ECOP First Friday Update Available

On April 3^rd, ECOP held an informative First Friday Update.

• Lisa Townson discussed the progress of the Nutrition and Health Tiger Team
• Gregg Hadley provided an update from the Professional Development Committee, which included information on expanded recognition of Extension awardees at the September NEDA Meeting
• Tom Dobbins shared information about future Program Committee investments in the Program Action Teams
• Justin Rhinehart gave an update on the newly formed Artificial Intelligence Program Action Team
• APLU’s Doug Steele and Lewis Burke’s Dominique Foster provided a briefing on recent happenings in Washington, DC.

Webinar: A Comprehensive Overview of "A Study of Land-grant University Federal Capacity Funding"

Thursday, April 9 | 4:00-5:15 pm ET

This webinar is designed for individuals who have not yet had the opportunity to hear Wendy Fink’s presentation on the Tripp Umbach, Phase 1 report on federal capacity funding and would like to learn more about the Board on Agriculture Assembly's Federal Capacity Funding Initiative. The analysis and key findings are based upon survey results from 94 capacity-eligible institutions. The webinar will cover:

• What are USDA Capacity Funding Grant Programs?
• What does Capacity Funding Enable?
• BAA’s Capacity Initiative’s Three Phases​
• Phase One: Key Takeaways​
• What Can You Do to Help with This Effort?

Welcome:
Christopher Daubert, Chair, BAA’s Administrative Heads Section
Vice Chancellor and Dean
College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
University of Missouri 

James Pritchett, Chair, BAA’s Communications and Marketing Committee
Vice President for Engagement and Extension
Colorado State University

Presenters:
Wendy Fink
Executive Director - Academic Programs Section, BAA and
Associate Vice President, Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources 
APLU

Marcus Glassman
Executive Director, Council on Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET)
Director, Governmental Affairs
APLU

Register here.

USDA NIFA Releases 2027 President’s Budget

USDA NIFA released the 2027 President’s Budget Request. The line by line is available here (see pages 21-42, 21-43, and 21-44). A full analysis is currently being conducted by Lewis Burke and will be available later this week. 

USDA General Terms & Conditions Update, NIFA GT&Cs Webinar Scheduled for April 15

NIFA will host a webinar on Wednesday, April 15 at 1:00 p.m. CDT to introduce the newly established USDA General Terms and Conditions and discuss updates to NIFA’s agency‑specific Terms and Conditions. 

Register here: USDA’s New General Terms and Conditions and NIFA’s Updated Requirements: A Comprehensive Overview

Make America Healthy Again Issues Report: MAKING OUR CHILDREN HEALTHY AGAIN

On May 22, the Trump Administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission released its long-anticipated assessment report on Making Our Children Healthy Again. Earlier this year, President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing the MAHA Commission, comprised of leaders from key federal health, agricultural, and economic agencies to reduce the burden of chronic disease among U.S. youth. The report offers the first glimpse into the Administration’s health priorities, highlighting specific concerns such as increased rates of childhood chronic illness and cancer incidence, the severity of the youth mental health crisis, the prevalence of childhood allergies and autoimmune disorders, and higher rates of childhood neurodevelopmental disorders, like autism spectrum disorders. The report points to four main causes of this phenomenon:

• Ultra-processed foods,
• Exposure to environmental chemicals,
• Pervasive use of technology, and
• The “overmedication of our children.”

Notably, the report highlights that the Commission will continue working to develop an official strategy to build upon these recommendations by August 2025


More Detail on the President's 2026 Budget Request

The White House released more details on the FY 2026 budget request. The NIFA portion begins on page 78. Of greatest interest to the Cooperative Extension world are the following reductions:

• Smith-Lever 3(b&c) - FY 2026 proposal $175 million, down from $325 million
• 1890s Extension - FY 2026 proposal $62 million, down from $72 million
• Expanded Food and Nutrition Program - FY 2026 proposal $48 million, down from $70 million

The proposal does not appear to fund the Hatch program at all, significantly reduces McIntire Stennis Forestry Research, and has numerous other reductions. Initial analysis by Lewis-Burke casts doubt that Congress will go along with these types of cuts, but advocacy efforts should be made to preserve the capacity programs. 

New ASAP Requirement

NIFA grantees using the Automated Standard Application for Payments (ASAP) system should be aware of a new requirement. Effective May 19, 2025, the Department of the Treasury's Bureau of the Fiscal Service requires recipient organizations to include a justification for each payment. This field is mandatory and will be part of the first step in the payment request process. The requirement aims to improve transparency and accountability in the federal payment process.

Treasury Fiscal Service has a presentation to learn more about this new feature and the steps needed to process payments. There is also a video illustrating the new feature and its functionality. Additionally, Fiscal Service will hold webinars to assist grantees with this new requirement.

If you are interested in attending an upcoming ASAP webinar, find more information on their website. Contact the Fiscal Service ASAP Production Support at (855) 868-0151 (option 2, option 3) or at asaphelpdesk@fiscal.treasury.gov if you have questions. You can also reach out to our Financial Management ASAP Team if you have questions at ASAPCustomerService@usda.gov.

President Releases Abbreviated (skinny) FY 2026 Budget Request

Last week, President Trump released abbreviated highlights of the administration’s FY 2026 Federal budget. The budget request (also sometimes known as the skinny budget) calls for a $602 million decrease in National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) budget. The document describes the decrease as follows (see the bottom of page 31 in the linked document):

“The Budget eliminates wasteful, woke programming in NIFA, such as activities related to climate change, renewable energy, and promoting DEI in education that were prioritized under the Biden Administration. In addition, the Budget reduces funding for formula grants because they generally do not achieve the same results as competitive programs. Instead, the Budget focuses on the President’s goal of advancing the competitiveness of American agriculture through the merit-based Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. The Budget protects funding to youth and K-12 programs such as 4-H clubs, tribal colleges, and universities. This investment would help prepare future generations of farmers. It also ensures HBCUs are amply funded.”

The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities released a statement about the entire document, specifically mentioning the USDA/NIFA portion. Analysis from APLU’s consulting firm, Lewis-Burke, states that cuts of this magnitude and nature are unlikely to be upheld by the US Congress. The status of each individual NIFA line item is currently unknown.


ECOP Signs on to Letter in Support of SNAP-ED

Last week, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) signed onto a letter in support of SNAP-Education (ED), which was addressed to the following important federal lawmakers:

• The Honorable John Boozman, Chairman, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry
• The Honorable Any Klobuchar, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
• The Honorable Glen “GT” Thompson, Chairman, House Committee on Agriculture
• The Honorable Angie Craig, Ranking Member, House Committee on Agriculture

The letter shares information highlighting the critical role of the SNAP-ED program in advancing national food security and nutrition goals. It also discusses how the program helps individuals and families make more nutritious food choices, stretch limited food budgets, increase physical activity, and make healthy choices easier in the community.


NIFA Director Makes First Land-grant University Visit

Dr. Jaye Hamby’s first Land-grant University trip as NIFA Director was a bit of a homecoming when he visited Oklahoma State University (OSU) recently. Dr. Hamby completed his master’s and doctoral studies at OSU.

Dr. Hamby toured OSU agriculture research facilities and units, including the Food and Agricultural Products Center, a 96,000-square-foot facility that houses animal harvesting, food manufacturing, grain milling, sensory profiling, food microbiology and application laboratories for demonstration and prototype testing, as well as education and training capabilities. Additionally, Dr. Bee Chim guided him through the Soil, Water and Forage Laboratory (SWFAL), which handles more than 60,000 samples annually.

During his visit, Dr. Hamby was recognized as OSU’s 2025 Distinguished Alumni in Agricultural Education.


National 4-H Conference Photos Now Available on USDA Flickr

More than 300 images from the recent 2025 National 4-H Conference are available at USDA Flickr. If your state 4-H program sent delegates to the conference, check out the National 4-H Conference photo album to see if there are images of your delegation.

ECOP Meetings in Washington DC

This week, July 19-21, ECOP members, liaisons, and related partners will attend the 2022 Joint COPs Meeting, Moving Into the New Normal at the Omni Shoreham in Washington, D.C. In addition to ECOP attending Joint General Sessions listed here, on July 19 ECOP Chair Wendy Powers, University of California, and Chair-elect Bev Durgan, University of Minnesota, will attend a hybrid meeting at the newly relocated APLU office building with ESCOP Chair Chris Pritsos, University of Nevada-Reno, and Chair-elect Matt Wilson, West Virginia University. Respective Regional Executive Director and ECOP staff will join the COPs leader to discuss COP priorities and vision for the coming year, meeting coordination, and agenda items for the fall ECOP/ESCOP EDA’s retreat. Later that same day, ECOP's Professional Development and Program Committee meetings will occur back at the hotel. Wendy will preside over the full ECOP business (FY23 budget, priority setting, 2022-2023 calendar, and the national ED search) on the morning of July 20. A portion of the meeting will be devoted to ICOP and ACOP on partnering opportunities. With impact stories provided by Extension Directors and Administrators, leave-behind communications will be finalized to share with key decision-makers. Following adjournment on the morning of July 21, the Extension EDA Team meets to update the distribution of their national responsibilities, review the new pilot ECOP priority setting process, the Extension Awards process, and the national ED search. Stay tuned for the results of these important meetings.

 

 

Caroline Henney

A Message from the ECOP/CES Executive Director - Dear Colleagues-After serving as the Executive Director of the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy and the Cooperative Extension System for over two years, I have made the difficult decision to step down from this incredibly rewarding position. This transition will occur at the end of September, following NEDA. Over the past 30 years, I have worked for or with Extension at the local, state, federal, national, and international level. My time on the Extension continuum has afforded me a career full of unique experiences that I hope have made a difference in people’s lives. Through these rewarding experiences, I have truly come to understand why Extension is the envy of the world. Read the full memo from Dr. Caroline [Crocoll] Henney here.

 

FY23 Appropriations Update - The House is expected to vote this month on a mini-bus package of six funding bills, including the Agriculture, Energy-Water, and Interior-Environment bills. The House Committee on Rules made this announcement detailing the amendment process for the package and plans to meet this week to report a rule for floor consideration. While ECOP BLC keeps an eye on what the Senate Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies decisions on FY23 to be decided by the end of July, APLU will continuously update the Fiscal Year 2023 appropriations priorities chart as funding levels are released. An additional point of reference is the House Sub-Committee's FY23 Agreement. 

 

EFNEP: A Model of Cooperation and Collaboration, Resulting in Improved Nutritional Health, and Well-Being of Families with Limited Financial Resources - The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) is the nation’s first nutrition education program for low-income populations and remains at the forefront of nutrition education efforts to reduce nutrition insecurity of low-income families and youths today. This webinar on July 19 from 2 to 3:30 p.m. ET will provide an in-depth overview of the program, including how cooperation and collaboration has been essential to the program’s more than half century success.



Development for Agricultural Literacy Grant Program Webinar - NIFA will host an informational webinar July 28 at 1 p.m. EDT for those interested in the Professional Development for Agricultural Literacy (PDAL) grant program. PDAL is being offered through the AFRI Education and Workforce Development Request for Applications. The program area seeks to increase the number of K-14 educational professionals trained in the food and agricultural sciences.

4-H on APLU Council of President’s Agenda

Cathann Kress, Iowa State University,
and Ed Jones, Virginia Tech

Cathann Kress, Iowa State University, and Ed Jones, Virginia Tech, are part of the APLU Council of President’s agenda tomorrow in Alexandria, VA, speaking about 4-H and its role in preparing youth for higher education. Following an introduction by Gordon Gee, President, West Virginia University, and member, National 4-H Council Board of Trustees, Kress and Jones will engage the Council in a conversation about how 4-H might expand its efforts to encourage youth to pursue post-secondary education and involve faculty/staff in engaging youth. Both Kress and Jones are on the ECOP 4-H National Leadership Committee. 

Jo Britt-Rankin,
University of Missouri

Extension on House SNAP-Ed Hearing Panel – At the request of the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Agriculture, Jo Britt-Rankin, University of Missouri, will be a panelist representing Cooperative Extension/ECOP on a SNAP-Ed hearing at 10 a.m. ET Wednesday this week. Britt-Rankin has worked closely with the ECOP National Office, Cornerstone Government Affairs and the Land-grant University Cooperative Extension Program Development Team to develop the written testimony. The hearing, titled Past, Present and Future of SNAP: Evaluating Effectiveness and Outcomes in Nutrition Education, can be viewed live or recorded at http://agriculture.house.gov. 

Ian Maw, Vice President,
Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources, APLU

APLU Responds to SoAR Report –  Ian Maw, APLU Vice President for Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources, emphasized the value of capacity funding, together with competitive funding in a press release responding to the Supporters of Agricultural Research (SoAR) Foundation’s new report Retaking the Field: The Case for a Surge in Agricultural Research http://supportagresearch.org/retakingthefield/. The APLU release at http://www.aplu.org/news-and-media/News/aplu-statement-on-release-of-soars-new-report--for-increased-agricultural-research-funding is in alignment with the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee advocacy for both capacity and competitive funds in order to address the Nation’s issues related to food, agriculture, natural resources and human sciences. 

Join Webinars on Capacity Funds Project – USDA-NIFA invites partners to discuss the upcoming evaluation of its Capacity Programs portfolio, which represents nearly half of NIFA’s budget. In process is an evidence-based analysis of the value and return on investment of these programs. It is expected the project will result in a showcase of the impacts these programs make on food, agriculture, natural resource, and human sciences issues facing the Nation. The evaluation is to be undertaken by a contractor, TEConomy, in collaboration with APLU. Join one of two webinars to find out about the goals and outcomes of the evaluation, get answers to your questions, determine who is best suited to complete evaluation instruments and discuss ways to reduce burden on respondents. Webinars are 1:00 – 2:00 p.m. ET Thursdays, June 30 and July 7, 2016 at at http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/cesls, dial-in at 888-8449904, access code 6710407#. Register via email to Karl Maxwell, NIFA Project Officer, with your preferred session, e-mail, and phone number. You may also contact him if you have any additional questions. 

Connect With 4-H Alumni – Are you a 4-H alum? Do you want to keep up with the latest 4-H news, stories and learn about other 4-H alumni who are making a difference? Show your 4-H pride and raise your hand as a member of the 4-H alumni community. You will receive regular updates about events and information for 4-H alumni and ways you can stay involved with 4-H. Sign up at www.4-H.org/4Hgrowshere-alumni.

NEW eXtension Elects Governing Board Members

NEW eXtension Elects Governing Board Members – Members of the NEW eXtension have elected the following regional representatives for the Board of Governors: 1890s, VERNON JONES – Associate Administrator, Langston University; North Central, JASON HENDERSON, Extension Director, Purdue University; Northeast, DENNIS CALVIN, Extension Director, Pennsylvania State University; Southern, DOUG STEELE – Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Western, FRED SCHLUTT – Extension Director, University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Additional members will be added as specified in the final report about the NEW eXtension. Among the initial tasks of the NEW eXtension Board of Governors will be to launch a search process of a chief executive officer. Elbert Dickey continues as interim director through April. 

FY 2016 USDA-NIFA Budget Review – NIFA Director, Sonny Ramaswamy will conduct a webinar on the Agency’s Fiscal Year 2016 President’s Budget Proposal on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. EST. Up to 250 users may connect to the webinar at http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/sonny. The webinar will be recorded. Participants have the option to use a teleconference line in lieu of their computer sound system or dial into the teleconference line for audio only. The presentation is not expected to be graphic intensive. You may join the teleconference up to 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start. The dial in numbers are as follows: Dial-in: 1-888-621-9649 or 1-617-231-2734. 

ECOP Names Social Media Associate – Extension: The Next Century – Extending Knowledge, Changing Lives is the central message of ECOP’s social media endeavors in 2015. Bill Woodrum, former Extension Administrator, West Virginia State University, has been named the ECOP Social Media Associate through December. The goal is to expand the strong social media presence on social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) established during the centennial last year. Please encourage Extension professionals at all levels and partners to connect at facebook.com/Extension100years and twitter.com/#ext100years. Ideas for social media content may be sent to Bill at extensioncentennial@gmail.com. 

Grant Workshops Focus on Local Foods – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are partnering on the Agricultural Marketing Service Technical Assistance (AMSTA) Project to conduct workshops that will help potential grant applicants understand, develop, and submit their Federal grant applications for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. The effort is directed by Stephan J. Goetz of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development based at Penn State University. A list of upcoming grant workshop dates and locations can be found at http://www.amsta.net. 

2015 Assessments – APLU has distributed electronic assessment statements to the 75 universities in the Board on Agriculture Assembly Cooperative Extension Section. ECOP’s national leadership is solely funded through assessments for two accounts, the Office of the Executive Director, which covers salary, benefits, indirect costs paid to APLU, and travel and office expenses for the Executive Director and Staff Associate; and Strategic Priorities and Operations, which supports ECOP committees, teams and projects. An additional assessment covers work of the SNAP-ED National Program Development Team and goes to those Extension Services providing education for SNAP recipients. Based on a vote of the Cooperative Extension Section as of 11.17.14, the eXtension assessment is replaced by a membership funding model. 

Volunteerism Conference – The 2015 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism is May 4-7, 2015, Portland, ME. It is designed for Cooperative Extension professionals who manage volunteers. Details are at http://extension.umaine.edu/programs/necv/. Registration is due April 15, 2015. 

On Climate Change – Mike Hoffmann, Cornell University and past chair of the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) has released a TEDx talk on YouTube “Climate change: It’s time to raise our voices". He leads a Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada climate change initiative, and established an Institute for Climate Change and Agriculture that helps food growers adapt to changing conditions. ECOP, ESCOP and USDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2014 pledging to work together to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Enhancing Energy Literacy – The Department of Energy (DOE), along with the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) and the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), released the first four videos in a series highlighting each of the seven essential principles presented in the DOE Energy Literacy Framework. The Framework seeks to help educators of all disciplines and age groups incorporate a multidisciplinary approach to energy into their lessons and programs. The final three videos are expected by September 2015. In addition, DOE is also announcing the Spanish-language version of its Get Current coloring book, which is part of an ongoing effort to expand educational resources for the growing Spanish-speaking population in the United States. ECOP continues involvement with the State Energy Extension Partnership, chaired by Beverly Samuels, USDA-NIFA.

ECOP Monday Minute 3.10.14

ACTION: Centennial Opening Ceremony -- Each state, U.S. Territory and the District of Columbia has an opportunity to present their flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Cooperative Extension Centennial Convocation on May 8. Please send the following information to Bill Woodrum at extensioncentennial@gmail.com by 3.14.14 -- 

1. Whether or not you are able to send a representative (every effort will be made to have your flag presented even if a representative from your state is unavailable).
2. If yes, include their name, title, and contact information. To register for the convocation, go to http://www.cvent.com/d/g4qqj5.

eXtension Launches Disruptive e-nnovation -- During the March 4-5, 2014 work session in Washington, DC, Cooperative Extension leaders representing all regions worked to present a plan for increasing eXtension's value. Called “disruptive e-nnovation,” efforts are being placed on defining a new business model, confirming priority audiences, and exploring additional private and public partners for mutual gain. eXtension Disruptive e-nnovation will allow it to grow at the pace of technology change and increase its usability with Extension's needs. Directors and administrators will be asked to contribute input during the Sacramento NEDA meeting at the end of March. eXtension is aggressively seeking to develop an innovative plan that will be presented this summer.

Extension to Meet with OMB – Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators are encouraged to attend a special session in conjunction with PILD on 4:15 p.m. Tuesday, 4.23.14 with Noah Engelberg, Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Engelberg will discuss the federal budget process and ways that Extension might be more effective in telling its story. Engelberg’s responsibilities in OMB include the USDA-REE portfolio. The session will be facilitated by ECOP Chair Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky. The location will be identified in the PILD program.

FY 2015 Budget – Explanatory notes for the USDA portion of the President’s FY 2015 budget, released last week, are at http://www.obpa.usda.gov/explan_notes.html.  For the handouts specifying the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly FY 2015 budget priorities, including an overview document, and budget requests for Smith-Lever, 1890s Extension, AFRI and others, see www.land-grant.org.

ECOP Releases New Handout – ECOP focuses on the “why” of Cooperative Extension for this year’s handout https://www.aplu.org/view.image?id=1648 used by the chair, Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky, at meetings, primarily in Washington, DC. The impact reports used in the document are pulled from the new ECOP/ESCOP web site, now at www.excellenceinextension.org and soon to be released as www.land-grantimpacts.org. Impacts from the site will be used for quick reference by the ECOP National Office, CARET, USDA-NIFA and others.   

National 4-H Gala – ECOP member Charlotte Eberlein encourages Cooperative Extension directors and administrators to make a tax deductible donation of $200 or more to help cover the cost of sponsoring a table for the Youth in Action Award winner and his/her family at National 4-H Council’s Legacy Awards Gala to be held in Washington DC on April 3, 2014. Donate online at https://secure3.convio.net/n4h/site/Donation2idb=1473633255&df_id=2420&2420.donation=form1&2420.donation=root&DONATION_LEVEL_ID_SELECTED=1&idb=[[S76:idb]]&df_id=2420. To be acknowledged in the Gala program your donation must be received by March 12, 2014.

Extension Reconsidered - As part of an initiative called Extension Reconsidered, teams in 13 states are planning events that are timed to mark the centennial of the Smith-Lever Act.  Inspired by Ernest Boyer's book, Scholarship Reconsidered, the events will invite people to imagine new ways for Extension to serve as a vital resource for communities in the 21st century.  Events will feature discussion of the roles Extension can play in facilitating and organizing public problem solving and community development, with a special focus on how and what leaders from arts, humanities, and design fields can contribute. Participating states include Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Wisconsin.  For more information, contact Scott Peters at sjpeters@syr.edu, or visit the website at www.extensionreconsidered.org.

ECOP Monday Minute 4.15.2013

ACTION: Meeting with OMB 4.23.13 – Daryl Buchholz, ECOP Chair, invites all Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators attending the PILD conference next week at the Westin Alexandria, VA to attend the 7:45 a.m. Tuesday morning breakfast and discussion with Noah Engelberg of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). The purpose will be to highlight impacts resulting from capacity funding. Please bring a summary of state Cooperative Extension impacts to provide to OMB. This office of the White House is instrumental in influencing the President’s budget presented each year to Congress.

FY 2014 USDA-NIFA Budget Update – The USDA portion of the President’s FY 2014 budget, released 4.10.13, is available at www.usda.gov/budget (see pp. 94-95 for USDA-NIFA). Further information, including explanatory notes, is expected from USDA-NIFA at http://www.csrees.usda.gov/about/offices/budget.html. Advocacy documents prepared by the BAA Budget and Advocacy Committee can be found at www.land-grant.org.

Post Job Announcements to National Job Bank Site (by Michelle Rodgers, ECOP representative to the JOE Board of Directors) – Each week, at the end of this ECOP Monday Minute, you will see the “jobs” site managed by the Journal of Extension. The site has recently been redesigned to enhance the experience of universities posting and those seeking jobs. The site (http://jobs.joe.org/) is for all Extension, outreach, research or higher education positions. An advantage of using this site is to cut down on all of the individual emails and attachments that come to the Director’s inbox. Please share this with individuals responsible for posting your position openings. You are encouraged to use this site to post state and local job Cooperative Extension openings.

Cooperative Extension on Capitol Hill – Last week, Elizabeth Andress, the 2012 Excellence in Extension national award winner, provided seminars on Safe Food: Research to Practice for Senate and House staffers and other guests. Organized by the National Coalition on Food and Agriculture Research (NC-FAR) the seminar series is designed to show impacts of research and extension programs. Andress is a professor and food safety extension specialist at the University of Georgia. See https://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=4432.

SNAP-Ed Update – See the summary of accomplishments and action items from the LGU SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) meeting that took place on April 2-4, 2013 in Washington, DC. Paula Peters, Kansas State University, chairs this group which seeks to increase opportunity for Cooperative Extension to engage in SNAP-Ed education, improve programming, and communicate impacts.

First 'Waste to Worth' Conference Deemed Success -- The Livestock and Poultry Environmental Learning Center (LPELC), an eXtension community of practice, brought more than 235 experts, business practitioners, government officials, and university faculty together for the first “Waste to Worth” conference on April 1-5.  Select keynote addresses and sessions were streamed on the Internet and recorded. Event information can be found at https://learn.extension.org/events/1022.