Darrin Dodds has been named Mississippi's new cotton specialist with the Mississippi State University Extension Service.

Dodds will serve as the primary contact for Extension educational material, technology transfer and programming regarding production of cotton, said Michael Collins, head of MSU's Department of Plant and Soil Sciences.

“Darrin will provide statewide program leadership that assists, supports and strengthens the work of other specialists, scientists, county agents and producers,” Collins said.

“He will work closely with industry to facilitate technology transfer and adoption of best cotton management practices.”

A native of Illinois, Dodds received a master's degree in weed science from Purdue University. He is in the final stages of completing a doctoral degree in the same field at MSU.

Dodds said he chose to stay in Mississippi because of the hospitality he and his wife have received at MSU, in Starkville and from people across the state.

“Over the last several years, I have observed the role commodity specialists play in Mississippi agriculture and have always felt that it would be very rewarding to work in that type of position,” he said. “We have a fantastic group of people from a variety of disciplines who work in cotton. As a group, I feel we have unlimited potential in meeting the needs of the cotton producers of Mississippi.”

Dodds added that he hopes to build upon the reputation of previous cotton specialists. “I would like to provide the cotton producers of Mississippi with another resource to make themselves and Mississippi more productive and more profitable,” he said.