Highlights of Extension Activities from 130th APLU Annual Meeting in DC

ECOP Monday Minute will return on December 4, 2017 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska (L) passed ECOP gavel to
Chuck Hibberd (R), University of Nebraska on 11.13.17

On 11.12.17 Fred Schlutt (far left; 2017 ECOP Chair) and Sonny Ramaswamy (third from right;
USDA-NIFA Director) celebrated with Cooperative Extension Award Recipients: L-R front-Cody Stone,
Montana State University (accepting on behalf of Marsha Goetting), Misty Blue-Terry, North
Carolina A&T State University, Patricia Dawson, Oregon State University (accepting on behalf
of 4-H Youth Development, "Attitudes for Success Youth Leadership Program"); L-R back-
Louie Rivers, Jr., Kentucky State University, Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University, Kevin Erb,
University of Wisconsin and Chet Arnold, University of Connecticut

2018 ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd thanks 2017 Chair
Fred Schlutt for his leadership

Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, received
recognition of 5 consecutive years of service to ECOP

ECOP Executive Director Search - After considering the input the from the NEDA presentations by the two finalists and lengthy interviews, the 2017 Executive Director Search Committee has declared a failed search. Rick Klemme has agreed to continue serving as the Executive Director (0.60 FTE) with a focus on building and maintaining partnerships. In addition, a process is under way by the National ECOP Office to determine which program related, Director level responsibilities can be contracted out or placed on hold until a full-time Executive Director is hired. ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd is accepting ideas for the construction and tactics of the next Search Committee. CLICK HERE to send a message by Thursday, December 7. The ECOP Executive Committee will meet on December 14 and consider next steps.


eXtension’s Impact Collaboratives Are Around the Corner - Extension Directors and Administrators learned more about the Impact Collaboratives during the recent NEDA meetings. As promised, the 2018 Impact Collaboratives, focusing on food systems, behavioral health, and diversity & inclusion, will kick off with eight regional “Designathon One” events in February and March 2018. These events are open to eXtension member institutions only and will promote design thinking and use Adobe’ Kickbox Innovation Kit as a tool for developing and iterating program ideas to maximize measurable local impact. The list of host institutions, locations, and dates is available at https://www.extension.org/designathon-one/. Encourage your faculty and staff to attend the event most convenient for them! The RFA for the Food Systems Impact Collaborative will be released by December 1, 2017. To become a member for the 2018 calendar year and to take full advantage of the “Designathon One” events, contact Chris Geith at christinegeith@extension.org.


In the Pursuit of Excellence of Health and Human Services - Connecting Leaders. Shaping the Future. was the theme of the 2017 annual American Public Human Services Association Education (APHSA) Conference recently held in Memphis, TN. This conference is attended by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Directors from across the nation. The SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) shared an exhibit featuring Land-grant Universities (LGUs) efforts to implement SNAP-Ed across the nation with conference participants. Program outcome fact sheets from individual states, educational resources, as well as the SNAP-Ed LGU National Report - Executive Summary were shared. During the conference, participants focused on shaping a two-generational approach for reducing poverty and development strategies for private-public collaboration. SNAP-Ed PDT members at the display purposefully engaged in conversation to promote the capacity of Land-grant Universities to be effective partners with state agencies in these approaches and strategies. For more information, please contact Laura Stephenson laura.stephenson@utk.edu of the Executive Committee of the LGU SNAP-Ed Program Development Team.

Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders #1: Opioids and Extension

On Friday, December 1, 2017, 3:00 p.m. ET, the first in a series of web-based meetings will take place for the Cooperative Extension Section called Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders. In communities across the Nation, opioid addiction is increasing rapidly with dreadful results – hospitalization and death, weakened parenting and increasing out-of-home child placements, and family and workplace economic collapse. Incidence of opioid abuse has risen dramatically across geographic, demographic, and socioeconomic groups. Can Extension make a difference? Chris Boerboom, North Dakota State University, and the ECOP Program Committee, Anne R. Lindsay, University of Nevada-Reno, and Mark Skidmore, North Central Regional Center for Rural Development, will provide an overview of the national situation related to abuse of opioids and will highlight examples of current Extension strategies. They will also collect relevant resources and curricula from interested participants, which will be shared with the System. Directors and Administrators have received the invitation with connection details and are encouraged to participate and/or share the invite with interested faculty and staff. The session will be recorded and electronically archived. Resources are available at http://articles.extension.org/pages/74079/opioid-resources-for-extension-professionals.


REMINDER: Passing of the Gavel - The Cooperative Extension Section (CES) gathers this evening, November 13, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. ET, at the APLU Annual Meeting at the Wardman Park Marriott, Washington, DC. ECOP Chair Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska will preside and hand over leadership to Chuck Hibberd, University of Nebraska. Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware will receive recognition for her service, 2013-2017. The meeting will be highlighted by presentation of the 2017 CES Annual Report and the brand new CES Strategic Agenda. Follow CES activities on Twitter at @Ext100Years #leadext #CoopExtAward during the #APLU2017 meeting @APLU_News.

Promoting SNAP-Ed at LGUs - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) is a vital contributor to the Land-grant University (LGU) mission; it provides evidence based and evaluated nutrition education and obesity prevention service to high need audiences. It is critical that LGUs and Extension play an active role in the support and promotion of the strong impacts realized as a result of SNAP-Ed to ensure its continued funding. As the Federal Fiscal Year 2018 begins, please take a moment to plan how to promote, educate, and advocate on behalf of SNAP-Ed. Consider the following options to formulate a plan:

• Convene a meeting between Extension and SNAP-Ed leadership to discuss the importance of SNAP-Ed at your LGU, promotion and educational priorities, and strategies for sharing the impacts of SNAP-Ed with internal and external stakeholders. 
• Connect SNAP-Ed staff with your institution’s legislative liaisons to ensure SNAP-Ed impacts and value are part of educational and advocacy priorities for the coming year. 
• Engage critical SNAP-Ed partners as advocates for SNAP-Ed within and beyond your state. 

For more information, please review national reports, and state reports, about SNAP-Ed within the LGU system, or contact Christine Hradek (hradek@iastate.edu) of the Legislative Education Committee of the LGU SNAP-Ed Program Development Team.

eXtension Offers Course on Civil Rights Training and Ensuring Inclusiveness - Civil rights are front and center in our nation’s news, which makes Extension professionals' responsibility for understanding the importance of civil rights training and ensuring inclusiveness in programming more important than ever. A new online course developed by more than 40 University of Minnesota Extension faculty and staff and led by Renee Pardello, Key Informant for the eXtension Impact Collaborative, is now available nationwide through eXtension. The course, which works best as a small-group activity, can be accessed at: https://campus.extension.org/course/view.php?id=1481

Beverly Samuel, NIFA and
NEAFCS President Theresa Mayhew

Beverly Samuel Receives NEAFCS Award - National Program Leader Beverly Samuel of USDA NIFA in Division of Family & Consumer Sciences was honored at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) 2017 Annual Session. She received the “Friend of NEAFCS Award” at the conference held September 16-20, in Omaha, Nebraska. Initiated in 2005, the annual “Friend of NEAFCS Award” is the highest honor bestowed by the Association in recognition of an individual or organization, who has made significant contributions to Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Science education programs across the nation. To read full article, CLICK HERE.

Cooperative Extension Celebrates Excellence

Delbert Foster, ECOP Chair 2014-15 stands with Excellence in Extension Award recipients: Virginie Zoumenou (1890); Dana Martin (Western); Julie Garden-Robinson (North Central); Mary Jane Willis for Chang Lu Wang (Northeast); National Award - Joe Outlaw and Region - Derrell Peel (Southern)

Yesterday, ECOP Chair Delbert Foster assisted in recognizing Cooperative Extension colleagues at an awards celebration at the APLU Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. The national and regional awards recognize excellence in Extension programming. An additional award recognizes diversity and inclusion. Details about the award winners can be found HERE. Extension directors and administrators are encouraged to nominate colleagues for the 2016 awards. The call for nominations will be announced soon.

eXtension Unveils Professional Development Course – The new online Impact Statement Reporting course, created by land-grant communications professionals especially for Extension faculty and educators, is now available at https://about.extension.org/2015/11/03/new-online-impact-statement-reporting-course-now-available/. 

Health Insurance Survey Due 11.20.15 – The ECOP Health Insurance Literacy Action Team, led by Virginia Brown (University of Maryland Extension) is surveying family and consumer sciences and agriculture Extension educators nationwide to understand what is being taught around health insurance literacy. The team wants to understand what Extension educators are teaching and barriers to doing health insurance literacy programs. Your state’s input will be helpful to guide recommendations for the whole system. Please ask those who have not yet completed the survey to do so by 11.20.15. Any questions can be directed to Virginia Brown vbrown12@umd.edu. The link is: https://umdsurvey.umd.edu/SE/?SID=SV_0lBjFCrZQ9PRLvL. 

Urban Webinar Focuses on Research – The next Western Center for Metropolitan Extension & Research webinar is 3:00 p.m. ET, 11.18.15 on the topic Metropolitan Extension Best Practices: What is our research base?. Register at https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/8315340729270843650. 

Community Development, Natural Resources Conference Proposals Due 12.18.15 – Building a Path to Resilience: Uniting Natural Resources and Community Development is the theme of the joint National Association of Community Development Professionals (NACDEP) and Association of Natural Resource Extension Professionals (ANREP) conference June 26-29, 2016 in Burlington, VT. Proposals are due 12.18.15 at Click here to submit. Direct questions to Joshua Clements (jclement@iastate.edu, 563-213-9357) or Mary Sisock (mary.sisock@uvm.edu, 802-656-1721). 

USDA-NIFA Releases 2014 Report – Based on the vision to "catalyze transformative discoveries, education, and engagement to address agricultural challenges," USDA-NIFA Director Sonny Ramaswamy has released the agency’s 2014 Annual Report here. It describes how USDA-NIFA is advancing agricultural science to solve societal challenges.

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.

ECOP Monday Minute 8.18.14

ECOP Chair 2016 Named – The Northeast Extension Directors chaired by Rick Rhodes, University of Rhode Island, has named Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, as ECOP chair for 2016. Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, will accept the gavel from current chair Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky, during the November 3, 2014 Cooperative Extension dinner at the APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando, FL. The five Cooperative Extension regions name ECOP Chairs for this critical national leadership role on a rotational basis in the order of 1890s institutions, northeast, west, north central, and south. The individual named serves for a minimum of three years as chair-elect, chair, and immediate past chair. 

ECOP Names CLP Representative – James Trapp, Oklahoma State University, will represent Cooperative Extension on the Board on Agriculture Assembly Committee on Legislation and Policy (CLP) effectively immediately. The committee, chaired by Gregory Bohach, Mississippi State University, focuses on federal legislation, primarily provisions affecting the various sections of the Board on Agriculture Assembly through farm bill authorizations. CLP will meet during the APLU Annual Meeting in early November 2014 in Orlando, FL. 

County Specific Details from NACo – Karon Harden, Director of Professional Development, Education and Training, National Association of Counties (NACo), announces the new County Intelligence Connection (CIC) www.naco.org/CIC. The site allows for searches on more than 500 indicators for cities, counties and all counties within a state. 

Military Extension Internship Applications Due 9.30.14 – The Military Extension Internship Program is accepting applications for Spring 2015 internships. Internships are on active military installations across the U.S. and around the world working with military child and youth programs. See www.ydae.purdue.edu/military for job descriptions, application details, intern profiles, and FAQs. Funding is provided through a partnership between Cooperative Extension via USDA-NIFA and the U.S. Department of Defense. Questions can be directed to Jessica Wandless, Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service Internship Coordinator, at jwandles@purdue.edu. 

Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research Update – Former U.S. Agriculture Secretary Dan Glickman and Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum have been named chair and vice-chair, respectively, of the new Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research. Authorized by the Agriculture Act of 2014, the foundation will operate as a non-profit corporation seeking and accepting private funds. Congress provided $200 million for the foundation, which must be matched by non-federal funds as projects are identified and approved. For more information, including the complete roster of board members, see http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda/usdahome?contentidonly=true&contentid=2014/07/0156.xml. The research funded by the foundation will address such issues as plant and animal health, food safety and nutrition, renewable energy, natural resources, environment, agricultural and food security, and agriculture systems and technology.

ECOP Monday Minute 11.11.13

SAVE THE DATE: Centennial Convocation – The ECOP Centennial Task Force, chaired by Doug Steele, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, and Frankie Gould, Louisiana State University AgCenter, asks you to mark your calendars for May 7-8, 2014 for the Cooperative Extension Centennial Convocation.  The event will be in Washington, D.C. starting the evening of May 7 and running through the afternoon of May 8. This event provides a unique opportunity to gather in our Nation's Capitol to celebrate the impact of Cooperative Extension's first hundred years and to set the stage for another century of excellence. Registration and hotel information will be available soon. Please plan to bring a delegation from your state to honor the Cooperative Extension System.

ECOP Releases 2013 Accomplishments – ECOP Chair Daryl Buchholz, Kansas State University, presents the ECOP 2013 Report http://www.aplu.org/CESannualreport today at the Cooperative Extension dinner meeting at the APLU Annual Meeting in Washington, DC. Daryl expresses his thanks for the opportunity to serve the Cooperative Extension Section as chair and extends his appreciation for working with him on national leadership of benefit to state and local Cooperative Extension programming. The report also is highlighted as part of the APLU report to the Board of Directors http://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=4933.

ECOP Gavel Passes to Henning – Today Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky, assumes the role of chair of ECOP, the representative leadership and governing body of Cooperative Extension. Goals for ECOP’s work for the next year are at https://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=4949.

ACTION: Comment on USDA-NIFA Plan of Work/Annual Report Process – Proposed revised guidelines for the USDA-NIFA Plan of Work and Annual Report data collection were published in the Federal Register on November 1, 2013  http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2013-11-01/pdf/2013-25990.pdf. Comments are due December 31, 2013. For more information, contact Katelyn Sellers, USDA-NIFA Planning, Accountability & Reporting Staff, 202-401-5482, ksellers@nifa.usda.gov.

Congratulations to Award Winners – Seven exemplary Cooperative Extension professionals were recognized at the APLU Annual Meeting in Washington, DC yesterday. The awards are sponsored by USDA-NIFA and ECOP. See https://www.aplu.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=2828 for the press release.

REMINDER: Early Orientation Registration Ends This Week – Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators who have been in their positions less than three years are encouraged to attend the New Deans/Directors/Administrators/NPLs Orientation Workshop December 3-5, 2013 in Alexandria, VA. Early registration ends November 15. The Cooperative Extension Section will have a breakout session to answer any questions about ECOP and its functions. Click here for schedule, registration, and hotel information.

ECOP Monday Minute 8.26.13

In observance of Labor Day, ECOP Monday Minute returns 9.9.13

ECOP Chair Meets with OMB – Daryl Buchholz, ECOP Chair, together with Mike Hoffmann, ESCOP Chair, and Cornerstone Government Affairs representatives, met last week with the U.S. Office of Management and Budget in Washington, DC. The purpose was to continue the advocacy messaging related to the “both-and” of competitive and capacity funds. Buchholz used the 2012 ECOP handout on capacity funds, the 2013 ECOP handout, and a new piece developed by the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee on the Top 10 Reasons Why Capacity Funding Is Essential. Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators are welcome to use any of these handouts in state-level work.

FY 2014 and SNAP-Ed Funding Update – Rick Klemme, ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee Chair, University of Wisconsin Extension, worked with Cornerstone Government Affairs to provide the document Current Status of USDA-NIFA and SNAP-Ed Funding (August 2013). This is adapted from a communications used in Wisconsin to answer questions from Cooperative Extension colleagues and their statewide advocacy group. Directors and Administrators are welcome to use the document.

Cooperative Extension at APLU Annual Meeting – Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators attending the 2013 APLU Annual Meeting in Washington, DC can use the preliminary Board on Agriculture Assembly schedule. Of particular interest are the awards presentations, the 4-H luncheon, and the Monday evening Cooperative Extension dinner which will include recognition for national leadership. Registration details can be found here.

GCHERA Conference in China – Ian Maw, APLU Vice President for Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, encourages attendance at the Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for the Agricultural and Life Sciences (GCHERA) October 20-22, 2013 in Nanjing, China. The program includes the inaugural GCHERA World Agriculture Prize Ceremony www.gchera-wap.org to acknowledge excellence in academic leadership in agricultural and life science universities and an international seminar on sustainable rural development. Registration through the Nanjing Agricultural University is available at http://wap.njau.edu.cn/.

Sign up for Ag is America Newsletter – Contact Jenny Nuber, jenny.nuber@kglobal.com, to get this weekly newsletter which highlights impacts of Cooperative Extension and agricultural research. This is part of the work led by the AES-CES Communications and Marketing Committee co-chaired by Scott Reed, Oregon State University. You also may wish to follow Ag is America on Twitter at @AgIsAmerica.

ECOP Monday Minute 7.22.13

Extension Centennial on Social Media – The ECOP Extension Centennial Committee has started social media sites to promote the centennial and celebrate the Smith-Lever Act of 1914. Please promote and use these sites as a vehicle for the centennial celebration. On Facebook, we are promoting centennial activities, nationally and in the states, go to: https://www.facebook.com/Extension100Years. Twitter will push out links and stories related to our initiative and spur discussions, go to: https://twitter.com/ext100years. Pinterest will provide a sharing board for pinning images and links of Extension’s past and present, as we move into the next 100 years, go to: http://pinterest.com/ext100years/pins/.

Integrated Programs Showcased at Joint COPs –  Research Extension and Teaching: Innovative Mission Collaboration and Integration is the theme of the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly Joint COPs meeting in Manhattan, KS, this week. About 85 key leaders from Cooperative Extension, experiment stations, academic programs, international programs, and deans of agriculture meet to discuss national leadership issues. Director Sonny Ramaswamy will speak about how USDA-NIFA views program integration. Also included will be a session on the new USDA-NIFA strategic plan under development. ECOP, represented by Chair-elect Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky, led the planning for this year’s meeting and moderates the joint session.

Benning to Retire  – Linda Kay Benning, Executive Director, Northeast Extension Directors (NEED) has announced her retirement, effective December 31, 2013. As part of the national Extension Director and Administrator Team since 2010, Benning has provided significant leadership to the work of the SNAP-Ed Program Development Team, Measuring Excellence in Extension Implementation Team, ECOP Marketing and Communication Brand Value Implementation Team, and the PILD Conference Planning Team, among other ECOP priorities. Before assuming the position in the northeast region, she served as Associate Director for Outreach and Engagement at APLU beginning in August 1994.

JOE 50th Celebration at Galaxy – Extension directors and administrators are invited to a reception celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Journal of Extension from 4-6 p.m., Monday, September 16, 2013 at the David Lawrence Convention Center, Hall A, during the JCEP Galaxy IV Conference in Pittsburgh. RSVP by September 4, 2013 to Alice Moore, ammoore@udel.edu. ECOP member Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, is the ECOP liaison to the JOE Board of Directors. For more information about Galaxy, go to www.jcep.org.

Opportunity with Climate Change – ECOP is coordinating with the USDA Climate Change Program Office to encourage Cooperative Extension’s involvement with regional hubs for risk adaptation and mitigation to climate change. USDA hosted a webinar last week outlining the RFA process (open to USDA agencies only) for identifying the regional hubs, with the goals of providing technical support, assessments and forecasts, and outreach and education. USDA is interested in identifying Cooperative Extension’s role with the issue of climate change with a focus on being part of the regional hubs. Go to http://www.usda.gov/oce/climate_change/regional_hubs.htm for a fact sheet, the webinar PPT presentation, and the draft Terms of Reference for the hubs. Cooperative Extension is encouraged to contact representatives at state and local levels to be included as a partner in the application process. The application deadline is August 21, 2013. The hub locations are expected to be named by USDA in October 2013.

View Counties Count Webinar –  Click here to view the recorded webinar presented by the National Association of Counties (NACo) called Counties Count: NACo-Cooperative Extension Partnership. In addition to a national overview by ECOP Chair Daryl Buchholz, the webinar featured a state and local example from Wisconsin by Mark O’Connell, Executive Director, Wisconsin Counties Association; Rick Klemme, Dean and Extension Director, University of Wisconsin Extension; Mike Koles, Waupaca County Cooperative Extension Community Resource Development Agent, and Dick Koeppen, Waupaca County Board Chair.