3 minute read
Partnerships in Forestry: Mississippi Forestry Association
MISSISSIPPI
Mississippi Forestry Association
GROWING GREEN: MFA'S DYNAMIC YEAR IN MISSISSIPPI FORESTRY
Casey Anderson, Mississippi Forestry Association Executive Director
Partnerships with our members; partnerships with other associations; partnerships with companies; and partnerships with elected officials are all vital for Mississippi Forestry Association (MFA) to operate effectively. Luckily for MFA, we have great partners within each of these groups.
For many years now, MFA and our partners have worked together to secure a legislative provision increasing the weight limitations for agricultural trucks on the interstate in Mississippi. With the help and leadership of U.S. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith, that provision has been secured and is now in effect.
The FY2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (T-HUD) Appropriations Bill was recently signed by President Biden. That legislation includes the provision allowing vehicles with a Mississippi State Harvest Permit that are transporting agricultural products, such as grain and timber, to haul up to the existing state limit of 88,000 pounds on an interstate highway within the borders of Mississippi. This lifts a prohibition that forced large trucks to operate only on state and county roadways.
This was a huge win for the forestry and agricultural industries in Mississippi, and we greatly appreciate Senator Hyde-Smith’s dedication and hard work in securing this provision that will improve safety and productivity within our industry and our state.
Our members and partners rely on MFA to be the voice of forestry in Mississippi. Our staff has been busy exhibiting at legislative and economic development conferences, attending career fairs and student events, and hosting educational workshops in this early part of 2024. We are just getting started though, so keep an eye out to see what we have planned for the remainder of the year. And speaking of events, mark your calendar now to attend the 2024 MFA Annual Meeting on October 23-25, 2024. We will be back at the beautiful Sheraton Refuge Hotel and Conference Center in Flowood, Mississippi. This event provides valuable education from industry speakers and numerous opportunities for networking, so make plans to join us.
I also want to give a quick update on the Mississippi Professional Logging Manager Program (PLM). As some of you may know, since the program moved to MFA, we have had technical difficulties with the PLM database and search functionality. We have switched to a new technology consultant and are optimistic that the database and site will be fully functional by the end of the summer. In the meantime, our Certification Programs Coordinator John Auel is happy to answer any questions about your PLM certification.
MFA is here to help our members make their land thrive and businesses succeed. Partnerships with companies like Forestry Mutual Insurance Company play a role in those successes by offering a variety of insurance products and having employees who are available to answer questions. MFA is proud to partner with FMIC.
We appreciate our members and partners, and as always, we are available to help answer any questions you may have about forestry in Mississippi. Reach out to me or our staff if we can ever be of any service to you or your business.
