DAFVM Spotlight Employee: Rebecca Bates
Rebecca Bates
Working for the MSU Extension Service as a county agent is the only job Rebecca Bates has ever wanted.
“I’m from an MSU family. My father was a professor. I’ve always felt that this job was made for me,” Rebecca said.
As a horticulturist, Rebecca fields calls from homeowners, vegetable producers and other Extension agents who need horticulture-related advice. As the county coordinator, Rebecca is instrumental in running the farmers market and working with local dairy producers, the local Cattlemen’s Association and the Lincoln County Forestry Association. She also hosts a weekly radio show and writes columns for two local newspapers.
For the last five years, to kick off National Dairy Month in June, Rebecca and local dairy producers have brought a dairy cow to the front steps of the Lincoln County Courthouse.
“Our elected officials come out, we put the proclamation declaring it’s National Dairy Month on the back of the cow, and they all sign it,” she explained. “I had a senator call me to make sure he wasn’t going to miss it. It’s a really good photo op!”
In 2013, Rebecca received the inaugural Travis Tadlock Outstanding Extension Agent Award. Tadlock, who retired as the Lincoln County agent in 1978, was well known to Rebecca.
“I’m very lucky in that I’ve had good relationships with every agent who has served in the county since Travis, but he was the one I always worked to be like. I think he’s the most beloved agent the county has ever had,” she said.
In her free time, Rebecca loves to garden.
“I don’t get stuck on one plant; I just love to plant things and watch them grow,” she said.
Other than her garden, her favorite place to be is in Gautier on the Pascagoula River.
Editor's note: The Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Spotlight Employee profiles are provided by the Office of Agricultural Communications at Mississippi State. For more information, please click here.
