ECOP Meets South of the Border

There will be no ECOP Monday Minute on July 30. Please tune in again on August 6, 2018!

Candid moment of ECOP Meeting, July 17, 2018

This summer’s ECOP meeting occurred, as usual, as part of the annual APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly's Joint COPs Summer Meeting held this year in Guadalajara, Mexico. This location, like last year’s meeting in Canada, reflects APLUs interests in broadening public university engagement to include our neighbors. Highlights of actions by ECOP:

• Approved Extension Resource and Partnership Development Team continue working towards a System-wide Development/Fund Raising business plan. Draft plan due at October NEDA/ECOP meetings. 
• Approved the Reporting Themes Workgroup to continue its work towards a coordinated, streamlined reporting system aligned with NIFA and CES strategic initiative priorities. 
• Affirmed commitment to CES Strategic Agenda in the transition of the ECOP Chair from Chuck Hibberd to Ed Jones for 2019. 
• Approved appointment of an International Extension Workgroup to establish ways that the Cooperative Extension system can support 1862 and 1890 institutions increasing capacity in this arena. 
• Approved a Section-wide process to review and provide input on the Strategic Alignment (Line Consolidation) efforts being led by the BAA Policy Board. This review will lead to input to the Policy Board’s meeting on this topic in November. 
• Approved the continued process of engaging Section members on their perspectives on the expectations for Communications and Marketing Committee Plan of Work. This review will lead to input to the Policy Board’s meeting on this topic in November. 
• Provided significant input into the Nutrition Education Call to Action Advocacy Strategy being led by the Communications and Marketing Committee and kglobal. Extension Administrators and Directors will soon receive a summary of the current and planned strategies. 
• Affirmed the work of the ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee, encouraging them to explore the possibility of new legislation to establish an additional authority for use of the 4-H name and emblem and to draft a new MOU http://bit.ly/4H_MOU document that would continue the work of the Committee beyond May 8, 2019

Two Timely Reminders -

1. Tune in to Next Generation Extension - Learning for Leaders: Unraveling the Mysteries of ECOP and CES on Friday, August 3, 2018, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. Contact ECOP Assistant Director Sandy Ruble to receive connection details.
2. Register for 2018 NEDA before September 10, 2018 - http://www.cvent.com/d/0gqxkw. Direct questions about this meeting to ECOP Program Assistant Marianne Klein.

eXtension Highlights - The Impact Collaborative, powered by eXtension, hosted its Facilitator Training last week in Detroit, MI. The Impact Collaborative trained 29 new facilitators from 20 institutions in the Innovation Kit process. Upon completion of this training, these members became qualified to host local Innovation Kit Workshop and Designathon One events with eXtension and can assist in facilitating. You can find more information on outcomes and what our Facilitators had to say about the training here. If your institution has had a Facilitator trained this year, the Impact Collaborative is offering Premium Member Institutions the chance to host a 20-60 seat Innovation Kit Workshop or Designathon One at no cost to the institution. The deadline for scheduling one of these events is August 1st, 2018, click here for more details. To learn more about eXtension member benefits like these Impact Collaborative events, become a member! Contact Beverly Coberly at beverlycoberly@extension.org for more information.

Webinar 8/14: Well Connected Communities Wave 2 Funding - The Well Connected Communities initiative is an effort to cultivate wellness across the country. Cooperative Extension, in partnership with National 4-H Council, is equipping volunteer leaders to help their neighbors be healthier at every stage of life. With the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, these communities are cultivating wellness and fostering a Culture of Health in America. Extension Directors and Administrators who are interested in strengthening Well Connected Communities’ applications for Wave 2, are encouraged to join a national webinar. The next Request for Applications for funding is anticipated to be released during the spring of 2019. Webinar details:

• August 14, 2018 Time: 2:30 – 3:30 pm ET 
• Register here: https://extension.zoom.us/j/120831669
• Webinar Goals:
  -- Expand understanding of the Well Connected Communities initiative
  -- Explore strategies for building, connecting and weaving community coalition efforts
  -- Identify roles for supporting and creating change
  -- Learn from current Well Connected Communities

For more information or if you have questions, contact Janet Golden, National 4-H Council, jgolden@fourhcouncil.edu, 301-204-6841.

One Week Left to Complete the 2017 Census of Agriculture - The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) officially ends data collection for the 2017 Census of Agriculture on July 31. NASS asks for help in reminding farmers and ranchers that their response, every response, is important – even if it’s just to say that they are no longer a farmer. The stronger the data once every five years, the better-informed future decisions can be. Remember, the same law that requires response – Federal law, Title 7 USC 2204(g) Public Law 105-113 – also requires NASS to keep all information confidential, to use the data only for statistical purposes, and to only publish data in aggregate form to prevent disclosing the identity of any individual producer or farm operation. Producers can still complete the Census questionnaire online at www.agcensus.usda.gov or by calling toll-free (888) 424-7828 through July 31. Data release is planned for February 2019.

Breakthroughs 2030 Release - Additional Information - As reported last week, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine released Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030 (Breakthroughs 2030) on July 18. As part of the webinar, the Academies are sharing background materials. The archived webinar recording will soon be made available at: http://nas-sites.org/dels/studies/agricultural-science-breakthroughs/report-release/. This site includes links to download the report or read the report online, the press release and an interactive infographic. Other materials of interest:
   • 3-minute video with the main messages from the report
   • 4-page brief summary of the report
   • Social media toolkit with sample promotional tweets, posts, and newsletter summaries

Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup Update—New Information on Extension Opioid Programming Available

The Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup has completed its goal of providing information about Extension substance abuse programming that can be quickly shared across state lines to help address the opioid crisis. The new Opioid Response website provides content on eight existing opioid-related programs. The following summary information is available for each of the programs: 1) brief description; 2) format, duration, and approach, 3) target audience; 4) degree to which the program is research-based/evidence-based; and 5) costs of adoption and use. Contact information, links to key resources and webinar recordings offer more detailed descriptions of the programs. ECOP and Workgroup members believe these resources are useful to those seeking opportunities to address the opioid crisis in their states. Over time, new content will be added. Directors and Administrators may access details on this initiative and others in the "Learning and Initiatives" section of this blog - see menu, right found on the full view of this blog.

LGU SNAP-Ed Marketing Brochure Published - A newly developed tri-fold brochure is available featuring results of the most recent Land-grant University (LGU) SNAP-Ed report designed to share the collective successes of the nationwide system in limited-resource nutrition education. The LGU SNAP-Ed Program Development Team created the handout highlighting the impacts of LGU SNAP-Ed outreach. The one-page legal-size trifold document lists quick facts about the program, behavior and health outcomes, and how partnerships and collaboration enhance the work. Copies have been sent to each of the LGU coordinators. The document can be viewed and printed on the Community Nutrition Education community of practice on eXtension.org at http://articles.extension.org/pages/74699/snap-ed-brochure. Additional printed copies are available by contacting Sandra Jensen at Sandra.jensen@sdstate.edu.

Breakthroughs 2030 Report to be Released on July 18 - The National Academies of Science-Engineering-Medicine (NASEM) are pleased to announce that Science Breakthroughs to Advance Food and Agricultural Research by 2030 (Breakthroughs 2030) - a study to identify the greatest research opportunities in food and agricultural science for the next 10 years - will be released on Wednesday, July 18, 2018. This unprecedented report communicates a compelling vision and rationale for additional investment in Food and Ag research for Congress and other research funders to consider. In June 2017 ECOP and ESCOP each provided support funding for the study due to the broad definition of Ag research and the element of applied science (Extension). An in-depth, live public webinar with members of the report’s authoring committee will be hosted by NASEM on July 18, 1-2:00 PM EDT. For a list of presenters, other details, and to register, Click Here.

Supporting Economic Diversification in Coal-Reliant Communities - The National Association of Counties (NACo) and the NADO Research Foundation (NADO RF) are collaborating on a multi-year project funded by the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) Denver Regional Office to support economic resilience and diversification in coal-reliant communities in Colorado, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming. This project delivers a mix of in-person workshops, conference calls, webinars, and a bi-weekly newsletter, “Growing Stronger Economies in Our Nation’s Coal Communities.” Learn more about this project at www.diversifyeconomies.org. Sign-up for the free newsletter (relevant for coal communities across the country) that has news, funding information, and other resources at: www.nado.org/readytodiversify. Questions or ideas? Contact NADO RF Associate Director Brett Schwartz at bschwartz@nado.org.

2018 Science-informed Decision Making and Policy Mid-term Update from ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd

View/Download: 2018 Mid-term Report Document 

Robust Meeting Agenda in Mexico - ECOP will address a number of important topics during its meeting on July 16-17 in Guadalajara, Mexico as part of the Joint COPs meeting. Four Big Ideas are on the agenda, Land-grant University Mission Alignment, Plan of Work Reporting Themes, Extension Resource and Partnership Development and International Extension Work, as well as the kglobal contract, revisions to the ECOP operating guidelines and CES Rules of Operation, consideration of a number of issues from the 4-H Leadership Committee, a review of eXtension’s role with the Cooperative Extension Section, and a conversation with Doug Steele (incoming Vice President for Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources). This agenda and the associated conversations will form the basis for the upcoming national dialogue scheduled to take place during the CES Business Meeting at NEDA on October 2 in Portland, Oregon. Remember to register for NEDA at http://www.cvent.com/d/0gqxkw.


NC-FAR Cooperative Extension Seminar - Invitation - Jason Henderson, Purdue University, Extension Director, and former Vice President at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, will present a National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research  (NC-FAR) seminar titled: Ag Workforce Development – the Role of Cooperative Extension. With historically low unemployment rates, employers are scrambling to find workers with entry-level and advanced skills. Jason will address how Land Grant Universities are innovating and partnering to expand the technical, professional, and life skills training opportunities for America’s agricultural workforce. Directors and Administrator are encouraged to share the following details with staff members of their respective Congressional delegations:

• Tuesday, July 24th
• House Side - 12:00 p.m. ET, lunch served, location to be determined (Please use link provided below to sign up for this detail. Thank you.)
• Senate Side - 2:30 p.m. ET, 328A Russell Senate Office Building
• Registration - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd8GHkV_HbrULGJKKBlE4RXWMTQmCEoOcdmSCC3JEZdYixXpA/viewform

NASS Thanks Extension for Contributing Data - The USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) produces a weekly crop progress report during the growing season (April-November). Every Thursday and Sunday night NASS Regional Field Offices sends emails to about 4,000 respondents. Extension agents/educators are the biggest group of respondents to the weekly survey due to making visual observations and frequent contacts with farmers in their counties! All reports are reviewed and processed by mid-day Monday. State-level estimates are then compiled into a national report that is released at 4 p.m. E.T. the same day. In addition to the national report, each NASS Regional Field Office publishes a report specific to the states within their region. The results are highly anticipated by data users (e.g. farmers, agribusinesses, commodity traders, insurance agents, etc.) with these reports getting some of NASS’ highest web traffic. The reports as well as graphical products can be found on the NASS website. Response rates are high, but it’s important to maintain momentum! The better the response, the stronger the data. The stronger the data, the better it is for American agriculture. Thank you for your participation, and for helping to spread the word about the importance of this survey and survey response.
 

Seeding Success: Tools, Technology and Techniques for a Successful Extension Natural Resources Career - New Extension forestry and natural resource specialists, agents and associates are part of a national network of diverse, knowledgeable colleagues. This course will provide our new colleagues with a grounding in Extension theory and practice. Early career Extension employees will be able to connect with peers from across the nation and learn the ins and outs of how to get started on their work and how to navigate the particular challenges associated with these positions. For complete details go to https://sref.info/seedingsuccess/index.html/?searchterm=seeding%20success. A core theme of the CES Strategic Agenda is to enhance leadership and professional development.

National Leadership Update

L-R: Jason Henderson, Purdue, Tom Melton, NC State University,
and Brian Schilling, Rutgers

Beginning this month, Jason Henderson, Purdue University, appointed by the North Central Region becomes a voting member of ECOP. Chris Boerboom, North Dakota State University is retiring and has served since 2016. Chris's retirement also leaves a vacancy to by filled by Tom Melton, North Carolina State University, appointed by ECOP to represent the Cooperative Extension Section on the National Integrated Pest Management Coordinating Committee (NIPMCC). For the retiring Larry Katz, Rutgers-The State University of New Jersey, the Northeast Region has named Rutgers' new Director Brian Schilling to ECOP Extension Resource and Partnership Development Committee (formerly Private Resource Development) and ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee. Congratulations to appointees and retirees and thank you for your national leadership!

Civil Rights Poster Update - The NIFA website that instructs Land-grant partners on guidelines and use of the And Justice for All poster was recently updated to provide clarification. The EFNEP Justice for All Civil Rights poster found at https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/and-justice-all-poster was updated last week.

eXtension Impact Collaborative Opportunities - The Impact Collaborative, powered by eXtension, is offering a 20-60 seat Innovation Kit Workshop or Designathon One for Premium Member Institutions at no charge. The deadline for scheduling one of these events is August 1, 2018, and Premium Member Institutions must have a Facilitator trained prior to this date. More information about this Premium Member benefit can be found here. The one-day Innovation Kit Workshop demonstrates how design thinking and lean experimentation through the Innovation Kit Process can help generate innovative ideas, test those ideas, and move ideas forward with potential for successful implementation. Designathon One is a two-day workshop that helps participants turn an idea into a compelling & innovative project that attracts and catalyzes key stakeholders and strategic partners. Premium Members have access to the Impact Collaborative for local events in conjunction with having their own members trained in the innovation process as facilitators for these events. Basic members will enjoy the benefit of accessing the Impact Collaborative at the October 2018 Summit. To learn more about becoming an eXtension Member Institution, please contact Beverly Coberly at beverlycoberly@extension.org.

Tennessee State University hosted FEMA Train-the-Trainer on Emergency Preparedness for 1890 Land-Grants in EDEN

Land-grant Universities Receive FEMA Disasters Train-the-Trainer Course - On May 20-22, 2018, twenty participants from ten 1890 Land-grant Universities (LGUs) and one 1862 LGU assembled at Tennessee State University for the second 1890-Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Advisory Group (AG) Face-to-Face Workshop. The two-day workshop was hosted by the 1890 EDEN AG and featured the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Religious and Cultural Competency in Disasters Train-the-Trainer Course, including new guidance Engaging Faith-Based and Community Organizations: Preparedness Considerations for Emergency Managers. The training equipped participants to deliver the course to audiences including other university personnel, faith-based and community based organizations (CBOs) and disaster officials. For more information, contact Marcus Coleman, Marcus.Coleman@fema.dhs.gov.