Representing Cooperative Extension Section on BAA Policy Board of Directors - Last April, ECOP appointed Dr. Quentin R. Tyler, Senior Associate Dean for Outreach and Engagement and Director for Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) to represent the Section with the BAA Policy Board of Directors, beginning July 2023. He also has held roles such as the Associate Dean and Director for Diversity Equity and Inclusion and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs and Administration at Michigan State University in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. He currently serves on the advisory board for LEAD21 representing Cooperative Extension. He has 3 degrees from the University of Kentucky and a graduate of Harvard’s Institute for Management and Leadership in Education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Opportunities for Internationalizing of Extension - On Friday, August 4, 2023, the ECOP Chair Bev Durgan, University of Minnesota, moderated a conversation by the Cooperative Extension Section on Internationalizing Extension. The YouTube recording is available at https://youtu.be/UCyKoB2RPAg on the ECOP Learning for Leaders Playlist. Other relevant links:

• Presentation by the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) 

          Slides by NAAAN Representatives

          Feeding North America through Agricultural Extension 

          GFRAS Annual Meeting one-pager 

• Presentation by Board on Agriculture Assembly International Agriculture Section (IAS) 

           Slides on Globalizing Extension Innovation Network

NEDA Meeting Session on Transforming the Extension Profession - At the 2023 NEDA Meeting (October 10-12) in Tucson, Rob Russell, Senior Program Director of University of Missouri Extension's Business & Communities Program, will lead Tackling Extension's Workforce Challenges. Employers continue to feel the pinch of a historically tight labor market, and Extension programs are no exception. The interactive discussion will highlight some of the reasons why we’re facing such significant challenges in attracting and retaining workers and will discuss ways that Extension systems – and other employers – are working to overcome these challenges. This is just one of the great opportunities awaiting members of the Cooperative Extension Section. Browse the entire schedule and register at neda.extension.org for NEDA by September 18 and save $100 and secure lodging at the NEDA rate. Stay tuned for more details.

Leading Through COVID-19 and the New World of Virtual Extension

Last Friday Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director Rick Klemme, on behalf of ECOP Chair Mark Latimore (Fort Valley State University), invited members of the Cooperative Extension Section to meet via Zoom on Friday, March 27, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. This special Learning for Leaders session is called Leading Through COVID-19 and the New World of Virtual Extension. Five colleagues, one from every region, will share ideas on how to be an effective leader in a world pandemic or similar emergency. Directors and Administrators are encouraged to send questions to be posed during the hour and links to resources to Health Extension Director Roger Rennekamp rogerrennekamp@extension.org. The recorded version of the session will be released in next week's ECOP Monday Minute. Click here to download/save calendar file or contact Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org for connection details.



Cooperative Extension Learning Resources for COVID-19 - A collection of relevant learning resources for supporting institutional response to COVID-19 can be found at virtual.extension.org. Under "Extension Responses to COVID-19", discover outward-facing resources for the general public and internal guidance for Extension professionals developed by contributing institutions. Additionally, resources designed to help Extension professionals adapt to working in remotely is found under “Working Collaboratively in a Virtual World”. To submit resources by region and institution, forward links (no attachments, please) to contact-us@extension.org. Questions or comments regarding Extension System’s COVID-19 response can be directed to Roger Rennekamp rogerrennekamp@extension.org.



System-Wide Announcement: Powerful and FREE to ALL Extension Professionals - All Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to share the following opportunities widely with Cooperative Extension Professionals everywhere and across all areas of Extension programming and on-line learning/communications professionals.

• Connect Extension Hub connect.extension.org, is a new, open and very powerful way to engage system-wide for rapid response and collaboration. Aaron Weibe aaronweibe@extension.org may be contacted with questions/concerns. There is no cost to join to connect on rapid ground-breaking topics like this one:
  
• National Action Dialogue for Community Based Programming (CBP) in the Digital Networked COVID-19 Age, March 26 & April 1, 3 - 4:30 PM ET. The purpose of this series is to support Extension colleagues in their rapid response to CBP in the Digital networked COVID-19 issue by delving in, capturing collective wisdom, inspiring innovative thinking, and focusing on new opportunities, partnerships, solutions, tangible actions and collaborations on issues for farms, families, businesses, and communities that will exist long beyond this public health crisis. This is open to ALL Cooperative Extension professionals. Facilitated by Molly Immendorf, eXtension Foundation; joined by a panel of innovative thinkers from around Extension. Register here.    

International Scene Update - The North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) is being established as an affiliate of the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS). GFRAS is an international NGO that provides networking, learning, and information exchange for agricultural extension programs, practitioners, and stakeholders across the world. GFRAS has regional network affiliates covering most countries in the world. NAAAN aspires to link agricultural extension communities of practice (and related stakeholders) in Mexico, Canada, and the U.S. with each other, and through GFRAS, with their counterparts in other countries across the globe. For more information, contact David Nielson dnielson0427@gmail.com, Kerri Wright Platais at Kerri.Wright.Platais@ColoState.edu, or Ashley Stokes Ashley.Stokes@colostate.edu. Click here to learn where NAAAN will be housed in Denver at  Colorado State University System's Northwestern Center.

Plan of Work Report Changes for Extension

To ensure that all Extension Directors and Administrators are aware of the upcoming changes for Plan of Work Reporting, ECOP is re-sharing the announcement made by NIFA Director Scott Angle last Wednesday. Click here to learn more. ECOP will diligently inform the Cooperative Extension Section and generate open lines of communication on this important change. Please share the information with associates with responsibility for reporting and send questions or concerns to ecopblog@gmail.com, the collection point for comments and feedback from the ECOP Monday Minute. Thank you.


ECOP Announces New Extension Health Director - Rick Klemme, Cooperative Extension/ECOP Executive Director, is pleased to share for immediate release the announcement of the hiring of Roger Rennekamp as Extension Health Director, Cooperative Extension/ECOP. Full story is available here.


From Idea to Impact, New Reports Revealed by eXtension - The eXtension Foundation has produced two new reports that include key findings and an update on the progress of Extension teams working with the Impact Collaborative, and insights about the learnings and potential opportunities from working with these teams. These reports highlight an overview of trends and outputs of the Impact Collaborative methodology and process, challenges and success factors of participating teams, a theory of change model for these teams, and perspectives from teams and Extension Directors/Administrators. Both reports are available at impact.eXtension.org/success.


Introducing Rural Innovation Initiative Opportunity - With support from the Economic Development Administration, Center on Rural Innovation is seeking the second cohort of communities to join the Rural Innovation Initiative. Applications must be submitted by November 18, 2019. Successful applicants will receive technical assistance to strengthen their approach to entrepreneurship and digital jobs, apply for federal funding, and join a national network of rural innovation communities. Communities should express interest in the program as soon as possible by filling out a brief questionnaire. Rural Innovation Strategies Inc. will host a webinar on October 28 at 2 p.m. ET to provide additional information. Interested communities are encouraged to register for the webinar here.

International Role of Extension Systems - Registration is now open for Future Extension: Innovations and Evidence, an event on November 7-8, 2019, organized by CGIAR (Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research) Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM), Feed the Future Developing Local Extension Capacity (DLEC) project, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Register here: https://pim.cgiar.org/2019/08/05/future-extension-innovations-and-evidence. The option to attend in person in DC or online is available. For questions on the program, please contact Kristin Davis (K.Davis@cgiar.org).to

Health Program Funding Opportunities and Awards by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

The recording of last Friday's Learning for Leaders, Well Connected Communities - Emerging Opportunities is available at https://youtu.be/0eY6NaWFVP4. Slides from the presentation are available by Clicking Here. These resources are available to help prepare applications for upcoming Wave 2 funding. The program equips volunteer leaders to help their neighbors be healthier at every stage of life and is ECOP endorsed and supported by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) in partnership with National 4-H Council.



Land Grant University System Culture of Health Awards were announced last week at the National Health Outreach Conference.  As a part of Extension's Well Connected Communities initiative the awards are made possible by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and focus on health equity and inclusion, address one or more of the social determinants of health, and successfully engage youth-adult partnerships. Monica Hobbs Vinluan, Senior Program Officer for the RWJF, presented the awards in 3 categories.

• Land Grant University: University of Arizona's Tucson Village Farm's FARMacy Program, to help underserved members of the Tucson community learn farm-to-table nutrition.
• Adult Volunteer: Jacqueline “Jackie” Rhode of South Dakota, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe (pictured top left), serves as the Community Champion for the newly formed Crow Creek Community Wellness Coalition. Jackie assisted a local school with Smarter Lunchrooms, a program to encourage healthy choices. 
• Youth Volunteer: Pearl Daskam, a 16-year-old from Ubly, Michigan (pictured bottom left), is the co-founder of a project called “Meating” the Need for Our Village. To address the a need in her community at the local food pantry where she volunteered, Pearl applied her knowledge of how to grow food. Starting at only age 12, too young to drive or hold jobs, she and her team began to raise chickens and donate the meat, and then added milk and eggs, to increase sources of high-quality protein for under-served populations. 

Stay tuned for details about this year's Priester Award.



Save the Date - Binational US and Mexico Extension Conference  The Second Binational Extension Conference will be held in Las Cruces, New Mexico, November 19-20, 2019. With the participation of USDA, APLU, U.S. Land-grant and Mexican Universities, Mexican Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (SADER), this conference aims to boost programs of university-based Extension in the border regions of the U.S. and Mexico. The conference is a product of the 2016 MOU between APLU and SAGARPA, Mexico's Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food, for increased collaboration in agriculture. This will be the second 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. Topics will include development and delivery of Extension programs, youth and community development, agricultural innovations, and case studies of binational Extension partnerships. Mexico will be holding three regional domestic Extension workshops this year and the Binational Extension Conference will also serve as an opportunity to discuss outputs from their regional meetings. Registration details will be provided in June.



Education and Workforce Development RFA - The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development (EWD) focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. In FY 2019, EWD invites applications in five areas: professional development for agricultural literacy; training of undergraduate students in research and extension; fellowships for predoctoral candidates; fellowships for postdoctoral scholars, and a new program for agricultural workforce training. The close date for applications is Thursday, August 22, 2019. See EWD Request for Applications for specific details, https://nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/agriculture-and-food-research-initiative-education-workforce-development.

New Directors and Administrators Orientation at NEDA

The ECOP Personnel Committee is planning a New Director and Administrator Orientation for Monday, October 2, 4:30-6:00 p.m. to precede the 2017 NEDA Meeting reception in Vermont. Navigating the Politics of Change and Budgets will consist of panelists from 1890, 1862, and 1994 land-grant institutions. This annual session is especially helpful for those with 1-3 years’ experience, is included in the cost of NEDA Registration, and limited to 45 participants. Go to http://www.cvent.com/d/55qd1t to register for NEDA by September 18 and save on the registration fee.

Promoting Participation in the Upcoming Ag Census - On behalf of ECOP, Executive Director Rick Klemme is working with USDA National Agriculture Statistics Service (NASS) officials to ensure as high a response rate as possible in the upcoming Ag Census. Being mailed to U.S. farmers and ranchers late this fall, the 2017 Census of Agriculture provides invaluable data to those who serve farmers, ranchers, and rural communities, including federal, state and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations, Extension educators, researchers, even farmers and ranchers themselves. Census results help shape farm programs and boost services for communities and the industry. To help spread the word, check out the 2017 Partner Tools. There you’ll find census promotional items and tips, including how to connect with NASS on social media. The gateway to share with producers in order for them to be counted is http://www.agcounts.usda.gov/cgi-bin/counts. For more information, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call (800) 727-9540. The Census of Agriculture is a producer’s voice, future, and opportunity.


US Commitment to National and International Agricultural Research and Extension - The Association for International Agriculture & Rural Development (AIARD), a group of university, business, foundation and government leaders, has just issued a report titled, SMART Investments in International and Agriculture and Rural Development which showcases the importance of maintaining US commitments to agricultural research and extension that support food security at home and abroad. The report's recommendations focus on strengthening opportunities in both the Farm Bill and in foreign assistance appropriations legislation. This report will be particularly important to those who are keen to maintain American leadership in the agricultural sciences through global engagement.

L-R: C.Y. Wang, South Dakota State University; Paula Peters, Kansas State University;
Jill Thorngren, South Dakota State University, and Laura Stephenson, University of Tennessee.

SNAP-Ed Program Development Team Changes - C.Y. Wang (South Dakota State University) and Paula Peters (Kansas State University) have stepped down as members of the Land-grant University SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) Executive Committee. Drs. Wang and Peters have each dedicated years to the oversight of the PDT and worked to make the team an ongoing success. "ECOP thanks them for their many years of generous service and wishes them all the best in the future," says ECOP Chair Fred Schlutt. Welcome to Jill Thorngren (South Dakota State University) and Laura Stephenson (University of Tennessee) who have accepted the positions on PDT Executive Committee. Additionally, Dr. Thorngren will provide personnel and financial supervision of the SNAP-Ed Office, which is located at South Dakota State University. Based on the positive vote of a 2016 poll of participating institutions within the Cooperative Extension Section, ECOP reauthorized SNAP-Ed annual assessments to support PDT efforts through 2019.

ECOP, ESCOP Chairs Engage USDA-NIFA Staff

Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware,
and Shirley Hymon-Parker, North Carolina
A&T University

“Research to Application: National Leadership, Local Impacts” was the theme of a seminar last week for USDA-NIFA colleagues in Washington, DC. Speakers were ECOP Chair Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, and ESCOP Chair Shirley Hymon-Parker, North Carolina A&T State University. The purpose was to brief NIFA partners on joint Cooperative Extension and Experiment Station efforts including pest management, water security, healthy food systems and people, climate, communications and marketing, impacts reporting, and the need for both capacity and competitive funding. Other meetings during the day-long visit focused on communications, program planning and reporting, and other items to advance the partnership with USDA-NIFA. 

Chris Boerboom, North Dakota
State University

Boerboom Named to Pest Management Team – ECOP member Chris Boerboom, North Dakota State University, has been named to the National Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Coordinating Committee. The committee makes recommendations to ESCOP and ECOP on programs, policies, reports, and budget matters that affect pest management implementation. It also facilitates national collaboration for IPM research and Extension at land-grant universities, and between land-grants and federal agencies. Membership includes representatives from regional IPM technical committees and centers, USDA agencies including NIFA, other federal departments, and non-government organizations. 

Grow True Leaders Campaign Thunderclap Deadline 5.21.16 – There is still time to participate in the 4-H Thunderclap. Join Reba McEntire, Jennifer Nettles and others in supporting #TrueLeaders. If 4-H reaches its 500 supporter goal by May 21, Thunderclap will blast out a timed Twitter, Facebook, or Tumblr post, spreading the message of #TrueLeaders to millions. Join here http://bit.ly/4HThunderclap and add an extra note celebrating young people passionate about 4-H. 

County Health Rankings Webinar 5.17.16 – The County Health Rankings & Roadmaps, a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation program, is hosting a webinar titled First Things First: Priority Setting. This short webinar will examine how to collaboratively set priorities building on data while also honoring multiple voices in the community. A priority setting tool from the National Association of County & City Health Officials, called First Things First, will be featured and examined. For registration and more information, click here. 

International Programs Webinar 5.9.16 – The APLU International Agriculture Section announces a webinar 1:00 p.m. ET, 5.9.16, featuring Otto Gonzalez, USDA-NIFA’s new director of the Center for International Programs. ECOP Chair Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, met with Gonzalez and other USDA-NIFA colleagues last week where he described how he will work across all USDA-NIFA institutes to develop global engagement opportunities. Webinar registration is at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/3471901852318820609. 

eXtension What’s New Webinar – If you missed the webinar last week reviewing recent changes and new opportunities now available for eXtension member institutions, view the recording at https://learn.extension.org/events/2621. The eXtension leadership team answers questions and provide examples of how to use new tools and services.

11.10.14 - ECOP Engaged in APLU Annual Meeting

ECOP Engaged in APLU Annual Meeting – At the APLU Annual Meeting last week in Orlando, FL, ECOP members fully engaged and represented the Cooperative Extension section, including Rick Klemme, Budget and Advocacy Committee, University of Wisconsin; James Trapp, Committee on Legislation and Policy, Oklahoma State University; Tim Cross, Policy Board of Directors, University of Tennessee, and Jimmy Henning, Board on Agriculture Assembly strategy sessions, immediate past ECOP chair, University of Kentucky. 

Communications and Marketing Project Expands – Last week the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly Administrative Heads Section (AHS) voted to be an equal funding partner in the current AES-CES Communications and Marketing Project effective in 2015. Current co-chairs of Communications and Marketing Committee are Nancy Cox representing ESCOP, University of Kentucky, and Scott Reed, representing ECOP, Oregon State University. The project seeks to educate the public and decision-makers about the value of land-grant university research, Extension, and with the AHS support, academic programs. 

Extension Project Gets Highest USDA Honor – USDA-NIFA’s Afghanistan Agricultural Extension Project (AAEP) received the Secretary’s Honor Award in the category of Increasing Global Food Security last week at a ceremony in Washington, DC. The award presented to Jim Hill, Associate Dean for International Programs, UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Michael McGirr, national program leader, USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture’s Center for International Programs recognizes exceptional leadership contributions or public service in support of USDA’s missions and goals.

eXtension Hosts Critical Conversation on 2nd Machine Age Conference – eXtension hosted a “Critical Conversation” panel on the thoughts of workforce changes as the result of technological changes. This critical conversation entitled “Takeaways from the 2nd Machine Age Conference” centered on ideas that were discussed at the MIT 2nd Machine Age conference and in the book 2nd Machine Age by Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee. The panel, moderated by Bob Bertsch-Web Technology Specialist, North Dakota State University, included Anne Adrian, Jerry Buchko and Jerry Thomas. The recording is at https://plus.google.com/events/c61cv6stfqn1dcd66p98lc6ujn4. 

University of Florida Honors Mellinger – Former, two-term CARET liaison to ECOP, Madeline Mellinger, has received the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Friend of IFAS Award for her long-term commitment to the university’s land-grant mission as a Florida CARET delegate. 

Journal Continues Centennial Celebration – The October 2014 issue of the Journal of Extension includes an article on Extension community development in the continuing series honoring the centennial. See http://www.joe.org/joe/2014october/comm1.php. 

Strengthening Rural Economies – See a new state-by-state "Made in Rural America" report illustrating the impact of USDA investments in rural communities. Each state factsheet highlights specific USDA investments in rural businesses, manufacturing, energy, water and other infrastructure development. They also outline how USDA is helping rural communities attract businesses and families by investing in housing and broadband.

10.20.14 - ECOP 4-H National Leadership Committee Names Co-chairs

ECOP 4-H National Leadership Committee Names Co-chairs – Renée McKee, Program Leader, 4-H and Youth Development, Purdue University, and Ed Jones, Extension Director, Virginia Tech, are co-chairs of the new ECOP 4-H National Leadership Committee. The committee’s charge is to engage in regular and substantive discussion about issues of national importance related to the LGU Cooperative Extension System’s implementation of the 4-H program, and to develop recommendations for consideration by ECOP. Click Here to view a progress report. Charlotte Eberlein, Extension Director, University of Idaho, and an ECOP member, served as the inaugural, interim chair of the team. Chuck Hibberd, Extension Director, University of Nebraska, is ECOP liaison to the team. 

ECOP Meets in Lexington, KY – ECOP Chair Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky, welcomed ECOP members, liaisons, and guests to his home state last week for a robust session focusing on significant agenda items including the future of eXtension, implementation plans related to the Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health and Wellness, and formalization of the National Impacts Database Committee. ECOP also approved the goals, calendar and budget for the new ECOP year effective November 4, 2014 when Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, becomes chair. 

International Extension Webinar 11.7.14 – In celebration of the U.S. Cooperative Extension’s 100th year, the Global Forum on Rural Advisory Services www.g-fras.org and USDA-NIFA are hosting a webinar November 7, 2014, 11:00 am – 12:30 pm ET. The title is What is the Role of a Country’s Universities in Pluralistic Rural Advisory Services? The U.S. Land-Grant Model and Other Examples. The session is designed for policy makers, government and non-government organizations, university leaders, donors, and agricultural service providers as they work to strengthen extension/outreach services in the U.S. and around the world. If you plan to join the webinar, technically facilitated by eXtension, please send an email to CIP@nif.usda.gov. 

USDA-NIFA Federal Assistance Policy Guide – Comments continue to be solicited by USDA on the policy guide, which is based on laws, regulations, and USDA and NIFA guidance. See www.nifa.usda.gov/business/managing_grant.html. Send comments to policyguide@nifa.usda.gov with “NIFA Policy Guide” in the subject line of the email message. 

Energy and Federal Financing – Guide to Federal Financing of Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Deployment has been released by the U.S. Department of Energy, USDA, the U.S. Treasury and other agencies. See http://energy.gov/sites/prod/files/2014/10/f18/Federal%20Financing%20Guide%2009%2026%2014.pdf. 

Future of Extension – ECOP member Michael Ouart, University of Missouri, calls your attention to the panel discussion Extension: Taking the Long View http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83c61_rvlGg. The 2014 National Excellence in Extension award winner, Robert Kallenbach, Plant Sciences Extension Specialist and Program Leader, University of Missouri, is one of the panelists. 

Extension Embraces Change – Cathann Kress, ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee member, Iowa State University, recommends an article about the changing Extension at 100 years http://m.iowafarmertoday.com/news/crop/extension-embraces-change-at/article_0661eac8-4f1e-11e4-b4c7-6b5bfc500c20.html?mobile_touch=true.

ECOP Monday Minute 8.4.14 - Mississippi State President to Deliver Knapp Lecture

Mississippi State President to Deliver Knapp Lecture – Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University, has been selected by USDA-NIFA to deliver the prestigious Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture http://www.nifa.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2014news/07301_knapp_memorial.html at the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) annual meeting November 2-4, 2014 in Orlando. Keenum will focus some comments on the legacy and future of Cooperative Extension during this 100th year of the signing of the Smith-Lever Act. Knapp is often dubbed the “father of Extension” who, as an educator, inspired Congressmen Smith and Lever to introduce the law which established the nationwide Cooperative Extension System. To register for the APLU Annual Meeting, go to http://www.aplu.org/page.aspx?pid=1462. Cooperative Extension will continue the 100th celebration with a dinner Monday evening of the conference. 

Cooperative Extension’s International Engagement (by Michael McGirr, USDA-NIFA) – In conjunction with the Cooperative Extension’s100th Anniversary, USDA-NIFA’s Center for International Programs is attempting to document the history of Extension’s international engagement. For the past 25 years, our office has been collaborating with land-grant universities to strengthen Extension systems overseas, starting with Poland in 1990 through our current project in Afghanistan. University Extension Services also have a rich history of working with other countries. Please help identify and describe this historical involvement, both to other countries and by enriching our own United States system. Tiffany Freer, tjoy.freer@ufl.edu, a PhD candidate at the University of Florida, will coordinate this effort. Please get information to her no later than mid-September 2014 such as descriptions of overseas Extension projects (1914-current), contact information for Extension personnel who have worked extensively overseas or have historical knowledge in this area, and publications or other resources about Extension’s foreign involvement. 

National Health Outreach Conference – Linda Kirk Fox, Board on Human Sciences liaison to ECOP, University of Georgia, invites you to Atlanta, GA, May 6-8, 2015 for a conference on Promoting Connections to Create Healthy Individuals, Families and Communities. The conference is a follow-up to the work of the ECOP National Task Force on Health chaired by ECOP member Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware. Workshops will focus on integrated nutrition, health, environment, and agricultural systems; health literacy; chronic disease prevention and management; positive youth development for health, and health policy issues education. A pre-conference workshop on health insurance literacy also is being planning. For more information about the conference at the Crowne Plaza Ravinia, see https://www.facebook.com/NationalHealthOutreachConference or contact Janet Valente, University of Georgia, 706.583.0343, jvalente@uga.edu.

White House Honors Ag Champions – At an event last week in Washington, DC, agricultural innovators from MN, AL, GA, MI, DE, NY, NJ, MA, KY, WA, NM, CA, IN and NE were honored by USDA and the White House as Champions of Change for Agriculture. Cooperative Extension, including 4-H, and land-grant universities were cited in comments by awardees. Directors and administrators may wish to make contact with awardees as listed at http://www.whitehouse.gov/champions. Jane Schuchardt, Cooperative Extension Executive Director, attended the event on behalf of ECOP.

Strong, Local Economies – Karon Harden, Director of Professional Development, Education and Training, National Association of Counties (NACo), recommends the following new research http://www.naco.org/research/Pages/strong-economies.aspx. The report Strong Economies, Resilient Counties: The Role of Counties in Economic Development was one topic of discussion during the quarterly NACo-Cooperative Extension National Leadership Team meeting last week. ECOP immediate past chair Daryl Buchholz, Kansas State University, and others have been instrumental in engaging NACo in discussions at the national level for the purpose of strengthening this critical partnership at the local and state levels.