ECOP Spring Meeting Topics - The Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) serves as the executive board and representative body (15 voting members, 3 from 5 regions) of the Cooperative Extension System and typically meets face-to-face 3 times each year. The Spring Meeting, March 23-25, will consist of 4, 90-minute virtual sessions. The agenda includes, 4-H Reputation Management, an update to the Cooperative Extension Framework for Health, NIFA Partnerships and Opportunities, and the role of the Executive Directors and Administrator Team (EDA Team). For more information contact Executive Director Caroline (Crocoll) Henney carolinecrocoll@extension.org or Assistant Director Sandy Ruble. Thank you.
Monday, March 1, 2021
Encouraging Collaborations with Diverse Communities
ECOP Spring Meeting Topics - The Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) serves as the executive board and representative body (15 voting members, 3 from 5 regions) of the Cooperative Extension System and typically meets face-to-face 3 times each year. The Spring Meeting, March 23-25, will consist of 4, 90-minute virtual sessions. The agenda includes, 4-H Reputation Management, an update to the Cooperative Extension Framework for Health, NIFA Partnerships and Opportunities, and the role of the Executive Directors and Administrator Team (EDA Team). For more information contact Executive Director Caroline (Crocoll) Henney carolinecrocoll@extension.org or Assistant Director Sandy Ruble. Thank you.
Monday, February 22, 2021
Alliance with CDC to Help Rural and Underserved Populations
On a related note...
Coming Together for Racial Understanding (CTRU) Pilots Virtual Train-the-Trainer Workshop - With support from ECOP, CTRU recently piloted a virtual Train-the-Trainer Workshop. Previously, this has been a week-long intensive face-to-face experience, but the current situation called for experimenting with an online process. Three new states joined the CTRU pilot: Delaware, New Mexico, and Ohio. Five existing CTRU states (Alabama, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and Virginia) filled empty team slots due to retirements or job changes, and two Regional Rural Development Center colleagues joined to help strengthen regional support. Over the next few weeks, the CTRU evaluation team will be examining the efficacy of the virtual workshop in comparison with the two previous face-to-face efforts. To learn more about CTRU, visit: http://srdc.msstate.edu/civildialogue/index.html or contact Rachel Welborn, Southern Rural Development Center, rachel.welborn@msstate.edu.
Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR)-Funded Report Outlines National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste - A FFAR-funded consensus study report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, “A National Strategy to Reduce Food Waste at the Consumer Level,” examines the cultural and societal drivers of food waste among consumers. The report provides a multilevel strategy for how the public and private sectors can provide the motivation, opportunities and abilities to help consumers reduce food waste.
2021 Trust In Food Symposium - With individuals and communities forging new ways to do business, communicate and go about their daily lives. Against this backdrop, our country’s food system – from producers to consumers – appears to be rapidly evolving, as well. From Feb. 23-25, the 2021 Trust In Food Symposium Regenerative Reset will help leaders from farms, agribusinesses, conservation organizations, farmer associations, food companies, food retail, government agencies and other sectors make sense of the changing landscape and position themselves for success. Learn more and register here: https://www.trustinfood.com/symposium
Monday, February 8, 2021
Creating an Inclusive, Equitable Cooperative Extension System
The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus on Presidents' Day, February 15, 2021.
Last Friday’s Learning for Leaders event, Improving Inclusivity in Our Institutions and ECOP, was a launching point by 36 Extension Directors and Administrators from 1890, 1862, and 1994 Land-grants to create an inclusive, equitable Cooperative Extension System. Organizers of this event and last month's, hope their colleagues can say in 2022, "I finally saw change." For anyone listed here who was unable to attend and for participants wishing to review, links to the 5-minute dynamic topical presentations, slides, and survey are found below. Save the Date, March 5, 2021, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. Details of the next Learning for Leaders will soon be released.
-- Programming–A Path Forward
-- Hiring/Recruitment/Pipeline/Retention
-- Professional Development for Leaders and Personnel
-- Support for New/Existing Diverse Employees
-- 1890/1862 Relationship – Lessons Learned
-- Best Practices, and Collaboration Between 1862/1994 Institutions
-- Click Here to view/download Power Point
-- Complete Survey at bit.ly/CES-DEI-Survey
Webinar: Applying for NEW AFRI “Education and Workforce Development” Funding on February 26 - In FY 2021, the AFRI Education and Workforce Development (EWD) applications cover seven areas: agricultural workforce training, professional development for agricultural literacy, training of undergraduate students in research and extension, fellowships for predoctoral candidates, fellowships for postdoctoral scholars, a new program for food and agricultural non-formal education (FANE), and a FY 2021-only program for evaluation of NIFA’s agricultural literacy and workforce development portfolio. 1890, 1994, and 1862 Land-Grant Institutions, and a host of others are eligible to apply. On February 26 from 2-3:00 PM Eastern Time, NIFA staff will provide an overview of 2 New! EWD programs, FANE and Civic Engagement Experience for Youth (CEEY). Learn more/register here.
2021 Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) Virtual Conference April 12-13 - Registration is now open for the virtual Extension PILD Conference. PILD is sponsored by JCEP (Joint Council of Extension Professionals) and is conducted by and for Extension professionals. This year’s conference theme is “Building Our Future Together”. Early registration is available through April 2. Speakers include Dr. Waded Cruzado, President of Montana State University, and Dr. Chuck Hibberd, Extension Dean & Director Emeritus, University of Nebraska, Lincoln. A special session especially for Extension Directors and Administrators will be organized by the ECOP Budget & Legislative Committee. Through speakers, workshops and panels, participants will learn how to communicate and engage with stakeholders and elected officials in advocating for Extension at the local, state, and national level. Information and registration is available at www.jcep.org/pild.
Monday, February 1, 2021
Call for 2021 Cooperative Extension Award Nominations
Application Process Open for FSLI's Seventeenth Cohort - Applications are now being accepted for the seventeenth cohort in the Food Systems Leadership Institute starting in the fall of 2021. The Food Systems Leadership Institute (FSLI) offers executive leadership development to upper-level leaders in higher education, government, and industry to prepare them to meet the leadership challenges and opportunities of the future. More information on the FSLI program can be found in the short video on their website. Go to https://fsli.org/apply to apply. For optimal consideration interested parties should apply before March 1!