Video: Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show

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OKTIBBEHA COUNTY, Miss.(WCBI)–A joint effort between the Mississippi Forestry Association, The Mississippi Loggers Association, and MSU has one of the longest running live in-wood demonstration of forestry equipment in the south.

Held on property owned by MSU, the annual Mid-South Forestry Equipment Show has on display the ultimate in modern equipment. It features more than 80 vendors and exhibitors.

“Equipment that we have now, they are so powerful, they are so technologically advanced, all of the equipment has all of the control systems, not only for safety, but also for production,” said George Hopper/MSU Dean of Forestry.

And that translates into dollars from ag products in a state where production of wood and forestry commodities, places us second in that valuable resource. Like the large timber loggers cut down, from Mississippi forests, the industry has seen leaner times when crude harvesting tools were used.

“You don’t see many chainsaws hardly anymore. Equipment is automated, and in terms of loading, cutting the tree down, dragging the logs to the truck,” said Hopper.

“And they would put it on a wagon pull by oxen and they would haul it to the railhead in Crawford, and they would put it on cars and ship it to the plainer mill in Meridian,” said Glover Triplett/MSU Professor.

“Hey, I can not remember the oxen cart, but I did start logging in 1972, and it has been a huge change since 72,” said Cecil Johnson/Mississippi Loggers Association.

And so with successful tree farming, harvesting with the most modern equipment, and forestry shows like this one which drew 5,500 attendees in 2013; Forestry is expected to be one of the strongest resources for some time to come.

“We have so many families and communities that rely on the wood and the natural resources from the forest for their livelihood,” said Hopper.

The forestry and wood products industry brings in 11 billion dollars a year into the state of Mississippi.