ECOP Meets in Charleston, SC

ECOP Meets in Charleston, SC – ECOP Chair Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University,

welcomes ECOP members, liaisons and guests to South Carolina this week. Key agenda items are the Cooperative Extension Innovation Inventory, Excellence in Extension and Diversity Awards, the NEW eXtension, and SNAP-ED. ECOP’s national leadership addresses core themes of building partnerships and acquiring resources, increasing strategic marketing and communications, enhancing leadership and professional development, and strengthening organizational functioning. For more information, see www.extension.org/ecop. 

ECOP Chair Delbert Foster
UDSA-NIFA Waterfront Center
Washington, DC - 3.12.15

ECOP and ESCOP Chairs Visit USDA-NIFA – ECOP Chair Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, and ESCOP Chair Bob Shulstad, University of Georgia spent a day last week at USDA-NIFA. A seminar Research to Application: National Leadership, Local Action was presented to NIFA national program leaders and others. The Cooperative Extension and Experiment Station leaders also met with the NIFA Executive Council and planning and accountability, budget, and grants management staff. The theme throughout the strengthening the partnership with USDA-NIFA. 

ESCOP Chair Bob Shulstad &
ECOP Chair Delbert Foster
USDA-NIFA Waterfront Center
Washington, DC - 3.12.15

EFNEP Conference Features ECOP – The 2015 National Coordinator’s Conference for EFNEP themed Promoting Healthy Lifestyles this week in Arlington, VA features a Tuesday keynote by ECOP Chair-elect Michelle Rodgers on Health in America: A Framework for Extension’s Second Century. Wrapping up the meeting on Thursday will be ECOP Chair Delbert Foster together with L. Washington Lyons, Executive Administrator, Association of Extension Administrators, providing an update on ECOP national leadership and summarizing details of the 1890 universities 125th celebration www.1890universities.org. Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director Jane Schuchardt speaks as part of a Monday panel on Educating, Not Advocating – Hill Visits for a Lasting Impression.

6th Annual Legacy Awards April 23 – The 2015 Legacy Awards, National 4-H Council's largest fundraising event, is April 23, 2015 at the Newseum in Washington, DC. The annual event celebrates the accomplishments of 4-H and Cooperative Extension, including the young people, volunteers and professionals who make life-changing experiences possible for millions of 4-H'ers. Among the highlights will be the introduction of the 2015 Youth in Action Award winner, 4-H'er Nosa Akol from New York. Donations to the Legacy Awards can be made here and tickets to the event can be purchased here. Direct questions to National 4-H Council’s Special Events Manager, Rachel Mentzer at rmentzer@4-h.org. 

Extension Producer Education Update – As a result of Title I of the Agriculture Act of 2014 (farm bill), Cooperative Extension nationwide is collaborating with the USDA-Farm Service Agency (FSA) to provide producer education related to federal farm programs. An eXtension site http://blogs.extension.org/farmbilleducation/ aggregates information and highlights program efforts.

USDA-NIFA Announces New Web Site – See www.nifa.usda.gov. Note especially the user-friendly navigation and compatibility with mobile devices. Cooperative Extension is highlighted on the site at http://www.nifa.usda.gov/extension. From the home page, go to About NIFA, then How We Work. 

National 2015 Extension Awards Due June 1 – ECOP and USDA-NIFA announces the 2015 nomination process for the national Excellence in Extension and Diversity awards. The due date for on-line nominations is June 1st. Regions are subject to announcing earlier deadlines for their purposes. CLICK HERE for contact information by Region. For details and to access the online nomination forms go to: http://www.aplu.org/CESawards. Questions can be directed to Sandy Ruble sandy.ruble@extension.org, ECOP Staff Associate.