Mississippi Department of Agriculture and CommerceThe mission of the Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is to regulate and promote agricultural-related businesses within the state and to promote Mississippi’s products throughout both the state and the rest of the world for the benefit of all Mississippi citizens.
Aquaculture is the practice of raising and harvesting aquatic organisms in controlled environments, such as ponds, lakes, rivers, and oceans. It can also be done in man-made systems on land. In 1988, the Mississippi Legislature recognized that aquaculture was the fastest growing segment of the United States agriculture industry and declared to effectively encourage and [...]
The Mississippi Metrology Lab is currently closed, pending NIST certification. We are working diligently to complete the process. For a list of certified NIST labs, please visit: https://www.nist.gov/pml/weights-and-measures/resources/state-laboratories Contact Gene Robertson Gene@mdac.ms.gov 1000-A ASU Drive #10 Lorman, MS 39096 Lab Phone: 601.877.3802 Lab Fax: 601.877.3872
What exemptions to the Poultry Laws and Regulations does Mississippi allow? Producers may apply for a 1,000 bird or 20,000 bird exemption within the state of MS. What are the requirements of the 1,000-bird exemption? A producer may slaughter no more than 1,000 healthy birds of his/her own raising per calendar year. The grower must [...]
MDAC and the Meat Inspection Division takes the responsibility of enforcing state law (75-35-7) and federal regulation (9 CFR 313) very seriously regarding the handling and housing of animals entering the food supply chain. All inspectors and veterinarians employed by our division receive specific training to become knowledgeable of these critical regulations. Humane Handling verification [...]
For Cattle, Sheep, Swine, and Goats What is the point of the custom exemption? The Federal Meat Inspection Act exempts the slaughter and processing of cattle, sheep, swine, and goats from inspection requirements when slaughtered for personal use. Because this exemption is for the personal use of the owner, his family, and his non-paying guests, [...]
The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce (MDAC) is working with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Mississippi State University, and Alcorn State University Extension Services to provide outreach and education to Mississippi fruit and vegetable producers who will be impacted by the “Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing and Holding of Produce for Human [...]
The Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce is collecting data from growers within the State of Mississippi to help prevent a hazardous food outbreak. Qualified exempt farms will not be subject to inspection by the Mississippi Department of Agriculture; however, a completed exemption application must be completed annually to maintain exemption status. The Mississippi Department [...]
The Six Key Requirements of the Produce Safety Rule 1. Agricultural Water Requirements for agricultural water quality and testing are designed to detect contamination by feces, which may be accompanied by bacteria that cause disease. 2. Biological Soil Amendments There are requirements for the use of biological soil amendments of animal origin, which includes manure [...]
What is the Produce Safety Rule? The Produce Safety Rule (PSR), which has the official title of Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption, is one of the seven rules under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) that was passed into law January 4, 2011. The Produce Safety Rule [...]
