The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus until January 8, 2024. Happy and safe holidays to all!

Long History of Cooperative Extension and the National Agricultural Statistics Service Renewed

For many decades, the Cooperative Extension Service has enjoyed a warm working relationship with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS). A Memorandum of Understanding (2023-2028) was recently signed to continue this important work. Pictured above are ECOP Chair Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University (left), and NASS Administrator Hubert Hamer (right) at a ceremonial signing, conducted at the APLU annual meeting in Seattle. 



CYFAR RFA Available - The USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) requests applications for new Children, Youth and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Sustainable Community Projects (SCP) for fiscal year 2024. The due date is February 15, 2024. The mission of the CYFAR program is to marshal resources of the Land-grant and Cooperative Extension Systems so that, in collaboration with other organizations, they can develop and deliver educational programs that equip youth who are at-risk for not meeting basic human needs with the skills they need to lead positive, productive, contributing lives. Consider attending one of the webinars on January 8 at 3:00 PM ET or January 11 at 5:00 PM ET.

Open Science at USDA - Public access is a critical part of the USDA and National Institute of Food and Agriculture’s (NIFA) support of Open Science. USDA Departmental Regulation (DR) 1020-006 makes all peer-reviewed, scholarly publications and digital scientific research data assets arising from unclassified scientific research, “supported wholly or in part by the USDA,” accessible to the public to the extent practicable. There is a frequently asked questions document and webinar recording, which covers some information that Extension professionals who publish in scholarly publications might find useful.

2024 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference Proposals - The planning committee for the 2024 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference  is now accepting proposals for concurrent sessions and posters at next year’s conference (May 13-15, 2024). The conference will be hosted by University of Georgia, Clemson University, and NCSU Extension Services in Greenville, SC. Proposals may focus on any health-related topic including mental health, well-being, transdisciplinary research, implementation science, workforce development, community engagement, health equity, data utilization, place-based interventions, environmental health, housing, health systems and services, food systems, social determinants of health, coalition development, and youth development as a health strategy. Guidelines for preparing proposals can be found here and submitted through the submission portal no later than February 4, 2024.

Intro to Migrant Education Program - The folks that run the Migrant Education Program (MEP) are asking for help get the word out about their effort. This is a nationally funded program through the Department of Education that has existed since 1966. Many farmworker families move during the year or every couple of years in search of work. Many children fall behind in school due to these moves. The Identification and Recruitment Consortium (IDRC) includes 32 Migrant Education Programs. The children they serve are children of farmworkers who have moved in the last three years. They have resources to help more kids graduate from school, assist with life skills classes, language development and more. They would like to share more with Extension Services in each state about this program. Please email jcastanedaidr@gmail.com or call 931-273-4050 for more information.

Read more about IDRC: https://www.idr-consortium.net/Agriculture%20site/index.html
Access information from the Department of Education: https://oese.ed.gov/offices/office-of-migrant-education/
More about MEP: https://results.ed.gov/

2024 NEDA Meeting in Louisville

The 2024 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting will take place in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky on September 17-19. Please update calendars with the location. The ECOP Meeting, New Extension Directors and Administrators orientation, and kick-off dinner will take place on September 17. Cooperative Extension Section business, dialogue, and leadership learning experiences will begin the morning of September 18, and conclude midday on September 19. Registration details, hotel information, and much more will be released during the second quarter of 2024. 

Speaking of Calendars - Click Here to view ECOP's Calendar that includes a few recent updates. 

USDA Announces Draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics - The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have released a Draft National Strategy for Reducing Food Loss and Waste and Recycling Organics. The strategy was shared at the USDA-NIFA's Institute of Food Safety and Nutrition (IFSN) Community Nutrition Project Directors' Meeting in New Orleans on December 4. The four main objectives in the draft National Strategy are:

• Prevent the loss of food where possible.
• Prevent the waste of food where possible.
• Increase the recycling rate for all organic waste.
• Support policies that incentivize and encourage food loss and waste prevention and organics recycling.

USDA National Climate Change Roadmap - A new resource, National Climate Change Roadmap - A Research Framework for Agriculture, Forestry and Working Lands, funded by USDA-NIFA and led by researchers from Colorado State University and Meridian Institute, was released recently. Within USDA, this report is a resource for program leaders to consider when developing strategies to support climate-smart agriculture and forestry as part of the research, Extension and education work at Land-grant Institutions and non-Land-grant Colleges and Universities. This resource was presented at the APLU Annual Meeting in Seattle.

USDA Now Accepting Loan Applications Online - The USDA has launched an online application for Direct Loan customers. More than 26,000 customers who submit a Direct Loan application each year can now use an online, interactive, guided application that is paperless and provides helpful features including an electronic signature option, the ability to attach supporting documents such as tax returns, complete a balance sheet and build a farm operating plan.

Through a personalized dashboard, borrowers can borrowers track the progress of their loan application. It can be accessed on farmers.gov or by completing FSA’s Loan Assistance Tool at farmers.gov/loan-assistance-tool. To use the online loan application tool, producers must establish a USDA customer account and a USDA Level 2 eAuthentication (eAuth) account or a Login.gov account. For the initial stage, the online application tool is only available for producers who will be, or are currently, operating their farm as an individual. FSA is expanding the tools availability to married couples applying jointly and other legal entities in 2024.

Glimpses of Results - Trends of Funding Extension Positions

The recording, CES Updates - A Glimpse of 2023 Salary Questionnaire Results and More, highlights a mile-high glimpse at the preliminary results of the national survey to explain national trends in funding 2018-2022 for Extension FTEs for off-campus educators conducted by ECOP. The ECOP Chair Damona Doye, Oklahoma State University, also shares much more. Ashley Stokes, University of Tennessee, recruits professionals for the new Food Systems and Food Waste Program Action Team. Michelle Rodgers, EXCITE Program Director, shares information about the anticipated "Bridge Access" program that is unfolding for 2024. 

New Funding for EXCITE - As Michelle Rogers shared with us at the National Extension Directors and Administrators annual meeting in October, CDC has funded Cooperative Extension with $6 million for one year to focus on the Bridge Access program. This is an awareness campaign, much like Activity 1(A1), to reach uninsured and underinsured individuals with information on how to obtain free COVID19 immunizations. Michelle is grateful to report that we have received support from NIFA EFNEP leadership to provide $4 million of this funding to EFNEP to integrate this information in a whole health effort along with the EFNEP curriculum. This is non-competitive funding with up to $70,000 available to each EFNEP program. Please consider registering for the webinar on December 7, 2023, 3:00 PM ET regarding this program.

ECOP DEI-PAT Announces a New Connect Extension Group - ECOP’s Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Program Action Team (DEI-PAT) is pleased to invite anyone with connect.extension.org credentials to join the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) subgroup. With a commitment to advancing diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility across the Cooperative Extension System and the communities served, the new group is championing diversity, fostering collaboration, and driving equitable opportunities for all. The effort is a complement the DEI-PAT’s information/resource repository site and a place to post blogs, links to relevant articles, generate dynamic discussion, and share programming questions and opportunities.




USDA Soil Testing Survey - The National Urban Agricultural Extension Leaders and the ECOP Urban Agriculture and Food Systems Program Action Team have requested that we send the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture’s USDA Soil Testing Survey to State Extension Directors and Administrators. The survey is short and could easily be completed by your soil testing laboratory or others on your campus.




Important Information on Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program Coverage - In an effort to prevent Medicaid or Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) participants from losing health coverage as a result of the end of the Federal Public Health Emergency. USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack and U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona recently released a letter to higher education institution leaders with important information to help connect eligible students and their families with available, affordable health coverage options via Medicaid, CHIP or the Affordable Care Act. To learn more, visit the following websites:

• Joint Letter to Higher Education Leaders
  
  
• Recommended actions for higher education institution leaders to prevent students from losing health coverage
  
  
• Communication tools on Medicaid and CHIP renewals

Landgrantimpacts.com Database Submission Request

The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus until December 4, 2023.
Happy Thanksgiving (by the numbers)!

Landgrantimpacts.com Database Submission Deadline 12/29/2023 - The National Land-grant Impacts Database (NIDB) or landgrantimpacts.org is now administered by APLU through its Board on Agriculture Assembly’s (BAA) Communications and Marketing Committee and staff. NIDB provides a publicly accessible repository of impact statements demonstrating the individual and collective value of the land-grant university tripartite mission of research, education, and Extension. Impact statements are used for variety of purposes including advocacy, accountability, and education. Please remind land-grant university authorized users to submit recent impact statements by December 29, 2023, the end of year-round collection. This will allow the 2024 writing team to opportunity update the last year's summaries and stories. Help for writing and submitting statements is available with a training video and/or the tip sheet. To update the list of authorized submitters, contact Andrea Putman and Kim Scotto.

Dr. Manjit Misra and Dr. Caroline Henney

Seaman A. Knapp Lecture Transcript - The transcript, Looking Back and Thinking Forward-If I Were Seaman A. Knapp Today, I Would Challenge Extension to...., that was presented by Caroline Henney at the 2023 APLU Annual Meeting, is available to view/download here. The historic USDA-NIFA and APLU lecture series continues next year with the Justin Smith Morrill lecture. 

USDA Requests Extension Professionals Spread the Word - 22007 Discrimination Financial Assistance Program - The Discrimination Financial Assistance Program (DFAP) provides financial assistance for farmers, ranchers and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending programs prior to January 2021. Through Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act, Congress provided a total of $2.2 billion for this program. Technical assistance is available to applicants free of charge from the program’s regional vendors as well as from trusted cooperator organizations with extensive experience conducting outreach to producer communities. USDA extended the deadline to submit applications to January 13, 2024, to give eligible farmers, ranchers and forest landowners more time to apply for assistance. The original deadline was October 31, 2023. To ensure maximum producer participation and increase their awareness of this program and available technical assistance, USDA encourages Cooperative Extension share information about DFAP to their local producer communities. Visit and share the Discrimination Financial Assistance Program website and/or subscribe to the program newsletter.



USDA Announces New Resources to Empower Native American Young People - USDA is offering new resources to inspire Native American youths to explore Indigenous foodways and knowledge and to highlight career paths at USDA and beyond. These efforts are part of USDA’s commitment to empowering tribal self-determination and bringing Indigenous perspectives into agriculture, food and nutrition.

“USDA is reimagining how we support Indigenous agriculture and tribal communities,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack. “This includes reaching out to the next generation with educational opportunities both formal and informal.”

Learn more about these new resources.

Looking Back and Thinking Forward

November 12, 2023, Hyatt Regency Seattle, APLU Annual Meeting, Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture - Dr. Manjit Misra, USDA NIFA Director, and Dr. Caroline Henney

USDA NIFA’s Seaman A. Knapp lecturer, the Cooperative Extension System/ECOP Executive Director Emeritus Dr. Caroline Henney, applauded the work of the ECOP Program Committee's Program Action Teams listed here, and mentioned the emerging Food Loss Food Waste PAT in her speech, Looking Back and Thinking Forward.

She went on to say, “Extension has an important role to play in the well-being of this nation. I have always believed in the relevance of Extension. In the pivotal nature of this work. In the ability to connect the university to the people. To grow and adapt to ever-emerging human and community needs where and when they occur.”

Dr. Henney quoted Seaman A. Knapp, 1894: “‘Your mission is to solve problems of poverty, to increase measures of happiness, to harness the forces of all learning to the useful and needful in human society.’ One man and a handful of county agents in the South set this nation on a path that produced a vast Extension system with 32,000+ state and local professionals and 1,000,000+ volunteers, empowering farmers, ranchers, families and communities to meet the ever-changing challenges they face. Extension is a powerful, impactful force that has never been needed more.

If I were Seaman Knapp today, I would take the positive understanding of Extension’s important role much farther. I would challenge each of you, no matter what your role or connection to the Extension System of the United States, to kick it up a notch.

First, identify why the Extension service is still after 100+ years the best kept secret, and fix it.

Second, I would seek partnerships at all levels that are well beyond traditional.

Third, I would be relentless in telling the Extension story and sharing its critical value to legislators, and key decision-makers. If I learned anything in my career, its that the squeaky wheel generally gets the grease. I would work across the System to start a nationwide PR program to help the people of this country finally recognize the true treasure that we have in Extension. This far-reaching arm of our universities makes a true difference in the nation and the world.

I believe now than at any other time since Dr. Knapp first brought the universities to the people, that Extension is more critical or more needed for our current and future generations and the diverse communities that Extension serves.

We are all Seaman A. Knapp today. And we must do these things not to seek recognition for what Extension does, but to build hope. To build meaning. To build a far-reaching understanding of Extension as the largest education system of its kind in the world. Bringing the university to the people, as purveyors of credible, research-based information from which people and communities can make informed decisions to improve their lives.

Seaman A. Knapp’s early demonstration work likely has impacted millions and millions of people. On the continuum of this work across time, if appropriately tapped and resourced, Extension can indeed change the world.

Thank you for this incredible opportunity to be with you today.”

2023 Extension Awards Photo Album - From yesterday's USDA Teaching, Extension, Research, FSLI Leadership Award, & Board on Health & Human Sciences Awards session at the APLU Annual Meeting in Seattle, here is the link to an album of our featured winners. Congratulations to all of the winners! To learn more about the awards, and have a jump start on preparing nominations, go to awards.extension.org.

Register for the Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture - On Wednesday this week, November 15, 2023, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. ET, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) will present a hybrid version of the 13^th Annual Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture, which will be a part of the AAAS 175^th anniversary celebration. In light of the AAAS anniversary, the Lecture will reflect on how the history of science and technology has impacted agriculture, and look forward to how innovation can help address the future of food security and environmental challenges. The annual lecture is a collaboration between AAAS, RMF, and the World Food Prize Foundation. This year’s hybrid lecture will feature Dr. Joe Cornelius, Chief Executive Officer at the Bill & Melinda Gates Agricultural Innovations (Gates Ag One). Go to www.aaas.org/riley-lecture to learn more and register.




Rural America at a Glance, 2023 Edition Webinar - During a 1-hour webinar on Thursday this week, November 16, 2023, at 1:00 p.m. ET, the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) Research Agricultural Economist James C. Davis will highlight the most recent indicators of social and economic conditions in rural areas, focusing on rural population and migration trends, poverty, housing insecurity, unemployment, and clean energy jobs. The ERS releases the Rural America at a Glance report annually, which summarizes the status of conditions and trends in rural areas. Registration here is required.




LAST CHANCE: LEAD21 Apply by November 15 - The LEAD21 program is intended to meet the future needs for leadership development of faculty, specialists, district and regional directors, program and team leaders, research station and center directors, department heads and chairs, and others in the universities’ colleges of agricultural, environmental, natural resources, veterinary sciences, and human sciences and USDA/NIFA. Individuals from Non-land-grant Agriculture and Renewable Resources Universities, and USDA are encouraged to participate. Details and more are available here.

Civil Rights Reviews – What to Know Ahead of Time

Civil Rights Reviews – What to Know Ahead of Time held on November 3, 2023, is a resource for what Extension Directors and Administrators should consider as they prepare for a civil right review for USDA-NIFA. It was one in a series of ECOP's First Friday sessions coordinated by the ECOP Professional Development Committee. This session is a general overview of what to expect and the importance of communicating externally with NIFA and internally with a review team. In addition to the link to the YouTube recording, slides from last Friday's session are available to view/download here. Dates for two more First Friday sessions on Civil Rights Reviews will be announced to Members of the Section and 1994 Extension Directors during the first part of 2024. Working titles:   

   (1) Language Access and Translational Services/Needs 

   (2) What an institution learns from the process? 

Watch for an invitation to ECOP Chair Damona Doye's First Friday Conversation on December 1, 2023, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. Skip January 2024!

Pesticide Safety Education Funds Program Application, Due January 1, 2024 - The EPA has awarded a cooperative agreement to the Extension Foundation (EXF) to administer a national subaward program supporting Pesticide Safety Education Programs (PSEPs). The new project will receive up to $15 million over five years. It will build upon a previous PSEP subaward program, also managed by EXF, which concluded in July 2023. The application for the Empowered Up: A Comprehensive PSEFMP Promoting Efficiency & Environmental Justice (PSEFMP) is now available. In order to be eligible for this funding applicants must be affiliated with a U.S. Land Grant University. Only one application per state or territory is eligible for funding. Learn more here.

Technical Assistance Webinar: Specialty Crop Research Initiative 2024 Request for Pre-Applications - A NIFA webinar on November 8, 2023, 4:00 p.m. ET will provide technical information about the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) Request for Pre-Applications for 2024. The purpose of the SCRI program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and Extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems.




2024 National 4-H Conference Information Session - The 2024 National 4-H Conference will be held April 19-24 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. Known as “the Secretary’s Conference,” this Conference is the flagship youth development opportunity of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Registration for a NIFA informational session on November 15, 2023, 4:00 p.m. ET is an opportunity to learn about the National 4-H Conference history, objectives, schedule, chaperone roles, policies and registration process. Click here to read about the conference.

White House Briefing by Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance

On Thursday, October 26, Bill Hoffman Executive Director, Cooperative Extension System/ECOP, attended a White House briefing organized by the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance (FACA). The session is pictured above. With FACA and APLU/Cooperative Extension in the room, representatives from Farm Bureau, American Seed Trade Association, National Association of State Departments of Agriculture, National Council of Farmer Cooperatives, National, Association of Equipment Manufacturers. The agenda included Climate-Smart Investments messaging in rural communities and Food Loss & Waste. 



JCEP Event Engagement for 2024 - The Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) has 2 important annual conferences. The Extension Leadership Conference (ELC) February 14-15 in Tampa, Florida and Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) April 15-17 in Arlington, Virginia. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to support Extension Faculty, Specialists and Agents/Educators to join the organizations listed here and encourage presentation proposals for the JCEP Conferences. The deadline for proposals ends this week on November 3, 2023. Details are available at www.jcep.org.

Extension Foundation and ECOP WorkForce Development PAT Hiring AgriProspects Workforce Development Network Positions - The Extension Foundation, in partnership with the ECOP Workforce Development Program Action Team, is seeking dynamic, collaborative individuals to help lead the AgriProspects Workforce Development Network. AgriProspects, supported through a USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture AFRI Education and Workforce Development Competitive Grant 2023-67037-40533, establishes a National Working Group supported by six Regional Working Groups focused on growing and refining the national portfolio of Extension workforce programs. AgriProspects seeks to align the supply of trained workers to the demand for agricultural jobs by developing and delivering a national agriculture workforce development framework. Application Deadline: November 10, 2023. Learn more here.

Invitation by Board on Health and Human Sciences - The Board on Health and Human Sciences invites Extension professionals who are planning to attend the 2023 APLU Annual Meeting to join their session Envisioning the Future of Health and Human Sciences on Monday, November 13 from 9:00 AM – 10:15 AM. Panelists will include Beverly Coberly, CEO of the Extension Foundation. Participants will hear perspectives on including health as a core feature of the human sciences identity and learn strategies to cultivate a growing community of academic disciplines inclusive of health and the human sciences. For more information, contact Executive Director Kelly Dalton.



$3.4M NTAE Award Announced - In partnership with the Extension Foundation , the University of New Hampshire (UNH) was awarded the USDA-NIFA New Technologies for Agricultural Extension (NTAE) Cooperative Agreement (Grant Number 2023-41595-41325). The Technology-Enhanced Cooperative Extension Hub (TECHExt), a groundbreaking initiative aims to revolutionize the Cooperative Extension System by infusing it with state-of-the-art technologies and practices. The project aligns with the strategic priorities of the USDA-NIFA and ECOP, aiming to foster innovation, increase the capacity of Extension professionals, update NTAE delivery and management policies, enable locally meaningful opportunities through responsive marketing, and conduct comprehensive evaluations for continuous improvement. Full release available here.

2023 NEDA Meeting Resources

The experience of 2023 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting in Tucson on October 10-12 keeps on giving. Check out the links to the informative presentations that are captured at neda.extension.org/presentations such as:

• The Massive Transformative Power of 4-H to Create Opportunity4All – by Richard Maltsbarger, President & CEO of Pet Valu

• Extension Foundation: Fulfilling Our Mission to Help CES Make a Greater Local Impact
  
  
• Tackling Extension’s Workforce Challenges – by Rob Russell, University of Missouri

Plus, all members of the Section are invited to join the LinkedIn® 2023 NEDA Meeting Group, www.linkedin.com/groups/12906033, to connect with each other and continue the national leadership dialogue. A post-meeting survey will inform the 2024 NEDA Planning Committee’s effort. 

Save The Date!! - September 16-19, are the dates for the 2024 NEDA Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky.

Awards: Think and Do - As a follow on to last week's announcement of the winners of 2023 National Awards Program, autumn is the right time to make a plan for nominating for the 2024 National Awards. Take 2 minutes starting at 3:04 of this recent video recording by Extension Foundation to gain a few valuable tips from the spokesperson for the winning 2022 Excellence in Extension Team Award, Geb Bastian, South Dakota State University. Experts agree, for a competitive edge, visit awards.extension.org to have a thorough understanding of the 3 distinctive awards and begin well before the official request for nominations February 1. 

• Individual Excellence in Extension Awards
• Team Excellence in Extension Award 
• Diversity in Extension Award (either an individual or a team) 

Also, alert leadership teams to start thinking of potential nominees. 

Invitation Broadband Navigator Event to Empower Data-Driven Local Projects - Penn State Extension and the Rockefeller Foundation invite Extension Directors and Associate Directors to a special in-person meeting on November 13, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., at the Rockefeller Foundation Office in New York, NY. The meeting will showcase new spatial analysis tools that can help local communities improve their broadband connectivity and development projects, and that have already been used by Pennsylvania to secure $500M in broadband funding. Participants will have the opportunity to explore innovative technologies and strategies to advance broadband expansion and digital inclusion, learn from successful initiatives using these new tools, and explore funding and collaboration possibilities. This is a unique chance to leverage the power of data and the land-grant mission to bridge the digital divide in rural areas. Please register as soon as possible, as space is limited: https://extension.psu.edu/bead-broadband.

2023 Top Honors in Extension Excellence and Diversity

Recognizing visionary leadership and diversity in educational programming, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) for Cooperative Extension, and the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU) announced last week the following 2023 awards to be presented in Seattle, Washington on November 12, 2023. The National Cooperative Extension Awards program is explained at awards.extension.org.

Excellence in Extension Award for an Individual: Mary Arnold, Oregon State University - The National Award is granted to Mary Arnold, professor, developmental scientist, and 4-H youth development specialist at Oregon State University. Arnold currently serves as the Director Youth Development Research and Practice at National 4-H Council, and is principle author of the 4-H Thriving Model, a model that describes a theory of change for the impact 4-H has on young people.


Regional Awards for Excellence in Extension for an Individual: NIFA, ECOP, and APLU will also present four regional awards to individual professionals for excellence this year. The recipients are:

1890s Region: Cedric Ogden, Cooperative Extension Specialist, Fort Valley State University, for Leading innovative engagement with diverse communities and using technology to address economic and environmental challenges.

North Central Region: Elaine Johannes, State Extension Specialist – Community Health, Kansas State University, for leading innovative engagement and partnerships for community health.

Northeast Region: Jiff Martin, Extension Educator – Food Systems, University of Connecticut, for providing solid ground for an inclusive, vibrant, and sustainable agriculture industry and food supply.

Southern Region: A. Stanley Culpepper, Extension Agronomist – Weed Science, University of Georgia, for innovative research and outreach to improve weed management and pesticide stewardship practices on family farms.

Excellence in Extension Team Award: The Growing Together Multi-State Collaborative - Growing Together bit.ly/23-EiETeam-Award is a multi-state SNAP-Ed donation garden collaborative that aims to promote healthy food access and offer nutrition and garden education for individuals who are nutrition insecure. This multi-state collaborative, including Iowa, Michigan, Montana, Indiana, Illinois, Nebraska, Wisconsin, Wyoming, and most recently, South Dakota, meets regularly to share resources, promising practices, and challenges, while also building relationships and connections across state lines. Each state has tailored their effort to best meet their specific programmatic and community needs. 

National Extension Diversity Award: The University of Florida's “Café Latino” Project - The Coalition of Florida Extension for Latino Communities (CAFÉ Latino) is achieving and sustaining diversity and pluralism. CAFÉ Latino is gaining visibility in Cooperative Extension System and in other countries. Since the Spring 2018, University of Florida’s Dr. John Diaz, Associate Professor and Extension Specialist, has led the development of CAFÉ Latino in collaboration with Dr. Karla Shelnutt, Professor, Jonael Bosques-Mendez, County Extension Director, and Laura Valencia, 4-H Agent, to help increase the capacity and competency for Extension to serve the needs of Florida’s growing Latinx population. CAFÉ Latino focuses on enhancing the access and efficacy of Extension programs.



NOMINATE by 10/18/23 - ECOP Climate PAT Convening  - On January 31 and February 1, 2024, the ECOP Climate Mitigation, Resiliency, and Adaptation PAT will convene and host a dynamic cohort of up to 70 climate leaders  in Tucson, AZ. Extension Directors and Administrators are invited to submit nominations of Extension Professionals to attend! These individuals will collaborate to develop an Extension Climate Action Plan, a blueprint that will empower Extension directors and strategic partners to harness the full potential of the Cooperative Extension System in combating the pressing challenges posed by the climate crises. Please send the nominee's name, contact information, and area of expertise to Jason Henderson at jhender5@iastate.edu or Regan Emmons at reganemmons@extension.org by Wednesday, October 18, 5 PM PST. Or use this form link to easily submit nominations.

NIFA Director Misra Video Message for Cooperative Extension

In honor of our gathering in Tucson for the National Extension Directors and Administrators annual meeting, NIFA Director Manjit Misra has provided a short video message. Enjoy!

Extension Foundation Board of Directors Names Dr. Beverly Coberly as the New Chief Executive Officer of the Extension Foundation - Dr. Gregg Hadley, Chairman of the Extension Foundation Board of Directors, announces the selection of Dr. Beverly Coberly as the new CEO of the Foundation. Dr. Coberly has been the interim CEO since the beginning of 2023 upon the retirement of her predecessor, Dr. Christine Nygren. Before this appointment, Dr. Coberly served as the Extension Foundation Chief Operating Officer since 2016. Read the full news release here.

NEDA This Week - The National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting kicks off tomorrow, October 10, 2023 at the Tucson Marriott University Park. Links to events, agendas, and post-meeting archives will be placed on this website for reference during and after the meeting. Safe travels to all who are headed to Arizona.

Anaerobic Digestion Conference in November - U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Iowa State University, and University of Iowa will be hosting an Anaerobic Digestion on the Farm Conference from November 6 – 8, 2023 at the Scheman Building at Iowa State Center in Ames, Iowa. The goal of this conference is to provide opportunities for farmers, policy makers, business organizations, financers, project developers, consultants, faculty and students, and others to share ideas about anaerobic digestion, the process of using bacteria to break down organic matter such as food and animal waste to manage waste and produce biofuel. More information about the conference is available at https://www.epa.gov/ia/forms/anaerobic-digestion-farm-conference.




USDA Launches Nutrition Hub to Combat Diet-Related Diseases in Underserved Communities - USDA has announced its new Agricultural Science Center of Excellence for Nutrition and Diet for Better Health (ASCEND for Better Health) in support of President Biden’s Cancer Moonshot effort to end cancer.

This new virtual center will accelerate research on diet-related chronic diseases, including cancer. A long-term goal of the center is to translate research into impactful solutions that improve public health and wellbeing, particularly in underserved communities. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service (ARS) and NIFA are investing $1 million to hire two full-time Nutrition Hub co-directors, one employed by ARS, and one employed by Southern University. This leadership structure enables a close partnership between USDA and Southern University to plan and carry out Hub activities that leverage the strengths, resources and relationships of both organizations. The funding will also support a full-time graduate student at Southern University. Learn more about the new nutrition hub.

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.

2023 NEDA Registration Update

Early registration fees for the NEDA Meeting, Transforming Extension: People, Partners, and the Profession, October 10-12, 2023, expired last week. However, Extension Directors and Administrators may register and attend for only $100 more! Visit neda.extension.org for details. The Tucson Marriott hotel rates for NEDA have expired, also. Here is the link to a map to spot hotels that are within walking distance if no vacancies remain at the Marriott. As of this writing, over 100 people are registered to attend.



USDA Seeks Nominations for Membership on the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers - USDA has announced it is accepting nominations to the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers. First established in 1992, the Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers advises the Secretary of Agriculture to enhance USDA’s goals for new farming and ranching operations. USDA is soliciting nominations from interested organizations and individuals from among ranching and farming producers, related state and tribal agricultural entities, academic institutions, commercial banking entities, trade associations, and related nonprofit enterprises. An organization may nominate individuals from within or outside its membership. Interested candidates may also nominate themselves or other qualified experts by October 10. Learn more about the advisory committee and how to apply.

National Rural Grocery Summit Announced - The Rural Grocery Initiative, Kansas State University, Research and Extension, and the Hunger Solutions Institute, Auburn University, College of Human Sciences and Alabama Agriculture Experiment Stations, are co-sponsoring a networking and resource-sharing venue for independent grocers and rural food access stakeholders called the National Rural Grocery Summit www.ruralgrocery.org/summit.The event will take place June 24-25, 2024, at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa in Montgomery, Alabama. At this stage of planning, interested parties may save the date and sign up for the newsletter list to receive further details. The summit will bring together grocery store owners and managers, community leaders, food suppliers, academic researchers, healthy food access stakeholders, policy makers, and funders to connect, share lessons learned, and innovate around best practices for sustaining locally-owned rural grocery stores and improving access to healthy food in rural communities. 

Explore Social Science Funding Opportunities - The Agriculture, Food and Human Values Society is hosting a free webinar at 12 p.m. EDT September 29, 2023, that will feature NIFA staff discussing the various funding opportunities for social science research related to food and agriculture. The webinar will cover where social science programs are housed within NIFA's divisional structure, special opportunities for students and early career professionals, and tips for successful grant writing. A Q&A will follow the presentation. Register here online.

Advocacy Summit Nominations Due 9/15

Doug Steele, APLU's VP of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources, is collecting nominations for a National Advocacy Leadership Summit in DC on November 1-3. Eligible candidates include leaders at various levels from these colleges and universities with interest in knowing more about Board on Agricultural Assembly (BAA) advocacy structure and priority setting. Because the BAA operates under these rules, and the Cooperative Extension Section operates under these rules, the duly-elected members of ECOP and ECOP Budget & Legislative Committee and/or those who aspire to be duly-elected by their regions, are encouraged to nominate themselves and/or nominated using this form by September 15. Registration of $200 is required for those who are selected to attend. Steele's criteria for selecting up to 100 leaders is based on the size and type of institution, geographic representation, engagement of all BAA sections, and diversity. 

Early NEDA in 2024? - ECOP present and future leadership has examined several potential dates for the 2024 National Extension Directors and Administrators Annual Meeting. Conflicts in October of that fall could necessitate holding NEDA in September. Specifically, the dates currently being examined are September 16-19, 2024. Locations in the middle of the country currently dominate the discussion. Please contact Bill Hoffman (whoffman@aplu.org) if these dates present insurmountable difficulties. 

By the way, registration fee for 2023 NEDA in Tucson, October 10-12, 2023, increases next Tuesday and hotel rooms are filling up fast. Visit neda.extension.org today for more information and check room availability before booking a flight. Negotiations for overflow hotel within walkable distance are being investigated. There are no guarantees for hotel room rate of $209/night or availability after September 18. 

Farm Safety Education Feedback Opportunity - USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will host a webinar to bring together formal and non-formal educators, non-profit partners, and government agencies to explore how NIFA-funded programs are supporting farm safety and farm safety education. The webinar on September 18, 2023, 1- 2:00 p.m. ET, will include a panel of project directors from the Assistive Technology Program for Farmers with Disabilities (AgrAbility) and the Youth Farm Safety Education and Certification (YFSEC) Program. The panel will explore how communities are promoting safety in agriculture by developing agricultural educators; providing technical assistance to farm workers and farmers; and training the next generation of agriculturalists to prevent injuries and fatalities on the farm. Registration here is required to attend. To learn more, contact Courtenay Simmons at Courtenay.Simmons@usda.gov.

NCFAR Lunch-n-Learn: Genome to Phenome – Driving the Future of Innovation for Crop and Livestock Communities is a virtual lunch-n-learn presentation designed to educate Congressional staff on increasing global population and multiple environmental stressors on agricultural production will take place on Thursday, September 28, at 1302 Longworth House Office Building. The goal of the in-person session is to provide a more thorough understanding of how genotype and environment influence phenotype for the complex traits of crops and livestock that are of economic importance to agriculture. The Agricultural Genome to Phenome Initiative (AG2PI) and similar work conducts research that is ultimately translated by Cooperative Extension to foster adoption. Please share more information and the opportunity to register, with relevant parties. ECOP is an official sponsor of the event.

Extension Foundation Meeting Announcement

 The ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus until September 11. Have a safe Labor Day Weekend.

On October 11 the entire delegation attending the National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting, will have breakfast with Extension Foundation. NEDA participants will learn how $1.2M the Foundation membership investment evolved into a $56M financial portfolio of national programs that is making a more visible, measurable, impact throughout the land-grant system. To attend, visit neda.extension.org to view latest version of the agenda and link to register, today! Pricing for NEDA will increase after September 18. 

Discrimination in Lending Financial Assistance Program - Farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners who experienced discrimination in USDA farm lending, prior to January 2021, can apply for a new financial assistance program under Section 22007 of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). The application process will close on October 31. Borrowers will have the option to apply for assistance online via 22007apply.gov or through a paper-based form. Details about the program, including an application and e-filing portal, are available at 22007apply.gov. Applicants can also call the free call center at 1-800-721-0970 or visit one of several dozen brick-and-mortar offices the program has set up around the country. Locations are provided on the program website and vendors will update the local events schedule with more information as it becomes available. It is important to note that filing an application is FREE and does not require a lawyer. Weekly updates on the program’s events and progress by subscribing here for a newsletter.

2024 NUEL Conference Announcement - The National Urban Extension Leaders conference will be hosted by Tennessee Extension May 28-31, 2024. The professional development conference will be held at the Renaissance Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. The conference tracks along 5 focus areas explained at nuel.extension.org will include an administrative track. For more information go to https://utconferences.eventsair.com/2024-urban-extension-conference/register/Site/Register.

National 4-H Council CEO Shares Vision

Today marks Jill Bramble’s first day as President and CEO of National 4-H Council. As she steps into this new role, Jill shares the video message found below on her priorities: growing resources to support Cooperative Extension, embracing the digital transformation, and preparing youth for the workforce of the future. Jill is a fourth-generation 4-H alumna who rose through the ranks of National 4-H Council, starting as a grant writer 18 years ago. Throughout her time at National 4-H Council, she has consistently demonstrated her dedication to empowering young people, fostering innovation, and strengthening partnerships.

JOE Job Board Service Input Request - The Journal of Extension (JOE), the official refereed journal of the U.S. Cooperative Extension System, is seeking input from its partners on its Job Board service at jobs.joe.org. This fee-based service is available to those wishing to promote Extension job openings on the JOE website. Revenue received from this service helps support the production of the Journal of Extension. The feedback will be used to improve the Job Board. Even if institutions have not used the service in the past, the Board of Directors of JOE would like to receive responses to a survey. Please forward this survey bit.ly/45myD8h to Extension administration, human resources department personnel, or others who are responsible for advertising positions for completion by September 15, 2023. Thank you.

Conservation Districts Association Offer $38M for Climate-Smart Commodities Project Implementation – The National Association of Conservation Districts (NACD) will be investing $80 million in projects that scale the production, Measurement, Monitoring, Reporting, and Verification (MMRV), and marketing of climate-smart commodities. Approximately half of the budget is dedicated to producer payments and financial incentives. However, approximately $38 million will be available for project implementation, which may be used for activities such as:

    • Outreach and education
    • Technical assistance, including climate-smart conservation planning
    • Activities relating to measurement, quantification, monitoring, and verification of associated carbon and greenhouse gas sequestration
    • Facilitating access to markets and promotion of climate-smart commodities, including enrollment in programs or opportunities
    • Project management

NACD recently issued a Call for Concept Papers, seeking innovative ideas that scale implementation of climate-smart practices, advance MMRV, and support producer participation in markets. Concept Papers are due October 13, and are the first phase of a three-phase process, which will include submission of full proposals in response to a Fall 2023 RFP. The most complete details are available in the program’s frequently asked questions document. Consider registering for the applicant webinar, regarding this opportunity set for August 31. 

Funding for 2 Military Youth Programs - NIFA recently announced two competitive youth development funding opportunities under its 4-H Military Grant Programs in partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), which are listed below. Both funding opportunities close on September 5, 2023. Access to recordings of RFA technical assistance webinars are available at the links provided.

• 4-H Military Extension Educator (MEE) Program
  The MEE program coordinates with 4-H Cooperative Extension faculty and staff throughout the Land-grant University system and supports DoD and Military Service Child and Youth Programs staff in delivering and promoting positive youth development programs and activities. DoD Child and Youth Programs supports 396,000 children at over 760 child and youth facilities worldwide. For more information, read the 4-H Military Extension Educator (MEE) Program funding opportunity. 

• Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program, Youth Support Internship Program (YSIP)
  YSIP is a nation-wide internship program that provides practical work experience for college students and recent college graduates motivated to serve the needs of National Guard and Reserve Component military families. More than 192 students from across the nation have participated representing over 100 colleges and universities. YSIP interns facilitate youth development programs specifically designed to address the challenges associated with military deployments and family absences. This program supports DoD’s Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program. For more information, read the Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program Youth Support Internship Program (YSIP) funding opportunity. 

NEDA Meeting Speaker Announced

On the evening of October 10 at the NEDA Meeting neda.extension.org in Tucson, National 4-H Council in alignment with the ECOP 4-H Leadership Committee, is sponsoring a plated dinner and special keynote speaker. Richard Maltsbarger (pictured left), President & CEO, Pet Valu Holdings Ltd., is a member of the Council Board of Trustees. Since joining Pet Valu in 2018, Richard Maltsbarger and his leadership team have grown Pet Valu into Canada’s leading pet specialty retailer, through the modernization of its omni-channel and loyalty capabilities, development of proprietary real-estate selection processes and deepened investment into expertise, training, and franchise relationships. Prior to joining the company, he held multiple senior positions at Lowe’s Companies over a 14-year tenure, serving most recently as COO for U.S. operations and President of International. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agricultural Economics from the University of Missouri, earned an MBA from the Olin School of Business at Washington University in St. Louis, MO, and is an alumni of Missouri 4-H. Richard served from 2015-2020 on advisory boards to two successive Deans of the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources of the University of Missouri. Richard's entertaining keynote will be based on this year's theme, Transforming Extension: People, Partners, and the Profession. 

Cooperative Extension Receives $11M to Combat Obesity - Sixteen land grant universities will receive first-year CDC awards totaling more than $11 million to help reduce health disparities in US counties with high rates of obesity. Through these awards, Cooperative Extension at these sixteen institutions will work to increase the availability of affordable, healthy foods and safe, convenient places for physical activity. The awards are part of the 5-year, $57M High Obesity Program (HOP). Most HOP awards are in rural areas where there may be limited access to healthy foods and fewer opportunities to be active. HOP recipients leverage state investments, partnerships, and resources from various sectors, such as agriculture, transportation, education, healthcare, parks and recreation, business, housing, and military. Obesity in the US affects more than 100 million (42%) adults and 14 million (20%) children. Obesity also accounts for approximately $173 billion in annual health care costs. More information about HOP and a list of award recipients can be found here. For more information, contact rogerrennekamp@extension.org.

APLU Annual Meeting Registration is Open - While members of the Cooperative Extension Section and ECOP are not scheduled to meet formally, some Extension Leaders will choose to attend the APLU Annual Meeting in Seattle, Nov. 12-14. On Sunday afternoon, Nov. 12, the Board and Agriculture Assembly (BAA) sessions (concurrent with sessions of other APLU Councils and Commissions) include the USDA-NIFA awards ceremony when Extension Awards are presented and the Seaman A. Knapp Memorial Lecture. Most Office of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (FANR) sessions will take place between Noon Sunday, Nov. 12 and the evening of Monday, Nov. 13. The registration link is 

https://web.cvent.com/event/91d11caf-866f-4dca-bad3-4c22c2f4d6b6/summary.