STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Kelley Walmsley has joined the Mississippi State University department of poultry science as an assistant professor.

She is working to build a research program focused on developing cost-effective diets for poultry, Mississippi's top agricultural commodity. Feed and feed-related manufacturing costs account for 60 to 70 percent of total production costs for poultry producers.

Wamsley, a West Virginia native, earned a bachelor's degree in animal and nutritional sciences and a master's and doctoral degrees in animal and food science, all from West Virginia University.