Mr. Burkett resides in Petal, MS. He has one daughter, Darnella and one granddaughter, Denver.

He is currently involved in over 250 acres farming operation, which consists of vegetable production, beef cattle, and timber. He has been active in farming since 1970. His farming operation is located in Congressman Steven Palazzo’s fifth congressional district. The farming operation is in Forrest and Perry counties.

He is presently serving on several boards relating to agriculture, such as: Mississippi Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Mississippi Agri-Business Advisory Council, Federal Reserve Bank Advisory Board (Atlanta Bank District) from 1995-1998, and the newly-elected Chairman of the MS. State Farm Service Agency Committee. He serves on an Advisory Committee with Congressman Bennie Thompson. He has been a member of the Mississippi Farm Service Agency State Committee since 1993. He is on the board of the Lower Mississippi Delta Planning Commission, and a board member of the Crescent City Farmer’s Market in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is the secretary/manager of Indian Springs Cooperative located in Petal, Mississippi. He also represents the Coalition on the Via Campesina Food Sovereignty Commission and is a board member of the Community Food Security Coalition (CFSC).

He is employed by the Federation of Southern Cooperatives/Land Assistance Fund. This fund works with small farmers and cooperatives throughout the south. He has studied Cooperative Development in the United States, Africa, Central America, Asia, and the Middle East, in working and developing marketing processing cooperatives.