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It has been a busy year at USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). We have built our staff to nearly 300 of the nation’s best experts to serve you. Many have strong Land-grant University experience and greatly appreciate the incredible value of Extension and the work we do together. I’m proud to share these 2021 highlights:
Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE)
This new program, an interagency agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to engage Land-grant Universities and the Cooperative Extension System to improve vaccination coverage in rural and other medically underserved communities, has delivered immunization education to over 4 million people nationwide.
Strengthening 4-H Leadership
When I first arrived at NIFA, I made a commitment to rebuild the staff expertise in 4-H Headquarters. Today, we have a robust staff that represents experience from all areas of the Land-grant System.
$10M for Extension, Education, and USDA Climate Hub Partnerships
In 2021, NIFA’s Agriculture and Food Research Initiative established a new funding opportunity — supported by a $10 million investment — to provide effective, translatable, and scalable approaches to help next-generation agriculturalists and foresters incorporate climate change research into management practices.
Building Relationships and Improving Customer Focus
I visited with Extension partners to observe your work firsthand. The Sunbelt Agricultural Expo this fall was a wonderful opportunity to see Extension and research work on display and learn from staff and Extension directors.
What a thrill it was to finally make it to National 4-H Congress! As a former 4-H’er, I know the hard work that goes into earning a trip to Congress. I spent a day in community service with participants, had one-on-one conversations with delegates, and left with a renewed understanding that our future will be in very capable hands.
Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities
Diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility are central to all we do through Extension to reach farmers, producers, families, and youth across America.
Preparing for a Bright 2022
In the new year, we will continue to spotlight Extension capacity programs in our press releases, blogs, and especially USDA materials pertaining to climate change, disaster preparedness, COVID, food safety, nutrition security, and developing new and fair markets. Each of these priorities holds exciting opportunities for Extension to shine and show your unparalleled ability to deliver hands-on education in every U.S. community.
I look forward to a prosperous New Year working with you. Thank you for your generous support.
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Orientation for New Extension Leaders Resources - Last Friday, the ECOP Professional Development Committee conducted a virtual orientation with a panel of experienced leaders from Georgia, Minnesota, and New Mexico. Colleagues offered their best guidance on "what I know now that I wished I knew from the beginning." 34 members of the Cooperative Extension Section were in attendance. The recording is available at https://youtu.be/fWyn4vRMuc8. Other helpful sources are
-- FAQ's by Extension Directors and Administrators
-- Learning for Leaders Series Archive, 2018-2021
ECOP Celebrates the Fiftieth Anniversary of the Rural Development Act of 1972 - Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) were established by the Rural Development Act of 1972 and celebrate their 50th year in 2022. ECOP has endorsed a resolution to celebrate this momentous occasion. The RRDCs are a trusted source of economic and community development data, decision tools, education, and guidance for our nation's rural communities. The North Central Regional Center for Rural Development is based at Purdue University. The Southern Rural Development Center is based at Mississippi State University. The Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development is based at The Pennsylvania State University, and the Western Rural Development Center is based at Utah State University. Each RRDC is administered by a joint agreement between USDA and a host institution operating for the Extension Services and the Agricultural Experiment Stations in the respective region. Core funding is from NIFA for integrated research, education, and Extension activities.
MFLN Launches Curated Programming Clusters - The Military Families Learning Network (MFLN) has launched its curated Programming Clusters, hand-selected programming to help build professional skills and support military families. The “Building Your Professional Skills” programming clusters support the ability to communicate with colleagues and clients, work effectively and ethically to build strong professional relationships, and build understanding while examining resources and promising practices focused on human and cultural differences. Extension Professionals may sort through this list of credentialing agencies to choose webinars to learn, build skills and obtain continuing education credits at their own pace. Extension Directors and Administrators are asked to share this information with their faculty.
Community Resource and Economic Development Tool to Measure Program Impacts - Continuing its webinar series, the Community Resource and Economic Development National Indicators Working Group is offering the session, Using the Community Capitals Framework to Measure Program Impacts. The session will take place Tuesday, January 25, 2022, 3PM ET. The Community Capitals Framework (CCF) has been a widely used educational tool, and it also has enormous potential to guide evaluation of community development work in Extension and beyond. Presenters in this panel will highlight ways they have employed the CCF in documenting community-level impacts of Extension programming, as well as their ideas for using the CCF more broadly to document collective impacts of programming within states and regions. Please share the link to register https://msstateextension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJMpceyrqzwrHdOWFSnOtl60az9j3Vup37i3
