Book Your Tour at #NACTA26 Today!

One of the standout experiences of the Annual NACTA Conference is always the lineup of local agricultural tours. This year we are excited to offer attendees five options to choose from on Thursday, June 25, during the NACTA Conference. All tours will have limited space and spots will be filled on a first-come first-served basis. To sign up for a tour during your registration, make sure to check "Yes, I will attend a tour" when asked "Will you be attending a tour on Thursday?"

Read about each of the five tours being offered at #NATA26 below!

#NACTA26 Tours Lineup

From Blues to Catfish: Discover the Mississippi Delta! (Full Day Tour, Begins at 8:00 AM CDT)
Get ready for a full-day adventure into the soul of Mississippi! We’ll start early and head west to the legendary Delta, where history, music, and culture come alive. Our journey begins at Dockery Farms, established in 1895 by Will Dockery. The expansive plantation grew from an original timber and sawmill operation into a massive cotton enterprise covering up to 25,600 acres. Dockery treated sharecroppers fairly, attracting a vibrant workforce whose agricultural labor and cultural life laid the foundations for the blues and was home to icons like Charley Patton and Robert Johnson.

From there, we’ll head to the B.B. King Museum in Indianola, where the life and legacy of the King of the Blues unfolds through immersive exhibits, personal artifacts, and powerful storytelling. After exploring the museum, we’ll make our way to Club Ebony, one of the South’s most storied juke joints, where generations of musicians, including B.B. King himself, kept the Delta blues tradition alive.

We’ll also visit the Bayer Scott Learning Center to see how agricultural innovation continues to transform this region. And when it’s time to eat, we will feast on authentic Delta cuisine featuring the star of the show, Mississippi farm-raised catfish. It’s an early start and a late return, but you’ll come back with a full belly, a head full of stories, and maybe even a little blues in your soul. Don’t miss this chance to experience the Mississippi Delta like never before!

This full‑day tour includes multiple stops and extended travel across the Mississippi Delta.

Make a Difference: Starkville Strong Service Project (Half-Day Morning Tour, approximately 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT)
Give back during the conference with a half-day service project alongside Starkville Strong, a local nonprofit supporting families in need. Connect with fellow attendees, embrace the spirit of service, and leave a positive mark on the community hosting us. Come ready to roll up your sleeves!

Mississippi State University Agriculture Farm-to-Table Tours (Half-Day Morning, approximately 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM, or Afternoon Tour, approximately 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM CDT)
Experience MSU's world-class research and innovative food production across four farm-to-table tours:

• Dairy Science
• Poultry Science
• Meat Science
• Turf, Gardens, Blooms, and Bugs

Peanuts, Prairie, and Pints (Full Day Tour, approximately 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM CDT)
Celebrate Mississippi agriculture and local craft culture in one flavorful day! Start at Birdsong Peanuts for a behind-the-scenes look at the full peanut journey, then head to the Prairie Research Unit, a 2,400-acre station established in 1962. Cap the day at 1817 Brewery with a guided beer flight and great company. Come ready to learn, taste, and enjoy!

Soar into Innovation: Mississippi State's Raspet Research Center (Half-Day Morning Tour, approximately 8:00 AM - 12:00 PM CDT)
Take flight without leaving the ground! Get an insider's look at MSU's Raspet Flight Research Center, a national leader in aerospace research and unmanned aircraft systems. Explore cutting-edge facilities and discover how aviation and agriculture intersect. A must-see for the curious and the innovative!

Additional conference details and registration can be found at www.nactaconference.org.