Over its 43 years, the Delta Ag Expo has become a fixture in the Delta region of Mississippi. It's the place where farmers meet to catch up and to hear about and witness the latest in new technology.

This year's Delta Ag Expo also included some new features, including a presentation by Dr. Darren Hudson, director of the International Center for Agricultural Competitiveness at Texas Tech University and a former faculty member at Mississippi State University.

The Expo also continued a tradition of having each of the state Extension specialists discuss their areas of expertise and information that might help farmers deal with the production challenges that face them in what promises to be a low-price year.

Several Extension staff members, including irrigation expert Jason Krutz, also discussed water management strategies for each of the major crops grown in the Delta and how growers can conserve water at a time when the alluvial aquifer that underlies the region appears to be declining.