus has served the people andbusinesses of Mississippi. BankPlus has over 60 bankingoffices in 33 Mississippi communities. As a bank thatstarted in the Delta and maintains strong community values,BankPlus is proud to sponsor Delta Council.

BankPlus offers cutting-edge services and productscoupled with the best in customer service and customercare. For additional information on BankPlus, please visitwww.BankPlus.net.

Jimmy Sanders, Inc., established in 1953, is one of the largestagricultural input supply and distribution businesses in the Mid-South. Family owned and headquartered in Cleveland, Mississippi,the company currently services growers through 70 retail locationsin Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky,and Georgia.

Sanders is multifaceted in its operations, which include seed pro-duction and sales, agricultural chemical distribution, bulk handlingof fertilizer and, through its award-winning OptiGro® program, vari-able rate technology and other precision agriculture services. Thecompany also provides wildlife food plot products and servicesthrough its Wildwood Genetics™ brand.

Mississippi Land Bank and Southern Ag Credit provide long termand short term financing solutions for land, operation capital, equip-ment and farm equity. From a few acres to a few thousand acres, theseFarm Credit Association lenders have been working with growers andrural land owners in Mississippi for over 95 years. They offer flexibleloan programs, knowledge of the territory, expertise in land values andagricultural operation needs. As cooperatives, the borrowers are theowners of these banks and, as such, share in the profits through a pa-tronage refund at the end of each successful year. Mississippi LandBank has ten locations across north Mississippi. Southern Ag Creditalso has eleven offices located throughout south Mississippi and NorthLouisiana. Both of these financial institutions are proud to support DeltaCouncil and welcome the opportunity to discuss a financing solutiondesigned to help you grow. Visit them online at www.MississippiLand-Banks.com.

Sponsors

appeared in the New York Times, theWashington Post, the Wall Street Jour-nal and other newspapers.

Rothenberg served during the2008 and 2010 election cycles as ananalyst for the NewsHour on PBS.During the 2006 cycle, he was apolitical analyst for CBS News.Prior to that, he was a political ana-lyst for CNN for over a decade,including election nights from 1992through 2004.

Delta 1000 is a program begunby Delta Council over 30 years agoto ask all of the members of DeltaCouncil to pay $100 above andbeyond their regular membership

dues. This support through the“Delta 1000” program has helpedDelta Council maintain one of themost effective area-wide economicdevelopment programs in the entirenation.

The Delta Council AnnualMeeting will be held at the BolognaPerforming Arts Center, Delta StateUniversity, beginning at 10:30 a.m.The Delta Council meeting, high-lighted by Chairwoman DebbieStabenow’s keynote address, isscheduled to conclude at noon,when the Delta Council membersand guests will move to the Univer-sity quadrangle for a fried catfishlunch on the grounds.

MEETING from page 1

DC 2013-2014 OfficersPRESIDENT

Gibb Steele, Greenville

VICE-PRESIDENTS

Michael Aguzzi, ClevelandRichy Bibb, TunicaThomas Edwards, Ruleville

Paul Hollis, AnguillaIrene Long, IndianolaCharles McClintock, HollyBluff

TREASURER

John Pittman, Greenwood

Delta Council433 Stoneville RdP.O. Box 257Stoneville, MS 38776

PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDGREENWOOD, MSPERMIT NO. 257

Delta Council Executive Vice President Chip Morgan Conferredwith Honorary Degree at Delta State’s Spring Commencement

Delta State University President Emeritus Dr. John M. Hilpert (left) and new Delta State Univer-sity President William N. LaForge (right) bestow Delta Council Executive Vice President ChipMorgan with one of the university’s highest honors — an honorary Doctor of Public Service de-gree.

Delta Council Executive Vice PresidentChip Morgan was bestowed with one of theuniversity’s highest honors—an honorary Doc-tor of Public Service degree, as 422 Delta StateUniversity graduates received their degrees dur-ing the 2013 Spring Commencement held Sat-urday, May 4, in the Walter Sillers Coliseum.

A native of Oxford, Morgan earned a B.A.in Public Administration from University ofMississippi. A year after receiving his degree,

he came to work for Delta Council as Directorof the Industrial and Community Departmentof Delta Council. Seven years later he wasnamed Executive Vice President of DeltaCouncil. During his 38 years of service to DeltaCouncil, Morgan has helped advance theDelta’s 18-county region in the areas of agricul-ture, transportation, higher education, rivermanagement, tourism, literacy, and health care.