Search Begins for National Office Executive

The ECOP Monday Minute is on hiatus until September 12, 2022. Have a safe Labor Day!

Search Begins for National Office Executive - Under the leadership of its Chair and Chair-elect, ECOP, the 15-member Governing Board of the Cooperative Extension System, is seeking to hire a highly skilled Executive Director to serve and guide its mission "to strengthen Cooperative Extension at national, state and local levels." Successful candidates will have extensive experience with the System, be an exceptional leader and communicator, and possess the ability to develop partnerships and relationships across a variety of constituencies, including the federal enterprise. A select 7-member search team consists of 5 Extension Section members from each of its Regions, 1 person representing the EDA Team, and 1 person to liaise with the hiring authority that is the APLU. ECOP's commission of the team includes recruiting candidates, screening applications, conducting interviews, gathering input from across the System and Extension's Strategic Partners, advising the Board, and influencing the process to hire. Please share this announcement widely. Priority will be given to applications received by September 15, 2022. Thank you.

Joint ESS/CES-NEDA Meeting Only 4 Weeks Away - The annual National Extension Directors and Administrators gathering will occur jointly with the Experimental Station Directors in Baltimore September 25-28. So far, 55 members of the Cooperative Extension Section (76) have responded to their invitation. The extended deadline to reserve a room at the Marriott Waterfront is September 4. The absolute deadline to register is September 18. Links to vital meeting information is found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/392702001257. 

Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan - On September 7, 2022, at 11 a.m. ET USDA NIFA will hold an informational webinar about the recently published NIFA Climate Adaptation and Resilience Plan, which represents the agency’s coordinated, collaborative response to the vulnerabilities and impacts caused by our changing climate. This one-hour webinar will provide an overview of the plan’s contents, and time will be reserved for audience questions. Registration for the webinar if found here.




ECOP/ACOP at 2022 JointCOPs - At the 2022 JointCOPs meeting in July in Washington, DC, ECOP met with leaders from the APLU's Board on Agriculture Assembly Academic Programs Committee on Organization and Policy (ACOP), the executive committee of the Academic Programs Section. The lively discussion addressed the questions: How can Extension and youth programs help with student recruitment, and how can ACOP help with Extension workforce development? Many resources and efforts were shared during the session, including partnerships between the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska and Nebraska Extension. Check out the following resources:
· Rural Prosperity Nebraska Fellowship Program
· Early College and Career Pathways (Examples)
· Digital Badges
· Master of Applied Science (online)



Next NCFAR's Lunch-N-Learn Series Features Advances in Food Science and Technology- For more than 40 years, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans have provided science-based guidance for healthy eating, yet the quality of American diets has shown limited improvement. Please make congressional contacts aware of the National Coalition on Food and Agricultural Research (NCFAR) webinar on Tuesday, September 13, 2022, 11:00 AM ET, Helping Americans Meet the Dietary Guidelines - Advances and Opportunities in Food Science and Technology, featuring Dr. Noel Anderson, Mosaic Food Advisors LLC. NCFAR’s "Lunch-N-Learn" series features experts from across the country sharing expertise on a wide range of topics. These events educate and empower staff on Capitol Hill and policy stakeholders about the value of public investment in food and agricultural research and Extension. Pre-registration here is required.

EXCITE Newsletter - The EXCITE Newsletter is a weekly communication to provide an inclusive and concise update on important happenings related to Immunization Education. Included in the newsletter is information on workshops, resources, requests, and updates. Check out the newsletter and the means to subscribe here.

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.

Verizon Renews Support of 1890 4-H Programs

Verizon has committed an additional $5M to National 4-H Council for continued support of the 4-H Tech Changemakers program increasing the total commitment to $12.5M since 2020, with $10M focused on 1890s. Rose Stuckey Kirk – Verizon’s Chief Corporate Social Responsibility Officer (pictured on the right)– attended the AEA 2022 System-Wide Extension Conference, where Florida A&M University 4-H’er Stephen Hayes (pictured on the left) presented her the 4-H Opportunity For All Visionary Award. Read more about Verizon’s commitment to bridging the digital divide here.

Evaluating End-use Potential for Process Food Wastes - The next National Coalition for Food and Agricultural Research (NCFAR) Virtual Lunch-N-Learn to help educate Congress on the Hill is about process food waste generated by large-scale food producers. The waste is generally comprised of inedible portions of organic matter like fruit and vegetable trimmings, skins and peels, and brewing and wine waste. Diversion of these wastes from the landfill to higher value products can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and give additional value to a once discarded source. Process food waste is rich in carbon and often contain various nutraceuticals or bioactive compounds that can be recovered. Alternatively, the process food waste can be upgraded to methane via anaerobic digestion. The Extension System may encourage policy makers and their staffers to register here for the event scheduled for Tuesday, August 16, 2022, at 11:00 AM ET. 

USDA Household Food Security Survey Webinar - NIFA will host a webinar, The Development of New Measures to Complement the U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module, on August 30, 2022, at 1 p.m. ET on the USDA Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM). The intended audience are NIFA stakeholders including academics, practitioners, and decision makers working to prioritize nutrition security. And any organization that seeks to help their clients get access to healthful food and/or eat in a healthier way, including hospitals and non-profits concerned with public nutrition. Dr. Eric Calloway will explain that, while the definition of food security is holistic and nuanced, measurement has not traditionally been operationalized more fully. The Household Food Security Survey Module is the primary tool used to assess food security in the United States. For more details, click here. 

NIFA Conducts Live FAQ Session: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems - Small businesses, land-grant institutions, state controlled institutions of higher learning, and NGO's are eligible to apply for the AFRI-funded Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712) program area priority. Those with interest are invited to attend a live FAQ event September 14, 2022, at 3 p.m. ET, to learn more about the program area priority and meet the NIFA team. The A1712 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. 

Registration for Joint ESS/CES-NEDA 2022

Last Friday Cooperative Extension and the Agriculture Research Directors and Administrators received much-anticipated invitation to register for the Joint ESS/CES-NEDA Meeting, September 25-28, 2022. Building Trust is the theme for the event to be held at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront. This list of members of the Cooperative Extension Section and those with whom they delegate are urged to review the agenda and to register here for the first in person NEDA meeting since 2019. 

• The Cost to register for all Sessions, Sunday-Tuesday, September 25-27, is $600.
• The Cost to register for the bullet above and post-meeting sessions, Regional Association business, on Wednesday, September 28, is $750.

Either option includes the annual business meeting Tuesday, September 27, 1:30 – 5:00 p.m.

• 1-hour Extension Foundation Meeting
• Networking Break
• 2-hour Cooperative Extension Section Business Meeting, presided by ECOP Chair Wendy Powers, University of California
  

Revisit the registration link after August 10 to book lodging. Listen to 90-second video promotion by keynote speaker, David Horsager, the Trust Edge - https://youtu.be/FjQC8pKXJkM. To register a travel companion for joint meeting meals served at the Marriott, go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/392746684907. Direct questions to Ms. Jenn Tippetts at jennifer.tippetts@waaesd.org.

NRCS Releases Climate Change Adaptation Plan - USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service has released a new Climate Change Adaptation Plan that works to ensure its programs and services meet the demands of the changing agricultural landscape for farmers, ranchers, forest landowners, and land managers, and rural communities. The plan found here evaluates seven current vulnerabilities to NRCS’s mission, operation and infrastructure that may be affected by climate change and prioritizes key actions to address these vulnerabilities. 

Nominations for CARET Awards - The Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET), a voluntary organization of citizens cooperating with the Board on Agriculture Assembly, is seeking nominations for 2 types awards by September 15, 2022. At the March 2023 CARET/AHS Joint Meeting, the Lifetime of Service and the Meritorious Service Award will be presented to individuals who have been extraordinary in their service to CARET. The Lifetime Service Award is given to a longstanding CARET delegate who made significant contributions over many years and concluded their service to CARET. The Meritorious Service Award is given to an individual who has supported CARET and the overall Land-grant University community. Learn more about both awards here. Please submit nominations to fbethel@aplu.org by the deadline. 

FFAR Board Holds Public Conversation Next Month - The Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR) leverages public and private resources to increase the scientific and technological research, innovation, and partnerships critical to boosting America's agricultural economy. The FFAR Board of Directors will host the Foundation’s annual Public Conversation on September 8, 2022, from 10:00-11:30 AM ET. This year’s event will be held in-person and virtual. The Public Conversation is an opportunity for the public and members of the food and agriculture community to hear from FFAR’s leadership and interact with them during the public comments and Q&A session. At this year’s event, meet FFAR’s incoming Executive Director, Dr. Saharah Moon Chapotin, learn about FFAR, and engage with the Board of Directors. Go here to register to attend the event and/or submit comments to FFAR in advance. 

RRDCs Connect with ECOP Priorities

The Regional Rural Development Centers have been working to assemble ways of demonstrating support for the ECOP Priorities and to continue to lift up the interests of the land-grants in mutually supporting these great efforts. Check out two publications, Regional Rural Development Centers Leadership Contributions, and Alignment with the ECOP Advocacy Topics for more information.

NCFAR Virtual Lunch-N-Learn Recording Now Available - The 2022 NCFAR Lunch-N-Learn series kicked off with a dynamic presentation by Dr. Jourdan Bell (Texas A&M University) on the impact of climate change on agricultural production and rural communities in the Texas High Plains. ECOP, Eversole Associates, and SoAR Foundation were series sponsors. Click here to watch a recording of the session.

National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee Host Site Request - The National Extension Conference on Volunteerism Planning Committee is pleased to open the host site bid RFP for the 2023 AND 2025 conferences. Please review this document if a land-grant institution is interested. There is no requirement or restriction for one state to host both conferences, but a separate bid for each year is required. 2023 proposals are due by August 12, 2022. 2025 proposals are due by October 29, 2022.

FALCON 2022 Conference Registration Now Open - The First Americans Land-Grant Consortium (FALCON) is pleased to announce that registration is now open for its 18^th Annual Conference, scheduled for October 21-24, 2022. This will be an IN-PERSON conference at the Hotel Albuquerque in Old Town, Albuquerque, New Mexico. As always, the conference will include sessions in 1994 land-grant teaching, Extension programs and research that benefit Native American students, communities, governments, and lands. There will be a strong student focus and tribal college students are especially invited to participate and present their work. The conference will also include an USDA NIFA update, as well training workshops and information-sharing and networking opportunities. Read full details here. 



Leadership in the City Professional Development Program Offered - Leadership in the City is a 6-month online professional development program that prepares Extension professionals working in urban areas to be locally relevant, responsive statewide, and recognized nationally. To date 127 Extension professionals from 31 states have participated. This online professional development program offers learning about leadership, networks, innovation, marketing, management, and more. The program is based on a foundation of entrepreneurial theory and urban Extension practice and will build upon existing leadership experiences. This year the course instructor is Ramona Madhosingh-Hector University of Florida/IFAS Extension and course advisor is Julie Fox, Ohio State University Extension. The investment in the program is $500. Multiple participants from the same institute are entitled to a $100 discount (Discount code: LITC23-MULT). Complete details and registration can be found at go.osu.edu/urbanleadership.