AGP Executive Report

Agriculture Research: Early University of Missouri wheat trials in southeastern Missouri are turning up strong results, with some locations averaging triple-digit bushels per acre and conditions helping suppress disease. Mississippi STEM & Public Health: The Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is gearing up for a summer of hands-on learning, including its annual Snake Day, while the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources is offering a free July 7 seafood food-safety certification course in Biloxi. Workforce & Education Policy: Mississippi lawmakers are pushing a bipartisan Community College Agriculture Advancement Act to expand USDA-backed workforce training and education at community colleges. Energy & Environment: The EPA and the Mississippi River/Gulf of America Hypoxia Task Force say states have surpassed a 2025 interim nitrogen-reduction goal, though phosphorus reductions are lagging. Space & Defense Tech: The Naval Research Laboratory is leading NASA’s INSPYRE mission to study wildfire-driven pyrocumulonimbus storms, and it also received a transportable Space Force tracking antenna to expand joint space testing. Local Tech & Infrastructure: A new Wood Flow South website from Texas A&M Forest Service maps the “what, where and when” of forest products trade for Mississippi and neighboring states.

AI in Mississippi Courts: A federal judge in Mississippi sanctioned lawyers after both sides relied on AI filings with hallucinated citations, canceling the trial and barring some attorneys from appearing. Energy & Environment in the Magnolia State: NAACP and environmental groups updated their lawsuit against xAI’s Southaven site, alleging unpermitted air pollution as turbine counts rose to 57. Air Quality Watch: New state monitoring data shows more moderate-or-worse pollution days over the past decade in southeast Mississippi, raising respiratory risk. Agriculture & Pests: Texas rice growers are bracing for the rice delphacid threat while planted acres are expected to drop in Mississippi and other states due to low prices. Coastal Restoration: Alabama’s RESTORE Council funding package cleared another step, with $87M approved for Deepwater Horizon restoration projects. STEM & Community Learning: Mississippi Museum of Natural Science is hosting World Snake Day activities, and a Cleveland school opened a garden education center with hands-on produce and a local farmers market. Aquaculture Research: UH researchers joined a $13.5M federal aquaculture consortium to strengthen U.S. seafood supply.

AI in Logistics: Port of New Orleans and the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad are rolling out an AI rail-planning tool to speed up delivery of oversized construction cargo for big projects like data centers and a planned Hyundai steel mill. Energy & Carbon Leadership: CapturePoint promoted Kris Roberson to president and COO, putting an operations veteran in charge as the company expands CO2 pipelines and carbon management. Coastal Resilience: Alabama’s RESTORE Act funding got a big boost, with $87M approved for Gulf Coast restoration tied to the Deepwater Horizon spill. Mississippi Air Quality: New data shows more “moderate or worse” pollution days over the past decade in southeast Mississippi, raising respiratory risk. Weather Watch: NOAA declared El Niño is here and says it’s likely to strengthen, with a 63% chance of “very strong” conditions by late 2026 into early 2027. Food Safety Training (MS): Mississippi’s seafood industry can register for a free ServSafe course in Biloxi on July 7. Local Tech & Community: Mississippi launches a statewide AI network, aiming to expand access to AI tools across the state.

AI in courtrooms: A Mississippi federal judge sanctioned and removed lawyers after both sides admitted filing AI-generated briefs with fake citations, underscoring how “AI hallucinations” are now a courtroom problem, not just a tech one. Data center pressure in the region: A Mississippi class action targets xAI’s Southaven data center for near-constant noise, while other states are debating data center tax breaks and new rules as communities worry about health, water use, and utility costs. Mississippi AI push: Mississippi is rolling out a statewide AI network, signaling more public-sector adoption even as backlash over data center impacts grows. STEM education on the coast: The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources ran “Teachers on the Estuary” for hands-on lessons on invasive species and coastal ecosystems, aiming to bring field learning back to classrooms. Public safety in heat: A Mississippi-focused explainer highlights why hot-car deaths happen and how prevention steps can stop tragedies. Health policy debate: Mississippi lawmakers warned against efforts to restrict contraception, arguing mifepristone has uses beyond abortion and raising privacy concerns. Engineering and space support: The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory received a transportable satellite tracking antenna system from the Space Force to expand joint space testing and training.

AI & Data Centers Backlash: States are moving to rein in data center costs and impacts, from Arizona’s proposed sales-tax pause to Texas pushing regulators to require developers to fund infrastructure—while critics argue the rush is straining power, water, and health. Mississippi Tech & Security: Jackson-based C Spire won Arctic Wolf’s 2026 Southeast Partner of the Year for AI-driven threat defense, and Mississippi’s DHS is rolling out the connect-EBT app to help SNAP recipients manage and lock cards. Space Tech: The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory received a transportable satellite tracking antenna from the Space Force to expand joint testing, and Elon Musk floated a bold “1M tons to orbit” goal for SpaceX. Energy Transition: Solar hit a milestone by overtaking coal for the first time in May, even as federal policy favors coal. STEM & Education: Mississippi’s AI network launch and a national push to align teacher prep with the science of reading both signal where workforce and classroom priorities are heading. Local Science/Health Leadership: RIT named Hassan Aziz dean for health sciences and technology, and a new UH Hilo aquaculture research push aims to strengthen U.S. seafood supply.

Aquaculture Funding: NOAA launched CIFARM, a new five-year, $13.5M-a-year effort to expand U.S. marine aquaculture research and markets, with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo as a core consortium member led by UH Hilo’s Chatham Callan. Port Tech & Logistics: New Orleans is rolling out an AI rail-routing system that uses digital maps to speed up planning for oversized industrial shipments—an approach that could ripple to Gulf Coast supply chains. Mississippi Infrastructure: The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers cleared a key hurdle for the Port of Gulfport’s $548M channel deepening/widening, moving it toward congressional authorization. Public Safety Cameras: Hinds County launched a countywide 911 camera-sharing initiative using Brivo Eagle Eye, aiming for faster dispatcher access to footage during emergencies. Education & Literacy: A national assessment found rare rebound in reading and math for young students, while Mississippi lawmakers weigh school consolidation plans. Energy & Solar: New data shows solar and storage are still dominating new U.S. power additions despite political headwinds. Legal Tech Misuse: A Mississippi judge sanctioned lawyers after AI-generated filings included made-up information.

Education & Reading: A new national report finds only a small share of teacher prep programs are truly aligned with the science of reading, with most Oregon programs earning F’s—raising fresh questions about how new teachers are trained. Courts & AI: A Mississippi judge paused and dismissed a case after lawyers admitted they filed AI-generated court material without checking it, a reminder that “AI help” can backfire fast. Mississippi AI: Mississippi launched the nation’s first statewide AI network, MAIN, offering free AI education and resources through statewide partners. Coastal & Blue Economy: The Gulf Coast Business Council honored Southern Miss’s Gulf Blue Navigator with a Rising Tide Award for accelerating maritime startups and blue-tech commercialization. Aquaculture Research: NOAA backed a new aquaculture research and markets institute (CIFARM) with $13.5M, naming University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant among partners. Infrastructure: The Port of Gulfport cleared a major step toward deepening its federal channel, with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recommending authorization. STEM Outreach: ExxonMobil and Rice’s Tapia Center helped run a Mississippi STEM summer camp at Jackson State, pairing students with hands-on algorithms and energy projects. Workforce & Skills: FORGE’s BuildHER Construction Camp is training girls ages 11–14 with hands-on trade experiences and career confidence-building. Local Tech: A Mississippi-made payment kiosk is coming to Waycross City Hall to let residents pay fees 24/7. Education Policy: Mississippi lawmakers are weighing school consolidation and closures, with districts under 1,000 students most at risk.

Mississippi Election Watch: A U.S. Supreme Court case could tighten absentee ballot rules in Mississippi, potentially ending the current grace period that lets postmarked ballots be counted after Election Day; lawmakers are already preparing voter guidance if deadlines shift. Gulf Coast Energy & Health Tech: Biloxi’s $150 million Tomaston Medical Park is moving forward with a sustainable power plan—solar, hydrogen fuel cells, and battery storage—to help buildings run independently of the grid. STEM & Workforce Pipeline: FORGE’s BuildHer Construction Camp is training Mississippi girls for careers in the building trades, with hands-on skills and a competition at the end of the week. Education Policy: A national report finds teacher prep programs are improving on “science of reading” methods, but many still fall short—especially for English learners and students with disabilities. Public Health & Safety: Mississippi coverage highlights why mosquitoes are the deadliest animal globally and notes the state has dozens of mosquito species, with only a few that transmit diseases. Research & Industry: Austal USA names Gene Miller president, while Gulf of Mexico subsea work continues with SLB OneSubsea winning a boosting contract for BP’s Thunder Horse project.

Mississippi Education & Health: Mississippi stayed 16th for K-12 education in the Annie E. Casey Foundation’s 2026 KIDS COUNT, but health dragged it to last overall (50th), with the weakest scores tied to low-birth-weight babies, uninsured kids, child/teen deaths, and obesity. East Mississippi Conservation-Military Link: Mississippi State and partners won federal Sentinel Landscape designation for the East Mississippi Sentinel Landscape, tying pilot training missions to working-lands conservation and long-term resilience. AI & Industry in Mississippi: Nissan is exploring partnerships to use its underutilized Canton plant for other automakers’ vehicles, with a mid-size pickup among options. MSU Inclusion in STEM-adjacent research: MSU’s Christie Collins co-edited a new anthology on disability, illness, neurodivergence, and ableism in creative writing—filling a gap in scholarship. Data Centers & Power Costs: A new report warns behind-the-meter gas plants for data centers can raise energy bills, as projects increasingly build their own generation. Local Science/History Work: A diver searched muddy waters in Evans City, recovering carved 1830s gravestone fragments and planning a larger summer dig.

Mississippi AI & workforce: The Mississippi Artificial Intelligence Network (MAIN), housed at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College, picked up regional recognition and hosted hands-on training for state leaders and educators, aiming to build an “AI ecosystem” that connects education, jobs, government, and responsible adoption. University research boost: The University of Southern Mississippi is set to add a new state-of-the-art science research facility in Hattiesburg with $30 million from the Mississippi legislature, targeting biological, biomedical, and environmental research. STEM in classrooms: Louisiana eighth graders used a carbon-capture lesson (including a classroom CO2 model) to learn about carbon dioxide and CCS, with debate over industry influence. Public health & policy: A new KIDS COUNT Data Book reports child wellbeing fell from 2019 to 2024, driven largely by reading/math declines and worsening health outcomes. Wildlife science: Tulane University research finds mangrove forests are showing a global turning point after decades of loss, with gains outpacing losses for 16 years. Community & inclusion: A Jackson gathering by Capital City Pride highlighted how local events can support LGBTQ+ community connection and wellbeing.

University Research Funding: The University of Southern Mississippi is set to add a new state-of-the-art science research facility in Hattiesburg, backed by a $30 million Mississippi legislature appropriation, aiming to expand work across biological, biomedical, and environmental sciences. STEM Workforce Pipeline: Southern University is expanding its EDGE esports and digital gaming program to train students for game development, broadcasting, content creation, and emerging technologies—pushing them from consumers to creators. Education Gaps in Mississippi: A new look at Mississippi student performance shows early gains in reading and math, but weaker outcomes for eighth graders and high schoolers, with lawmakers and educators planning new supports for students and families. Climate & Coastal Science: New research from Tulane finds mangrove forests are rebounding globally after decades of loss, with gains outpacing losses over the past 16 years—good news for coastal protection and climate mitigation. Community Tech & Learning: Mississippi State University hosted the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2026 conference, focusing on economic growth, workforce pipelines, and applied research partnerships.

Workforce & Education: Mississippi State University hosted the Appalachian Regional Commission’s 2026 conference, “Appalachia Builds,” spotlighting applied research and workforce pipeline strategies for long-term regional growth. Talent Pipeline: The Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation partnered with AccelerateMS to support the new Mississippi Postsecondary Attainment Council, aiming to better align education with employer needs. STEM in Action: Southern University launched EDGE (Esports and Digital Gaming Ecosystem) to train students for game development, production, broadcasting, and emerging tech—also targeting representation gaps in the gaming workforce. Research & Environment: Tulane University research finds mangrove forests are rebounding globally after decades of loss, with gains outpacing losses for 16 years—good news for coastal protection and climate mitigation. Mississippi Outdoors & Community Science: Darwin’s Ark is recruiting more cat owners for a national feline genetics and behavior study, including calls for participation from underrepresented states like Mississippi. Local Learning: Jackson Public Schools and lawmakers are tackling an achievement gap, with attention on dips after fourth grade and new screening requirements.

Mississippi Education Watch: Mississippi’s early-grade gains are strong, but lawmakers and educators are scrambling as eighth graders and high schoolers lag—especially on the ACT—pushing new screening and support options to keep momentum going. Workforce & STEM Pipeline: The Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation is partnering with AccelerateMS to back the new Mississippi Postsecondary Attainment Council, aiming to align education and employer needs. Student Research in Mississippi: Mississippi State University highlighted undergraduate work at its spring research symposium, with hundreds of projects across disciplines including biological and social sciences. Community Tech Access: Jackson/Hinds Library System is rolling out a new bookmobile with mobile printing, internet services, and thousands of titles—starting with a weekend ribbon cutting. Climate & Coasts: New research using decades of satellite data finds mangrove forests are rebounding globally, with gains outpacing losses for about 16 years—good news for coastal protection and climate mitigation. Citizen Science (National, incl. MS): Darwin’s Ark is recruiting more cat owners nationwide for a genetics and behavior study, calling out underrepresented states including Mississippi. Public Safety Tech Debate: Minneapolis is weighing whether to extend and expand ShotSpotter gunfire-detection sensors amid cost concerns and questions about what it delivers.

Education Equity: Mississippi lawmakers and educators are targeting a widening gap as fourth graders surge while eighth graders and high schoolers lag, with ACT performance a key concern and new screening options aimed at keeping students on track. STEM & Research: Mississippi State physics professor Jaspreet Singh Randhawa won an NSF CAREER award to study nuclear reactions behind stellar explosions, using rare radioactive beams to refine models of how elements form. Workforce Pipeline: The Mississippi Business Alliance Foundation partnered with AccelerateMS to support the new Mississippi Postsecondary Attainment Council, focusing on employer engagement and career pathways. Student Science Showcase: A Brookhaven MSU student presented biological research at Mississippi State’s spring undergraduate symposium, highlighting how undergrads are getting hands-on experience. Environmental Learning: The New Ulm Area Foundation funded a student river sampling program for water-quality testing, underscoring the role of local, school-linked monitoring. Climate & Coasts: New research from Tulane reports mangrove forests are rebounding globally, shifting from long-term net loss toward overall growth. Public Tech in Practice: Jackson/Hinds Library System’s new bookmobile is rolling out with mobile printing and internet services, expanding access for residents. Mississippi in the Region: ARC’s Appalachia Builds conference brought federal and state leaders to Mississippi State University to discuss economic growth and workforce development.

Diabetes & Drug Policy: STAT’s ADA coverage spotlights GLP-1 developments alongside debate over research funding cuts and a protest—setting the tone for how health innovation is being fought over in public. PFAS & Water Safety: A Mississippi-focused look at PFAS and “forever chemicals” ties national concern to local impacts, while another report warns that even “acceptable” air pollution can still raise cardiovascular risk. Mississippi STEM Research: Mississippi State physics assistant professor Jaspreet Singh Randhawa wins an NSF CAREER award to study nuclear reactions behind stellar explosions and element formation. Public Health & Policy: A review of low-level PM2.5 links pollution below EPA limits to heart disease, adding pressure on regulators. Local Tech & Access: Jackson/Hinds Library System’s new bookmobile rolls out with mobile printing, internet, and checkout—bringing library services to more neighborhoods. Energy & Climate: Coverage of Trump’s $700M coal push frames potential grid and health tradeoffs, while other stories track how communities are grappling with environmental risk. Mississippi Gulf: The Mississippi Gulf Coast Billfish Classic returns in Biloxi for its 29th year despite weather delays.

Coastal Resilience: New Orleans researchers warn the city could become effectively “islanded” by 2070 as wetlands vanish, raising the prospect of major relocation debates. Mississippi Research & Health: USM is moving ahead with a new 93,000-square-foot life sciences research center, backed by $87.5M in state funding and aiming to expand work on diseases and public health. Rural Health Funding: Mississippi unveiled early steps for its Rural Health Transformation Program, with providers worried about tight timelines and transparency as more than $1B in federal money rolls in. Air Quality & Heart Risk: A University of Mississippi review links fine particle pollution (PM2.5) to cardiovascular harm even below EPA limits. Manufacturing Quality: F. D. Hurka Metrology highlights common setup errors that can throw off vision measurement systems in precision manufacturing. Local Nursing Home Watch: CMS ratings spotlight both a 5-star Forrest General Skilled Nursing Unit and a 1-star Pine Forest Health & Rehabilitation in Hinds County. STEM in the Gulf: NOAA and USM-linked teams are using uncrewed surface robots to gather hurricane data from extreme conditions.