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.

2018 Top Honors in Extension

Ron Cox,
Oklahoma State University

Lesia Oesterreich,
Iowa State University

On November 11 in New Orleans at the APLU Annual Meeting the Cooperative Extension Section and USDA-NIFA will recognize the following for visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming.

--> National Diversity in Extension Award: Ron Cox, Oklahoma State University, for the leadership and impact of ¡Unidos Se Puede!
(United We Can!), the comprehensive approach to programming, collaboration tactics, and potential for the program to expand to other states.

--> National Excellence in Extension (EiE) Award: Lesia Oesterreich, Iowa State University, for innovative educational partnerships and programming with vulnerable families and early childhood education professionals.
     -- 1890 Region EiE Award: Jason de Koff, Tennessee State University.
     -- North Central Region EiE Award: Joe Luck, University of Nebraska.
     -- Northeast Region EiE Award: Molly Donovan, University of New Hampshire.
     -- Southern Region EiE Award: Dwayne Elmore, Oklahoma State University.

L-R: Jason de Koff, Tennessee State University; Molly Donovan, University of New Hampshire;
Joe Luck, University of Nebraska, and Dwayne Elmore, Oklahoma State University.

CLICK HERE to read entire article and to learn more about future nominations go to www.aplu.org/CESAwards.


Inspire Kids to Do STEM With 2018 4-H National Youth Science Day - Now in its eleventh year, 4-H NYSD was created by National 4-H Council, USDA-NIFA and Cooperative Extension to ignite an early interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) among young people. The 2018 National Youth Science Day challenge, Code Your World, co-developed by West Virginia University Extension Service and Google, is a four-part challenge that teaches kids ages 8-14 to apply computer science to the world around them through hands-on activities. Code Your World is easier than ever to facilitate, with each kit including a computer-based activity on Google’s CS First platform and three unplugged activities that bring coding to life through games and interaction. The national NYSD celebration kicks off October 1, and coding events can take place throughout the month of October. Click here to purchase NYSD kits and inspire kids to do STEM this fall.


Registration for the Impact Collaborative Summit Extended to September 27 - More than 160 professionals including Key Informants, teams from 26 eXtension member institutions, and external partners will be joining us at the Summit on October 16-18, 2018 in Indianapolis, IN. The deadline is extended it until September 27 to accommodate any remaining teams that still wish to attend. Five free registrations are offered to premium member institution teams, and 3 free registrations are offered to basic member teams. Community partners are welcome. The purpose of this Summit is to guide project and program teams from your institutions through the Impact Collaborative Innovation Process and send them home with a project or program better informed by Key Informants and capacity-building Partners that is ready to be implemented at their institutions or within their communities. Learn more and register here.

Extension Serves as Outreach Leader for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Program - The CDC’s Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity is pleased to announce funding to 15 land-grant universities across the country through the High Obesity Program (HOP)--CDC-RFA-DP18-1809. The land-grant universities will leverage community extension services to increase access to healthier foods and opportunities for physical activity in counties that have more than 40% of adults with obesity. Since 2014, CDC has funded land-grant universities to work with existing county Cooperative Extension and outreach services in predominantly rural areas that have less access to healthy foods and fewer opportunities to be physically active. The High Obesity Program has demonstrated communities’ progress to improve access to healthy foods and physical activity across different settings. Please email DNPAOPolicy@cdc.gov if you have any questions about this announcement.

Reminder – New Administrators' Orientation

The New Administrators' Orientation is intended for individuals on the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) and their supporting administrators or faculty and USDA-NIFA personnel who have entered an administrative position since 2013 and any others who would like to learn more about APLU, the land-grant university system, the BAA, and USDA-NIFA. Information presented will be particularly useful to administrative heads, directors, associate/assistant directors, and USDA-NIFA national program leaders and administrators. The workshop’s learning objectives were included in the 10/23 ECOP Monday Minute. Reserve a hotel room (by 11/21/17) and register for the meeting ($375 until 11/6/17 - THAT'S TODAY!). The planning committee is finalizing the speakers for the agenda, and every session will include time for Q&A with many having small group and other interactive components to them. For information and to register, please click here. A pre-workshop webinar will be conducted on December 5th from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Connection details will soon be available.

PILD Proposals Due on 11/15/17 - The JCEP Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Conference Planning Committee is seeking proposals for presentations at the PILD Conference that will be held on April 8-11, 2018 in Arlington, VA, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City. The theme of the conference is “Cultivating a Climate of Civil Dialogue.” For additional information and to submit a proposal follow the link to: 2018 PILD Presentation Proposals. The deadline for submitting a proposal is 5:00pm Pacific Time, November 15, 2017.

4-H National Youth Science Day RFPs Due December 4 - 4-H National Youth Science Day, which started as an initiative to introduce 4-H Science to clubs across the country has grown into the single-largest STEM experience delivered at scale to 4-H’ers and non 4-H’ers alike. 4-H National Headquarters at USDA-NIFA and National 4-H Council invite Cooperative Extension faculty and staff at all land-grant universities to submit a proposal detailing an innovative experience for youth to conduct during the 2018 4-H National Youth Science Day. The land-grant university that submits the winning application will receive a $50,000 award. The 2018 subject area focus is "computer science." To apply, go to http://grants.4-h.org/index.do. Proposals are due December 4, 2017. In order for 4-H NYSD to continue to grow and reach new audiences, National 4-H Council is taking steps to enhance and streamline the science experience development process. To learn more about how this year’s application process and how it differs from previous years, join webinar on November 9 at 1:00 p.m. ET. Connection detail is via Adobe Connect - http://nationalfourhcouncil.adobeconnect.com/nysdrfp2/ or Conference Number: US (Toll Free): 1-888-757-2790. Participant Code: 134535. Please direct questions to Janet Golden at jgolden@fourhcouncil.edu or (301) 204-6841.


National IPM Meeting Summary - The National Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinating Committee (NIPMCC) met Oct. 17-18 at the APLU Building in Washington to identify national priorities, provide input on revisions to the National IPM Road Map and develop communication strategies. The NIPMCC is a committee of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) and is charged to make recommendations on programs, policies, reports, budgets and other matters that affect pest management implementation among other activities. The NIPMCC seeks to increase awareness of the significant research and Extension contributions of IPM to agricultural production, human health and environmental quality. Federal IPM funding to support the regional IPM centers and state Extension Implementation Program grants is through the Crop Protection and Pest Management (CPPM) funding line. The regional IPM centers (RIPMC) reported impressive returns on investments: Northeast RIPMC partnership grants were leveraged at 3:1; North Central RIPMC working groups had a 26:1 return on investment; Southern RIPMC enhancement grants were leveraged at 20:1; and Western RIPMC grants were leveraged at 25:1. For additional information, contact Pat Beauzay, NDSU Extension Service, NIPMCC chair or Chris Boerboom, NDSU Extension Service director and ECOP liaison.

National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) December 11-13 Semi-Annual Meeting - The Cooperative Extension System (CES) has extended the knowledge of land-grant universities to address current problems in each state and territory of the U.S. for over 100 years. With changing demographics and a shift towards urbanization. Within the CES, the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) has fostered regional and national collaboration to share resources and grow Extension’s reach in urban communities. You are invited to NUEL’s semi-annual meeting December 11-13, 2017 in Nashville, a time dedicated to assess intersections of collaboration with other colleagues from your region and from across the country as NUEL advances urban Extension efforts. NUEL is actively recruiting individuals and teams to join NUEL’s regional caucuses and plug into action team initiatives as they work across the CES. BOOK HOTEL TODAY - November 6 to obtain conference rate. Click here for conference and registration information. Please contact Patrick Proden, NUEL Chair, at Patrick.Proden@oregonstate.edu if you have questions.


Binational Extension Conference on Food, Water, and Energy Programs - The Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture (SAGARPA) is sponsoring a Binational Extension Conference on November 15-17, 2017 in Chihuahua, Mexico. With the participation of USDA and U.S. Land-Grant Universities in the Western and Southern regions, this binational conference is a first step towards boosting programs of university-based Extension in the border regions of the United States and Mexico. The conference is a product of the 2016 MOU between APLU and SAGARPA for increased collaboration in agriculture. Topics will include youth and community development, agricultural innovations, food security, marketing, and climate-smart agriculture. This conference will be the first time that such a collection of U.S. universities, their Mexican counterparts and both federal governments will focus on the unique challenges and opportunities of food and agricultural systems in the border economy. Contact Jon Boren, NMSU Extension Director, for more information.

Excellence in Extension and Diversity Awards Announced

Please Note: The ECOP Monday Minute will return on November 6, 2017 

Louie Rivers, Jr.
Kentucky State University

Louie Rivers, Jr., Kentucky State University, will receive the 2017 Excellence in Extension Award, and the 2017 Extension Diversity Award will go to Oregon State University’s Youth Development Program "Attitudes for Success Youth Leadership Program". With visionary leadership, excellence in programming, and positive impact, Rivers has helped secure and manage more than $12 million in extramural funding to enhance Kentucky State University’s work with the small, limited-resource, minority, veteran and women farmers in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Participants of the Small Farmers Program have shown an annual increase of $5,000 per participant. His leadership has impacted more the 20,000 individuals at Kentucky State University’s monthly sustainable agriculture workshop “Third Thursday Thing”.
Since the inception of "Attitude for Success" in 1989, more than 9,000 Hispanic and Native American youth have participated in the “Attitudes for Success” program. Over 950 students have served as youth council officers and 270 professionals, including university and college representatives from institutions located in the northwest, have volunteered as presenters, many for multiple years. Local mentors assist the youth in leadership engagement such as running for student body officer positions or planning community events. As a result of the impact, longevity, and the availability of curriculum and evaluation tools, the program is being replicated to other states. In addition to the 2 national awards, the Extension educators named below, one from each of the five Cooperative Extension regions, will be recognized for excellence. U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute for Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) and the Cooperative Extension Section have sponsored the Excellence in Extension and National Diversity awards since 1991. All awards will be presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) in Washington on Nov. 12, 2017.

Row 1- Misty Blue-Terry, North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University (1890s Region); Kevin Erb, University of Wisconsin-Extension (North Central Region) and Chet Arnold, University of Connecticut (Northeast Region). Row 2-  Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University (Southern Region), and Marsha Goetting, Montana State University (Western Region)

Seeking a Host Land-grant University for 2019 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism - Volunteers form the basis of a very effective leveraging of core funding from federal, state and local sources. The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism provides an opportunity to develop volunteer management skills and has been held every other year since 1999. Since then, new strategies have been developed, research conducted, evaluations implemented, and priorities identified at the local, state, and national level. The 11th National Extension Conference on Volunteerism will be held in April or May, 2019. All land-grant universities interested in hosting the conference should submit a hosting proposal by December 8, 2017. Email Doug Swanson dswanson@nifa.usda.gov to request hosting criteria and application.


Reminder – New Administrators Orientation Registration Is Open - The orientation workshop is intended for individuals on the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) and their supporting administrators or faculty and USDA-NIFA personnel who have entered an administrative position since 2013 and any others who would like to learn more about APLU, the land-grant university system, the BAA, and USDA-NIFA. Information presented will be particularly useful to administrative heads, directors, associate/assistant directors, and USDA-NIFA national program leaders and administrators. The workshop’s learning objectives are:

• Discuss compelling issues facing land-grant university Administrators as well as budgeting and accountability advice. 
• Gain valuable tips from experienced administrators and how to be a proactive administrator. 
• Learn how the APLU, BAA, USDA-Research, Education, and Economics, and USDA-NIFA work together to advance research, education and Extension. 
• Learn how to become involved at the national level to influence federal legislation and decisions made by USDA-NIFA and other agencies. 
• Understand the diverse roles of various institutional types within the Land-grant University System and the BAA. 
• Establish strategic networks with colleagues. 

Reserve a hotel room (by 11/21/17) and register for the meeting ($375 until 11/6/17). The planning committee is finalizing the speakers for the agenda, and every session will include time for Q&A with many having small group and other interactive components to them. For information and to register, please click here. A pre-workshop webinar will be conducted on December 5th from 3:00-4:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Connection details will be provided in the 11/6/17 ECOP Monday Minute.

Director Ed Jones (Virginia Cooperative Extension)
joins Vermont 4-H'ers from the Flying Hooves Club
on October 4 as they build their "Incredible Wearables"
fitness trackers.

4-H Science Grows with help from "Incredible" Design Challenge - The 10th annual 4-H National Youth Science Day, the world's largest youth-led science challenge, engaged thousands of young people across the nation in October, thanks to the popularity of the 2017 Incredible Wearables design challenge, created by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. This year's challenge, including the flagship event co-hosted by Cornell University Cooperative Extension and National 4-H Council in Brooklyn, New York, also garnered prominent news coverage from several media outlets: Popular Science, Scientific American, RFD-TV and Axios. The hands-on project challenges young people to use the engineering design process to build a wearable fitness tracker that will help people lead healthier lifestyles. 4-H NYSD is made possible by Cooperative Extension, USDA-NIFA, National 4-H Council and the generous support of several corporate partners, including U.S. Cellular, DuPont Pioneer, Lockheed Martin, Hughes Net, Google and CA Technologies. Shop 4-H (formerly 4-H Supply Service) is on track to sell a record number of science kits this year -- nearing 10,000 as of October 19. For more information, including photos, click here.

2017 NEDA Wrap-Up - All presentations from 2017 NEDA are now available on the gadget on the right of this blog called "NEDA Links and Downloads" (the web view of the ECOP Monday Minute). Recently added is the summary from "Recruitment and Retention of an Innovative Workforce" and videos of "Anticipating and Planning for Paradigm Shifts",

Urban Conference Proposals Due 9.30.16

ECOP Monday Minute will return on 8.29.16. 

The University of Minnesota Extension and the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) announce a call for proposals for the National Urban Extension Conference on Engaging in Collective Purpose in Bloomington, Minnesota, May 7-11, 2017. For details, see https://t.co/hSXJ4v5wWM. The conference website is https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/urbanextensionconference2017/index. Extension professionals from all program areas can share research and innovative educational strategies that address the needs of urban, suburban, and peri-urban populations as well as urban-rural interdependencies. Journey for Diversity and Human Rights, a three-day tour designed for community leaders and educators, will take participants to the places that history has marked as pivot points in the state’s judgements on collective values and their effects on the state’s original peoples, workers, women, and communities. ECOP member Chris Boerboom, North Dakota State University, is the liaison to NUEL. An ECOP 2016 priority is to enhance Extension urban programming while maintaining a strong presence in rural places. 

Growth Plan for eXtension Communities – The eXtension Foundation Board of Directors chaired by Dennis Calvin, Pennsylvania State University, directs your attention to the new eXtension Growth Plan for eXtension Communities of Practice and Learning Networks. The plan supports the new eXtension focus on issues, innovation and impact. Work addresses one or more county, area, state or national levels and is designed to garner program visibility and measurable impact. Existing communities can build upon established resources, keep what is working, retire low impact activity, and experiment with establishing new cohorts as a complete community or segments of an existing community. They will have the opportunity to narrow their focus on a county, state or national issue and leverage i-Three Issues Corps strategies. New communities can begin as an Issue Corps cohort and leverage existing eXtension publishing tools and services. 

4-H Science Day $50,000 Award Letters of Intent Due 9.2.16 – The deadline is fast approaching to express interest in creating the 2017 4-H engineering challenge. 4-H National Headquarters at USDA-NIFA and the National 4-H Council invite Cooperative Extension faculty and staff at all land-grant universities to submit a proposal detailing an innovative engineering design challenge for youth to conduct during the 2017 4-H National Youth Science Day. The winning application will receive a $50,000 award. The 2017 subject area focus is "wearable technology." To apply, go to http://grants.4-h.org/index.do. Letters of intent are due on September 2. Top applicants will be notified on September 12 and asked to submit a full application by October 28. Direct questions to 4HNYSD@4-H.org. 

Food and Agriculture Sciences Nominations Due 10.3.16 – Mid-career Extension professionals are encouraged to review requirements for the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) award provided in partnership with the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) and Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Beginning in 2017, the new $100,000 prize will recognize one annual mid-career recipient for an extraordinary contribution to agriculture or to the understanding of the biology of a species fundamentally important to agriculture or food production. The prize is endowed in perpetuity. For details, see Learn More | How to Nominate. 

USDA State Fact Sheets – The USDA Economic Research Service has updated its data sets on population, income, education, employment, federal funds, organic agriculture, farm characteristics, farm financial indicators, top commodities, and exports for each state in the United States. Some county-level data also is available. See http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/state-fact-sheets.aspx.

2017 Urban Extension Conference in MN

  

May 8-11, 2017 are the dates for the next National Urban Extension Conference at Radisson Blu https://sites.google.com/a/umn.edu/urbanextensionconference2017/index, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN. The conference will feature presentations, workshops, local tours, networking, and an evening at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. A call for proposals will be coming soon. Questions can be directed to 612-625-5425. The conference is hosted by University of Minnesota Extension, Bev Durgan, Director and ECOP member. 

Immigrant Youth and Families Survey Due 8.31.16 – The USDA-NIFA Vulnerable Populations Immigrant Youth Champions Work Group requests your assistance in distributing The State of 4-H’s Engagement with Immigrant Youth and Families online survey to all Extension professionals, both state and local. The brief survey will assist the working group in identifying the professional development needs and strengths of Extension professionals in order to successfully recruit, engage and sustain the participation of immigrant youth and families in the 4-H Youth Development Program. The term "immigrants" (or "foreign born") refers to people residing in the United States who are not U.S. citizens at birth. Second generation immigrants are U.S. born children of immigrants (with at least one foreign-born parent). The survey is available at https://agrilife.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_2au3j3obDmZk3UF. Direct questions to Fe Moncloa at fxmoncloa@ucanr.edu. 

USDA-NIFA Temporarily Suspends POW Updates – All 1862 and 1890 Research and Extension institutions do not need to submit updates to five-year Plans of Work (POW) in FY 2017 and FY 2018. This means that the 2018 – 2022 POW will not be due on 4.1.17 and the 2019-2023 POW will not be due on 4.1.18. For details, see https://nifa.usda.gov/sites/default/files/asset/document/FY2017%20and%20FY2018%20POW%20Suspension%20Memo.pdf. Integrated Annual Reports of Accomplishments and Results will still be due from each state in FY 2017 and FY 2018. The 2016 Annual Report is due 4.1.17. The 2017 Annual Report is 4.1.18. 

2017 4-H National Youth Science Day – 4-H National Headquarters at USDA-NIFA and National 4-H Council invite Cooperative Extension faculty and staff at all land-grant universities to submit a proposal detailing an innovative engineering design challenge for youth to conduct during the 2017 4-H National Youth Science Day. The land-grant university that submits the winning application will receive a $50,000 award. The 2017 subject area focus is "wearable technology." To apply, go to http://grants.4-h.org/index.do. Letters of intent are due 9.2.16. Top applicants will be notified on September 12th and asked to submit a full application due October 28th. Direct questions to 4HNYSD@4-H.org. 

House Ag Committee Hearing on SNAP-Ed – Jo Britt-Rankin, University of Missouri; Cornerstone Government Affairs; the Land-grant University SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT), and the ECOP National Office worked collaboratively to provide the Extension perspective at a recent hearing. For an overview of the hearing, see http://agriculture.house.gov/calendar/eventsingle.aspx?EventID=3433. Britt-Rankin’s testimony is at http://agriculture.house.gov/uploadedfiles/britt-rankin_testimony.pdf with the video archive of the entire hearing at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkRS_Os65z4. The House Ag press release is at http://agriculture.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=3445. Pat Bebo, Ohio State University and a member of the PDT, also provided written testimony which is part of the public record.

Health Literacy an Extension Priority

Clockwise-Sonja Koukel, New Mexico State University; Sarah Bercaw,
University of Delaware; Belinda Letto, University of Tennessee; Nancy
Crevier, University of Wisconsin; Linda Quade, South Dakota State University;
Lisa Barlage, Ohio State University; Cathy Newkirk, Michigan State University;
Jatunn Gibson, Auburn University;
Fatemeh Malekian, Southern University A&M University

It is estimated that about nine out of 10 adults in the United States lack the skills to manage their health and prevent disease. The Health Literacy Action Team, a part of the ECOP-ESCOP Health Implementation Team, uses this statistic to drive it’s work to raise awareness of health literacy amongst Extension professionals and encourage making health literacy programming a priority. For more information, see http://go.osu.edu/HealthLit, which provides a survey link to share ideas and resources. Sonja Koukel, New Mexico State University, chairs the team working with colleagues from Ohio State University, University of Delaware, University of Wisconsin, Auburn University, University of Tennessee, Southern University, Michigan State University, and South Dakota State University. In process is a toolkit to assist Extension educators and professionals who work within the health system to integrate health literacy into programming. The goal is to address social determinants of health, improve the collective public health, and increase the number of Americans who are healthy at every stage of life. 

4-H National Youth Science Day Challenge 10.5.16 – National 4-H Council and 4-H National Headquarters at USDA-NIFA announce the ninth annual 4-H National Youth Science Day (NYSD), this year focused on drone discovery. Developed by Cornell University Cooperative Extension, the engineering design challenge will explore how remote sensing can be used to solve real world problems while learning concepts such as flight dynamics, forces of flight, basic computer coding, as well as following federal regulations while operating drones. The 9th annual 4-H NYSD brings 4-H'ers together from around the nation to complete this single, innovative activity. The 4-H NYSD Challenge kit will be available for pre-sale on the 4-H Mall website starting May 18. The new and improved 4-H National Youth Science Day website www.4-H.org/NYSD will launch this month where you can find engaging STEM content, register for a local 4-H NYSD event and access resources and materials. 

Extension Launches “Horizon” Effort – The eXtension Foundation and the ECOP Innovation Task Force are partnering with The New Media Consortium to develop a custom Horizon Report for Cooperative Extension. A panel of 56 experts will look out five years to identify key emerging technologies and methodologies and their impact on Extension. Leadership of this initiative is shared by Jerry Thomas and Christine Geith of eXtension and Keith Smith, Chair of the ECOP Innovation Task Force. The panelists will spend the summer collaborating on the report in a wiki environment (a website that allows for collaborative editing) with a report scheduled for completion in September 2016. More information about the process is at http://bit.ly/1QfyN7u.

APLU to Focus on “Feed the World” – Helping to ensure domestic and global food security by 2050 is the goal of a new APLU commission launched last week http://www.aplu.org/news-and-media/News/aplu-launches-commission-to-align--guide-public-research-universities-role-in-ensuring-global-food-security-by-2050. The commission, called The Challenge of Change: Engaging Public Universities to Feed the World, combines leadership from the APLU Office of Food, Environment and Natural Resources Programs, of which the Cooperative Extension Section is a part, and the APLU Office of International Programs. The commission is tasked with identifying the research, education and engagement efforts public universities should develop to ensure the three pillars of food security – access, availability and utilization – are met throughout the world. Randy Woodson, Chancellor, North Carolina State University, chairs the effort, designed for completion with a report in early 2017 to align with the new presidential administration. The W.K. Kellogg Foundation provided financial support for the commission’s work. 

Extension Master Gardener Program Shows Public Value – The Extension Master Gardener National Committee reports more than 80,000 volunteers contributed time valued at $122 million in 38 states reporting in 2014. It is estimated Master Gardeners donate 1,382 tons of fresh produce to food banks and pantries annually and are involved in 6,000 community gardens. To find out more about the impacts of this Extension program, operating in 49 states, go to http://articles.extension.org/sites/default/files/EMG%20Infocard%202016_0.pdf.

10.27.14 - ECOP Changes Leadership

ECOP Changes Leadership – Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, takes over as ECOP Chair at the Cooperative Extension Section Dinner Monday, November 3, 2014 during the APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. He replaces Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky. ECOP chairs are identified by regions on a rotational basis. The northeast region has named Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, as ECOP chair for 2016. The western region has named Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska, for 2017. Two members complete ECOP terms this year – Charlotte Eberlein, University of Idaho, and Daryl Buchholz, Kansas State University. ECOP is the representative national leadership and governing body of Cooperative Extension. Proceedings of ECOP meetings are available at https://www.aplu.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=2435.

USDA-NIFA Releases Strategic Plan – ECOP was highly involved in the review and comment process in the development of the USDA-NIFA Strategic Plan for 2014 to 2018 http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/strat_plan_2014_2018.html. The plan aligns with USDA and USDA-Research, Education and Economics (REE) priorities. USDA-NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy invites you to a webinar to introduce the plan 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. ET, Tuesday, 10.28.14. To connect, go to http://emsp.intellor.com/login/417304. Send advance questions to Virginia Bueno, Communications Director, Virginia.bueno@nifa.usda.gov. Questions also will be taken during the webinar.

4-H Science Takes Off Around the Country – The 7th annual 4-H National Youth Science Day, the world's largest youth led science experiment, engaged thousands of young people all over the nation in October, thanks to the popularity of the 2014 national science experiment, Rockets to the Rescue. Created by the University of Arizona Extension, the experiment challenges youth to build an aerodynamic craft designed to deliver a payload of food to natural disaster victims. To date, more than 950 4-H NYSD events have been registered - a new 4-H NYSD record - engaging more than 100,000 youth in all 50 states and Puerto Rico, including NASA Space Centers, major league fields, schools and 4-H clubs. 4-H NYSD, made possible by National 4-H Council, USDA-NIFA and Cooperative Extension, was created to ignite an early interest in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) among young people. The nation's STEM skills gap was the focus of a thought leadership event on October 8 in Washington, D.C. that included leaders from NASA, Lockheed Martin, Virginia 4-H and Change the Equation. 4-H NYSD corporate sponsors included Lockheed Martin, Hughes Net and John Deere. For more information, including photos, click here.

NEDA 2015, 2016 – SAVE THE DATES – Each year, traditionally in spring, the Cooperative Extension directors, administrators and partners meet to discuss program and administrative issues of national significance. For the near term, this national gathering, commonly known as NEDA (National Directors and Administrators) and Cooperative Extension Section (CES) Meeting, has been shifted to fall. In 2015, the meeting is October 12-14 at the Embassy Suites-Downton St. Louis, MO. For 2016, the University of Wyoming, on behalf of the Experiment Station Section, is pleased to host the Joint Experiment Station Section-Cooperative Extension Section Meeting, Monday September 19, 2016 – Thursday, September 22, 2016 at the Jackson Lake Lodge in Grand Teton National Park near the town of Jackson Hole, Wyoming http://www.gtlc.com/lodging/jackson-lake-lodge-overview.aspx. Information regarding meeting registration, agenda/schedule, and hotel reservations will be provided closer to the meeting dates.

2015 USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum Student Diversity Program – Please alert undergraduate (juniors and seniors) and graduate students majoring in agriculture and related sciences on your respective college and university campuses to go to the Agricultural Outlook Forum Student Diversity Program website to apply for sponsorships to attend the USDA Agricultural Outlook Forum http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/. The forum provides producers, policymakers, business, government, and industry leaders with a unique opportunity to meet, exchange ideas, and discuss timely issues at the forefront of America’s agriculture. In an effort to increase the present and future diversity of participation in the Forum, USDA created this program. The deadline for applications is November 20, 2014.

USDA and DHHS Announce Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee Meeting – The 2015 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee will meet on November 7, 2014 by webcast. See http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/ for details. Written comments will be accepted.