Genuine MS® Program Benefits Businesses Across Mississippi
In partnership with: Mississippi Department of Agriculture and Commerce
In 2018, the Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce (MDAC) launched the Genuine MS® program, championing the products grown, raised, crafted and made by Mississippi farmers and entrepreneurs.
The benefits of being a member include having a profile on the genuinems.com website, detailing the story of the company and products complete with photos; permission to put the Genuine MS® logo on a product’s packaging and promotional materials; and having MDAC promote the company through advertising, social media and participation in special events. An annual membership fee of $75 is required to join.
“Now more than ever, it’s so important that we promote our local products – everything grown, raised, crafted and made here in the state of Mississippi,” Commissioner of Agriculture & Commerce Andy Gipson says. “We are dedicated to supporting our members. We just offered a workshop for producers who want to get their products into grocery stores, and our marketing team is always out there getting video and photographs of our members to put on social media, which has attracted a lot of positive attention.”
Currently, approximately 200 companies take advantage of the Genuine MS® program, and membership has been increasing by about 10 new companies a month, with the majority in the food segment. Read on for 10 of these success stories.
1. Pearl River Tea
Once known for its blueberries, Poplarville’s JD Farms expanded in 2006 with the launch of Pearl River Tea, which currently offers more than a dozen varieties of tea.
“There’s not a lot of tea growers in the South, and we were looking for more recognition, so once we found out about the Genuine MS® program, we signed up,” says Don Van de Werken, co-owner of Pearl River Tea. “Now, we’re being promoted and the Commissioner endorses it, so it’s been really great. The logo attracts Mississippians to the brand.”
See more: Mississippi’s Top 10 Agricultural Products
2. Delta Blues Rice
Located in Ruleville, Delta Blues Rice promotes its artisan-milled rice, which is packaged in bags on the Arant family’s multigenerational farm. The company offers long-grain white rice, brown rice, jasmine rice and rice grits.
3. Indianola Pecan House/Wheeler’s Pecans
Based out of Indianola, Indianola Pecan House sells gourmet specialty pecans in gift tins, baskets and boxes.
4. Flathau’s Fine Foods
Featuring award-winning gourmet foods, such as shortbread cookies and cheese straws, Flathau’s Fine Foods makes its Petal community proud. Many of the company’s products have gained national attention from being highlighted on Food Network’s Unwrapped.
5. Heartland Catfish Company
Heartland Catfish Company produces farm-raised catfish products available in fresh fillets, frozen fillets and frozen nuggets. The Itta Bena-based company is owned by the Tackett family, who manages the ponds that provide nearly 50% of the catfish processed each year.
6. Delta Grind
Handcrafted in Water Valley, Delta Grind is a family-run business producing natural, stone-ground quality products sourced from local farmers throughout North Mississippi. Its yellow stone-ground Mississippi corn grits are a top item.
7. High Point Coffee Roasters
New Albany-based High Point Coffee Roasters manufactures premier gourmet coffee. Custom-packed and -roasted in state-of-the-art, gas-fired drum roasters, its coffee will delight any connoisseur.
8. Lazy Magnolia Brewery
Operating in Kiln, Lazy Magnolia Brewery specializes in making craft beverages that pair with Southern food.
9. Delta Bear Farms
Delta Bear Farms offers farm-fresh and pasture-raised eggs right from its Greenville-based farm.
10. Smith’s Honey Farm
Smith’s Honey Farm, working in Petal, produces and sells honey, pure beeswax candles, and other honey- and beeswax-infused products.
Shopping Local
“We have had Genuine MS® booths at all the major conventions, workshops, festivals and farmers markets, and partner with our universities to promote the brand to producers and ensure everyone knows about this great program,” Commissioner Gipson says. “If someone is out there who would want to consider being a member, we will come to them and sign them up on the spot.”
Buying and supporting Genuine MS® products means supporting local businesses and communities and helping ensure that the state’s economic future is bright.