Extension Foundation's AgriProspects Funds an Additional $1 million in Extension Workforce Development Projects Around AI and Credentialing.

The AgriProspects Workforce Development Network, a national program of the Extension Foundation, is pleased to announce the awarding of an additional $1 million for the second round of AgriProspects grants made possible by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)-National Extension Clearinghouse for Industry and the Workforce, project award no. 2023-67037-40533, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Read more about the awarded programs here.



Updated Research Security Terms for USDA General Terms and Conditions

USDA has issued an optional deviation to the USDA General Terms and Conditions (GT&Cs) for Federal Awards effective June 3. The deviation incorporates updates to terms relating to research security; foreign ownership, control, and influence; malign foreign talent recruitment programs; and related definitions. This deviation incorporates feedback from stakeholders regarding the language for such terms in the USDA GT&Cs effective December 31, 2025.

It provides an interim solution until a fuller update to the overall GT&Cs can be released. All requirements for incorporation of GT&Cs in new awards and significant modifications remain in place. NIFA will automatically incorporate the deviation text by reference into all awards supporting research, education, Extension, or integrated activities which are newly issued or significantly modified on or after June 8, 2026. Recipients of active NIFA awards that reference the USDA GT&C may request incorporation into their award by sending an email to awards@usda.gov. Recipients of NIFA Capacity Program funding will have the deviation automatically incorporated into the 4th Quarter distribution release.

Direct questions regarding the USDA General Terms and Conditions and the NIFA General (Research, Education, Extension) Terms and Conditions to NIFA.Policy.Support@usda.gov.



Senate Agriculture Chairman Boozman Releases Farm Bill Discussion Draft

On June 23, Senator John Boozman, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry, released a discussion draft of the Agricultural Act of 2026, or “Farm Bill 2.0.” This discussion draft is the latest progress of the long-delayed Farm Bill and comes as a compliment to the House version, the Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which passed the House in April.

Much like in the House version, Title VII—the research title—of the Senate version largely reflects the requests made by APLU. In a statement, APLU President Waded Cruzado, said “APLU appreciates Chairman Boozman’s ongoing support of the critical role that research, education, and Cooperative Extension play in advancing American agriculture innovation. Public and land-grant universities have been engines of agricultural innovation for generations – helping producers tackle challenges, improve yields, and outcompete global challengers. As the legislative process moves forward, bipartisan compromise and action will be needed to ensure passage of another five-year Farm Bill later this year.”

APLU will share additional updates and bill analysis.

Additional resources on the Senate discussion draft are available:
Legislative text.
Title-by-title summary.
Section-by-section.
Overview.

#SaveSNAPEd: SNAP-Ed Advocacy Webinar

On June 18, a SNAP-Ed Advocacy webinar was hosted by Southern California based Leah’s Pantry, the Association of SNAP Nutrition Education Administrators (ASNNA – which includes many Cooperative Extension Educators), and a Philadelphia based organization, The Food Trust. The goal of the webinar was to coordinate efforts to communicate with United States Senators to delay the elimination of the SNAP-Ed program.

The Senate reconvenes today and aims to finalize their reconciliation spending bill soon, no later than the 4^th of July. The group’s strategic ask is a two-year delay in implementation/elimination, to secure Republican support, and to share language that would provide such a delay. The call to action includes scheduling a meeting with Republican Senators or staff as soon as possible, making the ask outlined in the group’s talking points and advocacy toolkit, secure a clear commitment from Senator(s) to support the delay, and report back using the following form.

Lewis-Burke and other members of the advocacy team at the national office have been coordinating with ASNNA. This includes, but is not limited to, the national office co-signing a letter to Senators Thune and Boozman in support of the above strategy.

Coming Soon: Artificial Intelligence Survey

Be on the lookout for an Artificial Intelligence activity survey, which will be directed to Cooperative Extension Directors and Agricultural Experiment Station Directors. The Extension Foundation is a key cooperating entity within this effort.

SARE Seeks Outreach Products to Advance Sustainable Agriculture

Do you have an idea for an outreach product or project that could help farmers or ranchers improve their profitability, environmental stewardship and/or quality of life?  Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Outreach is seeking recommendations for information products or outreach initiatives that extend research-based innovations to improve the sustainability of American agriculture. Submit your ideas by June 30. 

Recent Executive Orders to Affect Cooperative Extension

Last week, President Trump signed two Executive Orders that will likely affect the Cooperative Extension System.

Advancing Artificial Intelligence Education for American Youth: The policy is designed to promote AI literacy by promoting the appropriate AI into education, providing comprehensive AI training for educators, and fostering early exposure to AI concepts and technology to develop an AI-ready workforce and the next generation of AI innovators. Among other actions, the order directs the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize research, extension, and education on the use of AI in formal and non-formal education through 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System.

White House Initiative to Promote Excellence and Innovation at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: The policy is designed to support HBCUs in advancing America’s full potential; fostering more and better opportunities in higher education; providing the highest-quality education; obtaining equal opportunities for participation in Federal programs; ensuring college-educated Americans are empowered to advance the common good at home and abroad; and making our Nation more globally competitive. Among other actions, the order calls for encouraging states to provide the required State matching funds for 1890 land grant institutions and establishing a framework for addressing barriers to accessing federal funding to ensure that HBCUs receive the maximum funding to which they may be entitled.


National 4-H Conference Celebrates the Future’s Best

Over 200 of the nation’s best and brightest young people were in Washington, D.C., recently to attend the 2025 National 4-H Conference, hosted by USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. With the theme of “Stronger Ties, Deeper Roots, Empowered Leaders,” 4-H delegates represented 40 states, two U.S. territories and 56 Land-grant Universities. The conference was also featured in a USDA press release.

Hear more about the 2025 National 4-H Conference in this USDA Radio interview with NIFA Director Dr. Jaye Hamby.

Top right: NIFA Director Dr. Jaye Hamby delivered remarks during the Youth Career Exploration Expo during the 2025 National 4-H Conference. USDA photo by Christophe Paul.

Above: 4-H delegates at the 2025 National 4-H Conference posed for a photo outside of the USDA Whitten Building. USDA photo by Tom Witham.

Artificial Intelligence in Cooperative Extension

On June 7, 2024, Extension Directors from across the System joined ECOP Chair Damona Doye (Oklahoma State University) and her special guest David Warren, Senior Director Integrated Digital Strategies at Oklahoma State University, and AI Program Leader at the Extension Foundation. Dr. Doye updated the delegation on several important Section-related Action Plan objectives. Then, Members were introduced to basic understanding of AI and to the dynamic ExtensionBot that has been piloted in several states. Slides to accompany the follow 1-hour YouTube Recording posted below are available here. David will also facilitate a deeper dive into this topic at the 2024 NEDA Meeting. Proceed to learn more and register for the NEDA meeting here by August 26. The next First Friday event will not take place until August 2, 3-4:00 p.m. ET. 

JCEP seeking Administrator input on Hill Visits - The Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) is gathering information about Hill Visits associated with the Public Issues Leadership Development (PILD) conference, to assess the value of those experiences. Response to this form by June 30, 2024,will help the JCEP Board form future activities and opportunities for our member Associations. Please take a couple of minutes to provide input. The ECOP members who have already submitted their own input during the Spring Meeting in Oklahoma City, are asked to share the form with others with PILD conference experience. 




Webinar Exploring Linkages Between Soil Health and Human Health -The National Academies of Sciences Engineering and Medicine will be releasing their report entitled Exploring Linkages Between Soil Health and Human Health next Thursday, June 13, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. ET. Members of the study committee will be sharing where to locate the report and present key takeaways and recommendations. The audience will be able to submit questions during the webinar. Register for the webinar here.




USDA Publishes Request for Information to Support Next Steps in Implementing the Growing Climate Solutions Act - USDA is seeking information from the public on protocols that may be considered for inclusion in a new Greenhouse Gas Technical Assistance Provider and Third-Party Verifier Program, the main program of the Growing Climate Solutions Act. The input is being collected through a Request for Information and will be considered in the preparation of a proposed rule to establish the program. Read more here, about how to provide feedback here.




USDA Announces Expansion of Interagency Collaboration to Help Reduce Food Loss and Waste - USDA has signed a formal agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to renew their Federal Interagency Collaboration to Reduce Food Loss and Waste. The U.S. Agency for International Development also joined the collaboration to help reduce food loss and waste internationally. Read more here, about USDA food loss and waste reduction efforts, which includes a $10M partnership with National 4-H Council.

ECOP Spring Meeting This Week

The Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) is a standing committee created by the Cooperative Extension Section Rules of Operation. The 15-member board represents the 76 state, territorial, and 1890 land-grant universities in policy decisions, and provides nationwide program and organizational leadership. ECOP functions as a board of directors with authority to make decisions consistent with a common mission to strengthen Cooperative Extension at national, state and local levels, in concert with APLU and USDA-NIFA, to initiate strategic planning and identify nationwide issues that lead to program and budget priorities; represents the states, territories, and 1890s in legislative matters before Congress, and develops and maintains linkages and supportive relationships with other national organizations and associations. This week the ECOP board gathers for its Spring Meeting in Oklahoma City. Some of the themes of meeting are the annual launch of priorities selection process, sustainability of National Program Leadership, and collaboration with academia on microcredentialing.

Capacity Funding Whiteboard Videos Unveiled - At the recent Council for Agricultural Research, Extension, and Teaching (CARET) spring meeting in Washington, DC, three APLU produced videos were unveiled. These videos endeavor to explain the importance of federal capacity funding to those not familiar with those funds or even the Land-grant University system. They are themed around capacity investments using three example concepts. ECOP's YouTube playlist, Investing in People with Solutions in Food Security, is a great place from which to share and embed the videos. Each video, about one minute long, can quickly educate the untutored about capacity funding.

The AI Revolution: An Inflection Point for Higher Ed - At the 2023 Seattle APLU meeting, there was an interesting session regarding how Artificial Intelligence could affect the work of public universities. As we will have further discussions on this technology as a section, I encourage you to watch the video of this presentation. Tune in at 20:45, as the first AI panel is introduced.




Check Out New Land-grant Impacts Educational Materials - Impact statements from last year are captured with excellence in National Land-grant Impacts Database. Anyone can use the impact statements throughout the year to help tell the stories and accomplishments of land-grant universities’ research, education, and Extension. Join ECOP to congratulate the team of professional land-grant university communicators who recently prepared educational materials with 2024 impact stories and summaries highlighting outstanding examples of LGU impacts.

NAAAN Connect Goes Live - The North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) has developed the NAAAN CONNECT platform to assist in growth and engagement. This is a community for extension and rural advisory services experts, practitioners, researchers, and those interested in agriculture across Canada, Mexico, and the United States to engage with one another.

Join NAAAN CONNECT to interact with colleagues and share your extension resources across the continent around themes of biodefense and biosecurity, soil health and water management, and building the next generation of leaders in agriculture. The NAAAN looks forward to hearing your voice and learning more of the work underway for food security in North America.

We are excited to announce a new chapter of engagement, collaboration, and work across our three countries.” – Chancellor Tony Frank, CSU System and Chair of the NAAAN Steering Committee.




$26 Million LAMP Program from USDA-AMS - On February 27th, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the availability of approximately $26 million for the Local Agriculture Market Program (LAMP) to help local and regional food entities develop, coordinate, and expand producer-to-consumer marketing, local and regional food markets, and local food enterprises. USDA’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is accepting applications for the grant program until May 14, 2024. Additionally, AMS has added to the suite of resources available to support communities and practitioners in local and regional food systems development.