Monday, August 29, 2016

Welcome to Wyoming!

In observance of Labor Day, ECOP Monday Minute will return 9.12.16. 

Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, and
Leadership Keynote Speaker David Horsager
ECOP Chair Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, welcomes you to the 2016 Cooperative Extension Section/National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Business Meeting 7:30 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., Wednesday, 9.21.16, Jackson Lake Lodge, Moran, WY. On the agenda, which will be sent in advance and available at the meeting, includes ignite-style presentations on ECOP 2016 goals related to national system, private funding, innovation and urban programming. Discussions, plus voting using your electronic devices, will engage directors/administrators in key decisions related to the Extension health agenda, proposed changes in the board structure of the National 4-H Council, future investments in the SNAP-Ed Program Development Team, and moving forward as a national system. Wrapping up the morning will be a fast-paced, two-hour professional development opportunity by David Horsager, author of The Trust Edge: How Top Leaders Gain Faster Results, Deeper Relationships, and a Stronger Bottom Line. You are encouraged to read the book, take the assessment (Page 3 of http://trustedge.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Self-Assessment.pdf) and view the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHJ45j8GYic

eXtension Foundation Members to Meet in Wyoming – eXtension Foundation Board of Directors Chair Dennis Calvin, Pennsylvania State University, invites you to the 2016 business meeting, 7:15-7:30 a.m. MT, Wednesday, 9.21.16, Jackson Lake Lodge, WY. Your vote is needed to affirm new board members recommended by regions, attend to other decisions for eXtension, and get a brief update on recent accomplishments. Upon registration at the joint ESS-CES/NEDA meeting, representatives of eXtension member institutions will receive a paper ballot with instructions. The meeting is open to all interested in eXtension and its critical role as a part of the Cooperative Extension System. 

Use Impacts Database – The ECOP-ESCOP National Impacts Database Committee, Tim Cross, Co-Chair, University of Tennessee, encourages your continued reporting to and use of the database at www.landgrantimpacts.org. Available through the password protected portion of the web site are postcards in both email and print versions which can be used to promote the database. While ECOP has voted to discontinue the Measuring Excellence in Extension (MEiE) database effective at the end of 2016, due to lack of reporting and use, the impacts database will continue through efforts facilitated by Scott Cummings, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension. 

Immigrant Youth and Families Survey Due 8.31.16 – The USDA-NIFA Vulnerable Populations Immigrant Youth Champions Work Group gives the last call for assistance in distributing The State of 4-H’s Engagement with Immigrant Youth and Families online survey to all Extension professionals, both state and local. The brief survey will assist the working group in identifying the professional development needs and strengths of Extension professionals in order to successfully recruit, engage and sustain the participation of immigrant youth and families in the 4-H Youth Development Program. The term "immigrants" (or "foreign born") refers to people residing in the United States who are not U.S. citizens at birth. Second generation immigrants are U.S. born children of immigrants (with at least one foreign-born parent). The 15-minute survey is available at https://agrilife.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2au3j3obDmZk3UF. Direct questions to Fe Moncloa at fxmoncloa@ucanr.edu

Behavioral Health Planning and Evaluation – Via an HHS grant and facilitation by USDA-NIFA, the Regional Rural Development Centers are pilot testing community behavioral health training beginning 9.8.16. The project, called CAPE (Community Assessment and Education to Promote Behavioral Health Planning and Evaluation), is a capacity-building initiative for Cooperative Extension professionals. The training in September and October of 2016 includes web-based and face-to-face events. Space is limited to 15 participants. There is no cost for the pilot group. To learn more about CAPE, contact John Leatherman, Kansas State University jleather@ksu.edu or Mark Skidmore, Michigan State University mskidmor@anr.msu.edu. Registration is handled by Rosa Soliz, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development soliz@anr.msu.edu

USDA-NIFA Releases 2015 Annual Report – See https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/resource/NIFA-FY15-Annual-Report-Web-Version.pdf for NIFA’s summary of investments in food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences in 2015. Cooperative Extension impacts, together with research and academic programs, are highlighted throughout the report. 

USDA Toolkit on Economic Impact of Local Foods – Released earlier this year, the toolkit is designed to help communities and businesses evaluate the economic benefits of investing in local food systems. See The Economics of Local Food Systems: A Toolkit to Guide Community Discussions, Assessments and Choices. This aligns with USDA’s Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative, which coordinates efforts across USDA to support local and regional food systems.