National Extension Award for Innovative Programming that Addresses New Audiences

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

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


National Survey on Commercial Home-Prepared Food Regulations

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

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


Final Evaluation of RWJF Well Connected Communities Initiative

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


Get Involved with ExtensionBot and MERLIN! 

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

Extension Leaders Explore Steps Toward Inclusive and Equitable Organizations

At Friday's Learning for Leaders meeting with participation by 31 leaders (1862, 1890 and 1994), from 21 states, Guam and American Samoa, participants learned the interdependent steps for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. ECOP Chair Chris Watkins, Cornell University, encourages his colleagues from across the System to familiarize themselves with the materials listed below and join him on Friday, February 5, 3-4:30 PM ET, for the next Learning for Leaders session, Improving Inclusivity in Our Institutions and ECOP.  Contact Assistant Director Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org for details on required registration.

-- YouTube Recording https://youtu.be/MyFrmSeyyuA

-- Slides found here

-- Theory and Practice of Multicultural Organization Development

2021 Outlook for Cooperative Extension System's Health Initiative - All Land-grant University Health Leaders, Extension Deans, Directors and Administrators and Friends are invited to register for a "State of Health" webinar for Wednesday, January 13, 2021, Noon-1:00 PM Eastern Time. 2020 was an exciting year for the Cooperative Extension System, particularly for its work related to health and well-being. Responding to a global pandemic, expanding the portfolio of programming related to mental health, continuing the extraordinary work in the area of food and nutrition, and working with scores of new partners was just a beginning! Distinguished panelists representing various components of the Cooperative Extension System including USDA-NIFA, National 4-H Council, the eXtension Foundation, and ECOP, will present the latest information about the partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the work of the Health Innovation Task Force, and the expanding health presence on Connect Extension. Register in advance at Webinar Registration - Zoom to either attend and/or receive the link to the recording. 

USDA Announces Castille as New NIFA Director - Dr. Carrie Castille has been named as the new, permanent director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture. She started her role as NIFA director on Monday, January 4, 2021, and will be the first female NIFA director in a non-acting role. Dr. Castille has a wide range of experience with the agency as a NIFA stakeholder, a faculty member at a partner land-grant university, as a USDA colleague, and as a leader in both the Vilsack and Perdue USDA administrations. Having worked with NIFA in so many different aspects gives her a unique view of the organization and the customers served. 

USDA Seeks Members for Advisory Committee on Urban Agriculture - The USDA is seeking members for a new 12-person advisory committee on urban agriculture, including two representatives from an institution of higher education or Extension. This is part of a broader effort to focus on the needs of urban farmers. including two representatives from an institution of higher education or Extension. The committee will advise the Secretary of Agriculture on the development of policies and outreach relating to urban, indoor, and other emerging agricultural production practices as well as identify any barriers to urban agriculture. Any interested person or organization may nominate qualified individuals, with a broad spectrum of expertise. Self-nominations are also welcome. Read more here. and respond by March 5, 2021.



Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 - Updated jointly by the USDA and Health and Human Services (HHS) every five years, the Dietary Guidelines provides science-based advice on what to eat and drink to promote health, help reduce risk of chronic disease, and meet nutrient needs. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 is the first set of guidelines that provide guidance for healthy dietary patterns by life stage, from birth through older adulthood, including pregnant and lactating women. To develop the Dietary Guidelines, the Departments built upon the previous edition of the Dietary Guidelines with updates grounded in the scientific review of the 2020 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee, along with comments from the public and input from Federal agencies.

Cooperative Extension Leaders at 132nd APLU Annual Meeting

L-R: Rick Klemme, Cooperative Extension/ECOP Exec. Dir.; Scott Angle, USDA-NIFA, Dir.;
Dorothy Brandon, Alabama A&M Univ.; Kim Greder, Iowa State Univ.; Matt Devereaux, Univ. of
Tennessee; Donna Shoemaker, Ohio State Univ.; Dave Schramm, Utah State Univ.; Gordon Johnson,
Univ. of Delaware; Mark Latimore, Jr. (ECOP Chair), Fort Valley State Univ., and Mark Peterson, Univ. of Arkansas

Almost half of the Cooperative Extension Section (all Regions) are currently attending the APLU Annual Meeting in San Diego. The meeting runs through Tuesday. Yesterday morning the impact of Extension was showcased during the Annual National Awards Program. The awards were presented by USDA-NIFA Director Scott Angle, USDA Chief of Science Scott Hutchins, and ECOP Chair Mark Latimore, Jr., Fort Valley State University. Follow the news here and here on Twitter. Click Here to view today's happenings.


Innovative System Staffing Model Launched November 1 - ECOP entered into a new era to strengthen organizational functioning of Cooperative Extension last week when Executive Director Rick Klemme and Assistant Director Sandy Ruble completed negotiations with eXtension Foundation, National 4-H Council (Council) and APLU to bring aboard an Extension Health Director (See below). The result is an independent contract agreement through October 31, 2021, funded by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The administrative package is a combination of technical support (eXtension), implementing partners (Council and APLU), national leadership (ECOP) with regional support (AEA, NCCEA, NEED, WEDA, ASRED). This initiative is an example of what the Extension Resource and Program Development Committee developed as a pathway to leveraging public investment with outside funding.

Roger Rennekamp,
Extension Health Director

Extension Health Director Welcome - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through their support of the Well Connected Communities project recognized a need for an Extension leader as a key strategist and communicator for health extension in the Cooperative Extension System (CES). Roger Rennekamp has joined the national office to fill this important role! While focusing on increasing health equity by responding to the diverse needs of children, youth, and families; particularly among vulnerable populations, Roger will simultaneously develop partnerships focused on systems and policy change to address four core themes.

1. Building partnerships and acquiring resources to achieve the core themes, 
2. Increasing understanding and visibility of the Cooperative Extension System as a national leader in health education, 
3. Enhancing leadership and professional development among Extension System colleagues, and
4. Strengthening organizational functions to sustain health equity as a CES initiative. 

Roger reports to the Chair of ECOP and Executive Director, Cooperative Extension/ECOP, with day-to-day interaction with the Well Connected Communities Program Director and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Development Director. Contact information: rogerrennekamp@extension.org and 541-740-5327.


eXtension Shares Results of New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) Survey - eXtension appreciates the participation of Directors and Administrators in a recently conducted system-wide survey to gauge interest and identify existing Extension programs in four topic areas aligned with USDA strategic priorities. 942 Extension professionals responded to the survey. The end goal is to provide professional development opportunities focused in these areas for Cooperative Extension. The following percentage of respondents indicated interest in these topic areas:
    -- Climate Smart Agriculture: 72%
    -- Prevention & Mitigation of Ag Pests & Disease/IPM: 67%
    -- Prevention of Foodborne Illness & Protection of Public Safety: 75%
    -- Safe & Nutritious Food for Low-Income Individuals: 73%
An overview of the national results are available here. The results by region are available here.


NIFA Information Update - Josh Stull, Acting Communications Director / Congressional and Stakeholder Affairs Officer, NIFA, USDA, forwarded the following information to be shared with colleagues regarding the NIFA resources.
    -- Updated NIFA org chart
    -- NIFA grants page
    -- NIFA Director Update Message on ReePort/Plan of Work

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.

ECOP Members Recognized for National Leadership Service

At the ECOP Spring Meeting on April 11^th, Scott Reed, Oregon State University, (2016-2019), and Lou Swanson, Colorado State University, (2017-2019), were recognized for their national service. ECOP Chair Ed Jones, Virginia Tech, pictured to the left, presented these leaders with a small token of appreciation earlier than normal (usually done at NEDA meeting) due to their upcoming retirements. Scott (upper photo) and Lou (lower photo) will continue their national duties until retirement (Scott - end of July; Lou - September 8). ECOP will celebrate all national leadership accolades during the “recognitions” portion of the Annual Cooperative Extension Section Business Meeting on the morning of September 25, 2019 in Nashville. Registration for the Joint ESS/CES-NEDA meeting will be released next month.

Celebrating EFNEP - On April 9, 2019, ECOP established a resolution to celebrate the 50^th anniversary of the grand accomplishments of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). The resolution, demonstrating the collective appreciation of the Cooperative Extension Section, was presented last week to Helen Chipman, National Program Leader for Food and Nutrition Education, USDA-NIFA, during the PILD conference in Crystal City, Arlington, VA. To learn more about the 50 years of impact go here and follow #EFNEP50th on Twitter.



Awards Deadline is About 1 Week Away - Extension Directors and Administrators should note that time is running out to prepare letters of support for the Excellence in Extension (EiE) Awards. Nominations for EiE awards (submitted by Region) and for the National Diversity in Extension Award (any individual or team may apply) must be submitted using an online form by 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, Wednesday, May 1. To learn more about these prestigious awards administered in partnership with USDA-NIFA go to www.aplu.org/CESawards or contact Sandy Ruble, sandyruble@extension.org or 202-478-6088.

eXtension Funds New Fellows for 2019 - eXtension announces the following individuals as Fellows for 2019. eXtension Fellows create a pathway for new work in high-priority topic areas, disseminated and used across the Cooperative Extension System.

  => Lindsey Lunsford, Tuskegee University. Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Fellow. Continuing the work of eXtension’s 2018 DEI Fellow, the focus of Lindsey's fellowship is to develop a second version of the DEI eFieldbook to be published with eXtension for the October 2019 Impact Collaborative Summit.

  => David Warren, Oklahoma State University. Artificial Intelligence Fellow. David will guide & frame a digital content scoping project which will be conducted by an eXtension technical partner in April, 2019.

  => Mike Masiuk, The Pennsylvania State University. Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) Fellow. In partnership with ECOP and eXtension, Mike Masiuk will develop a JCEP Extension and Engagement Core Competency Framework for Extension professionals.

Stay tuned for the announcement of Fellows representing Extension professional organizations such as ACE, NUEL, & NAEPSDP.



RWJF Research Funding Opportunity - The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the private funding partner for Well-Connected Communities, is dedicated to building a Culture of Health—one where everyone in America has a fair opportunity for health and well-being. Directors and Administrators are invited to spread the word about RWJF’s latest funding opportunity. The Equity-Focused Policy Research Funding Opportunity is for researchers, state and local government agencies and public and private sector professionals, from a variety of fields who are interested in better understanding the use of income supports like the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) Programs. Ten grants ranging from $50,000 to $500,000 (for a total of $1.5 million) will fund research with the potential to impact 4 key areas. An optional webinar will occur May 3, 2019 (1:00 - 2:00 p.m. ET); registration is required. The brief proposal deadline is Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

Well Connected Communities - Web Discussion 4.6.18

America’s land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension System, including the 4-H youth development program, with its unparalleled infrastructure, reach and impact, play an important role in fostering a Culture of Health across the nation. The first initiative of its kind, a Cooperative Extension/philanthropic partnership, now has a title: Well Connected Communities. With the support of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF), the nation’s largest philanthropy dedicated solely to health, National 4-H Council and the Cooperative Extension Section (CES) together are empowering communities to come together to help their residents be healthier at every stage of life. The April 6^th edition of Next Generation for Extension – Learning for Leaders, What the Cooperative Extension Section Wants to Know About the Well Connected Communities Project will reveal more details on how Extension Directors and Administrators can participate in upcoming readiness professional development and prepare to become a part of this effort in future waves. ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd features Michelle Rodgers (ECOP Chair 2016), Program Director, Well Connected Communities during the moderated conversation. Other presenters will include RWJF's Dr. Monica Vinluan.

Another NSF Funding Opportunity - The Advancing Informal STEM Learning (AISL) program seeks to advance new approaches to and evidence-based understanding of the design and development of STEM learning opportunities for the public all in informal environments; provide multiple pathways for broadening access to and engagement in STEM learning experiences; advance innovative research on and assessment of STEM learning; and engage the public of all ages in learning STEM. The AISL program supports six types of projects: (1) Pilots and Feasibility Studies, (2) Research in Service to Practice, (3) Innovations in Development, (4) Broad Implementation, (5) Literature Reviews, Syntheses, or Meta-Analyses, and (6) Conferences. The Anticipated Funding Amount is $33,000,000 to $44,000,000. The Full Proposal Deadline is November 7, 2018 (due by 5 p.m. submitter's local time). The Program Director is Alphonse T. DeSena (703) 292-5106 adesena@nsf.gov.


National Search for Excellence in Extension - The 2018 Excellence in Extension Award deadline is May 1, 2018. All 76 institutions in the Cooperative Extension Section are encouraged to make a priority over the next few weeks to nominate one or two of their own for the most prestigious award intended for Extension professionals delivering high impact programs at state, regional and/or county levels, with at least 50 percent EFT/FTE university appointment in Extension, and a minimum of 5 years consecutive program experience. Each nomination, submitted by Region, must include a letter of recommendation signed by the Director or Administrator of Extension or delegate this assignment to an Associate. Go to www.aplu.org/CESawards for complete details of both this award and the National Extension Diversity Award. Questions may be directed to ECOP Program Assistant Sandy Ruble at sandyruble@extension.org, 202-478-6088.

Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders #2

ECOP Monday Minute returns on January 8, 2018! We wish you and your family the best for the Holiday season! 

10 Big Ideas to Think Differently About the Future of Extension - ECOP Chair Chuck Hibberd invites all Extension Directors and Administrators to the second edition of Next Generation Extension – Learning for Leaders conference on Friday, January 5, 2018, 3:00 p.m. ET. Five Director/Administrators, one from each region, will provide 2 of their best and biggest ideas to invite their colleagues to “think differently” about Extension. There will be opportunity for colleagues to engage in the conversation within the allotted timeframe of one hour. The session will be recorded and archived with opportunity to continue the conversation after the session has ended. Chuck looks forward to input from everyone! Calendar invitations were sent last Friday. Contact ECOP Executive Director Rick Klemme rickklemme@extension.org for more information.

Important Resources for the Cooperative Extension Section - By using www.extension.org/ecop, Directors and Administrators have a wealth of information at their fingertips. The site includes

• contacting the ECOP Office on matters of national policy and the Section 
• reviewing CALENDARS 
• learning about national AWARDS 
• obtaining contact information for key leadership - DIRECTORIES 
• keeping up to date on national news items affecting Cooperative Extension (RESOURCES LIBRARY-Searchable Blog) and much more! 

Please take this opportunity to check out the site. When you view this blog and a question comes to mind, simply click the Cooperative Extension image on the right panel of the Web View and you are seamlessly connected to both sources.

Culture of Health Convening at National 4-H Conference Center - On December 5-8, there was a convening of the 15 states involved in the new Culture of Health partnership between the Cooperative Extension System, National 4-H Council and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Over 60 specialists, agents, community partners and several youth representatives (photo above) of the five pilot states and 10 self-funded states came together for capacity building around this initiative. According to Dr. Michelle Rodgers, national project director of the CES-RWJF partnership, the focus of the meeting was to “gain clarity on the goals, process and expectations, increase knowledge of transforming community systems and cultures, learn how to leverage and integrate staff and volunteer resources, build a strong multi-sector partnership, increase awareness of community and health data resources, and develop action plans for each state.” Directors are encouraged to visit with the staff that attended and hear about their state’s plans. The partnership, launched in 2017, aims to improve the health of 1,000 communities across the nation over the next 10 years.

eXtension Designathon Event Registration Materials Available - Ten Designathon One events will be held in January-March to kick off the 2018 eXtension Impact Collaborative. Registration information and materials to promote the event to faculty and staff will be sent to each member institution.

• Northeast Region: Portsmouth NH, February 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by University of New Hampshire Extension); Pittsburgh, PA, February 26-28 (co-hosted by Penn State University Extension); Ithaca, NY, February 20-22, 2018 (co-hosted by Cornell University) 
• Southern Region: Raleigh, NC, January 22-24, 2018 (co-hosted by North Carolina State University); San Antonio, TX, February 12-14, 2018 (co-hosted by Texas AgriLife Extension & Prairie View A&M University Extension) & Atlanta, GA, March 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by the University of Georgia Extension and Fort Valley State University Extension) 
• Western Region: Portland OR, February 5-7, 2018 (co-hosted by Oregon State University Extension) & Denver CO, February 26-28, 2018 (co-hosted by Colorado State University Extension) 
• North Central Region: Indianapolis, IN, February 12-14, 2018 (co-hosted by Purdue University Extension). Madison WI, February 19-21, 2018 (co-hosted by University of Wisconsin Extension) 

For more, visit https://www.extension.org/designathon-one/

2016 CYFAR Report is Available - The Children, Youth and Families At-Risk Program (CYFAR) has exciting accomplishments at the state and site level and overall with the CYFAR Program. The Program had 17,000 plus program participants with an increase in volunteer engagement and new 4-H clubs. Evaluation of CYFAR Parent Programs indicates association with attitudes and behaviors regarding flexible child rearing. As well, CYFAR is associated with Middle School youths’ belief in their developing healthy nutrition habits. The 2016 CYFAR Annual Report provides the highlights of this program that positively impacts youth, families and communities in U.S. States and U.S. Territories.

NEDA Session - Anticipating and Planning for Paradigm Shifts

NEDA Session Panelists: Ken LaValley, University of New Hampshire; Scott Reed, Oregon State University; Rosalind Dale, North Carolina A&T University; Laura Perry Johnson, University of Georgia, and Karl Martin, University of Wisconsin

“When the old ways of doing things no longer apply, how do Deans and Directors respond in a way that leverages Cooperative Extension’s assets?” This question will be addressed on October 4, during 2017 NEDA meeting. 5 panelists, pictured above, are featured in Anticipating and Planning for Paradigm Shifts. Dan Lerner, University of Vermont, NEDA Planning Committee member is the moderator. Directors and Administrators will engage on the following topics: 1) the funding landscape for Cooperative Extension; 2) changing demographics; 3) state and national politics; 4) multigenerational workplaces and clientele; 5) shifting market preferences, and 6) sustaining entrepreneurial energy. The session will be filmed and archived with other 2017 NEDA presentations on the ECOP Monday Minute (see "NEDA Links and Downloads" on right at bottom of this page). Early registration fee for NEDA ends today, September 18! Lodging at The Essex is quite limited; call 802-764-1404, Monday-Friday, 8AM-4PM ET, for more information.


EPA Cooperative Agreement Will Support Pesticide Safety Education - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Pesticide Programs is awarding a cooperative agreement to support Extension educators through a partnership with eXtension and the newly-formed National Pesticide Safety Education Center (NPSEC). NPSEC seeks to strengthen the national system Pesticide Safety Education Programs by improving the quality, consistency, and accessibility of educational offerings, promoting collaboration, and increasing revenue generation of Extension programs. The eXtension Foundation provides contractual services to deliver online programs and temporarily serves as the Center's fiduciary service provider. Additional partners include the Pesticide Educational Resources Collaborative (PERC), Association of Pesticide Safety Educators, and CropLife America Foundation. Learn more about the NPSEC... | Learn more about eXtension… 

New partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Cooperative Extension System is Announced Publicly - A $4.6 million grant to National 4-H Council to improve the health of 1,000 communities over the next 10 years was shared with news outlets nationwide last week and posted to the 4-H and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation web sites. The partnership will leverage the reach of Cooperative Extension and innovation of youth leadership to build a Culture of Health. “This initiative taps into everything that the Cooperative Extension System has done well since we were formed over a century ago as the national education and community development program of the nation’s land-grant universities,” said Michelle Rodgers, PhD, project director and associate dean and director of University of Delaware Extension. “When we combine this with America’s philanthropy leader in health, it is amazing to envision the transformative impact we will have in communities throughout the country.” To begin this partnership, several land-grant universities have been selected to lead action plans in numerous communities. The details are included in the September 14 press release. We invite and encourage you to share this news with your colleagues and networks, including social media.


Breakthroughs 2030 Announces Five Focal Areas - The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine have been engaging the science community in the study Science Breakthroughs 2030: A Strategy for Food and Agricultural Research. This study’s goals were to identify ambitious scientific opportunities in food and agriculture made possible by incorporating knowledge and tools from across the science and engineering spectrum. The year-long project is working towards describing research directions with high potential to open new frontiers for food and agriculture science. The National Academies has announced five focal areas for the Breakthroughs 2030 Study including Greener Plants, Greener Animals, Reducing Food Waste, Safer Food Supply, and Pathways for Resilience. These areas will be explored in greater depth by experts at the approaching "Jamboree Meeting" on October 2-4 in Irvine, CA. Stay tuned to ECOP Monday Minute for findings/results of the October meeting.

August 31 – Executive Director Applications Coming to a Close

Last week ECOP Chair Fred Schlutt announced a closing date for applications for the Executive Director, Cooperative Extension System, to be August 31, 2017. “The Search Committee is ready to move ahead with an application review,” said Fred. ECOP Monday Minute readers are encouraged to share the deadline and the job announcement bit.ly/ED-CES.


Communications and Marketing Committee Request - Bev Durgan, University of Minnesota, as Chair of the Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC), recently shared 2 recent reports from kglobal - a second quarter report and results of a recent "Call to Action" video campaign, describing the efforts of kglobal to support the BAA’s “One Ask” initiative; the initiative to increase funding to AFRI, Smith-Lever, Hatch, McIntire-Stennis, Evans-Allen and 1890’s Extension by $200M. Referring to systemic collaboration, Bev reminds Extension Directors and Administrators that future Calls to Action are meant to be shared with communicators, colleagues and stakeholders. and that more great stories are welcome. Cooperative Extension Section CMC representatives are Fred Schlutt, ECOP Chair, University of Alaska, efschluttjr@alaska.edu; Mark Latimore, Fort Valley State University, latimorm@fvsu.edu; Scott Reed, Oregon State University scott.reed@oregonstate.edu, and Steve Bonanno, West Virginia University scbonanno@mail.wvu.edu.

Cooperative Extension System and Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Partnership - Universities Selected to Support Culture of Health Initiative: Cooperative Extension's new partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to impact 1,000 communities over the next 10 years will launch this fall with the help of a $4.6 million grant approved in July by the Foundation's board. On behalf of the partnership, National 4-H Council is pleased to announce the selection of five LGUs that will lead this initiative over the next two years in three communities of readiness within each of their states. The five LGUs (from 26 applications) include: University of Maryland (Eastern Shore), University of Minnesota, South Dakota State University, University of Tennessee and Utah State University. Supporting partner LGUs include the Universities of Arkansas, Missouri, Texas and Wisconsin. In addition, Washington State University has been selected to lead the professional development work for the Culture of Health partnership. Supporting partner LGUs include: University of Alaska-Fairbanks, University of California, Colorado State University and the Ohio State University. To ensure the System is positioned for national scale of this initiative and lasting impact, significant investments will be made in readiness for over 50 additional LGUs. Additional information will be shared in mid-September through a public announcement. Questions can be directed to JoAnne Leatherman, Program Director, Foundations and Healthy Living, National 4-H Council, jleatherman@4-H.org.

Michelle Rodgers,
University of Delaware

Extension Leader Michelle Rodgers Named National Project Director for Culture of Health Initiative - Dr. Michelle Rodgers, Associate Dean and Director, University of Delaware Extension, will assume a new half time role on September 1 as National Project Director of Cooperative Extension System's (CES) new partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Rodgers will continue to fulfill her responsibilities as Delaware's Extension Director with the assistance of a new half-time Associate Director position. The partnership to impact 1,000 communities over the next 10 years will launch this fall with the help of a two-year, $4.6 million grant approved in July by the Foundation's board, see above story for more details. Nearly 50 people applied for the project director position. National 4-H Council wishes to thank the nine colleagues representing Extension, ECOP, NIFA and Council who participated in the interviews and selection process. As Associate Dean and Director, Dr. Rodgers provides overall leadership for programs, personnel and the organizational development of the University of Delaware Cooperative Extension. She is the immediate past chair of ECOP and served as co-chair of the ECOP Health Task Force. Prior to joining the University of Delaware, Rodgers spent five years as Associate Director at Michigan State University Extension. Rodgers also worked at Penn State University as an agent and regional director in Cooperative Extension.

Leadership in the City Online Professional Development Course for Urban Extension Professionals - Leadership in the City is an eight-week online professional development program for urban Extension professionals interested in entrepreneurial leadership, networks, innovation, and management. The program was developed based on a foundation of entrepreneurial theory and urban Extension practice. The curriculum builds upon existing leadership experiences, management training, and Extension professional development. Each competency-based module incorporates interactive digital delivery and the flipped classroom model for active learning and engagement. Participant from seven states have already registered. The investment in the program is $500 plus a commitment to actively participate. This course is aligned with ECOP’s 2017 Emphasis Areas and is led by Dr. Julie Fox from Ohio State University Extension. Practical application benefits individual participants, as well as their teams and organizations. The eight-week online course begins September 8, 2017 with orientation materials available on September 1. Multiple participants from the same institute are each entitled to a $100 discount (Discount code: EITC17-100). Complete details and registration can be found at https://cityextension.osu.edu/leadership.

Ag Is America Campaign: Highlighting the Diversity and Necessity of Land-grant Universities

ECOP Monday Minute will return on July 10, 2017.

Have a happy, safe Independence Day.

Agriculture Is America has launched a new video campaign highlighting the diversity and necessity of land-grant universities and Cooperative Extension in modern agriculture. The video, Redefining American Agriculture for the 21st Century, is part of a system-wide effort to support advocacy for additional funds in the upcoming Farm Bill.

To help spread the message, Agriculture Is America is asking for your support by:

1. Visiting AgAction.org to contact your local legislator 
2. Sharing the video on Facebook and Twitter
   o Sample Facebook copy: We research today, to impact your tomorrow. Watch this video
      showing the importance of #LGUimpact: bit.ly/agaction2017
   o Sample Twitter copy: We research today, to impact your tomorrow. Check out this video
      highlighting our #LGUimpact: bit.ly/agaction2017 #agaction 
3. Including the video in your weekly eNewsletters or websites 

Visit the Ag Is America website for more information.

Culture of Health Partnership with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Professional Development RFP Due June 30 - Don’t forget to apply for the latest funding opportunity related to Cooperative Extension's anticipated multi-year partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, an initiative that began in early 2016 with the Cooperative Extension System and the National 4-H Council . The goal of the Request for Proposals is to identify one land-grant university to lead professional development for the five pilot program states spearheading the Building a Culture of Health initiative. Want to learn more? Click here to access an on-demand recording of the live Q&A webinar. The RFP application deadline is June 30 at 11:59 PM ET. Click here to log-in to Webgrants to access the RFP and download the FAQ sheet. For more information, contact Joanne Leatherman at jleatherman@fourhcouncil.edu.

NIFA infographic: Nutrition Education Programming in America - NIFA is committed to improving health and reducing hunger and poverty in America through nutrition education programming. Low-income families develop healthy habits in eating, physical activity, food handling, and food storage through peer educator-led training using credible, research-based nutrition information. NIFA and its predecessor agencies have partnered with the Cooperative Extension System to provide nearly 50 years of federal leadership in nutrition education programming through the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP). We need to ensure that such programming is commensurate with demographic, social, and technological change. See https://nifa.usda.gov/resource/nutrition-education-programming-america for an infographic on this topic.



Connecting Large Amounts of Qualitative Data to Impact Stories - Evaluating large amounts of qualitative data is important to telling the impact story of Extension. What if there was a way to systematize the analysis and harness the collective power of many people using the same platform? Christian Schmieder, University of Wisconsin and eXtension fellow envisions that in his fellowship final report “Responding to the Data Imperative in Extension”.

Family & Consumer Sciences Report

Family & Consumer Sciences Report - Through research, education, and extension, the USDA NIFA Division of Family & Consumer Sciences (DCFS) provides resources that strengthen families, farms, communities, and the economy by focusing on the human and community dimensions of food and agriculture. DFCS incorporates two broad thematic areas: Family Well-Being contributing to the empowerment of families to achieve optimal well-being, and Community Vitality contributing to advancing the socio-economic potential of communities by addressing critical community needs and opportunities. During 2016, the DFCS portfolio was the third largest of nine at NIFA in terms of grant dollars. At over $180 million, the portfolio encompassed 13% of NIFA funding. For information on DFCS and competitive grant program opportunities, see the 2016 Year in Review DFCS Newsletter.

Culture of Health Partnership with Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: June 7 Webinar - Click here to register for a webinar on June 7 at 2:00 pm ET to learn more about the latest funding opportunity related to Cooperative Extension's anticipated multi-year partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The goal of the Request for Proposals is to identify one land-grant university to lead professional development for the five pilot program states spearheading the Building a Culture of Health initiative. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to get all of your questions answered regarding the RFP during this live webinar and Q&A session. The RFP application deadline is June 30 at 11:59 PM ET. Click here to access the RFP on WebGrants. For more information, contact Joanne Leatherman at jleatherman@fourhcouncil.edu.

eXtension Introduces New Services - Given increasingly complex issues and rapid changes our communities face, eXtension Foundation has transformed to deliver more meaningful member value and to provide a national Cooperative Extension presence for all. eXtension’s purpose is to help CES professionals across all Land Grants, innovate, accelerate, and amplify measurable impact on local issues. eXtension is achieving this through our new national flagship program called Impact Collaborative. In this year-long, multi-faceted, issue-focused program, a national cohort of Cooperative Extension project teams adopt new research and innovative practices in their local program design and delivery. ECOP, USDA-NIFA, and Directors/Administrators from the five Extension regions define the issues the program addresses. Learn more here about Impact Collaborative’s 6 value building blocks, the year-long experience, issues addressed, and how local Extension teams can join the 2017 cohort.

4-H – Strong Partnerships Enable Positive Youth Development - National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) has produced a 4-H infographic that highlights this public-private partnership of federal, state, local, and non-profit support with a rich history of being a leader in positive youth development experiences for more than a century. 4-H reaches nearly 6 million young people in the United States through local 4-H clubs, school and after school programs, camps, and special interest groups. The strong bond with land-grant universities' Cooperative Extension and NIFA assures a research and science base to the 4-H program. A 4-H Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) http://bit.ly/4H_MOU encourages collaborative and enhanced communication and management of national 4-H policies and procedures affecting state and local programs.

Culture of Health Partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: New Opportunity

 ECOP Monday Minute will return on June 5, 2017 following the observance of Memorial Day.

In partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, National 4-H Council announces an additional opportunity for Cooperative Extension land-grant universities (LGUs). This Pre-Award Request for Proposals (RFP) will identify one LGU to lead the professional development component for the five pilot program LGUs (to be selected by August 1). The selected LGU will provide integrated leadership for professional development activities, content and resources to be delivered in-person and virtually to build capacity among the "wave one" states, and for other LGUs wishing to prepare for "wave two" participation. The deadline for proposal submissions is June 30, 2017; 11:59 p.m. ET. The Professional Development RFP will be made available the week of May 22nd and can be accessed on National 4-H Council’s WebGrants platform. Click here to register for a live webinar on June 7, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. ET when participants will have a chance to ask questions about this exciting opportunity. For more information, contact National 4-H Council’s Director of Healthy Living Programs and Foundations, JoAnne Leatherman at jleatherman@fourhcouncil.edu.

Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware and
Fred Schlutt, University of Alaska

Urban Extension Programming Showcased at Recent Conference - The University of Minnesota recently hosted the 2017 National Urban Extension Conference in Bloomington, MN. Extension professionals from all program areas shared their research and innovative educational strategies that address the needs of urban, suburban, and peri-urban populations as well as urban-rural inter-dependencies. National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) hosted a breakfast on the final day of the conference to engage participants in discussions about efforts that can be coordinated through NUEL regional caucuses. Regional caucus chairs will be contacting interested participants as a follow up. ECOP Chair Fred Schlutt, Past-chair Michelle Rodgers, and members Chris Boerboom and Bev Durgan were presenters. Congratulations to conference planning team and their Co-chairs Brent Hales, University of Minnesota, and Brad Gaolach, Washington State University, for the exceptional conference. Held biennially, the 2019 National Urban Extension Conference will be in Seattle. Follow on social media using #urbext, #NUEC19.


Communications and Marketing Project - The Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC) oversees the Communications and Marketing Project (CMP), a coordinated and targeted educational effort to increase awareness of the value of Land-grant University agriculture related programs, Agricultural Experiment Stations (AES) and Cooperative Extension Services (CES). The audience includes state citizens, community leaders, and institutional allies, with connections to identified congressional decision makers. Two consulting firms, kglobal and Cornerstone Government Affairs, are contracted to identify key targets and develop strategies to focus communication and education efforts. kglobal then implements targeted strategies via traditional media, grassroots engagement, grass-tops advocacy, digital, and social media AgricultureIsAmerica website (http://agisamerica.org/, Twitter, Facebook). In 2017, the CMP will engage in targeted educational endeavors to support the Board of Agriculture Assembly’s priorities, including: the “One Ask” ($200 million increase to NIFA priority areas: Smith-Lever, 1890’s Extension, Hatch, Evans-Allen, McIntire-Stennis and AFRI), Water, Healthy Food Systems and Infrastructure). The newest addition to this effort will be video shorts supporting the One Ask. Stay tuned!

Addressing Domestic and Global Food and Nutrition Security - APLU’s Challenge of Change Commission last week released its report, Harnessing University Discovery, Engagement, and Learning to Achieve Food and Nutrition Security. With support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly, APLU convened this commission last year to identify how public research universities can lead the way in addressing domestic and global food and nutrition security. The Challenge of Change Commission began with the understanding that public research universities – with their broad academic, research, and community expertise and experience – are uniquely positioned to address the complex and diverse challenges of food and nutrition insecurity. The strategy designed by the Commission includes all aspects of our food systems: production, nutrition, health, food safety and loss, economic costs, individual behaviors, and incentives – as well as societal factors affecting food availability, access and use. The report lays out an approach for stakeholders in government, business, and non-governmental organizations to work together with public research universities to achieve their shared goal of global food security. Learn more about the initiative and download the report at http://www.aplu.org/challengeofchange. Follow along on social media using #ChallengeOfChange.

eXtension Food Systems Fellowship - Encourage land grant professionals who are leaders in an area of the food systems spectrum to apply for a fellowship to lead the eXtension Food Systems Impact Collaborative. This is expected to be a one-year fellowship occupying .5-.7 FTE. Applications are due June 1, 2017.

NIFA Updates

NIFA Updates - Interested in keeping up with USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA)? If so, you can sign up for NIFA updates at https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USDANIFA/subscriber/new?qsp=USDANIFA_2. There, you can sign up to receive email updates immediately, daily, or weekly. Additionally, besides choosing what News, Information, Updates, and Publications (i.e. Funding Opportunities, Press releases and announcements, NIFA Update, Fresh from the Field, LGU-NLGCA notes, NIFA Twitter Feed) you are interested in, you can also pick specific topics to be updated on. NIFA invests in and advances agricultural research, education, and extension and promotes transformative discoveries that solve societal challenges.

One Week Away: Deadline to Submit RFA for Building a Culture of Health Pilot Program - The deadline to submit the Request for Applications for Building a Culture of Health in partnership with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation is May 1, 11:59 PM ET. For more information about this exciting partnership and how to apply successfully, please view this on-demand recording of the April 6 webinar and download the recently updated FAQ document. It is extremely important that interested applicants plan to set up a National 4-H Council WebGrants account well in advance of the submission deadline. Click here to access the RFA and get started.

2017 Census of Agriculture - Conducted every five years by the USDA’s National Agricultural Statistics Service, the 2017 Census of Agriculture will be mailed this December to all U.S. farmers and ranchers. The Census of Agriculture remains the only source of uniform, comprehensive, and impartial agriculture data for every county in the nation. The results are valuable to those who serve farmers and rural communities, including federal, state and local governments, agribusinesses, trade associations, researchers, and more. Answers to the census help grow a farm’s future, shape farm programs, and boost services for communities and the industry. For more information, partner promotion tools, and/or to demo the improved online questionnaire, visit www.agcensus.usda.gov or call 202-690-8123. New producers or those who did not receive a Census of Agriculture in 2012 still have time to sign up to receive the 2017 report form by visiting the agcensus site and clicking on the ‘Make Sure You Are Counted’ button through June.


Final Days For 2017 Award Nominations - Only days are left to submit nominations online for the 2017 National Extension Awards. To learn more about eligibility and criteria go to www.aplu.org/CESAwards. Direct questions to Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org, 202-478-6088.

Countdown to Awards

The following is a brief timeline associated with the National Cooperative Extension Awards:
      • May 1 – Deadline to receive nominations for Excellence in Extension and Diversity Awards.
      • July 15 – All nominees and nominators receive notice within a few business days of this date of the outcome of the selection process.
      • November 12 – Honorees receive their awards at the APLU Annual Meeting at the Board on Agriculture Assembly Awards program. Click Here to review the list of former recipients. Read more about the criteria and nomination process for all awards at www.aplu.org/CESAwards. Direct questions about nominations to ECOP Program Assistant Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org.

Applying for Building a Culture of Health Pilot - As reported earlier, applications are currently being accepted for the pilot phase for the anticipated launch of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation/Cooperative Extension partnership to build a Culture of Health. Helpful links:
      • Partnership Overview Webinar held on March 9 
      • Updated FAQ from March 9 webinar
      • Tips for completing the RFA
      • Register for April 6 webinar: Applying for the Pilot Program
Partnership questions may directed to National 4-H Council’s Director of Healthy Living Programs and Foundations, JoAnne Leatherman at jleatherman@fourhcouncil.edu.

Digital Green eXtension Fellowship Opportunity - Extension faculty with skills in technology and with an interest in exploring Extension models that have been successful in other countries should consider applying for the Digital Green eXtension fellowship. Applications will be accepted until April 24, 2017. The selected Fellow will work closely with the Food Systems Issue Corps to pilot test the technology and share their findings with the Cooperative Extension System. https://extension.org/call-for-applications-digital-green-extension-fellowship/


County Health Rankings - The County Health Rankings, a collaboration between the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute, were released on March 29. These rankings compare counties within each state on more than 30 factors that impact health, including such social determinants as education, jobs, housing, exercise, commuting times and more. The 2016 county health rankings compare health differences on a broad range of differences among almost every county in the country. The report shows dramatic differences between rural and urban counties on several measures, most notably premature death rates. Nearly 1 in 5 rural counties saw rises in premature deaths over the past decade while most large urban counties experienced consistent improvement. Rural counties have higher rates of smoking, obesity, child poverty, and teen births, and higher numbers of uninsured adults than their urban counterparts. The report can be found at www.countyhealthrankings.org.

NIFA Annual Report - NIFA recently published its annual report: “Today’s Science, Tomorrow’s Solutions.” The agency’s annual report highlights the transformative research, education and extension progress being made by NIFA grantees toward solving our nation’s most pressing concerns in the areas of food safety and security, nutrition and public health, natural resource stewardship, the bioeconomy, job growth, and economic health.