New NIFA Director Announced

Today, USDA announced the new director of  NIFA. The full press released is found at 
https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/04/24/usda-announces-new-national-institute-food-and-agriculture-director. Dr. Manjit K. Misra will start his new role on Monday, May 8, 2023. Please join ECOP in congratulating Dr. Misra and the agency!

ECOP Spring Meeting This Week  - This week members of ECOP, the representative voting body of the Cooperative Extension System, will meet in Bloomington-Minneapolis, Minnesota for their annual Spring Meeting. ECOP Chair Bev Durgan, University of Minnesota, will preside. In addition to answering the question, Who will lead the National Office and cultivate new partnerships?, ECOP will consider:

  --  Collaborations with Academic Program Section

  --  The Future Cooperative Extension Section Membership Assessments

  --  ECOP Program Committee's Action Teams

  --  2023-2024 ECOP Action Plan

One of the roles of ECOP voting member's is to report back and engage their regions from these important meetings. 

Higher Ed Economic & Community Engagement Summer Meeting -  Extension Directors and Administrators who are members of APLU's Commission on Economic and Community Engagement (CECE) are eligible to attend the Annual CECE Summer Meeting. With the theme of Cracking the Community Connection Code, the event will take place in Duluth, Minnesota, June 4-6. To learn more about the event, click here. To become a member of the CECE, click here.

2023 Administrators Conference Touchpoint - April 30-May 3, Extension and Research Administrative Officers will convene in Nashville for 2023 NERAOC. The annual professional development conference is an opportunity to share and exchange current and relevant best practices, discuss policy, obtain definitive interpretation of regulations, and discuss future issues pertinent to operating the Land-grant University system and other cooperating institutions. Participants will spend the first full day with NIFA Directors Office and conducting Regional business. The last 2 days are devoted to learning along several tracks, Diversity & Inclusion, Finance/Capacity Funding, Grants, HR/Organizational Development, and Minority-Serving Program Reporting & Accountability. What is learned during the conference may be of interest to members of Cooperative Extension Section in light of the new NIFA Reporting System. Members of the Section who are unavailable to attend themselves are encouraged to arrange for post-conference briefings with administrators in attendance.