Turning Toward 2020

The ECOP Monday Minute returns on January 6, 2020.

Last Chance to Register - Use the last issue of the ECOP Monday Minute as the source for the links to register for 2 webinar interviews, 11AM and 2PM ET, 12/17/19 - tomorrow, with the candidates for Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director. The ECOP Search Advisory Committee values the input into this key decision by the Cooperative Extension Section for 2020 and beyond. A Qualtrics survey will be released immediately following the candidate interviews. The Committee's recommendation is to be shared with the ECOP Executive Committee during their Zoom meeting on January 9, 2020, 11:00 a.m. ET. 

Save January Date - Positioning 4-H and Extension for Investment - Recently the ECOP Executive Committee rescheduled the popular Learning for Leader Series from Friday, January 3 to January 10, 2020, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. Please save the date and watch for a calendar invitation to all members of the Section with connection details. Andy Ferrin (National 4-H Council) will present a comprehensive overview of 4-H and its many assets, including a recent national survey of 4-H Alumni outcomes. The presentation will be followed by a conversation on how Cooperative Extension can position its high-quality 4-H programs for growth --and for increased investment from public and private sources.

eXtension Hosts 3^rd National Impact Collaborative Summit - 21 Project and Program teams across Cooperative Extension representing 24 institutions attended the Impact Collaborative in Atlanta for a unique opportunity to create impactful results by increasing Cooperative Extension's organizational readiness and capacity for innovation and change. Teams were connected with skills, tools, resources, Coaches, Facilitators, and Key Informants that helped expand and deepen their impact. Evaluation results demonstrate team growth, uncovered gaps, new ideas, and new or increased innovation for participants and teams. 93.2% of responding participants recommend the Impact Collaborative Summit to others. The 2020 Impact Collaborative Summits will be delivered virtually, removing the limit on the number of teams that eXtension members can send to participate. The full report is available at eXtension.org/success.



NIFA Highlights Research, Education, and Extension Successes of 2019 - One of the many ways USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture communicates the value of the science, education, and extension investments with our Land-Grant Universities to the general public and to Congress is through our year end success report. The 2019 accomplishment report can be found at https://nifa.usda.gov/blog/nifa-successes-2019
There are numerous ways to connect with NIFA including:
   • NIFA Programs: https://nifa.usda.gov/programs
   • NIFA Search for Funding Opportunities: https://nifa.usda.gov/page/search-grant
   • NIFA Grants (information for awardees): https://nifa.usda.gov/grants
   • NIFA Data Gateway: https://www.nifa.usda.gov/data
   • Sign up for Weekly Updates: https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDANIFA/subscriber/new?qsp=USDANIFA_2

Extension Journal, Inc (EJI) Adopts New Strategic Plan - The Extension Journal, Inc (EJI) recently adopted a new strategic plan. The 5-year plan focuses on 4 main priority areas: 1) developing a more efficient, streamlined, and sustainable Journal of Extension editorial model; 2) improving the JOE website user experiences with new dynamic features; 3) expanding partnerships, collaboration and communications around both JOE and Extension Jobs; and 4) establishing financial stability. Since ratifying the new strategic plan in September, the board has focused considerable effort on development of the new editorial model, which includes volunteer associates and more closely aligns with the model used by most academic journals. EJI plans to unveil this new model in the coming months. Ami Smith, West Virginia State University, is the ECOP Liaison and President-elect to EJI Board of Directors.

Save the Date - Search Narrows for National Executive

All members of the Cooperative Extension Section, ECOP and leaders from Partnering Entities are invited to participate in webinars for the Search for an Executive on Tuesday, December 17. The new full-time Executive will facilitate national dialogue and partnerships, and be the voice of Cooperative Extension policy. The search process that launched in mid-August, is in the final phase to engage the System with candidates via a webinar. The format will be a prepared presentation on a certain topic and Q&A by the Search Advisory Committee. Registration is required for each session. Recordings will be shared by a similar message later the same day, plus a limited-time brief survey will capture reactions for the Search Committee to consider. Stay tuned to email to engage.

• Joy Moten-Thomas 11:00-11:45 a.m. Eastern Time
  Register at https://extension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_FQYAoPGsRruICx6o8ky-ZQ 
• Lindsey Shirley 2:00-2:45 p.m. Eastern Time
  Register at https://extension.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN__15BYS65TceO9pEM3OIJvA 

NAE4-HA Board Votes to Change Association Name - The NAE4-HA Board of Trustees has been gathering feedback from members and partners over the last year and a half to determine if a name change was in order. At the board’s pre-conference meeting, November 2-3, 2019, trustees voted to change its name to National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (NAE4-HYDP). The new name that includes youth development aligns with our own strategic plan and better aligns with many university titles as well as the association’s national partners.


Applications Now Open for 2020 True Leaders in Equity Institute - The True Leaders in Equity Institute, to be held on April 17-19, 2020, will prepare up to 20 youth-adult teams within Cooperative Extension to support equity-related projects that will grow 4-H in their communities. Teams should consist of 2 passionate youth, ages 15-19, 1 adult volunteer mentor, and 1 Cooperative Extension staff person appointed by the 4-H program leader/administrator. Applications are due January 17. For more information, visit the True Leaders in Equity page and download the True Leaders in Equity FAQ document. REGISTER HERE to attend a live information session this Friday, December 6 at 2 PM EST. Please direct all questions to Kristy Parker at kparker@fourhcouncil.edu.


Data Collection for Census of Agriculture Special Studies - USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) begins data collection this month for the 2019 Organic Survey and 2019 Census of Horticultural Specialties. Each collected just once every five years, both will expand on the 2017 Census of Agriculture data. Survey codes for producers to respond online were mailed Dec. 6 for Organic (deadline Jan. 10, 2020) and will be mailed Dec. 16 for Horticulture (deadline Feb. 5, 2020). Results for both will be available fall of 2020. Promotional materials for helping to spread the word are available on the NASS Partner Tools webpage.

Welcome Florencia Drumwright

The ECOP Monday Minute will return on December 9, 2019 - Happy Thanksgiving!

On November 18, Florencia Drumwright joined Executive Director Rick Klemme and Assistant Director Sandy Ruble at the Cooperative Extension/ECOP Office. As the Program Associate, Florencia has begun to assist Sandy and Rick with an array of administrative support for special projects and meetings. In the Office of Food, Agriculture, & Natural Resources at APLU, the majority of her work will be with the Board on Human Sciences (BoHS) and Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET). Florencia graduated from Marymount University with a B.S. in Health Sciences and is currently a MPH student at the University of Vermont. Before joining APLU, Florencia worked as an agent of Medicaid serving high risk populations. Welcome Florencia - 202-478-6093, fdrumwright@aplu.org.


The Next Generation of eXtension Technology - eXtension has adopted new technologies to better support the Cooperative Extension System. With the success of its legacy tools such as Ask An Expert and Articles, eXtension is looking to the future by bringing in commercially available tools and technology services, and making those available to Cooperative Extension. These tools include a new social intranet and professional development platform, WordPress sites for multi-state and national projects, an online version of the Impact Collaborative's Innovation Skill-Building methodology for members, and several new eFieldbooks. Additionally, eXtension has launched a new national initiative, Ask Extension, that leverages AI and machine learning to serve as the next generation tool for connecting the public with Extension expertise and their local Extension professionals. Learn more here.

2017 Census of Agriculture Special Study Data Released - USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) recently released the data from the first 2017 Census of Agriculture Special Study, the Irrigation and Water Management Survey. The full report, press release, and Highlights publication are available on the NASS website. Aquaculture is the next census special study to be released, scheduled for December 19. Census of Agriculture products continue to be made available. Currently online are State and County Profiles, Congressional District Profiles and Rankings, Ag Census Web Maps, Zip Code Tabulations, Watersheds, American Indian Reservations, and Race, Ethnicity, and Gender Profiles. The census Specialty Crops report will be available December 5.

Trust In Food Symposium - With a focus on helping farmers scale conservation agriculture, reconnecting the public to agriculture, or both, the 2020 Trust In Food Symposium will take place Jan. 29-30, 2020. at the Hilton Downtown Chicago Hotel. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to join executives from across the agri-food value chain representing academia, farms, ranches, conservation NGOs, government agencies, agribusinesses, food companies, food retailers, technology firms and more. This year’s theme is Bridges Over Barriers and will focus on actionable steps we can be taking to accelerate positive economic, environmental and social outcomes for farmers and the public in conservation and natural resource stewardship. For more information or to register, visit www.TrustInFood.com/Symposium.

Welcome New ECOP Members

New ECOP Members, L-R - Debby Sheely, University of Rhode Island; John Lawrence,
Iowa State University; Nick Place, University of Florida

ECOP Chair Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University, welcomes the newest members of ECOP. Deborah "Debby" Sheely, Associate Associate Director, Cooperative Extension, University of Rhode Island, was appointed by the Northeast Region Directors, John Lawrence, Vice President of Extension and Outreach, Iowa State University, by the North Central Region Directors, and Nick Place, Dean, Extension Director, University of Florida, by the Southern Region Directors. One term of office is four years. Click here to view/download the 2020 lists of Cooperative Extension/ECOP National leadership. Contact Assistant Director Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org to provide updates.

National Impacts Database (NIDB) Opportunity - Steve Loring, Communications and Marketing Committee Chair, New Mexico State University, recently requested that impact statements be submitted by December 11, 2019, to the National Impacts Database https://landgrantimpacts.org. This database is a repository of the Extension and Research impacts that Land-Grant Universities associated with the Board on Agriculture Assembly. The database is used by NIFA and advocating stakeholders of the Land-Grant system to make the case for the value of and increased investment in capacity and competitive funding for institutions and colleagues across the country. Direct technical questions to Impact Team expert, Scott Cummings, Texas A&M University. Direct all other questions regarding the Communications and Marketing Committee to Extension Director colleague and Impact Team Co-chair Karla Trautman, South Dakota State University.

L-R: Class of 2022 - Jorge Atiles, Associate Dean, Extension and Engagement, Oklahoma State University
Class of 2021 - Shelly Nickols-Richardson, Associate Dean and Director of Extension, University of Illinois;
Ashley Stokes, Associate Vice President for Engagement and Extension, Colorado State University, and
Marshall Stewart, Vice Chancellor for Extension and Engagement, University of Missouri.

Cooperative Extension Leadership on APLU Commission - Earlier this month, Sheila Martin, Vice President for Economic Development and Community Engagement, APLU, proudly announced the latest update to the Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) Executive Committee; broadly representative of the chief economic and community engagement leaders across the diverse perspectives and missions of APLU member institutions. Shelia says, “We are confident that this Executive Committee will help APLU to demonstrate and elevate the importance of university efforts to strengthening our communities. We look forward to working with these talented leaders .” ECOP congratulates colleagues Jorge Atiles, Shelly Nickols-Richardson, Ashley Stokes, and Marshall Stewart and thanks them for communicating the Cooperative Extension, land-grant perspective to CECE!

NACo County News Available On Line - The National Association of Counties represents 3,069 county governments across the country. These county governments provide essential services for our nation’s residents, often including funding for our boots on the ground colleagues. County governments frequently partner on developing educational programs to address issues important to county clientele. One way to keep up with what the national organization (NACo) is doing to is to follow the bi-weekly publication, County News, available on line at https://www.naco.org/news.

Cooperative Extension Leaders at 132nd APLU Annual Meeting

L-R: Rick Klemme, Cooperative Extension/ECOP Exec. Dir.; Scott Angle, USDA-NIFA, Dir.;
Dorothy Brandon, Alabama A&M Univ.; Kim Greder, Iowa State Univ.; Matt Devereaux, Univ. of
Tennessee; Donna Shoemaker, Ohio State Univ.; Dave Schramm, Utah State Univ.; Gordon Johnson,
Univ. of Delaware; Mark Latimore, Jr. (ECOP Chair), Fort Valley State Univ., and Mark Peterson, Univ. of Arkansas

Almost half of the Cooperative Extension Section (all Regions) are currently attending the APLU Annual Meeting in San Diego. The meeting runs through Tuesday. Yesterday morning the impact of Extension was showcased during the Annual National Awards Program. The awards were presented by USDA-NIFA Director Scott Angle, USDA Chief of Science Scott Hutchins, and ECOP Chair Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University. Follow the news here and here on Twitter. Click Here to view today's happenings.


Innovative System Staffing Model Launched November 1 - ECOP entered into a new era to strengthen organizational functioning of Cooperative Extension last week when Executive Director Rick Klemme and Assistant Director Sandy Ruble completed negotiations with eXtension Foundation, National 4-H Council (Council) and APLU to bring aboard an Extension Health Director (See below). The result is an independent contract agreement through October 31, 2021, funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The administrative package is a combination of technical support (eXtension), implementing partners (Council and APLU), national leadership (ECOP) with regional support (AEA, NCCEA, NEED, WEDA, ASRED). This initiative is an example of what the Extension Resource and Program Development Committee developed as a pathway to leveraging public investment with outside funding.

Roger Rennekamp,
Extension Health Director

Extension Health Director Welcome - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through their support of the Well Connected Communities project recognized a need for an Extension leader as a key strategist and communicator for health extension in the Cooperative Extension System (CES). Roger Rennekamp has joined the national office to fill this important role! While focusing on increasing health equity by responding to the diverse needs of children, youth, and families; particularly among vulnerable populations, Roger will simultaneously develop partnerships focused on systems and policy change to address four core themes.

1. Building partnerships and acquiring resources to achieve the core themes, 
2. Increasing understanding and visibility of the Cooperative Extension System as a national leader in health education, 
3. Enhancing leadership and professional development among Extension System colleagues, and
4. Strengthening organizational functions to sustain health equity as a CES initiative. 

Roger reports to the Chair of ECOP and Executive Director, Cooperative Extension/ECOP, with day-to-day interaction with the Well Connected Communities Program Director and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Development Director. Contact information: rogerrennekamp@extension.org and 541-740-5327.


eXtension Shares Results of New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) Survey - eXtension appreciates the participation of Directors and Administrators in a recently conducted system-wide survey to gauge interest and identify existing Extension programs in four topic areas aligned with USDA strategic priorities. 942 Extension professionals responded to the survey. The end goal is to provide professional development opportunities focused in these areas for Cooperative Extension. The following percentage of respondents indicated interest in these topic areas:
    -- Climate Smart Agriculture: 72%
    -- Prevention & Mitigation of Ag Pests & Disease/IPM: 67%
    -- Prevention of Foodborne Illness & Protection of Public Safety: 75%
    -- Safe & Nutritious Food for Low-Income Individuals: 73%
An overview of the national results are available here. The results by region are available here.


NIFA Information Update - Josh Stull, Acting Communications Director / Congressional and Stakeholder Affairs Officer, NIFA, USDA, forwarded the following information to be shared with colleagues regarding the NIFA resources.
    -- Updated NIFA org chart
    -- NIFA grants page
    -- NIFA Director Update Message on ReePort/Plan of Work

Cooperative Extension Track APLU Annual Meeting

The APLU Annual Meeting starts this coming weekend in San Diego. Click Here to view/download the Board on Agriculture Assembly Cooperative Extension Section Track. Please note Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, (ECOP Chair 2016) is presenting during the BAA's featured session, Higher Education as Policy, Systems & Environmental Change Catalysts. ECOP is collaborating in an unprecedented 3 other sessions with APLU's Offices Economic Development & Community Engagement, Urban Initiatives, and Access & Success.



Record Participation on Hemp Topic - Last Friday, a record-breaking number of Extension Directors, Administrators and their associates joined ECOP Chair Mark Latimore, Fort Valley State University, to explore the Hemp Industry opportunities for Extension. Featured presenter were Associate Extension Director Emeritus Tom Melton and Specialist Angela Post, NC State University, and Ray McKinnie (ECOP Chair 2010) and Wondi Mersie, Virginia State University. Topics included policy, planting, propagation, pests, process, public perception, and more. Check out the presentation package:
    -- Video recording is found here
    -- Chat is available here
    -- Slides are available here
The next conversation, topic to be determined, is set for Friday, January 3, 2020. Please save the date.



Reminder of Trust In Food Initiative - Farm Journal's Trust in Food is designed to help partners such as Cooperative Extension in key funded and in-kind opportunity areas including:
   • Expand innovative data, research and outreach capacity
   • Heighten grant application competitiveness
   • Locate resources for new and innovative public-private partnerships
   • Maximize every hour and dollar of Extension research and outreach
   • Enhance capability and capacity to understand and serve agriculture
   • Provide data and content to educate stakeholders on Extension impact
To inquire about how Trust In Food can help Extension in your region, contact Director of Development & Programming Nate Birt at nbirt@farmjournal.com. You can also read more about the initiative at www.TrustInFood.com. To subscribe to the Trust In Food Newsletter, click here. To review a recording of the conversation with Nate, click here.



Program Director for Well Connected Communities - This position will oversee the day-to-day operations of Well Connected Communities and be located at the National 4-H Council, Chevy Chase, Maryland. This individual will work on a regular basis with Roger Rennekamp, Extension Health Director, and the Well-Connected Communities leadership team. Please click here to review announcement and apply. Individuals with questions can reach out to Beth Birnstihl, National 4-H Council, at (301) 385-6551 or bbirnstihl1@unl.edu.

Cooperative Extension Section Election Results Announced

The Policy Board of Directors of the Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) takes appropriate action on key matters affecting the interests of the member institutions of the BAA and is responsible to APLU for the management of BAA affairs. Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, ECOP Chair of 2016, was recently elected to represent the Cooperative Extension Section on the Board. Please join ECOP in thanking Michelle and her alternate Wendy Powers, University of California, who recently began her term as a member of ECOP, for their leadership and commitment to enter the 2020 ballot. Thank you to all members of the Section who voted. Michelle and Wendy will serve a 2-year term.


Innovation Committee Correction - Last week’s item, ECOP Announces New Extension Health Director the report included the statement: “In addition, Rodgers will continue to support Well Connected Communities’ growth and impact as the new chair of an ECOP innovation committee.” Instead, Rodgers will lead the innovation work in WCC, an important component of the upcoming work of the ECOP innovation committee. The updated version of the report is available here.


Save the Date: Hemp Industry Happenings - ECOP Chair Mark Latimore invites members of the Cooperative Extension Section to a conversation on Friday, November 1, 2019, 3-4:00 PM ET, with land-grant professionals who are versed in the roles of leading Industrial Hemp Extension programs. With thanks to eXtension Foundation, Zoom connection details are:
     https://extension.zoom.us/j/129450710
     Dial by your location -
      +1 646-876-9923 (New York)
      +1 669-900-6833 US (San Jose)
          Meeting ID: 129 450 710


Cooperative Extension Celebrates Tribal Land-grant Universities - Cooperative Extension/ECOP joins the U.S. Department of Agriculture to honor the 25th anniversary of the legislation that recognized 29 tribal colleges and universities as land-grant institutions. Signed on October 20, 1994, the Equity in Educational Land-Grant Status Act enabled tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), hence known as 1994s, to receive federal support. In this age of innovation, 1890s Extension and Smith-Lever funded leaders have much to learn from their 1994s colleagues who successfully engage Indigenous languages, cultures, communities, and tribal nations to develop youth development, agriculture, and public health programs. In 2017, ECOP established a formal relationship through negotiations with NIFA and American Indian Higher Education Consortium - AIHEC. Brian Kowalkowski, Dean of Continuing Education, College of the Menominee Nation, has since served as a 1994 Liaison. Take a moment to send congratulations and encouragement the 1994's at ecopblog@gmail.com, a collection point for feedback for the ECOP Monday Minute.


Spread the Word - Rural Prosperity Forum Tomorrow - Cooperative Extension is co-sponsoring an event in DC, on Tuesday, 10/29/19, entitled Approaches for Bolstering Rural America’s Future: A Spotlight on Infrastructure, Entrepreneurship, and Rural Health. Extension faculty from Purdue University and Fort Valley State University will serve as panelists. Lead organizer, the Council on Food, Agricultural and Resource Economics (C-FARE) and ECOP are connected through NC-FAR Membership. Jason Henderson, Purdue University, a member of ECOP, represents Cooperative Extension on the NC-FAR Board of Directors. Please share the details and link to register with congressional staffers as appropriate.

Plan of Work Report Changes for Extension

To ensure that all Extension Directors and Administrators are aware of the upcoming changes for Plan of Work Reporting, ECOP is re-sharing the announcement made by NIFA Director Scott Angle last Wednesday. Click here to learn more. ECOP will diligently inform the Cooperative Extension Section and generate open lines of communication on this important change. Please share the information with associates with responsibility for reporting and send questions or concerns to ecopblog@gmail.com, the collection point for comments and feedback from the ECOP Monday Minute. Thank you.


ECOP Announces New Extension Health Director - Rick Klemme, Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director, is pleased to share for immediate release the announcement of the hiring of Roger Rennekamp as Extension Health Director, Cooperative Extension/ECOP. Full story is available here.


From Idea to Impact, New Reports Revealed by eXtension - The eXtension Foundation has produced two new reports that include key findings and an update on the progress of Extension teams working with the Impact Collaborative, and insights about the learnings and potential opportunities from working with these teams. These reports highlight an overview of trends and outputs of the Impact Collaborative methodology and process, challenges and success factors of participating teams, a theory of change model for these teams, and perspectives from teams and Extension Directors/Administrators. Both reports are available at impact.eXtension.org/success.


Introducing Rural Innovation Initiative Opportunity - With support from the Economic Development Administration, Center on Rural Innovation is seeking the second cohort of communities to join the Rural Innovation Initiative. Applications must be submitted by November 18, 2019. Successful applicants will receive technical assistance to strengthen their approach to entrepreneurship and digital jobs, apply for federal funding, and join a national network of rural innovation communities. Communities should express interest in the program as soon as possible by filling out a brief questionnaire. Rural Innovation Strategies Inc. will host a webinar on October 28 at 2 p.m. ET to provide additional information. Interested communities are encouraged to register for the webinar here.

International Role of Extension Systems - Registration is now open for Future Extension: Innovations and Evidence, an event on November 7-8, 2019, organized by CGIAR (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), Feed the Future Developing Local Extension Capacity (DLEC) project, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Register here: https://pim.cgiar.org/2019/08/05/future-extension-innovations-and-evidence. The option to attend in person in DC or online is available. For questions on the program, please contact Kristin Davis (K.Davis@cgiar.org).to

NIFA National Science Liaisons Announced

NIFA’s program portfolio and contact with stakeholders, partners, and collaborators will continue, uninterrupted, in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. This important function will be led by six science professionals, National Science Liaisons (NSLs), who will support the agency’s national research, education, and extension portfolio; advance NIFA programs; and serve as expert resources. Go here for biographies and contact links.

Opportunity to Inform the Future System-wide Training Available to Extension Professionals - Through funding from a USDA-NIFA Cooperative Agreement, eXtension will provide professional development across Cooperative Extension System for all land-grant universities, and continue to strengthen technology delivery. eXtension is in the process of picking four topics to build professional development training and eFieldbooks, geared towards USDA strategic goals. eXtension seeks early-stage, effective program feedback on the topics of Climate Smart Agriculture, Prevention and Mitigation of Ag Pests/Disease/IPM, Prevention of Food Borne Illness and Protection of Public Safety, and Safe and Nutritious Food for Low-Income Individuals. Start survey here. Please respond by October 25, 2019. A summary of the results will be shared in a future Monday Minute.

Extension Participation Encouraged - The APLUs' Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) has announced that the 2020 Summer Meeting will take place in New York City on June 9-11. Hosted by Cornell University & the State University of New York (SUNY) System, the meeting will convene administrators in economic development and community engagement under the theme "Green Economies and Community Engagement". CECE seeks session proposals submitted by November 1 HERE covering a wide range of economic and community development topics relating to theme. Contact APLU’s Shalin Jyotishi, sjyotishi@aplu.org, for more information.


Last Chance for 4-H’ers to Apply for Youth in Action Awards - 4-H’ers ages 15-19 are invited to apply for the 4-H Youth in Action Awards for a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship and a trip to Washington D.C. for National 4-H Council’s Legacy Awards. The program recognizes four confident young leaders in the areas of Agriculture, Civic Engagement, Healthy Living and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics), giving winners the chance to share how 4-H changed their lives and how they have used the skills they gained in Cooperative Extension 4- H to impact the lives of others. Applications close on Monday October 21. Visit www.4-H.org/YouthinAction to learn more and submit your application. Please direct any questions to YouthinAction@4-H.org.


Opportunity to Design the 2020 4-H National Youth Science Day Challenge - Cooperative Extension faculty and staff at all land-grant universities are invited to submit a proposal detailing an innovative 2020 4-H National Youth Science Day experience. The 2020 focus is Mission to Mars, with the land-grant university that submits the winning application to receive a $50,000 award. In order for 4-H NYSD to continue to grow and reach new audiences, National 4-H Council has streamlined the application and development processes. Click here to apply for the opportunity to impact thousands of youth across the country. Applications close on Monday November 18, 2019. Please direct any questions to Janet Golden at jgolden@fourhcouncil.edu or 301-204-6841.

2019 National Awards Announcement

On November 10 in San Diego at the APLU Annual Meeting, the Cooperative Extension Section and USDA-NIFA will honor the following for visionary Leadership and Diversity in educational programming:

Kimberly Greder,
Iowa State University

Matt Devereaux,
University of Tennessee

--> National Diversity in Extension Award: Juntos and Abriendo Caminos Work Teams, Iowa State University, for successful models to expand Extension’s programming in sustainable ways to address education and health disparities facing the Latino population. Leader of the Teams, Kimberly Greder will accept the award.

--> National Excellence in Extension (EiE) Award: Matthew John Devereaux, University of Tennessee, for innovative best practice Extension child care and afterschool programs.

Pictured from left to right are the Regional Excellence in Extension Award recipients:
   -- 1890s Region EiE Award: Dorothy Brandon, Alabama A&M University,
in recognition of transformational and developmental impact on the lives of underserved populations     -- North Central Region EiE Award: Dianne Shoemaker, The Ohio State University
in recognition of bridging the gap: building farm management resources and training tools for Ohio farmers and educators

   -- Northeast Region EiE Award: Gordon Johnson, University of Delaware
in recognition of  high impact applied research and Extension education reaching many diverse audiences in Delaware and the mid-Atlantic region

   -- Southern Region EiE Award: Mark Peterson, University of Arkansas
in recognition of facilitating the creation of vibrant, sustainable communities and regions
through breakthrough solutions
   -- Western Region EiE Award: Dave Schramm, Utah State University
in recognition of innovative, scholarly leadership of family life programs

To read more, Click Here or Here for entire article.




2019 National Meeting Recap - Last week’s meeting in Nashville, TN featured several actions coming from the ECOP Executive Committee, ECOP and Cooperative Section Business meetings:

• Approved the Extension Resource and Partnership Development (ERPD) committee’s recommendations (building on on-going development efforts that evolve from regional/national collaborations, encouraging an update to the Section’s strategic plan/priorities with the arrival of the full-time CES/ECOP Executive Director, and engaging the ERPD committee in a national strategic plan). 
• Approved moving forward with a contract position (Extension Health Education Director) to provide leadership, building from the success of the Well-Connected Communities (WCC) project into Wave II and to work across the Cooperative Extension’s capacity to expand access to health education programs. 
• Approved advancing the recommendations of the Innovation Task Force with a pilot project led by Michelle Rodgers as part of the WCC project. 
• Approved the ECOP Professional Development Committee’s efforts to develop criteria for what would be a newly established team excellence in extension award. 
• Approved the ECOP Professional Development Committee’s efforts to develop criteria for what a proposed Team Excellence in Extension Award. 
• Engaged in an open conversation on what being a system means to Extension Administrators and Directors. The summary of a Slido survey that contributed to the conversation of ECOP and Extension is found Here and the raw data is found Here. 
• Jennifer Sirangelo (4-H Council President and CEO) announced Council Board Trustee Dr. Martha Bernadett will serve as Extension liaison. 

Well Connected Communities (Wave 2) Request for Applications Deadline October 18 - America’s Cooperative Extension System, 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), Extension leaders and educators, volunteers and young people are currently cultivating wellness through this public/private partnership via 13 land-grant universities in 39 communities. All Cooperative Extension System entities are invited to apply for this new grant opportunity funded by RWJF. To review the RFA, application requirements and apply for funding, please visit the online portal and click on Funding Opportunities. Joint applications between 1862, 1890 or 1994 LGUs within a state are encouraged, but not required. Applications are due by 11:59 pm EST on October 18. For more information, click here to access the recording of an informational webinar held in September and a document with answers to frequently asked questions.

NIFA Tenth Anniversary - On October 1, NIFA celebrated its tenth anniversary. NIFA’s history is largely tied to the establishment of land-grant institutions and delivery of Cooperative Extension Services. See more by reading NIFA Director J. Scott Angle’s blog.

Cooperative Extension Section Leadership Honored

At the close of the Cooperative Extension Section Annual Business meeting last week in Nashville, Ed Jones, 2019 ECOP Chair, presented tokens of appreciation. Earlier earlier this year 2 others were recognized for their national service.

ECOP Service Award to Bill Hare, University of District of Columbia,
2016-2019

ECOP Service Award to Tom Dobbins, Clemson University,
2016-2019

ECOP Service Award to Chuck Hibberd, University of Nebraska,
2010-2019

Also, acknowledged for their excellent contributions to the Goals of the Section:

• Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, Project Director of Well Connected Communities for the Extension Health Initiative
• Mark Skidmore, Director, North Central Region Center for Rural Development, for leadership of the Extension Opioid Crisis Response Workgroup
• Caroline Crocoll, for her representation on the ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee, 2018-2019

Before the Business Meeting adjourned, Ed passed the gavel to Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University (GA). In his first action, Mark presented Ed with an engraved plaque to commemorate his term as Chair. The 2020 ECOP Meeting Calendar, Section Budget, and List(s) may be found at www.extension.org/ecop. The next Annual Section Business/NEDA Meeting is schedule for September 22-25, 2020. The city/location will be announced very soon!


Next Generation Extension Learning for Leaders Series Continues on Friday, November 1, 2019 - Members of the Cooperative Extension Section are invited to meet online on a regular basis to discover emerging program, partnership, and resource opportunities, and to enhance the strengthen the national network. The more members to participate, ask questions and share, the more value is added to the System to benefit national, state and regional impact. Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University, announces the schedule a series of 6 sessions during his term as the 2020 ECOP Chair as follows - please mark your calendars. Topics are announced closer to the actual dates. All 1-hour sessions occur on First Fridays, 3-4:00 p.m. ET and are archived for reference (Search this blog for topics).
  -- 11/1/2019
  -- 1/3/2020
  -- 3/6/2020
  -- 5/1/2020
  -- 6/5/2020
  -- 9/4/2020


4-H National Mentoring Program Funding Announced - The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has awarded National 4-H Council $4.85 million for the 10th year of the 4-H National Mentoring Program (NMP10), which comes as a direct result of Cooperative Extension’s success in providing youth mentoring services through local 4-H programs. The NMP10 grant is open to all 50 states. A portion of the funding ($1.25M) is a new grant, effective March 1, 2020, to support the 4-H Health Rocks!® Mentoring Program in 13 states (focused on reaching youth impacted by opioids in the Appalachian region). An Advanced Request for Applications (RFP) has already been released through Council’s Web Grants online portal and are due on October 18th. For more information, please contact Theresa Melton, National 4-H Council, TMelton@fourhcouncil.edu.


Save the Date! Legislative Education 101 for SNAP-Ed Leaders Webcast - The SNAP-Ed Program Development Team will be delivering this webcast on October 16, 2019 at 1:30 Eastern Time. Attendees will learn why educating legislators and other decision-makers is valuable within SNAP-Ed as well as key steps to begin this work. This webcast will be at a beginner’s level; designed for those who are new to legislative education and/or new to SNAP-Ed. The webcast will be recorded and posted for registrants after the event. Registration: https://illinoisaces.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d0TGj8eaQW7fWtL. Please contact Christine Hradek hradek@iastate.edu with any questions.

Executive Director Application Reminder

Reminder: Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) is seeking applications for the Cooperative Extension System/ECOP Executive Director. The complete announcement is found at bit.ly/ExtEDinDC. The full-time position is based in Washington, DC. Applications will be reviewed by the Executive Director Search Advisory Committee when received and continue until the position is filled. Preference will be given to applications received by close of business, this Friday, September 27, 2019.

Cooperative Extension and the Aging Population - NIFA established the Adult Development and Aging Workgroup (ADAW) to assess existing and emerging needs of the aging population. By 2050, the U.S. is projected to experience rapid growth with 88 million over 65. This growth will present challenges and opportunities for policymakers and federal programs affecting families, individuals, businesses, health-care providers, and aging farmers. The ADAW identified programs implemented by Cooperative Extension that exemplify strong outcomes:
   • Strong Women Program
   • Living well through Intergenerational Fitness and Exercise (LIFE) Program
   • Keys to Embracing Aging
   • Better Bones and Balance
   • EngAGE in Community MAPPS
   • Extension Wellness Ambassador Program
   • Stay Strong, Stay Healthy
   • Lifelong Improvements through Fitness Together (LIFT)
Learn more about Cooperative Extension Aging Programs.


Building the 4-H Brand: First Nationwide Outdoor Advertising Campaign Launches this Month - National 4-H Council is excited to share information about 4-H's first-ever, nationwide out-of-home advertising campaign thanks to a new partnership with the Out of Home Advertising Association of America, featured on the OAAA website. The pro-bono campaign featuring Extension’s 4-H program will last through the end of October and will appear on numerous outdoor platforms, including billboards and bus shelters. The Inspire Kids to Do campaign advertisements will include real 4-H’ers engaged in hands-on-learning and doing. Digital ads will begin appearing in markets during the last week of September with print ads to follow in the first week of October, with priority placement given to 4-H Grows investor institutions. The heaviest promotion is expected to happen during National 4-H Week, October 6-12. The new partnership is featured in the OAAA newsletter. Click here for answers to frequently asked questions about the new partnership.

Annual Agricultural Resource Management Survey - The Department of Agriculture encourages farmers to complete their agricultural surveys this fall. Barley, cotton, sorghum and wheat producers will be asked to report their production practices and chemical use as part of the Agricultural Resource Management Survey. Please encourage farmers who receive a survey to complete it online, or if they prefer, they can schedule an appointment with a USDA representative to help with survey completion. Farmers should have their pesticide and fertilizer spray records to expedite the process. Information provided by farmers is confidential and protected by law. NASS further safeguards the privacy of all respondents by publishing only aggregate data, ensuring that no individual operation or producer can be identified. For more information on agriculture surveys, visit www.nass.usda.gov.

2019 Cooperative Extension Section Annual Business Meeting Agenda

The Cooperative Extension Section will convene during the Joint ESS/CES-NEDA Meeting at the Nashville Marriott at Vanderbilt University for a full morning of business on Wednesday, September 25, 2019. ECOP Chair Ed Jones, Virginia Tech, will preside. Participants will engage in conversations regarding:
   - 2020 Budget
   - Executive Director Search
   - Opportunities with APLU’s Commission on Economic and Community Engagement
   - 4-H Name and Emblem
   - Well-Connected Communities Wave 2
   - Cooperative Extension as a System
The meeting will conclude with recognitions and the passing of the gavel from Ed Jones to Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University. For more information contact Rick Klemme at rklemme@extension.org.


2020 Funding Opportunity for Pesticide Safety Education Programs - The eXtension Foundation is pleased to announce a funding opportunity for Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEP) for 2020. This opportunity is made available through a cooperative agreement with the EPA to establish and administer a national sub-award program in support of pesticide applicator education, and training for certified applicators of restricted use pesticides. The National Pesticide Safety Education Center will continue to support as an unfunded collaborator with eXtension to lead the professional development part of the project and to assist PSEPs in enhancing some of the educational products they develop as part of the expectations attached to the funding. All Land-Grant University PSEP programs are encouraged to apply. Learn more here.


Don’t Miss Out on the Opportunity to Save on the New 2019 4-H NYSD Game Changers Kits - For a limited time, receive one free 4-H National Youth Science Day Game Changers kit for every two purchased at www.Shop4-H.org/NYSD. Co-developed by West Virginia University and Google, NYSD teaches kids ages 8-14 how to use computer science to create games, solve problems and engage with topics they’re passionate about. The challenge kit activities do not require Internet access. 4-H professionals, volunteers and parents should order now to ensure you have your kits in time for the NYSD celebratory kick-off on October 1st. Coding events will continue to take place throughout the month of October. 4-H National Youth Science Day was created by National 4-H Council, USDA-NIFA and Cooperative Extension to ignite an early interest in STEM learning among young people. Visit www.4-H.org/NYSD to learn more about 4-H National Youth Science Day, download event resources and view additional training materials. Don’t forget to spread the word with the new Game Changers promotional video.


Measuring the Economic Impact of Broadband - The digital economy accounted for 6.9 percent of the U.S. gross domestic product, or $1.35 trillion, according to a recent survey by the Department of Commerce. Understanding how to measure and communicate the benefits of broadband is critical to building support for efforts to expand connectivity and use. Join BroadbandUSA and leading U.S. researchers to discuss their research into the economic impact of broadband deployment and adoption in the United States in a webinar on September 18 from 2:00 to 3:00 pm ET. To learn more and pre-register for the webinar go to registration link. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

Culturally-Grounded Workshop Scheduled for October

1994, 1862 and 1890 institution leaders and staff are invited to attend the workshop, Culturally-Grounded Programming: Sharing and Learning among 1994 and 1862 Land Grant Institutions, October 25, 2019, in Denver, Colorado. This workshop represents continuing dialog between 1994 and 1862 leaders on how both parties can learn from each other, develop trusting relationships, and increase collaboration on programs of mutual interest and benefit. The workshop is a pre-conference session to the FALCON (First Americans Land Grant Consortium) Annual Conference, October 26-28, 2019. FALCON is the professional association of 1994 land-grant administrators, faculty, extension educators and students. The Tribal colleges will also celebrate 25 years as 1994 land-grant institutions. See FALCON 2019 Registration for conference agenda and registration. For more information contact John Phillips jphillips@aihec.org, or Ashley Stokes ashley.stokes@colostate.edu.

Strategic Opportunity in Consumer Literacy: Trust in Food - On September 6, 2019, Ed Jones, moderated his last Next Generation Extension Learning for Leaders as ECOP Chair. Nate Birt, Director, Development & Programming, Trust in Food, was featured. Directors and administrators who joined the meeting identified some opportunities to explore, initiate or expand programming through Trust in Food. The recording of the conversation is now available at Learning for Leaders YouTube Channel and the slides may be found here. To answer questions, contact Nate Birt.

Coming Together for Racial Understanding Workshop Update - The second Coming Together for Racial Understanding workshop is scheduled for October 7-11. Due to high demand and a technical difficulty resulting in delayed launch of registration website, the late fee for workshop registration has been waived. All registrations will be charged the early bird rate through September 15, 2019, the cutoff date. Please share this information within your respective networks so that team members who are interested can finalize their registrations.
 • Flyer describing the event: http://srdc.msstate.edu/civildialogue/coming-together-flyer-2019.pdf 
 • Event web page: http://srdc.msstate.edu/civildialogue/2019_meeting.html 
 • Project site: http://srdc.msstate.edu/civildialogue/index.html
Principal contact is Rachel Welborn, rachel.welborn@msstate.edu.

FREE Virtual Conference Promotes Connections and Collaborations Working with Military Families - The Military Families Learning Network (MFLN) announces a FREE 3-day virtual conference, “Relationships for Readiness,” starting on Tuesday, September 17 - Thursday, September 19 that will focus on the Family Readiness System. MFLN invites educators working with military families across the country to begin rethinking their work with military families by re-aligning themselves as connected & collaborative professionals. Certificates of completion as well as continuing education credits from multiple disciplines will be available throughout the conference. For more information and to RVSP go to: https://militaryfamilieslearningnetwork.org/vc2019. Extension Directors and Administrators are encouraged to participate and share this opportunity with interested colleagues!



New APLU Position, Director of Congressional & Government Affairs, Agriculture & International Development - This new position and partnership was recently discussed in July at the Joint COPs meeting. The primary focus for this position is to work within APLU Offices of Congressional & Governmental Affairs, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources, and International Programs. The Director will be responsible for advancing the association’s priorities to enhance higher education’s role in agricultural development, both domestically and globally, through the annual budget and appropriations process, appropriate authorization legislation, and with key agencies such as USDA and USAID. To learn more CLICK HERE. Preference will be given to applicants responding by September 13.