White House Briefing by Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance

On Thursday, October 26, Bill Hoffman Executive Director, Cooperative Extension System/ECOP, attended a White House briefing organized by the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA). The session is pictured above. With FACA and APLU/Cooperative Extension in the room, representatives from Farm Bureau, American Seed Trade Association, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National, Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The agenda included Climate-Smart Investments messaging in rural communities and Food Loss & Waste. 



JCEP Event Engagement for 2024 - The Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) has 2 important annual conferences. The Extension Leadership Conference (ELC) February 14-15 in Tampa, Florida and Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) April 15-17 in Arlington, Virginia. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to support Extension Faculty, Specialists and Agents/Educators to join the organizations listed here and encourage presentation proposals for the JCEP Conferences. The deadline for proposals ends this week on November 3, 2023. Details are available at www.jcep.org.

Extension Foundation and ECOP WorkForce Development PAT Hiring AgriProspects Workforce Development Network Positions - The Extension Foundation, in partnership with the ECOP Workforce Development Program Action Team, is seeking dynamic, collaborative individuals to help lead the AgriProspects Workforce Development Network. AgriProspects, supported through a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture AFRI Education and Workforce Development Competitive Grant 2023-67037-40533, establishes a National Working Group supported by six Regional Working Groups focused on growing and refining the national portfolio of Extension workforce programs. AgriProspects seeks to align the supply of trained workers to the demand for agricultural jobs by developing and delivering a national agriculture workforce development framework. Application Deadline: November 10, 2023. Learn more here.

Invitation by Board on Health and Human Sciences - The Board on Health and Human Sciences invites Extension professionals who are planning to attend the 2023 APLU Annual Meeting to join their session Envisioning the Future of Health and Human Sciences on Monday, November 13 from 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM. Panelists will include Beverly Coberly, CEO of the Extension Foundation. Participants will hear perspectives on including health as a core feature of the human sciences identity and learn strategies to cultivate a growing community of academic disciplines inclusive of health and the human sciences. For more information, contact Executive Director Kelly Dalton.



$3.4M NTAE Award Announced - In partnership with the Extension Foundation , the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was awarded the USDA-NIFA New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) Cooperative Agreement (Grant Number 2023-41595-41325). The Technology-Enhanced Cooperative Extension Hub (TECHExt), a groundbreaking initiative aims to revolutionize the Cooperative Extension System by infusing it with state-of-the-art technologies and practices. The project aligns with the strategic priorities of the USDA-NIFA and ECOP, aiming to foster innovation, increase the capacity of Extension professionals, update NTAE delivery and management policies, enable locally meaningful opportunities through responsive marketing, and conduct comprehensive evaluations for continuous improvement. Full release available here.

2023 NEDA Meeting Resources

The experience of 2023 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting in Tucson on October 10-12 keeps on giving. Check out the links to the informative presentations that are captured at neda.extension.org/presentations such as:

• The Massive Transformative Power of 4-H to Create Opportunity4All – by Richard Maltsbarger, President & CEO of Pet Valu

• Extension Foundation: Fulfilling Our Mission to Help CES Make a Greater Local Impact
  
  
• Tackling Extension’s Workforce Challenges – by Rob Russell, University of Missouri

Plus, all members of the Section are invited to join the LinkedIn® 2023 NEDA Meeting Group, www.linkedin.com/groups/12906033, to connect with each other and continue the national leadership dialogue. A post-meeting survey will inform the 2024 NEDA Planning Committee’s effort. 

Save The Date!! - September 16-19, are the dates for the 2024 NEDA Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.

Awards: Think and Do - As a follow on to last week's announcement of the winners of 2023 National Awards Program, autumn is the right time to make a plan for nominating for the 2024 National Awards. Take 2 minutes starting at 3:04 of this recent video recording by Extension Foundation to gain a few valuable tips from the spokesperson for the winning 2022 Excellence in Extension Team Award, Geb Bastian, South Dakota State University. Experts agree, for a competitive edge, visit awards.extension.org to have a thorough understanding of the 3 distinctive awards and begin well before the official request for nominations February 1. 

• Individual Excellence in Extension Awards
• Team Excellence in Extension Award 
• Diversity in Extension Award (either an individual or a team) 

Also, alert leadership teams to start thinking of potential nominees. 

Invitation Broadband Navigator Event to Empower Data-Driven Local Projects - Penn State Extension and the Rockefeller Foundation invite Extension Directors and Associate Directors to a special in-person meeting on November 13, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Rockefeller Foundation Office in New York, NY. The meeting will showcase new spatial analysis tools that can help local communities improve their broadband connectivity and development projects, and that have already been used by Pennsylvania to secure $500M in broadband funding. Participants will have the opportunity to explore innovative technologies and strategies to advance broadband expansion and digital inclusion, learn from successful initiatives using these new tools, and explore funding and collaboration possibilities. This is a unique chance to leverage the power of data and the land-grant mission to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. Please register as soon as possible, as space is limited: https://extension.psu.edu/bead-broadband.

2023 Top Honors in Extension Excellence and Diversity

Recognizing visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) for Cooperative Extension, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) announced last week the following 2023 awards to be presented in Seattle, Washington on November 12, 2023. The National Cooperative Extension Awards program is explained at awards.extension.org.

Excellence in Extension Award for an Individual: Mary Arnold, Oregon State University - The National Award is granted to Mary Arnold, professor, developmental scientist, and 4-H youth development specialist at Oregon State University. Arnold currently serves as the Director Youth Development Research and Practice at National 4-H Council, and is principle author of the 4-H Thriving Model, a model that describes a theory of change for the impact 4-H has on young people.


Regional Awards for Excellence in Extension for an Individual: NIFA, ECOP, and APLU will also present four regional awards to individual professionals for excellence this year. The recipients are:

1890s Region: Cedric Ogden, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Fort Valley State University, for Leading innovative engagement with diverse communities and using technology to address economic and environmental challenges.

North Central Region: Elaine Johannes, State Extension Specialist – Community Health, Kansas State University, for leading innovative engagement and partnerships for community health.

Northeast Region: Jiff Martin, Extension Educator – Food Systems, University of Connecticut, for providing solid ground for an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable agriculture industry and food supply.

Southern Region: A. Stanley Culpepper, Extension Agronomist – Weed Science, University of Georgia, for innovative research and outreach to improve weed management and pesticide stewardship practices on family farms.

Excellence in Extension Team Award: The Growing Together Multi-State Collaborative - Growing Together bit.ly/23-EiETeam-Award is a multi-state SNAP-Ed donation garden collaborative that aims to promote healthy food access and offer nutrition and garden education for individuals who are nutrition insecure. This multi-state collaborative, including Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and most recently, South Dakota, meets regularly to share resources, promising practices, and challenges, while also building relationships and connections across state lines. Each state has tailored their effort to best meet their specific programmatic and community needs. 

National Extension Diversity Award: The University of Florida's “Café Latino” Project - The Coalition of Florida Extension for Latino Communities (CAFÉ Latino) is achieving and sustaining diversity and pluralism. CAFÉ Latino is gaining visibility in Cooperative Extension System and in other countries. Since the Spring 2018, University of Florida’s Dr. John Diaz, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, has led the development of CAFÉ Latino in collaboration with Dr. Karla Shelnutt, Professor, Jonael Bosques-Mendez, County Extension Director, and Laura Valencia, 4-H Agent, to help increase the capacity and competency for Extension to serve the needs of Florida’s growing Latinx population. CAFÉ Latino focuses on enhancing the access and efficacy of Extension programs.



NOMINATE by 10/18/23 - ECOP Climate PAT Convening  - On January 31 and February 1, 2024, the ECOP Climate Mitigation, Resiliency, and Adaptation PAT will convene and host a dynamic cohort of up to 70 climate leaders  in Tucson, AZ. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to submit nominations of Extension Professionals to attend! These individuals will collaborate to develop an Extension Climate Action Plan, a blueprint that will empower Extension directors and strategic partners to harness the full potential of the Cooperative Extension System in combating the pressing challenges posed by the climate crises. Please send the nominee's name, contact information, and area of expertise to Jason Henderson at jhender5@iastate.edu or Regan Emmons at reganemmons@extension.org by Wednesday, October 18, 5 PM PST. Or use this form link to easily submit nominations.

NIFA Director Misra Video Message for Cooperative Extension

In honor of our gathering in Tucson for the National Extension Directors and Administrators annual meeting, NIFA Director Manjit Misra has provided a short video message. Enjoy!

Extension Foundation Board of Directors Names Dr. Beverly Coberly as the New Chief Executive Officer of the Extension Foundation - Dr. Gregg Hadley, Chairman of the Extension Foundation Board of Directors, announces the selection of Dr. Beverly Coberly as the new CEO of the Foundation. Dr. Coberly has been the interim CEO since the beginning of 2023 upon the retirement of her predecessor, Dr. Christine Nygren. Before this appointment, Dr. Coberly served as the Extension Foundation Chief Operating Officer since 2016. Read the full news release here.

NEDA This Week - The National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting kicks off tomorrow, October 10, 2023 at the Tucson Marriott University Park. Links to events, agendas, and post-meeting archives will be placed on this website for reference during and after the meeting. Safe travels to all who are headed to Arizona.

Anaerobic Digestion Conference in November - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Iowa State University, and University of Iowa will be hosting an Anaerobic Digestion on the Farm Conference from November 6 – 8, 2023 at the Scheman Building at Iowa State Center in Ames, Iowa. The goal of this conference is to provide opportunities for farmers, policy makers, business organizations, financers, project developers, consultants, faculty and students, and others to share ideas about anaerobic digestion, the process of using bacteria to break down organic matter such as food and animal waste to manage waste and produce biofuel. More information about the conference is available at https://www.epa.gov/ia/forms/anaerobic-digestion-farm-conference.




USDA Launches Nutrition Hub to Combat Diet-Related Diseases in Underserved Communities - USDA has announced its new Agricultural Science Center of Excellence for Nutrition and Diet for Better Health (ASCEND for Better Health) in support of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot effort to end cancer.

This new virtual center will accelerate research on diet-related chronic diseases, including cancer. A long-term goal of the center is to translate research into impactful solutions that improve public health and wellbeing, particularly in underserved communities. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and NIFA are investing $1 million to hire two full-time Nutrition Hub co-directors, one employed by ARS, and one employed by Southern University. This leadership structure enables a close partnership between USDA and Southern University to plan and carry out Hub activities that leverage the strengths, resources and relationships of both organizations. The funding will also support a full-time graduate student at Southern University. Learn more about the new nutrition hub.

Member Feedback at Work

A huge THANK YOU to the leadership of the Extension Directors and Administrators Regional Associations for collecting feedback and to all those who contributed to help improve the "Monday Minute." Note that the subject line of the click-through email message will now be, “Extension (ECOP) Monday Minute – (date).” National Office Executive Director Bill Hoffman worked with APLU's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software system experts to help standardize the title, which is something members of the Section asked for. He will also examine the analytics data to help ensure message delivery. If Bill's messages from APLU like the ECOP Monday Minute land in “other” inboxes or spam folders, please let him know.

LEAD21 Application Period Open Until November 15, 2023 - The LEAD21 program has released its call for applications to formulate class #20. The primary purpose of LEAD21 is to develop leaders in land-grant institutions and their strategic partners who link research, academics, and extension to lead more effectively in an increasingly complex environment, either in their current position or as they aspire to other positions.




FREE Urban Agriculture Funding Conference - The three part Generating Research Opportunities Workshop (GROW) for Urban Agriculture Conference will begin in early November. This is a virtual conference for researchers, extension professionals, educators, and stakeholders designed to build interdisciplinary teams and support their efforts to secure funding for research, extension, and education (REE) that supports and expands urban agriculture.

• Phase I is November 1-3, 2023. This virtual session will focus on connecting participants with similar research, extension and education interests.
• Phase II will run from November 4, 2023, to January 16, 2024. Teams will work independently on developing interdisciplinary funding proposals.
• Phase III is January 17-19, 2024. This virtual session will provide an opportunity for teams to share their proposals with mock grant review teams to get feedback, and then provide an opportunity for the team to work on suggested revisions.

There is no cost for this conference, but registration is required.




USDA Announces $3 Billion for Agricultural Producers and Forest Landowners - On September 28, USDA announced an additional $3 billion in funding for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is increasing Climate-Smart Agricultural and Forestry Mitigation Activities eligible for Inflation Reduction Act funding for fiscal year 2024 through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Additionally, NRCS is expanding the national priority areas eligible for Inflation Reduction Act funding for Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP) easements. Interested producers should contact their local NRCS office and apply as soon as possible.




USDA Launches Program to Support Agricultural Employers and Farmworkers, Aiming to Increase Economic and Supply Chain Resilience - USDA has announced agricultural employers can begin to apply for a pilot program designed to improve the resiliency of the food and agricultural supply chain by addressing workforce challenges farmers and ranchers face. USDA, in coordination with other federal agencies, is announcing up to $65 million in grants available for the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program. The deadline for agricultural employers to apply for this program is November 28, 2023.
     The program will help address workforce needs in agriculture, promote a safe and healthy work environment for farmworkers, and aims to support expansion of lawful migration pathways for workers, including for workers from Northern Central America, through the Department of Labor’s seasonal H-2A visa program. Read more here.