Monday, October 28, 2019

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.