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Kenyatta Scott                                                          Cody Gaines

The Panola County Soil and Water Conservation District and The Natural Resources

Conservation Service have welcomed Kenyatta Scott, Supervisory District Conservationist and

Cody Gaines, Soil Conservation Technician.

NRCS provides America’s farmers and ranchers with financial and technical assistance to voluntarily put conservation on the ground, not only to help the environment but agricultural operation also.

Scott, a native of Jackson, began her USDA-NRCS career in 2011 as a Soil Conservation Pathways Trainee in Hinds County. Her Pathways training provided valuable experience

across multiple settings and landscapes including the Pearl Area office, Madison, and Claiborne

County field offices.

In 2017, she graduated from Alcorn State University with a Bachelor of Science in Agronomy then transferred to Washington County as a Soil Conservationist. Her area of focus was

conservation practices on irrigated cropland.

New to the Supervisory District Conservationist position in the Panola/Lafayette Counties, Kenyatta’s goals are to raise awareness of NRCS conservation opportunities. Her focus is on the erosion issues that severely impact vast acres in both counties and fight for funding to protect this resource concern.

She plans to establish a soil club to introduce and educate youth on the importance of soil health, soil protection, and ultimately soil conservation.

Gaines grew up east of Batesville on Shady Grove Road. He went to school at North

Delta and graduated in 2012. He attended Northwest Community College in Senatobia the fall of 2013.

Unsure of what he wanted to do when he grew up, he thought he would enjoy something along the lines of agriculture. There he received an Associates Degree in General Ag.

He worked with his father, Kenny Gaines, leading up to coming aboard with NRCS. In 2017, he worked in Tate County receiving 500 plus Earth Team Volunteer hours training for the Soil Conservation Technician job he has now.

Gaines said he is blessed to have an opportunity in his home county and will strive to do his best for all Panola County farmers and landowners.