Keenum highlights MSU’s commitment to farmers, agriculture during Delta Council keynote

men standing in line — ��APP President Mark E. Keenum, center, joins Delta Council members and dignitaries after speaking today [Dec. 4] at the group's mid-year meeting at MSU's Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. Also pictured from left are Frank Howell, Delta Council executive director; Tripp Hayes, Delta Council chairman; Keenum; Clint Dunn, Delta Council president; and Chris Champion, vice president of C Spire, the meeting sponsor. (Photo submitted).

STARKVILLE, Miss.—��APP President Mark E. Keenum met with the Delta Council in Stoneville today [Dec. 4], reaffirming MSU’s long-standing partnership with the organization and its shared commitment to strengthening agriculture and rural communities in Mississippi and nationally.

“Farming is all about how you deal with unexpected challenges,” Keenum said. “You have your greatest friends, supporters and fans at ��APP. We’re honored to work with Delta Council and our great friends and partners in the Delta.”

During his keynote remarks, Keenum emphasized the critical importance of agricultural security as national security and its role in maintaining global stability. He highlighted Mississippi ��APP’s Agricultural Autonomy Institute, the nation’s first interdisciplinary research center dedicated to advancing autonomous technologies that improve precision, efficiency and production on farms.

man in maroon jacket with man in grey jacket — ��APP President Mark E. Keenum was the keynote speaker today [Dec.4] at the 2025 Delta Council Mid-Year Meeting at MSU’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville. Keenum, left, is shown with Archie Tucker, Southeast area director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service headquartered in Stoneville. (Photo submitted)

He also noted the university’s national leadership in high performance computing, artificial intelligence, data science, remote sensing and unmanned aircraft systems. These strengths, he said, position MSU as a global hub for innovation supporting the future of agriculture.

Underscoring MSU’s highly successful partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Agricultural Research Service, Keenum referenced the recent campus visit of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, who saw first-hand the university’s extensive research capabilities.

In addition to meeting with the Delta Council, Keenum visited with faculty and staff at the Delta Research and Extension Center, one of four such centers MSU operates throughout the state. He lauded their work and many contributions to advance innovative research and support producers throughout the region.

“A better and brighter future for all Mississippians isn’t possible without a strong and vibrant ��APP. Thank you for everything you do for our university and the people and communities we serve,” he said.

A former Under Secretary of Agriculture in the George W. Bush Administration, Keenum holds a Ph.D. in agricultural economics from MSU, where he focused his early work on the catfish industry. Currently, he serves as chairman of the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research and is a past chairman of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development.

Formed in 1935, the Delta Council represents 19 Delta and part-Delta counties in Northwest Mississippi. The organization unites agricultural, business and professional leaders in championing economic development and addressing challenges affecting the Mississippi Delta region.

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