Tunica Extension agent reports 4‑H outreach, soil‑moisture program and community events

Samantha Floyd, Tunica County extension agent, presented a midyear report on Aug. 18 detailing youth and agricultural programming conducted since Oct. 2024.
Floyd said 4‑H youth programs reached 93 young people directly and the extension’s direct contacts numbered 152 clients; the office’s combined indirect reach through newsletters, social media and events exceeded 18,000 people. She highlighted a poultry hatch‑out program that brought incubators and eggs into classrooms and a shooting‑sports safety program that prepared one youth to compete at the Northwest District event in Jackson.
On agriculture, Floyd described a soil‑moisture sensor pilot that she said helped participating farmers monitor water retention and reduce irrigation costs, a private‑applicator pesticide training that fulfills federal requirements, and a soybean‑variety trial to identify varieties suited to local soils. She also noted a multi‑county row‑crop meeting that included specialists from Tunica, DeSoto, Tate, Quitman and Coahoma counties.
Board members asked about volunteer support for shooting sports and other youth activities; Floyd invited volunteers to contact the extension office. The board acknowledged the report and took no formal action.