- March 2024
Extension Agent I
Benton County
MSU Extension
Time in position/at MSU: 8 months
From cotton and soybeans to cattle and poultry, agriculture covers a broad territory, but it wasn’t the crops or livestock that attracted Roy Stovall to the field. He chose a career in agriculture because of the people.
“People who work in ag are typically extremely kind, caring and hard-working—just the type of people you want to be around,” said Stovall. “I didn’t want to get an animal science degree or an agronomy degree, but I knew I wanted to work in agriculture and be around the people in that field, so that's what led to me getting a degree in agricultural leadership.”
A native of Wyandotte, Oklahoma, Stovall and his wife, Sarah, recently moved to Mississippi to be closer to her family. In August 2023, he joined the Bulldog family as the Mississippi State University Extension Agent for Benton County.
“I’ve enjoyed meeting the other agents and getting to talk with them and learning from them. It’s been inspiring. They are super knowledgeable and have been helpful to me as I’ve started this position,” said Stovall.
Working in a single-agent county, Stovall wears many hats—from working with 4-H youth and local schools to extending the latest research-backed information to farmers and collecting soil samples.
“This is a service-driven position—not something you’re doing for your own sake but to serve the people around you,” said Stovall. “Whatever the farmers and ranchers need, I'm going to do my best to get them the information they need so that they can be successful.”
