The Governor and the Director of Cooperative Extension in Mississippi realized Mississippi should not be exporting raw commodities and importing finished products. Rather, they proposed the Food and Fiber Center (FFC) to help Mississippians add value to the raw commodities produced in the state and export high value products.
The Center, operated by the Mississippi Cooperative Extension Service solely with state general revenue funds, has had a number of important successes. One of the most prominent has been in catfish. In the late 70's, the Center developed the first catfish processing feasibility study for a cooperative known as Delta Processors, Inc. Now one of the largest fish processors in the country, Delta Pprocessors boasts the widely recognized "Delta Pride" branded product line. Subsequent studies ad analyses for processing operations and feed mills have been instrumental in the development of a strong catfish industry in the state. Mississippi now leads the nation in production and processing of catfish.
FFC provides technical assistance, not grant or loan funds. The Center provides two basic services: basic research to help prospective processors make entry decisions, and feasibility studies/business plans to attract state and private financing for prospective processing enterprises.
In addition to the catfish industry, the Food and Fiber Center has worked with cotton ginners, poultry integrators, fruit and vegetable packers, wood products operations and a variety of other traditional and non-traditional industries.
Legislative authorization came in 1973 after a campaign led by the Governor. The Food and Fiber Center began in 1974 with the hiring of a food scientist with a chemistry background to assess the state's capabilities in food and fiber processing. Staff now includes an economist, a business analyst, an industrial engineer, a food scienties, a food processing engineer, a market/distribution specialist, and a wood products specialist. FCC builds teams from acros the Mississippi State campus with the expertise to work on each particular project. When needed expertise is not available, FCC pulls in out-of-state experts from universities and businesses. Consultants are employed when needed to provide specialized expertise.