NIFA Director Hamby Speaks at Successful PILD Conference

On April 7-9, the Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) conference was held in Chrystal City, VA. It was a great success. The new NIFA Director, Jaye Hamby, provided opening remarks. Among his many points, he indicated that “they could not have found a greater supporter of Cooperative Extension to serve as NIFA Director.” It was an excellent program that was well executed, which prepared Cooperative Extension Professionals to more impactfully interact with legislators and other public officials. 

A large part of 2025 PILD’s success is attributable to Joint Council of Extension Professionals President Phil Durst (Michigan State), PILD co-chair Daphnie Richards (Texas A&M), and Ali Mitchell (Northeast Extension Executive Director).

Lewis-Burke Washington Update Available  

APLU recently distributed its FANR FOCUS, which included a Lewis Burke Washington Update. Key points include: 

• Republicans Begin Negotiations on Reconciliation
• USDA Nominee Update
  
• HHS Reductions in Force (RIFs) with USDA RIFs to Follow

NIFA Staff at 2025 NERAOC

NIFA brought key staff to the annual National Extension and Research Administrative Officers Conference (NERAOC) held recently in Reno, NV. More than 500 participants attended the conference which provides a venue for professional development, information sharing and networking to state Cooperative Extension, agInnovation and USDA NIFA staff.

Through the opportunity to share and discuss information related to fiscal, grant (competitive and capacity), administrative, communications and human resources management, NERAOC participants gain important professional development.



HHS and USDA Hold First Public MAHA Event, Outline Vision for Healthier America

On April 4, U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary (USDA) Brooke L. Rollins collaborated on their first Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) event during a visit to Ferdinand T. Day Elementary School in Alexandria, VA where they participated in a healthy snack time with students and met facility staff. The event was an opportunity to learn more about the impact that federally funded nutrition programs have on children and signaled their strong partnership to work together to effectuate their vision for a healthier America.

“Secretary Kennedy and I have a unique once in a generation opportunity to better align our vision on nutrition related programs to ensure we are working together to advance President Trump’s vision to make our kids, our families, and our communities healthy again,” said Secretary Rollins. “Our farmers, ranchers, and producers dedicate their lives to growing the safest most abundant food supply in the world and we need to make sure our kids and families are consuming the healthiest food we produce. There is a chronic health problem in our country, and American agriculture is at the core of the solution.”

2025 Borlaug CAST Communications Award: Celebrating Excellence in Agricultural Communication

The Borlaug CAST Communication Award is a prestigious honor that recognizes individuals whose dedication to advancing and promoting agricultural science echoes the transformative legacies of Dr. Norman E. Borlaug and Dr. Charles A. Black. Dr. Borlaug—revered as “The Man Who Fed the World”—authored CAST’s first publication in 1973, while Dr. Black served as CAST’s first President, first Executive Vice President, and a founding committee member. Their shared vision for innovative research, effective communication, and global food security lives on through this award.

Nominations are due no later than May 1, 2025. The Borlaug CAST Communication Award celebrates those who:

• Are actively engaged in agricultural or food production science and technology.
• Demonstrate a strong commitment to promoting agriculture through research, teaching, extension, or public outreach.
• Have made significant contributions to their field or discipline.
• Are passionate about conveying the importance of agriculture and food production to policymakers, media, and the public.
• Exhibit exceptional communication skills, showcased by written publications, public presentations, and effective use of media platforms.

USDA RFAs Begin to Appear

While none of these RFAs are offered by our main funding partner, the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), announcements about at least five USDA requests for applications were made last week. Four were Foreign Agricultural Service and associated with trade: Market Access Program (MAP), Foreign Market Development Program (FMD), Technical Assistance for Specialty Crops Program (TASC), and Emerging Markets Program (EMP). The fifth RFA, announced by NIFA, is an APHIS program related to Avian Influenza.



4‑H Full Page Ad in USA Today's Special Agriculture Edition

For National Agriculture Week in March, a 4‑H Beyond Ready full‑page ad (pages 82‑84) was included in the USA Today's Agriculture Special Edition! It's the ultimate resource for farmers, growers, ranchers, and anyone engaged in agriculture. Our full‑page ad promotes our Beyond Ready theme, "How It Started ‑ How It's Going."

National Extension Award for Innovative Programming that Addresses New Audiences

The purpose of this award is for Extension efforts that go above and beyond in reaching new audiences. It recognizes innovative teaching models and techniques that ensure Extension programs reach all audiences, especially new and those that have not been participating in traditional Extension education. The programming should reflect how a systematic needs assessment identified the audience and influenced teaching methods, created mutual respect among audiences, promoted acceptance, fostered teamwork, and improved overall effectiveness of the programming.

Nominations must be submitted online by June 1, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time.


National Survey on Commercial Home-Prepared Food Regulations

The University of Delaware Cooperative Extension Health & Wellbeing Program is compiling data on the regulations pertaining to and the food safety resources available for home-prepared commercial food programs in the states and territories of the United States. These are commonly referred to as Cottage Food Laws, although some states may have equivalent programs by different names. The purpose of this effort is to characterize the nationwide regulations and food safety education services available to individuals seeking to commercialize food prepared in home kitchens.

Your support of this effort is sought through completion of a Qualtrics survey which can be accessed at https://delaware.ca1.qualtrics.com/CommercialHomeFoods.CooperativeExtensionSurvey. The estimated time to complete the survey is 10 minutes. Please feel free to share this survey with colleagues who work directly with these programs in your state. A related survey will be issued to the public health government sector with regulatory oversight for home-prepared commercial foods.


Final Evaluation of RWJF Well Connected Communities Initiative

The Well Connected Communities initiative was a nine-year, $16.8 million investment by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation designed build the capacity of the Cooperative Extension System to improve the health of the nation. While health-focused work by Cooperative Extension continues, the Well Connected Communities initiative officially ended November 30, 2024. A comprehensive report and executive summary of the evaluation effort and the findings is now available. CCHE is a part of the Kaiser Permanente Health Research Institute based in Seattle, Washington established with a mission of improving the health of communities through collaborative planning, assessment, and evaluation. For more information about the full report or executive summary, contact Maggie Jones at Maggie.E.Jones@kp.org or Roger Rennekamp at rogerrennekamp@extension.org. More information about Cooperative Extension’s health-related work is available at https://health.extension.org/.


Get Involved with ExtensionBot and MERLIN! 

ExtensionBot delivers fast, research-backed answers using your institution’s content—powered by MERLIN, a structured data platform built to support AI tools across Cooperative Extension. All Land-grant Institutions are invited to engage, regardless of Extension Foundation membership. You can contribute through structured data feeds, share URLs for web crawling, or partner with our technical team for hands-on support. Your content is updated weekly, ensuring the most current information reaches stakeholders through AI. This is an opportunity to boost visibility, reach more people, and help shape the future of Extension’s digital engagement. View the flyer for more details. Contact Mark Locklear (marklocklear@extension.org) or David Warren (davidwarren@extension.org) to get started.

New Administrators and Directors Orientation

Please complete the survey by April 15, 2025 (even if you have already completed a similar survey).

This event is intended for individuals on the Board on Agriculture Assembly and their supporting administrators or faculty, who have entered an administrative position recently and any others who would like to learn more about APLU, the Land-Grant University System and the BAA. Information presented will be particularly useful to administrative heads, deans/directors, and associate/assistant deans/directors.

Learning objectives include: Gaining an understanding of the Board on Agriculture Assembly and APLU, including how national priorities are set by organizational committees and how you can become involved; gaining valuable tips from experienced administrators about what they wish they had known when they were hired and hearing from senior university leadership about their career pathways.

A minimum of 20 participant are needed to make this a meaningful orientation. If there is not enough interest in attending a live format (July in Washington, DC; November at the APLU Annual Meeting in Philadelphia) please indicate you would be interested in a virtual format only.

Please complete the survey by April 15, 2025.

USDA Appoints New NIFA Director: Jaye Hamby

On March 20th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of Dr. Jaye L. Hamby as the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). As Director, Dr. Hamby will lead USDA’s efforts to advance agricultural innovation, community outreach, and fostering the next generation of agricultural leaders.

Dr. Hamby, a Tennessee native, grew up on his family’s cow-calf operation and developed a deep connection to agriculture through 4-H and FFA, eventually serving as a national FFA officer. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Tennessee before completing his master’s and doctorate degrees in agricultural education at Oklahoma State University. Over the course of his career, he has directed hundreds of research efforts specializing in concept testing, product marketing, value driver analysis, and following market trends and strategies to support agricultural producers.


AgriProspects Webinar on Workforce Development Clearinghouse

The AgriProspects Workforce Development Network, a national program of the Extension Foundation open to all Land-grant Institutions regardless of Extension Foundation membership, recently announced a system wide data gathering initiative to build a Clearinghouse for Extension’s adult agricultural workforce development programs. This Clearinghouse will serve as the underlying structure for the AgriProspects Marketplace, a one-stop information portal to assist connecting learners, earners, and employers to the breadth and depth of Extension’s work within adult ag workforce development. Listing is optional and institutions can request to not be included in the Clearinghouse and Marketplace. A webinar was held on March 19th to roll-out the Marketplace concept and initiative. To learn more about AgriProspects visit the link above or reach out to Dr. Jason L. Weigle, Agriprospects Program Manager, at agriprospects@extension.org.

New Issue of the Journal of Extension

There is a new issue of the Journal of Extension. Scholars from the following states are represented: 

Alabama, California, Florida, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia. 

APLU/ECOP Seeks Senior Associate

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU), a research, policy, and advocacy organization dedicated to strengthening and advancing the work of public universities in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, is seeking a Senior Associate, Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources to provide logistical and administrative support to the Cooperative Extension Section and the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP). Please send a letter of interest and resume to APLU’s Human Resources Department at resume@aplu.org with “Senior Associate, FANR” in the subject line. Applications will be reviewed until the position is filled, with preference given to those received by Monday, March 24, 2025. More details can be found here.



Federal Government Continuing Resolution Passed

In a press release dated March 14, USDA applauded the passage of a year-long FY 2025 continuing resolution, which will allow the department to operate at or near FY 2024 funding levels.



ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee Seeks Executive Director

The ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee (ECOP 4-H) seeks an Executive Director skilled in fostering alignment, building partnerships, and strengthening communications to advance 4-H Youth Development programs nationwide. The Executive Director will support ECOP 4-H and the 4-H Program Leaders’ Working Group (PLWG) in leading the Cooperative Extension System for 4-H Youth Development, including a vision for engaging youth across the United States.

Applicants should submit the following to executive.director@4-H.org by April 11th:

• Letter of Interest
• Current Vitae
• List and Contact Information for 3-5 Professional References

Please direct questions to Dr. Cody Stone, ECOP 4-H Co-Chair cstone@montana.edu (406-994-1750)

REMINDER: Nominations for Excellence in Extension Awards Being Accepted

Please be alert for contact from your Regional Executive Director or Administrator regarding your region’s nomination process for the Excellence in Extension Individual and Team Awards. The awards highlighted below are offered by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) in partnership with USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. For a competitive edge, share the information provided below with leadership teams and potential nominees and begin the process of nominating, as soon as possible. Final online submissions are required by May 1, however, different regions (Northeast, South, 1890, North Central, West) have differing preliminary processes. Winning Cooperative Extension professionals are selected by the end of July and will travel to the APLU Annual Meeting in November to receive their awards. Learn more about all the opportunities listed below at awards.extension.org. The website hosted by Extension Foundation, is a gateway to full details and provides answers to frequently asked questions.

The Individual Awards for Excellence in Extension recognize Cooperative Extension Professionals who excel at Extension programming, make a positive impact on constituents served, and provide visionary leadership for the System. It is designed to focus national attention on the role of Extension – one that is fundamental to the lifelong education and development of residents in communities around the nation.

The Team Award for Excellence in Extension recognizes excellence of a team of Cooperative Extension Professionals in performing the work of Extension research, technical assistance, and outreach education.


USDA Extends Response Deadline for 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties

USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) will continue to collect responses for the 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties through April 18. Conducted every five years, the Census of Horticultural Specialties is the only source of detailed production and sales data for U.S. floriculture, nursery and specialty crop industries, including greenhouse food crops.

NASS enumerators will also continue gathering data and ask that respondents complete and return their survey form as soon as possible. If those who have received the form are no longer involved in horticultural operations, or need assistance completing the questionnaire, they can call toll free at 888-424-7828 so their record can be updated.

The 2024 Census of Horticultural Specialties data will expand on the 2022 Census of Agriculture data with information on horticultural crop production, value of products, square footage used for growing crops, production expenses, and more. Learn more about the census here.


Comment on the Next Local Foods Marketing Practices Survey

The next USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Local Foods Marketing Practices Survey is open for public comment through March 31, 2025. Initially conducted in 2015 and most recently conducted in 2020, this next installment will allow USDA to collect data to measure changes and growth within the local food industry on a national basis. Conducted as a follow-up to the 2022 Census of Agriculture, the target population will focus on respondents who reported product sales directly to consumers or to retail outlets that in turn sold directly to consumers. Comment on the survey here.

Nominations for Individual and Team Excellence in Extension Awards Being Accepted

Please be alert for a contact from your Regional Executive Director or Administrator regarding your region’s nomination process for the Excellence in Extension Individual and Team Awards.


Rollins Sworn in as US Secretary of Agriculture

On February 13, Brooke Rollins was sworn in as the 33rd U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The department has issued a press release of her day-one accomplishments, including sending a letter to the nation’s governors to outline her vision for the department.


Congratulations LEAD 21 Class #20 Graduates

Daniel Helsham, American Samoa Community College; Katie Funderburk, Auburn University; Mark Smith, Auburn University; Yiwen Chiu, California Polytechnic State University, San Louis Obispo; Amy Lammert, California Polytechnic State University, San Louis Obispo; Gabriel Davidov-Pardo, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; Bobbie Bowling, Central State University; Mark Rendleman, Central State University; George Dickert, Clemson University; Cathy Jachowski, Clemson University; Pat Wechter, Clemson University; Shawn Archibeque, Colorado State University; Aavudai Anandhi, Florida A&M University; Sotirios Archontoulis, Iowa State University; Aileen Keating, Iowa State University; Brian Olson, Kansas State University; Gaea Hock, Kansas State University; Tiffany Williams, Langston University; Lisa Bottomley, Michigan State University; Steve Carey, Michigan State University; Nicky Mason-Wardell, Michigan State University; Trent Irby, Mississippi State University; Anne Spafford, Mississippi State University; Drew Gholson, Mississippi State University; Carlos Ortiz, National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Ahlishia Shipley, National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Jeff Sweet, National Institute of Food and Agriculture; Barbara Chamberlin, New Mexico State University; Chastity English, North Carolina A&T State University; Lin Zhao, North Carolina A&T State University; Sean Munday, North Carolina State University; Marcela Rojas-Pierce, North Carolina State University; Kendra Greenlee, North Dakota State University; Christina Hargiss, North Dakota State University; Miranda Meehan, North Dakota State University; Dave Mackey, Ohio State University; Jennifer Jones, Oklahoma State University; Karl Rich, Oklahoma State University; Ranjith Ram, Oklahoma State University; Sagar Sathuvalli, Oregon State University; Adam Ward, Oregon State University; Spirit Brooks, Oregon State University; Ashley James, Prairie View A&M University; Lea Ann Kinman, Prairie View A&M University; Talia Washington, Prairie View A&M University; Laura Bowling, Purdue University; Anjali Iyer-Pascuzzi, Purdue University; Krystle Allen, Southern University; Si-Arah Jones, Southern University; Ambika Chandra, Texas A&M University; Mark Faries, Texas A&M University; Kevin Ong, Texas A&M University; Millicent Braxton, Tuskegee University; Barrett Vaughan, Tuskegee University; Eunjoo Cho, University of Arkansas; Karen DiCicco, University of Arkansas; Johan Leveau, University of California, Davis; Darren Haver, University of California, Irvine; Paulo Verardi, University of Connecticut; Charlie Li, University of Florida; Jillian Bohlen, University of Georgia; Faith Critzer, University of Georgia; Bhabesh Dutta, University of Georgia; Tanisha Aflague, University of Guam; Jacinda Dariotis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Angela Lyons, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Nick Paulson, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Chad Lee, University of Kentucky; Jordan Shockley, University of Kentucky; Joel Haskard, University of Minnesota; Eli Sagor, University of Minnesota; Rob Russell, University of Missouri; Dusty Walter, University of Missouri; Sonja Wilhelm Stanis, University of Missouri; David Holding, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Devin Rose, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; Mark Stone, University of Nebraska, Lincoln; James McKane, University of New Hampshire; Chris Boyer, University of Tennessee; Tricia Gorby, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Jennifer Kushner, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Erin Silva, University of Wisconsin-Madison; Josh Dallin, Utah State University; Heidi LeBlanc, Utah State University; Kevin McGuire, Virginia Tech; Kim Niewolny, Virginia Tech; Janet Spencer, Virginia Tech; Vagner Benedito, West Virginia University

Message from Doug Steele on Rapidly Changing Washington Dynamics

I want to assure our Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (FANR) constituents and Board on Agriculture Assembly members that we are working with the APLU Office of Governmental Affairs and Lewis-Burke Associates to closely monitor all federal actions and announcements.

While there are numerous reports in the news on Executive Orders, Agency Reviews and potential Budget Freezes, we are committed to not reporting to our membership until we can verify the action and ensuring impacts. We are closely tracking announcements and working tirelessly on your behalf and will continue to keep you apprised when we have reliable information and/or guidance to share. We are actively talking with both sides of the aisle on Capitol Hill to keep them informed of potential impacts, questions, and concerns from the BAA community.

We understand there is particular concern about NIFA and we are working to understand what any potential freeze or pause will entail and how the deferred resignation process may impact NIFA’s workforce. We are in constant communications with BAA elected leaders, advocacy committees and research/Extension regional Executive Directors. We will continue to communicate as appropriate messages are identified and double-down on the value of the land-grant and public university to our country.

Please feel free to contact either myself (dsteele@aplu.org) or Marcus Glassman, Director of Government Affairs, Ag and International Development (mglassman@aplu.org) if we can provide additional information or if you have any updates you would like to share.

Douglas L. Steele
Vice President, Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
dsteele@aplu.org

Extension Health Program Manager Position Available

The Extension Foundation is currently receiving applications for an individual to provide managerial support to the Cooperative Extension System’s ongoing work in health and well-being. More specifically, work of this individual will focus on supporting implementation of the five high-level recommendations emanating from Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health and Well-Being, approved by the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) in 2021.

The contract may be executed directly with an individual or with the institution with which the individual is currently employed. The successful candidate is expected to devote the equivalent of roughly 10 hours per week (.25 FTE) to the performance of the duties identified in the announcement. Performance of the stated duties is performed at a flat rate of $40,000.

Contract begins March 1, 2025 and continues through February 28, 2026. See the Extension Foundation announcement for more details.


CARET Washington Conference Registration Reminder

The 2025 CARET/BAA Washington Conference, Securing Our Future, begins in less than a month! Registration is filling up, so if you haven't already done so, please register here as you are if you are interested in attending. The Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET) is a national grassroots organization of volunteers created in 1982 by the Board on Agriculture Assembly of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU). CARET seeks to enhance national support and understanding of the land-grant university system’s food and agricultural research, extension, and teaching programs that enhance the quality of life for all people.

A draft agenda is available for viewing. Please note that we will send out materials for the meeting in the coming weeks.

If you have any questions, please contact Flannery Bethel.

We look forward to seeing you in DC!

Avian Influenza: Call for Updates

Based on the current situation the United States is facing with the avian flu, the APLU staff is updating the previously published June 2024 Toolkit: AVIAN FLU THREATS: The United States Needs to Prepare and Prevent Mutations that could Spread Among Humans. Please send updated information and activities to Andrea Putman at aputman@aplu.org.

Special Invitation: National 4-H Council Winter Town Hall (Virtual) – January 30th (3-4 pm ET)

Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to join National 4-H Council CEO, Jill Bramble, to learn more about how 4-H will rally supporters and tell our Beyond Ready story this spring and summer. The Virtual Town Hall will take place January 30, at 3:00 PM Eastern. Jill will be joined by three special guests:

• Dr. Lisa Diaz, National 4-H Beyond Ready Initiative Director (Illinois 4-H),
  
  
• Madison Powell, Young Alumni Advisor Committee Member (Indiana 4-H) and member of the National 4-H Beyond Ready Leadership Team, and
  
  
• Mark Berven, Chair, National 4-H Council Board of Trustees and President and COO, Nationwide Property and Casualty

You are welcome and encouraged to invite your institution’s Extension and 4-H communications professionals to attend along with you. Advanced registration is required. Register HERE.

 

Introducing NIFA’s New Acting Associate Director for Programs and Acting Chief of Staff

NIFA announces two important changes in agency leadership. Dr. Kevin Kephart will assume the role of Acting Associate Director for Programs and Brent Elrod is the agency’s new Acting Chief of Staff.

Dr. Kevin Kephart

Kevin Kephart, who currently serves as NIFA’s Deputy Director of the Institute of Bioenergy, Climate, and Environment, joined the agency in 2020. Prior to his role as deputy director, he was the division director for NIFA's Agricultural Systems Division. He succeeds Dr. Dionne Toombs, who accepted a position with USDA Agricultural Research Service.

Brent Elrod

In the vital role of Acting Chief of Staff, Brent Elrod will work closely with NIFA Director Dr. Manjit Misra to synchronize and facilitate a wide range of activities that ensure the smooth operation of the agency. As the central point of coordination for both internal and external requests for information, Brent will play a pivotal role in aligning efforts and supporting the agency's mission.

Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) 2025 Conferences

The Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) provides learning opportunities for Extension professionals. Details will be posted at www.jcep.org.

• Extension Leadership Conference (ELC) will be held February 19-20, 2025 in Savannah, GA.
• Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) will be held April 7-9, 2025 in Arlington, VA, with April 9 reserved for Hill visits.

Latest from the Journal of Extension

Cooperative Extension’s own scholarly Journal of Extension, has a new issue. See articles authored by Extension Professionals from:

• University of Georgia,
• University of Wisconsin,
• North Dakota State University,
• University of Minnesota,
• Kansas State University,
• University of Illinois,
• Auburn University,
• The Ohio State University,
• University of Maryland,
• University of Florida,
• University of Maine,
• West Virginia State University,
• Iowa State University,
• Michigan State University,
• University of Nevada - Reno,
• University of Vermont,
• Oklahoma State University,
• University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff,
• University of Arizona,
• University of the Virgin Islands,
• North Carolina State University, and
• Other organizations.

Fall 2025 Joint Cooperative Extension & agInnovation Directors & Administrators Meeting

The Joint 2025 Cooperative Extension and agInnovation Directors and Administrators meeting will take place September 15-18 in Milwaukee, WI. While the hotel location is to be determined, the following information may be useful for planning purposes:

• Monday, September 15 - The meeting will begin at 3:00 pm with New Director Orientation, with an afternoon/evening reception.
• Tuesday, September 16 - ECOP will hold a breakfast meeting from 7:00 to 9:00 am. This will be followed by a full day of joint activities. The day will culminate in an evening team-building activity. 
• Wednesday, September 17 - This day will feature a morning of joint activities, followed by the Cooperative Extension Section meeting in the afternoon. 
• Thursday, September 18 - agInnovation and two Cooperative Extension Regions (Northeast and West) will hold regional meetings. 

More information to come!

APLU Welcomes Marcus Glassman 

We are pleased to share that Marcus Glassman joined APLU within the Offices of Governmental Affairs (OGA) and Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (FANR) on January 6th. He replaces Caron Gala as Director, Governmental Affairs, Agriculture and International Development and as Executive Director, Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET).

Marcus previously served as Policy Engagement Director with the Ecosystem Services Market Consortium. Earlier, he held relevant positions at Supporters of Agriculture Research (SoAR) Foundation and the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. Marcus earned his undergraduate degree in Anthropology from Purdue University and a Master of Science in Public Health from The George Washington University.

Within OGA and FANR, Marcus will help drive multiple synergistic efforts to advance APLU appropriations and policy priorities in agriculture and international development with an emphasis on the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and United States Agency for International Development (USAID). He will ensure coordinated efforts of government relations representatives through the Council on Governmental Affairs (CGA), Deans of Colleges of Agriculture and other Administrative Heads within the Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA), and influential citizen advocates through the Council on Agricultural Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET). As Executive Director of CARET, Marcus will work closely with the Executive Committee on the continued implementation of the strategic plan and engagement support to CARET delegates in national advocacy efforts.

Please join APLU in welcoming Marcus!

Remembering US President & Cooperative Extension Supporter Jimmy Carter

As our nation celebrates President Jimmy Carter’s extraordinary legacy of public service, volunteering, and peacemaking, we’re reminded of the role Cooperative Extension had on the trajectory of his own life.

He recognized the critical role of Cooperative Extension on his life, saying in a tribute to Extension during its 100th anniversary: "In all the ways that I had an early developmental life in earning a living and learning how to live as a productive citizen, I would say that the Extension Service had a major beneficial effect on me."

Enjoy these videos made possible by the University of Georgia: President Jimmy Carter celebrating the Centennial of Cooperative Extension and Jimmy Carter - Georgia Agricultural Hall of Fame Winner 2018.

Washington Update from Lewis-Burke Associates

Happy New Year! There has been considerable activity in Washington, DC since many of your institution's began their winter break. Below is a lightly edited version of an update from Lewis-Burke Associates, which some ECOP leaders received on December 23. One other update, based on activities that have happened since December 23, is that Mike Johnson (R-LA) has been elected as Speaker of the House. He served in this role at the end of the most recent Congress, as well. 

Continuing Resolution/Farm Bill Extension

As you may have seen, Congress passed a Continuing Resolution package to avoid a government shutdown.

Key aspects of the package: 

• Extends government funding at mostly FY 2024 funding levels through March 14
• $100 billion emergency disaster relief to address recent natural disasters
• Farm bill extension, including $10 billion in disaster aid for farmers
• Extension of certain healthcare programs and policies

While an earlier draft package provided continued mandatory funding for Title VII “orphan programs”, the final version did not include this bridge funding. The lack of inclusion does not mean these programs will not be included in the next version of the farm bill it only means the programs will not receive mandatory funding in this one-year extension. Programs impacted: 

• Scholarships for Students at 1890s 
• Urban, Indoor, and Emerging Agriculture
• Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)
• Emergency Citrus Research and Extension Program 

Scholarships for Students at 1890s: Although making permanent the 1890s Scholarship program was included in a draft CR package, the final extension does not make the program permanent. As this would have been an “anomaly” in the clean extension, we suspect leadership is waiting to act on making this program permanent in the next full reauthorization of the Farm Bill. It is also important to note that Scholarships for Students at 1890s will continue to receive funding via discretionary appropriations.

 

Boozman Announces Senate Ag Committee Republican Membership

Senate Republicans announced committee rosters with the Senate Agriculture Committee adding Jim Justice (R-WV) and Jerry Moran (R-KS). While Senate Appropriations Subcommittees have yet to be announced, there is significant overlap between the Senate Agriculture Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee with Senators Mitch McConnell (R-KY), John Hoeven (R-ND), John Boozman (R-AR), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Deb Fischer (R-NE), and Jerry Moran (R-KS) on both committees. Finally, new Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) will remain on the Agriculture Committee and has already said passing a Farm Bill next year is a priority.

For additional information: https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2024/12/20/congress/senate-gop-committee-assignments-00195791

 

Trump Nominates Stephen Vaden as Deputy Secretary of Ag

Yesterday, President-elect Trump announced Stephen Vaden as his nominee to serve as Deputy Secretary of Agriculture. Vaden is a judge on the U.S. Court of International Trade and was USDA’s General Counsel during the first Trump Administration. The full announcement from Truth Social is below: 

“I am pleased to nominate Stephen Alexander Vaden to be Deputy Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, where he will work with our Great United States Secretary of Agriculture Nominee, Brooke Rollins.

In my First Term, Stephen was the General Counsel of the Department of Agriculture, and a Member of the Board of the Commodity Credit Corporation, where he won two cases before the United States Supreme Court, relocated and reorganized the Agencies that comprise the Department to better serve Rural America, and engaged in substantial regulatory reform. Stephen joined the USDA on Day One of my First Term, and left in December 2020 after I nominated him, and the U.S. Senate confirmed him, to continue to serve the American People as an Article III Judge on the Court of International Trade.

Judge Stephen Vaden resides in Union City, Tennessee, where he helps manage his family farm.