National Program Leadership, Partnerships and Capacity

Members and liaisons to the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) assembled in Oklahoma City last week. During the day-and-a-half-long meeting the group addressed support for sustainable Program Leadership, partnership enrichment, and the approach to increasing capacity funding for Cooperative Extension. The ECOP agreed to continue meeting in-person three times per year around strategic directions and Annual Action Plan.

Blayne Arthur, Oklahoma Secretary of Agriculture, President of the Oklahoma State Board of Agriculture, and President of NASDA Foundation Board of Directors warmly welcomed ECOP members March 13, 2024.

The delegation of voting members, EDA Team, Liaisons and guests at the Sheraton OKC Downtown.

Oklahoma State Extension hosted, Oklahoma Farm Bureau sponsored dinner at the Petroleum Club.

(L-R) ECOP Chair Damona Doye presented Laura Perry Johnson (University of Georgia), with an engraved clock, for service to ECOP since 2021. Laura will retire in April 2024. Damona also led a standing ovation for Southern Region Executive Director Ron Brown for his service to ECOP for the past two decades. Ron will retire at the end of June 2024. 

Resolution Passed by the Section - Eighty-three percent of the membership of the Cooperative Extension Section participated during the two-week voting period last month. The final tally, 61 yeses, 2 no's, was recorded in the minutes of the 2024 ECOP Spring Meeting to approve the following. Billing for ECOP by APLU in 2024 (April) will remain the same dating back to 2019. The temporary, three-year resolution will be implemented in 2025.

Resolved: ECOP assessments for state-based 1862 institutions will be proportionally based on the amount that each institution receives in capacity funds (Smith Lever 3.b&c, Smith Lever Special Needs, EFNEP and RREA), calculated using a three-year rolling average. Assessments for 1890 institutions, American Samoa Community College, University of Guam, Northern Marianas College, College of Micronesia, Puerto Rico Agricultural Extension, University of the Virgin Islands, and the University of the District of Columbia will remain at 2024 baseline levels. This calculation method will remain in effect through the 2027 assessment year, at which time the issue will be reevaluated. If the total ECOP budget changes, this will proportionally change the assessment for all 76 institutions.

4-H Work Readiness Reaches 10M+ in USA Today Special Edition - On March 15, USA TODAY published a U.S. Department of Agriculture Special Edition that included a National 4-H Council full-page ad (page 79) to bring visibility to 4-H among corporate prospects, farmers, growers & ranchers, highlighting how 4-H is preparing youth to be work ready. In addition, 100,000 hard copies of the publication was sent directly to key officials at USDA. 

Registration for the 2024 Urban Food Systems Symposium - On June 11-13, The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) hosts the Urban Food Systems Symposium in Columbus, Ohio. The event includes keynotes, a grower panel, 40 presentations, a reception with approximately 50 posters, a choice of six off-site educational tours, and dinner at The Waterman Agricultural and Natural Resources Laboratory. This symposium brings together a national and international audience of academic, non-profit, government, and research-oriented professionals to share and gain knowledge on how we can build coalitions to adapt to this changing world and how urban food systems contribute to these solutions. Please share now to take advantage of early registration prices through April 13. Visit UrbanFoodSystemsSymposium.org for complete information.




Globalizing Extension Innovation Network Seeks Participation - The Globalizing Extension Innovation Network (GEIN), accessible through Connect Extension, is open to Cooperative Extension and other Land-grant University professionals, their community partners, and federal partners, as a network of professionals interested in globalizing Extension innovation. GEIN shares and develops best practices for augmenting extension programs through cross-cultural and international experiences. The network supports the engagement of extension professionals through educational programs emphasizing understanding of global dynamics and using cultural knowledge. shares and develops best practices for augmenting extension programs through cross-cultural and international experiences. GEIN leadership team represents over a dozen extension systems, and is committed to connecting and supporting the global engagement of extension professionals. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to nominate someone from their system to participate in GEIN if there isn't already a participating member. GEIN Council currently meets monthly on Tuesdays at 2:00 p.m. ET. For more information, contact GEIN Chair, Taryn Devereux, Affiliate, University of Maryland, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Member Feedback at Work

A huge THANK YOU to the leadership of the Extension Directors and Administrators Regional Associations for collecting feedback and to all those who contributed to help improve the "Monday Minute." Note that the subject line of the click-through email message will now be, “Extension (ECOP) Monday Minute – (date).” National Office Executive Director Bill Hoffman worked with APLU's Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software system experts to help standardize the title, which is something members of the Section asked for. He will also examine the analytics data to help ensure message delivery. If Bill's messages from APLU like the ECOP Monday Minute land in “other” inboxes or spam folders, please let him know.

LEAD21 Application Period Open Until November 15, 2023 - The LEAD21 program has released its call for applications to formulate class #20. The primary purpose of LEAD21 is to develop leaders in land-grant institutions and their strategic partners who link research, academics, and extension to lead more effectively in an increasingly complex environment, either in their current position or as they aspire to other positions.




FREE Urban Agriculture Funding Conference - The three part Generating Research Opportunities Workshop (GROW) for Urban Agriculture Conference will begin in early November. This is a virtual conference for researchers, extension professionals, educators, and stakeholders designed to build interdisciplinary teams and support their efforts to secure funding for research, extension, and education (REE) that supports and expands urban agriculture.

• Phase I is November 1-3, 2023. This virtual session will focus on connecting participants with similar research, extension and education interests.
• Phase II will run from November 4, 2023, to January 16, 2024. Teams will work independently on developing interdisciplinary funding proposals.
• Phase III is January 17-19, 2024. This virtual session will provide an opportunity for teams to share their proposals with mock grant review teams to get feedback, and then provide an opportunity for the team to work on suggested revisions.

There is no cost for this conference, but registration is required.




USDA Announces $3 Billion for Agricultural Producers and Forest Landowners - On September 28, USDA announced an additional $3 billion in funding for agricultural producers and forest landowners nationwide to participate in voluntary conservation programs and adopt climate-smart practices in fiscal year 2024. The Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is increasing Climate-Smart Agricultural and Forestry Mitigation Activities eligible for Inflation Reduction Act funding for fiscal year 2024 through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program (EQIP) and Conservation Stewardship Program (CSP). Additionally, NRCS is expanding the national priority areas eligible for Inflation Reduction Act funding for Agricultural Conservation Easements Program (ACEP) easements. Interested producers should contact their local NRCS office and apply as soon as possible.




USDA Launches Program to Support Agricultural Employers and Farmworkers, Aiming to Increase Economic and Supply Chain Resilience - USDA has announced agricultural employers can begin to apply for a pilot program designed to improve the resiliency of the food and agricultural supply chain by addressing workforce challenges farmers and ranchers face. USDA, in coordination with other federal agencies, is announcing up to $65 million in grants available for the Farm Labor Stabilization and Protection Pilot Program. The deadline for agricultural employers to apply for this program is November 28, 2023.
     The program will help address workforce needs in agriculture, promote a safe and healthy work environment for farmworkers, and aims to support expansion of lawful migration pathways for workers, including for workers from Northern Central America, through the Department of Labor’s seasonal H-2A visa program. Read more here.

NEDA Theme and Location Announcement

The 2023 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting October 10-12 will be held in Tucson, Arizona. The Planning Committee chaired by Barbara Petty, University of Idaho, is pleased to announce the theme, Transforming Extension: People, Partners, and the Profession. 

Pre-meeting activities for groups of participants begin the morning of Tuesday, October 10 -- ECOP Business Meeting and late afternoon New Director and Administrator Orientation. All attendees may join the grand welcome reception and a dinner event sponsored by National 4-H Council. All day October 11 and half day on October 12, attendees will participate in 2 essential business meetings and several leadership development sessions. The launch of registration with instructions to book hotel rooms and a detailed agenda is scheduled for release in May. Find out more about Tucson at www.visittucson.org. Contact Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org to answer any questions.  

Workforce Development in the Cooperative Extension System - On Friday, March 3, 2023, leaders from every region of the Cooperative Extension System participated in a discussion of the current work of the Economic & Workforce Development Program Action Team (PAT). PAT Lead Ivory Lyles, Oregon State University, and 3 Fellows, gave an overview of the assessment funded by NIFA and highlights of existing workforce development Extension programs being conducted across the Extension system. To review the presentation:

--> Click here for the YouTube video recording

--> Click here access the Slides and most recent Workforce PAT Report

Learning for Leaders is organized by ECOP for members of the Cooperative Extension Section. 

NIFA Funding Opportunity: Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative Extension Disaster Education Network (FADI-EDEN) - In FY 2023, NIFA requests applications for the Food and Agriculture Defense Initiative Extension Disaster Education Network (FADI-EDEN) program. The goal of the FADI-EDEN program is to maximize the resilience of the U.S. food and agriculture sector to biosecurity risks, extreme weather events and disasters, cyber threats, and other shocks. Historically, a strength of the FADI-EDEN program has been its ties to the Extension Disaster Education Network, which is a national, collaborative network of extension professionals who are dedicated to improved all-hazards management of domestic disasters. The FADI-EDEN program will fund one Extension project that will address its priorities. To learn more about the FY 2023 funding opportunity, download the FY 2023 RFA; the RFA page also includes a pre-recorded program overview video and an informational slide deck. For additional information about the FADI-EDEN program, visit the NIFA program page. The Letter of Intent deadline is March 23, 2023, at 5:00 pm ET, and the application deadline is May 11, 2023, at 5:00 pm ET. Direct questions to Dr. Ashley Mueller, National Program Leader, at ashley.mueller@usda.gov.

RRDCs Release Findings from National Listening Sessions on Rural Community, Economic, and Workforce Development - The Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) have released findings from a comprehensive initiative aimed at identifying the critical investments needed to build community capacity and improve quality of life in rural America. Their report can be used by a broad audience of practitioners, decision makers, and government agencies to inform where programmatic efforts and resources may be most effective in tackling key issues facing rural communities. It summarizes results from eight listening sessions, which convened stakeholders in facilitated dialogues focused on regional and national issues. It also integrates qualitative data from a national survey conducted in Fall 2021, building on the quantitative survey findings published in 2021. Access the executive summary, full report, or topical and regional reports by clicking the report image or here.

Low-Income Workforce Development Curriculum

Last week APLU released a report, Facilitating Career Pathways for Low-Income Rural Students: Cooperative Extension as a Community Connector, and together with the North Central Regional Rural Development Center, a promising curriculum entitled Future Opportunities for Rural Workforce and Rural Development (FORWARD)..The effort supported by Ascendium Education Group, emphasizes the valuable role of the land-grant universities' Cooperative Extension professional, 4-H staff and other, to identify rural community workforce needs, develop stakeholder partnerships, map workforce pathways, recruit and support low-income rural learners, and build entrepreneurship and leadership skills. APLU's article dated January 18, 2023, is found here.

2022-2023 Organizational Chart Features Workplans - Take a few moments to visit the updated, interactive Organization Chart for the Cooperative Extension Section/ECOP found at https://www.aplu.org/wp-content/uploads/ecop-organizational-chart.pdf. Links connected to labels within the chart direct readers to the workplans of standing committees and with main System partners, Extension Foundation and National 4-H Council. The  accomplishment of these workplans is the basis of ECOP's Annual Report to the Section that takes place at NEDA. And speaking of NEDA....

Hold the Date - Remember to hold the week of October 9, 2023, to attend the one-and-only annual National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting. The exact dates and location will be announced soon. Registration is scheduled to begin in May. The purpose of the meeting is to conduct the annual business according to the Rules of Operation of the Cooperative Extension Section and more importantly, to engage in valuable national dialogue  and learning that establishes the future of land-grant university Cooperative Extension and supports the professional success of the members of the Section at national, state and local levels. Deliberate attempts have been made to avoid calendar conflicts with other national meetings of interest by the target audience, the institutional leaders of Extension from 76 land-grant universities.

Workforce PAT Opportunity

The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus until January 9, 2023.

 

Workforce PAT Opportunity - ECOP Program Committee's Economic & Workforce Program Action Team (Workforce PAT) developed a new organizational structure designed to enhance their work and build Extension’s presence in workforce development. Learn more here. The new subcommittees are:

• National Oversight
• National Engagement
• Program Inventory
• Credentials

The Workforce PAT is looking for new members, especially from North Central, Northeast, and 1890s Regions and 1994 Extension Programs, who are ready to dig in and help move Extension’s efforts in workforce development forward. Please contact Brittain Avants at brittainavants@extension.org for more information. Over the past few months, the Workforce PAT created a Connect Extension group (join here) to share program ideas and answer questions about workforce development. The National Registry of Cooperative Extension Programs & Assets found here is the collection point for Extension workforce programs.

National Impacts Database Update - Karla Trautman, South Dakota State University, is pleased to share with fellow Extension Directors and Administrators the informative presentation made to the new Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC) on November 17 about the National Impacts Database (NIDB) landgrantimpacts.org. In 2023 the CMC becomes a sub-committee of the Policy Board of Directors and NIDB becomes an important part of the CMC. The link to the presentation with live links to video training and talking points is found at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CfqvwU2cbQatWFckgy4PA8CC6L5cAz8x/view?usp=sharing. All are encouraged to share the information with all communications staff. 

Consider the 2023 USDA Ag Outlook Forum - USDA says that the Ag Outlook Forum is its oldest and largest annual gathering that it hosts. The next event takes place at the Crystal City Gateway Marriott on February 23-24, 2023, and all sessions will be livestreamed on a virtual platform. To learn more and register, visit https://www.usda.gov/oce/ag-outlook-forum.

ECOP Cooperative Extension Budget and Legislative Committee Update

Jason Henderson, Purdue University, (pictured left) is the new chair of the ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee (BLC). He is actively preparing for 3 national events with the support of the EDA Team. 

• Developing the agenda for the first 2022-2023 Zoom BLC meeting on November 1, 4-5:00 p.m. ET.
  
  
• Gathering input for a presentation for NIFA Listens: Investing in Science to Transform Lives on November 2. Members of the Section by Region will learn more about collective talking points in the very near future. 
  
  
• As Chair and latest voting member, on Sunday, November 6 in Denver, Jason will participate in his first APLU/BAA Policy Board of Directors' Budget and Advocacy Committee (BAC) meeting. 

Jason has served 1-term (4 years) as an ECOP Member with the Program Committee. The North Central Region recently appointed him to begin a second term. He started with ECOP BLC in 2016 and became vice-chair in September 2020. Stay tuned to the ECOP Monday Minute to meet the newest members of the ECOP BLC. 

Top 3 Cooperative Extension System Initiatives Explained - At their last meeting on September 26, ECOP officially released 3 documents for communicating with partners, decision-makers, and stakeholders. These handy 2-pagers include a powerful infographic to visualize the existing system to advance and apply science in communities. Developed through an iterative process for nearly a year, the following are currently available at www.extension.org/ecop and will soon become available at advocacy.extension.org.

• Climate Resiliency
• Health Equity and Well-Being
• Workforce Development

Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching and Engagement Annual Report Available - The EXCITE annual report details the first year of the EXCITE program and was created by the EXCITE National Program Team and the Extension Foundation. The report describes the EXCITE project's goals, the unique strengths Extension brings to immunization education, the pivots the project had to make to adapt to the ever-changing pandemic, designing for system work, and the system solutions developed to support this project. This report exemplifies what EXCITE has accomplished in communities across the nation while also serving as a great model for a system work.

Save the Date for Joint ESS/CES-NEDA Meeting

The Cooperative Extension Section (CES) Annual meeting, also known as the National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) meeting, will be held jointly this year with the Experiment Station Section (ESS). The meeting theme is Building Trust and in draft will take place September 25-28, 2022, at the Marriott Baltimore Waterfront. The Meeting Planning Committee is co-chaired by Chris Watkins, Cornell University, and Matt Wilson, West Virginia University, and consists of equal representation by each Section and Region. Members of both Sections of the Board on Agriculture Assembly, a unit of APLU's Commission on Food, Environment, & Renewable Resources, are encouraged to save the date for this important meeting. Stay tuned to email and during future ECOP and ESCOP organized meetings for more information as it becomes available. Links to registration will eventually be shared here on the APLU website.



Survey Contributes to System-wide Analysis of Vaccine Hesitancy - Thousands of Extension professionals connected with the Extension Foundation wrap-around services to the System and the EXCITE Project were invited last Tuesday to participate in a voluntary, anonymous survey that is officially endorsed and supported by ECOP. For the 20 minutes or so that it takes to complete the survey, responses will inform the aim of EXCITE’s Getting to the Heart of the Matter project to reduce vaccine hesitancy, and increase employees’ willingness to conduct adult learning about vaccinations. This week Extension Leaders from 1862, 1980, and 1994 land-grant institutions are encouraged to share the direct link to the survey https://wsu.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3jU0g7onaHBbd5k with all of their personnel. More reminders from Extension Foundation are anticipated. Questions/comments about the survey may be directed to Principal Investigator, Dr. Erica Weintraub Austin, eaustin@wsu.edu, or 509-335-8840.

USDA NIFA Live FAQ Session: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems - The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712) program area priority is designed to rapidly identify and implement strategies to protect the nation’s food and agricultural supply chains and the people who support them during and after extreme weather events. NIFA invites interested applicants to join on April 25, 2022, at 3:30 p.m. ET to learn more about this program area priority and to meet the team during a live FAQ event. Contact afri-rapidresponse@usda.gov for details.

NUEL 2021 Accomplishment Report Available - The National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) recently presented a detailed 2021 Accomplishment Report to the ECOP Program Committee, chaired by Brent Hales, Penn State. NUEL focused its work in 2021 around expanding and enhancing communication with Extension professionals working in urban environments, working with Extension professionals nationally to identify a set of priority issues for Extension’s urban work, providing leadership for the development of the new ECOP Urban Agriculture and Food Systems Program Action Team, and continuing to build national partnerships in support of Extension urban focused work. The complete report, along with NUEL accomplishment reports from previous years, can be accessed at NUEL Accomplishments website.



USDA NIFA AFRI Education and Workforce Development Grant Opportunity - Education and Workforce Development focuses on developing the next generation of research, education, and Extension professionals in the food and agricultural sciences. The aim of these grants is to cultivate future industry, government, or academic leaders who can solve emerging agricultural challenges of the 21st Century. In 2022, NIFA requests applications for AFRI’s Education and Workforce Development program areas to support: professional development opportunities for K-14 educational professionals; non-formal education that cultivates food and agricultural interest in youth; workforce training at community, junior, and technical colleges; training of undergraduate students in research and extension; fellowships for predoctoral candidates and postdoctoral scholars; and special workforce development topics. Application deadlines varies by program area. For more information, read the AFRI - EWD funding announcement.

Virtual National Awards Event Registration

The Cooperative Extension System is invited to register for A Community of Scholars Celebrating Excellence: USDA Teaching and Extension Awards Ceremony, Tuesday, November 9, 2021, 3:00-5:30 PM, ET, at https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_gHQn8SMBSvWLa8ck07Ch-g. Wendy Powers, University of California, who will then be ECOP Chair, will join USDA-NIFA Officials during the first portion of the event for presentation of the esteemed Extension Awards. Recipients are preparing ignite-style briefings to share their impacts during the session. The official media release announcing the 2021 recipients of these awards will be released closer to the actual date. Contact either Sandy Ruble, sandyruble@extension.org, regarding the Extension Awards and Tara Westington, twestington@aplu.org, regarding the Teaching Awards for more information. Other November 2021 dates/times of interest to the Cooperative Extension Section are found here.

Invitation to Participate in National Survey on Rural Community, Economic, and Workforce Development Priorities - The four Regional Rural Development Centers invite rural-focused leadership and professionals working on issues of community, economic, and workforce development to participate in a national survey. The survey is the first phase of a listening sessions process aimed at identifying key priorities and critical investments for rural communities' recovery and growth. The process is implemented by the RRDCs with support from the Extension Foundation through the New Technologies for Agricultural Extension accelerator program. The RRDCs ask that rural development research and Extension/outreach leaders (1) complete the survey no later than October 6 and (2) share the survey with those in their networks engaged in community and economic development activities. Timely completion will ensure that responses inform a preliminary report that will be shared by the RRDCs with USDA NIFA and other federal partners as stakeholder feedback. To access the survey and submit responses, visit: https://bit.ly/RuralPrioritiesSurvey. Please pardon any duplication of effort to inform readers of this opportunity.

USDA Releases Resource Guide for Rural Disaster Resiliency and Recovery - USDA Rural Development (RD) has announced the launch of a new resource guide to help rural communities seeking disaster resiliency and recovery assistance. This resource guide outlines RD programs, services and information on technical assistance for rural preparedness and recovery. Resources of the Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) are included. This guide seeks to strengthen local resiliency, provide resources that help build capacity to identify and manage risks to minimize the impact of disasters on residents and businesses. USDA RD’s disaster resiliency and recovery guide provides a matrix categorizing RD programs by the following four key assistance types:
   · Community and Economic Development Planning and Housing
   · Infrastructure and Equipment including wastewater systems, broadband, and healthcare
   · Local Business Development
   · Education and Training



2021 FCS State Program Leaders Meeting Announcement - Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to share that the Annual FCS State Program Leaders Meeting will be held virtually on November 4-5, 2021, in conjunction with the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences Annual Meeting. Go to https://www.neafcs.org/2021-annual-session for more information.

Nominations for the 2020 Seaman A. Knapp Lecture Due by August 21

Each year NIFA and APLU sponsor a lecture presented at the APLU Annual Meeting. NIFA and APLU are seeking nominations of an insightful topic and a dynamic speaker who can provoke discussion among meeting participants and prepare a formal lecture to be presented prior to the virtual APLU annual meeting in November to honor Seaman A. Knapp, the father of the Cooperative Extension concept. While seeking recommendations from those within the Land-grant University system, nominations are encouraged from all sources. Recommendations should include the name of the nominee, title, address, telephone number, and e-mail address and topic that could be discussed. Please submit your potential topic and/or presenter on or before August 21, 2020. Recommendations should be forwarded electronically to Bill Hoffman at whoffman4@usda.gov. A committee will review submissions and narrow the scope of the recommendations in order to make a final decision. 

National Action Dialogue (NAD) Report Available - In partnership with ECOP, two National Action Dialogues focused on Extension Futures were held on July 13 & 14, 2020. The purpose was to imagine near-future possibilities for how Extension can better serve individuals and communities in the face of evolving needs. The outcome will support the transitional aspect of Extension to a more-virtual delivery platform and will inform the need for funding of infrastructure/equipment needed for the future. Two themes emerged in all breakout groups: (1) the need for universal, affordable broadband access (2) the need to strengthen existing and pursue new partnerships within local communities. Additionally, Infrastructure and Training needs were identified along with suggestions for new solutions. Read the full report here. 

  

AFRI Agricultural Workforce Training Priority Area - The Agricultural Workforce Training Priority Area, part the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative - Education and Workforce Development, addresses the need for training or retraining of agricultural workforce by providing institutional training grants to develop a technology- and data-savvy workforce, ready for the field and industrial jobs. These include opportunities for the development of new workforce training programs, and the expansion, improvement, or renewal of existing workforce training programs and curriculum. Projects must be developed by or for community/junior/technical colleges/institutes and their industry partners. All applications to this program area must demonstrate committed and active partnership with and/or relevance to industry. The application deadline is September 24, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. (ET). For more information about the program area priority, check the AFRI EWD RFA. Interested applicants are invited to register for an informational AFRI EWD webinar on August 19, 2020 at 12:00 p.m. (ET).

Closing the Opportunity Gap- Opportunity4All Forum - The proven impact of Cooperative Extension’s 4-H positive youth development program in addressing the nation’s opportunity gap was the focus of the Opportunity4All Forum on August 5, a one-hour virtual program produced by National 4-H Council. Highlights included youth perspectives on social justice and mental health. Extension, celebrity, corporate and foundation leaders shared their views and expertise on the action needed to create more opportunities for youth and communities. In addition, a powerful new white paper, Beyond the Gap, co-authored by Oregon State University Professor and Youth Development Specialist Mary Arnold, is available here. The Opportunity4All Forum recording can be watched here. Forum interest was high with 1,142 registrants, including 657 Extension professionals. Click here for more information about the Opportunity4All Campaign.

American Journal of Public Health Includes Commentary on Cooperative Extension - Cooperative Extension is the subject of an article in a special issue of the American Journal of Public Health focused on rural health. The commentary, co-authored by David Buys and Roger Rennekamp, "advances the notion that Extension, by working hand-in-hand with public health professionals, has an important role to play in addressing the health needs of rural communities." The article highlights five key steps that Extension can take with its public health partners to improve health and well-being across the nation. These include addressing the determinants of health through local coalitions, connecting communities to land grant resources, restoring public confidence in science, utilizing new technologies to support lifelong learning and collaboration, and capitalizing on youth voice and action. To read the abstract or obtain copies of the full text of the article visit https://ajph.aphapublications.org/doi/10.2105/AJPH.2020.305767.

 

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.