Cooperative Extension Health Funding Approaches $300M

Dedicated funding to support the Cooperative Extension System’s portfolio of health-related work increased to nearly $300M in FY22. Funds originated from a variety of federal agencies and foundations including the USDA Food and Nutrition Service, National Institute of Food and Agriculture, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Environmental Protection Agency, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the Walmart Foundation. National 4-H Council and the Extension Foundation both played important roles in distributing these funds to land-grant universities across the nation. This amount does not include federal capacity funds or funds appropriated at the state or county level to support Extension’s health-related work. For more information, contact Roger Rennekamp, Extension Health Director at rogerrennekamp@extension.org. ECOP contributed $12,000 of its reserves held at APLU to the cause of the Health Program Action Team.

Farm Bureau Survey on Drought’s Increasing Toll - Drought is taking an increasing toll on farmers and ranchers, the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Market Intel service said after releasing the results of a third survey it has taken on the subject. With over 60% of the American West, Southwest and Central Plains categorized as D3 (severe) drought or higher, the American Farm Bureau Foundation conducted a third round of its survey to evaluate drought’s continued impact on farm and ranch businesses. "Given the region’s vital role in providing nearly half of American agricultural production by value, discussing and undertaking effective drought mitigation efforts is key to a secure domestic food supply and to protecting our farm and ranch families", concluded Daniel Munch, a Farm Bureau economist with ties to land-grant universities. Read the full report here.

New EXCITE Programming Opportunities - EXCITE is a nation-wide local response  by the Cooperative Extension System to increase immunization education, emphasizing boosting vaccination confidence with focus on adult immunization other than COVID-19. EXCITE is made possible through an interagency agreement between USDA-NIFA and the CDC that integrates partners and funders. The newest phase of funding will support projects addressing adult immunization education and vaccine confidence in land-grant Extension communities and is open to all land-grant institutions (1994, 1890, 1862) even if not currently involved with EXCITE. An introductory virtual session will occur September 22, 2022, at 3:00 p.m. ET. The project's elements, timelines, and goals will be covered, along with Q&A. Click here to register attend and/or receive the recording of the session.

New Program Action Teams Website Launched - pats.extension.org is a new website that provides an overview of the ECOP Program Committee's Action Teams (PATs) including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion; Climate Mitigation, Resiliency and Adaptation; Economic and Workforce Development; Health Equity and Well Being; 4-H Positive Youth Development; Broadband Access and Digital Tools; and Urban Programs. The PATs provide a mechanism for interested Extension professionals, as well as internal and external partners, from across the country to collaborate on high priority programs. Anyone with interest in these program areas can access contact information and get connected with colleagues.



USDA Resource Guides for American Indians, Alaska Natives - The USDA Office of Tribal Relations has released the USDA Resource Guide for American Indians and Alaska Natives 2022 and the USDA Native Youth Resource Guide 2022. The announcement by the agency including a quote by Secretary Vilsack is found here. These resources offer insights into the  Cooperative Extension System's connectivity with 1994s, 1890s, and 1862s within USDA.