MISSISSIPPI STATE – A new environmental biologist specializing in conservation has joined the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Jared Harris of Poplarville will serve as the lead contact for 23 southern counties as a coordinator for the Research and Education to Advance Conservation and Habitat, or REACH, program. His work is a new collaborative effort between the MSU Extension Service, REACH, EPA-Gulf of Mexico Program office, U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service and Pearl River Community College.

“Jared is a tremendous asset to the REACH program, and his collaborative effort with other agencies in south Mississippi will greatly assist in expanding the program in that region of the state,” said Joe Street, MSU Extension associate director. “He will help increase awareness and improve stewardship of our valuable natural resources.”

The program will highlight the connection between uplands and the Gulf of Mexico by creating awareness and stewardship of shared resources. Harris will teach how effective management practices can be integrated into all commodity landscapes for the benefit of both commodity systems and the environment.

“I’m excited to talk to producers about the benefits of conservation and best management practices,” Harris said. “REACH provides a great opportunity to showcase how producers in the southern part of the state are proactively addressing resource concerns at the farm level and changing the perception of agriculture using innovative outreach and educational methods.”

For more information about REACH, visit http://www.reach.msstate.edu/.

Contact: Jared Harris, 601-403-8940