Partnerships is Forestry: Mississippi

Dr. J. Tedrick Ratcliff, Jr. Executive Vice President, Mississippi Forestry Association

Mississippi Forestry Association was founded in 1938 to unify members of the forestry community and is the only statewide non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining Mississippi’s forests. MFA members and staff work to accomplish our mission through public affairs, communications, and educational programs that promote conservation, development, and wise use of forestland and resources.

The educational aspect of MFA’s mission ranges from working with teachers and school-age children to college students and professionals. By conducting education and outreach for a variety of age groups, we provide them with a better understanding of the benefits of forestry and position ourselves to successfully recruit new workers as job opportunities increase in Mississippi mills and forests both now and in the future.

When it comes to educational opportunities for members of the forestry community, we provide training in areas such as safety and technology to make sure jobs are done safely and efficiently. When jobs are done correctly, it benefits everyone in the company and the industry as a whole. FMIC understands the importance of promoting safety and education and does a great job coming along side of us to help us accomplish our educational goals.

In October 2020, we were unable to host an in-person Annual Meeting for our members due to COV- ID-19 restrictions and concerns. Keith Biggs, president of FMIC Agency, Inc., generously stepped in as one of our virtual presenters for the online Annual Meeting we held. He and another insurance professional answered a number of insurance questions from our members during a panel-type presentation. Being able to show our members the faces behind the agency they do business with is a big plus!

Since MFA’s membership represents the entire value chain of forestry in Mississippi, from landowners and hunt clubs, to loggers and manufacturers, the needs of our members vary greatly based on their roles within the forestry community.

MFA is proud to offer a variety of benefits and services to our members but previously had a gap when it came to providing insurance solutions for our logging and manufacturing members. FMIC has filled that gap, and our Mississippi account manager, Jack Williams, has an attention to detail that makes finding the best insurance opportunities easy for our members.

MFA Staff: L to R, Lauren Hawkins, Communications Coordinator; Casey Anderson, Business Manager; Tedrick Ratcliff, Executive Vice President; Dave Godwin, Landowner Coordinator; Emma Winterhalter, Education and Outreach Coordinator; and Teresa Wampler, Administrative Assistant.

FMIC understands our members’ needs from workers’ compensation and property insurance, to general liability and business auto insurance. By having a designated provider to point our members to, we save them the time and frustration of weeding through multiple carriers. They know FMIC has the products they need and the support they expect, and they appreciate that the company they are doing business with also supports their state forestry association.

We are excited to have FMIC as a member and insurance provider, and we look forward to many years of working together to protect our logging and manufacturing members across the state.