Cooperative Extension System Climate Action Plan

With support from USDA-NIFA, the Extension Foundation has released a climate action plan white paper that outlines innovative solutions uniquely tailored to combat the climate crisis. This work was the result of a NIFA-supported convening that took place in early 2024 in Tucson, where national Extension leaders gathered to accelerate climate-related applied research and programming and elevate Extension’s contribution to climate resiliency, mitigation and adaptation efforts.

The recently released white paper builds on NIFA-supported work undertaken by researchers at Colorado State University to produce a National Climate Change Roadmap that provides a science agenda to help inform the next decade of research.




Agri-Pulse Webinar: What Happens When Animal Diseases Cross Boundaries? - Since the bird flu was first reported in dairy cows on March 25, farmers and ranchers have been looking for more ways to protect their animals and understand the spread of the virus. Agri-Pulse will host a webinar on July 11, 2024 at 1 p.m. ET that is focused on what can be done to protect against highly pathogenic avian influenza and other zoonotic diseases that have the potential to disrupt not only our food supply but the entire agriculture economy.

During this webinar, Agri-Pulse will discuss how federal policies like the farm bill’s National Animal Vaccine and Veterinary Countermeasures Bank and vaccine research being done by the USDA are critical to protecting livestock and safeguarding the world’s food supply both now and into the future.
This virtual event is free, courtesy of Boehringer Ingelheim, which is the webinar sponsor. Sign up and review the list of distinguished speakers for the webinar here.




Surgeon General Declares Firearm Violence a Public Health Crisis - The U.S. Surgeon General has declared firearm violence to be a public health crisis through an advisory issued on June 25. A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a public statement that calls the American people’s attention to an urgent public health issue. Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nation’s immediate awareness and action. According to the report "this Advisory describes the public health crisis of firearm violence in America and describes strategies for firearm injury and violence prevention, with a focus on the health and well-being of children, families, and communities.” Read the full advisory here.




USDA Expands Insurance Options for Specialty and Organic Growers - The USDA is expanding crop insurance options for specialty and organic growers beginning with the 2025 crop year. USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is expanding coverage options by allowing enterprise units by organic farming practice, adding enterprise unit eligibility for several crops, and making additional policy updates. This is the first of several announcements this summer, which will include the expansion of the shellfish policy in the Northeast and new coverage for grape growers in the West and beyond. These expansions and other improvements build on other recent RMA efforts to better serve specialty crop producers and reach a broader group of producers.

Note: Due to Independence Day holiday celebrations, the ECOP Monday Minute

will be on hiatus until July 15, 2024. Stay safe!