Alliance with CDC to Help Rural and Underserved Populations

Extension Directors and Administrators are welcome to share this registration link https://extension.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJ0uf-6vrjwjEtZz_mAGOQYjvtBj8Ue-xc81 as appropriate for the webinar, Immunization Education - Faculty & Staff, Wednesday, February 24, 2021, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. The hour-long session is led by Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware. Michelle is the new Project Director for the developing alliance between the Cooperative Extension System and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to promote the immunization education and innovative models for community action. This alliance was launched by the ECOP Health Innovation Task Force. 

On a related note...

Aimed at improving the health and well-being of rural and underserved populations, the Cooperative Extension System’s work to reduce hesitancy and remove barriers to receiving the COVID-19 vaccines will be featured at a practitioner town hall scheduled for 2:00 PM ET on Wednesday, February 24. The town hall is part of the CDC’s National Forum on the COVID-19 Vaccine being held this week. The Forum is designed to connect representatives from the federal government with community leaders and health practitioners to promote the most effective strategies to build trust and confidence in COVID-19 vaccines and increase access nationwide. The Forum begins on Monday, February 22 at 10:00 AM EST and ends on Wednesday, February 24 at 3:30 PM EST. View the full agenda here. Register here to participate in either the entire conference, or just the sessions of most interest.

Expedite Nominations - Recognize the Best of Best in 2021 - The call for nominations for the Cooperative Extension Awards Program offered collectively by ECOP and USDA-NIFA began February 1. Whether they showcase innovation or shear excellence, winning nominations could take months to prepare. Ask administrative leadership teams to investigate the nomination process without delay at www.aplu.org/cesawards. The deadline to submit is May 1 only 10 weeks away. Direct questions to Sandy Ruble, Assistant Director, Cooperative Extension System/ECOP, sandyruble@extension.org. Thank you.

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