SAVE THE DATES for 2017 NEDA

“Invigorate, Innovate, Celebrate: Positioning Extension for 2020s” is the theme of the 2017 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) meeting at near Burlington, VT October 2-4, 2017 at The Essex. Business meetings of the Cooperative Extension Section and eXtension Foundation are also held during this time. ECOP will meet on location after NEDA adjourns, October 4-5. Following guidance from the 2016 NEDA meeting survey, ECOP Past-chair Michelle Rodgers and her team have established following outcomes. Participants will: 1) learn from each other about innovative approaches to programming, resource development, evaluation and impact reporting, and internal and external partnerships; 2) understand how to maximize programming impact, and effectively communicate the value of that impact; 3) engage one another on how to anticipate and plan for significant changes in the world of Cooperative Extension; 4) explore strategies to attract an innovative, nimble workforce to Cooperative Extension, and 5) support shared goals and priorities for a national Extension system for the benefit of state and local programming excellence. A priority for the meeting will be dialogue among participants. Stay tuned for future details. Registration is scheduled to begin in June.

Partnership Overview for Building a Culture of Health - For all that were unavailable to participate the webcast held on March 9 Building a Culture of Health with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: Cooperative Extension Partnership Overview, it is now available on-demand: CLICK HERE! To access the presentation document, Culture of Health video, and FAQ document referenced during this webinar, CLICK HERE. Next week, access to the request for application (RFA) for this exciting opportunity will be announced. The second of the 2-part series of webinars that occurs on April 6 @ 2:00 p.m. Eastern Time will provide more details about applying for the pilot program. CLICK HERE to register.  

Personal eXtension “Virtual Update” - The new eXtension is designed to help member institutions strengthen their local impact. Are you curious as to how this works? If so, schedule a “virtual update” and invite others at your institution. Find out more about the new eXtension and get answers for your questions about tools and services offered to members. Contact Chief Operating Officer Beverly Coberly beverlycoberly@extension.org to schedule your update.


Extension Award Nominations Due 5.1.17 - Extension Directors and Administrators are encouraged to initiate nominations for the 2017 Excellence in Extension and Diversity Awards supported by ECOP and USDA-NIFA. Self-guided worksheets for the 2 Awards are provided to assist with preparing online entries. Awards for Excellence in Extension, a project of the ECOP Personnel Committee, recognizes a select group of Cooperative Extension professionals who excel at Extension programming, make a positive impact on constituents served, and provide visionary leadership for the System. The National Extension Diversity Award, a project of the ECOP Program Committee, is to acknowledge accomplishments of Cooperative Extension Professionals in achieving organizational changes that support diversity, pluralism and innovation in programs that impact our Extension audiences. Go to www.aplu.org/CESAwards and contact Sandy Ruble sandyruble@extension.org if there are questions.

New eXtension CEO begins July 1; Member Documents Now Available

ECOP Monday Minute will return 7.13.15. 
Happy Independence Day, USA!

New eXtension CEO begins July 1; Member Documents Now Available – On Wednesday July 1, Christine Geith, Ph.D. will officially assume her role as the Chief Executive Officer for the eXtension Foundation, a function of Cooperative Extension nationwide. Chris comes to eXtension from Michigan State University where she has been Assistant Provost and Executive Director of MSU Global since 2001. Prior to that, she served as the Director, Distance Learning and Co-Director, Educational Technology Center, Rochester Institute of Technology from 1991 to 2001. More about Chris can be found here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christinegeith. 

Also available now are documents of importance to eXtension Foundation members: The eXtension Foundation Membership Handbook and the eXtension Foundation Bylaws. The Membership Handbook and the eXtension Foundation Bylaws were part of the eXtension Strategic Planning work. They have been approved by the outgoing eXtension Governing Committee and the new eXtension Foundation Board of Directors, which reports through ECOP. Members are Dennis Calvin, Northeast Region, chair; Fred Schlutt, Western Region, Vernon Jones, 1890 Region, Doug Steele, Southern Region, and Jason Henderson, North Central Region; Jane Schuchardt, ECOP and Jane Clary Loveless, USDA/NIFA, ex-officio. Benefits of eXtension Foundation membership can be found in the Membership Handbook.  

Extension Highlighted in Memorial Lecture – Iowa State University President Steven Leath delivered the 2015 American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Lecture last week in Washington, DC. His comments on the economic importance of pursuing a unifying message to make agriculture a national priority embraced Cooperative Extension’s work of translating science for practical application. Further, he offered full support for the both/and of federal competitive and capacity funds, which is an advocacy priority for ECOP. The lecture proceedings and video will be posted later this summer on the AAAS website at http://www.aaas.org/page/riley-lecture. 

NACAA to Mark 100 Years – The National Association of County Agricultural Agents (NACAA) will celebrate a century of Cooperative Extension educational excellence at its annual meeting July 12-16, 2015 in Sioux Falls, SD. Barry Dunn, Director, South Dakota State University Extension, and Karla Trautman, Associate Director, will welcome members. More information is available at www.nacaa.com. 

Journal Features Program Development Model – A special issue of the Journal of Human Sciences and Extension (Vol. 3, No. 2) http://www.jhseonline.com focuses on the Cooperative Extension Program Development Model. This peer-reviewed, open-access, online journal is designed for academicians, educators, and practitioners and bridges research and practice. Topics addressed include human development (e.g., early care and education, youth development); family studies; agricultural education; leadership development; Cooperative Extension; health and wellness; apparel, textiles, and merchandising; agricultural economics; nutrition and dietetics; family resource management; and program planning and evaluation. 

Acknowledge USDA-NIFA Funding – USDA’s Office of the General Council (OGC) approved an acknowledgement statement for USDA-NIFA awards. NIFA’s Office of Grants and Financial Management will add this same statement to the award terms as appropriate. OGC also recommends that the use of NIFA’s identifier is in accordance with standards and guidelines established by USDA’s Office of Communications in Departmental Regulation 1430-002. Contact CommunicationsStaff@nifa.usda.gov with any questions.

AGree Releases Research Report – See www.foodandagpolicy.org for the new report on Research & Innovation: Strengthening Agricultural Research. Included are nine recommendations on how to maximize and increase the public research dollar to effectively meet grand challenges related to water, food and economic security. The press release is here.

1890 Universities Celebrate 125 Years With Wellness Walks

1890 Universities Celebrate 125 Years With Wellness Walks  – Here is one example of celebrations going on all across the country in honor of the 125 anniversary of the signing of the 2nd Morrill Act, which created 1890 universities. At the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES), hundreds attended the 1890 Day (April 23rd) Wellness Walk and posed for the “1890 photo” as they waited for the pre-walk program in the university gym. The keynote speaker for the program was Catherine Woteki, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics. The 1.89 mile wellness walk was led by the UMES pep band and the university athletes. Students, staff, faculty, citizens from the tri-county area and area youth all participated in the programming. Proceeds from the walk will go to the 1890 Justin Morrill Scholarship Fund. For more information or to make a contribution, see www.1890universities.org. 

USDA Climate Hubs National Update – The USDA Climate Hubs Strategic Plan was recently published and can be found on the Hubs website along with a highlight of the Hubs accomplishments to date http://climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/content/climate-hubs-update-april-2015. Cooperative Extension and Experiment Stations have been working closely with the USDA Regional Climate Hubs in alignment with the Memorandum of Understanding signed in the fall of 2014. 

Extension Award Nominations Due 6.1.15 – ECOP and USDA-NIFA announces the 2015 nomination process for the national Excellence in Extension and Diversity awards. The due date for nominations is June 1st at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Nominations, submitted online, must be completed by this date and time. Regions are subject to announcing earlier deadlines for their purposes. CLICK HERE for contact information by Region. For details and to access the online nomination forms go to http://www.aplu.org/CESAwards. Questions can be directed to Sandy Ruble, ECOP Staff Associate sandy.ruble@extension.org.  

Elbert Dickey

Terry Meisenbach

eXtension Names Interim Director – The eXtension Foundation Board of Directors chaired by Dennis Calvin, Pennsylvania State University, has named Terry Meisenbach, eXtension Communications and Marketing Director, as Interim Director, replacing Elbert Dickey. Dickey served as interim director from January 2014 through April 2015 providing oversight for the transition to the NEW eXtension. Please join ECOP in thanking Dickey for his national leadership during a pivotal transition period for eXtension. Meisenbach will assume leadership until a permanent eXtension chief executive office is identified. The Board continues the selection process with interviews of three finalists 5.13.15 in Chicago. 

Legacy Award honorees Nosa Akol, New York 4-H and
Texas 4-H alumnus Javier Palomarez, President and CEO, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

National 4-H Council 6th Annual Legacy Awards – National 4-H Council exceeded its fundraising goal for this year's event, where Cooperative Extension's 4-H positive youth development program took center stage at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. on April 23. Extension leadership contributed more than $8,000 to support the event with the southern region raising the most money. Hundreds of supporters were on hand to honor the recipient of the 2015 Youth in Action Award, 17-year old Nosa Akol from Broome County, NY, who was recognized for her achievements with Cornell University Cooperative Extension's 4-H programs. Texas Agrilife Extension 4-H alumnus Javier Palomarez, president and CEO, United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, received the Distinguished Alumni Medallion. Other highlights included an announcement by University of Georgia Extension 4-H alumna and singer-songwriter Jennifer Nettles who will serve as the 4-H celebrity spokesperson in the year ahead. Mara Schiavocampo, ABC News correspondent, emceed the evening festivities. To see more photos, click here: http://www.4-h.org/get-involved/sponsor/4-h-legacy-awards-gala/. 

ECOP Working for You - BAA Policy Board of Directors

Tim Cross, University of Tennessee,
represents Cooperative Extension on the
Policy Board of Directors.
His two-year term will be
completed in November 2015.

ECOP Working for You – Tim Cross, ECOP member and elected Cooperative Extension representative to the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly Policy Board of Directors (PBD), is at a PBD meeting this week in Napa, CA. His responsibility is to represent the perspectives of Cooperative Extension, which have been vetted through ECOP. Discussions will focus on the AES-CES-AHS Communications and Marketing Project, the Antimicrobial Task Force, and committee actions related to budget and advocacy, legislation and policy, and setting direction for the future. Discussions will continue on the budget priority of water security and the initial efforts related to healthy food systems, healthy people. As PBD vice-chair, Cross is responsible for the BAA program at the APLU Annual Meeting, November 15-17, 2015 in Indianapolis. If you have ideas, he can be reached at tlcross@utk.edu.

ACTION: Award Nominations Due 6.1.15 – ECOP and USDA-NIFA announces the 2015 nomination process for the national Excellence in Extension and Diversity awards. The due date for nominations is June 1st at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Regions are subject to announcing earlier deadlines for their purposes. CLICK HERE for contact information by Region. For details and to access the online nomination forms go to: http://www.aplu.org/CESAwards. Questions can be directed to Sandy Ruble sandy.ruble@extension.org, ECOP Staff Associate. 

ACTION: Support 4-H Legacy Awards – Cathann Kress, Iowa State University, and Nick Place, University of Florida, both members of the National 4-H Council Board of Trustees, encourage your donations to the National 4-H Legacy Awards. Last year, Cooperative Extension raised $10,600 for this purpose and efforts are underway to meet or exceed this goal in 2015. Please consider donating to Legacy Awards today. (Just click on the link on the word “today” and it will take you to the online site to make your donation). For any questions, please contact Rachel Mentzer at rmentzer@4-h.org or 301-961-2940. 

Extension Names NEW eXtension Board – The eXtension Governing Committee, chaired by Dennis Calvin, Pennsylvania State University, has been disbanded and replaced by the new eXtension Foundation Board of Directors, reporting to ECOP. Officers and members for the new Board were elected and are as follows: CHAIR: Dennis Calvin (Northeast region/Penn State), VICE CHAIR/TREASURER: Vernon Jones (1890 region/Langston University), SECRETARY: Fred Schlutt (Western region/University of Alaska), Jason Henderson (North central region/Purdue), and Doug Steele (Southern region/Texas Agri-Life). Jane Schuchardt, ECOP Executive Director, and Jane Clary Loveless, USDA-NIFA National Program Leader, have been added as non-voting, ex officio members. Current action by the Board of Directors is to hire a new chief executive officer and refine a handbook for premium and basic members of eXtension. 

USDA-NIFA Seeks Peer Review Panelists – Cooperative Extension often asks how to be more competitive with grants available from USDA-NIFA. One answer is to assure more professionals who understand how Cooperative Extension “extends knowledge, changes lives” are on grants panels. To be placed in the pool of potential panelists for the Children, Youth and Families at Risk funding, please email cyfar@nifa.usda.gov with the subject line “CYFAR 2015 Peer Review Panel.” Volunteering for other panels is encouraged. 

Missouri University Extension Annual Report – Check out http://extension.missouri.edu/about/annual-reports.aspx for outcomes-based programming “extending knowledge, changing lives” under the leadership of ECOP member Michael Ouart, Vice Provost for Extension, University of Missouri. 

National 2015 Extension Awards

National 2015 Extension Awards – ECOP and USDA-NIFA announces the 2015 nomination process for the national Excellence in Extension and Diversity awards. The due date for on-line nominations is June 1st. Regions are subject to announcing earlier deadlines for their purposes. CLICK HERE for contact information by Region. For details and to access the online nomination forms go to: http://www.aplu.org/CESawards.Questions can be directed to Sandy Ruble sandy.ruble@extension.org, ECOP Staff Associate.

USDA-NIFA Webinars on FY 2015 Centers of Excellence – The 2014 Farm Bill requires that NIFA give priority in competitive research and Extension funding to Centers of Excellence in the food and agricultural sciences. As part of its outreach effort, NIFA’s Office of Grants and Financial Management will hold two educational webinars to present information on the FY15 implementation of the Centers of Excellence Provision. The webinars will be held from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. EST, Feb. 26 and March 5, 2015 - Webinar access. NIFA will be announcing a separate series of webinars to solicit stakeholder input on FY 2016 Centers of Excellence Implementation. 

NEW eXtension Seeks CEO – The eXtension Foundation Board of Directors has released the Chief Executive Officer position description, which is available at about.extension.org under Featured News. The position closes at 5:00 pm P.T. on Monday, 3.16.15. Mail completed applications to Michelle Giddens michellegiddens@extension.org. Questions can be directed to Dennis Calvin dcalvin@psu.edu, Chair, eXtension Governing Committee, or Elbert Dickey edickey@extension.org, Executive Director, eXtension Foundation. 

NEW eXtension Displays at Ag Outlook Forum – The NEW eXtension, a member-driven initiative of Cooperative Extension, was a center attraction at the 2015 USDA Agriculture Outlook Forum http://www.usda.gov/oce/forum/ last week in Crystal City, VA. Extension education innovations in big data, unmanned aerial systems, virtual reality, and wearable technologies were highlights of the exhibit area at the forum.

Cathie Woteki, USDA Chief Scientist and Research,
Education and Economics Under Secretary,
trying out wearable technologies.

Victor Villegas, Oregon State University,
shows the micro "drone" unmanned
aerial vehicle he demonstrated.

FY 2016 Federal Budget Priorities – See http://land-grant.org/appropriations_docs.html for the documents summarizing the Board on Agriculture Assembly (BAA) Congressional requests for the FY 2016 Federal Budget Priorities. In addition to the overall document to be used by the Council of Agriculture Research, Extension and Teaching (CARET) during Hill visits the first week in March, there are documents for each of the seven priorities – Smith-Lever (b)&(c), 1890 Institutions Extension, Hatch Act, Evans-Allen, McIntire-Stennis Cooperative Forestry 1994 Institutions Research and Extension, and the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative. Cooperative Extension leaders representing ECOP in this decision-making process are ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee Chair Rick Klemme, University of Wisconsin, and BAA Policy Board of Directors elected member Tim Cross, University of Tennessee. 

National Health Outreach Conference – Early bird registration ends April 1, 2015 for the National Health Outreach Conference May 6-8, 2015 in Atlanta. Highlights of the meeting include a pre-conference Workshop, educational Tours, and keynote Speakers. See www.nationalhealthoutreach.org for more information. 

APLU Launches New Website – A massive overhaul and redesign of www.aplu.org features a more intuitive navigation system, new ways to feature member institutions, a more functional library of APLU publications, and better integration with social media platforms. Built with a responsive design, the new website also is more friendly for those viewing it on a phone or tablet. ECOP maintains information on the APLU site that can be viewed via the redirect URL of www.extension.org/ecop.

NEW eXtension Elects Governing Board Members

NEW eXtension Elects Governing Board Members – Members of the NEW eXtension have elected the following regional representatives for the Board of Governors: 1890s, VERNON JONES – Associate Administrator, Langston University; North Central, JASON HENDERSON, Extension Director, Purdue University; Northeast, DENNIS CALVIN, Extension Director, Pennsylvania State University; Southern, DOUG STEELE – Director, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service; Western, FRED SCHLUTT – Extension Director, University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Additional members will be added as specified in the final report about the NEW eXtension. Among the initial tasks of the NEW eXtension Board of Governors will be to launch a search process of a chief executive officer. Elbert Dickey continues as interim director through April. 

FY 2016 USDA-NIFA Budget Review – NIFA Director, Sonny Ramaswamy will conduct a webinar on the Agency’s Fiscal Year 2016 President’s Budget Proposal on Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. EST. Up to 250 users may connect to the webinar at http://nifa-connect.nifa.usda.gov/sonny. The webinar will be recorded. Participants have the option to use a teleconference line in lieu of their computer sound system or dial into the teleconference line for audio only. The presentation is not expected to be graphic intensive. You may join the teleconference up to 5 minutes prior to the scheduled start. The dial in numbers are as follows: Dial-in: 1-888-621-9649 or 1-617-231-2734. 

ECOP Names Social Media Associate – Extension: The Next Century – Extending Knowledge, Changing Lives is the central message of ECOP’s social media endeavors in 2015. Bill Woodrum, former Extension Administrator, West Virginia State University, has been named the ECOP Social Media Associate through December. The goal is to expand the strong social media presence on social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube) established during the centennial last year. Please encourage Extension professionals at all levels and partners to connect at facebook.com/Extension100years and twitter.com/#ext100years. Ideas for social media content may be sent to Bill at extensioncentennial@gmail.com. 

Grant Workshops Focus on Local Foods – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) and National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA) are partnering on the Agricultural Marketing Service Technical Assistance (AMSTA) Project to conduct workshops that will help potential grant applicants understand, develop, and submit their Federal grant applications for the Farmers Market and Local Food Promotion Program. The effort is directed by Stephan J. Goetz of the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development based at Penn State University. A list of upcoming grant workshop dates and locations can be found at http://www.amsta.net. 

2015 Assessments – APLU has distributed electronic assessment statements to the 75 universities in the Board on Agriculture Assembly Cooperative Extension Section. ECOP’s national leadership is solely funded through assessments for two accounts, the Office of the Executive Director, which covers salary, benefits, indirect costs paid to APLU, and travel and office expenses for the Executive Director and Staff Associate; and Strategic Priorities and Operations, which supports ECOP committees, teams and projects. An additional assessment covers work of the SNAP-ED National Program Development Team and goes to those Extension Services providing education for SNAP recipients. Based on a vote of the Cooperative Extension Section as of 11.17.14, the eXtension assessment is replaced by a membership funding model. 

Volunteerism Conference – The 2015 National Extension Conference on Volunteerism is May 4-7, 2015, Portland, ME. It is designed for Cooperative Extension professionals who manage volunteers. Details are at http://extension.umaine.edu/programs/necv/. Registration is due April 15, 2015. 

On Climate Change – Mike Hoffmann, Cornell University and past chair of the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP) has released a TEDx talk on YouTube “Climate change: It’s time to raise our voices". He leads a Northeastern U.S. and Eastern Canada climate change initiative, and established an Institute for Climate Change and Agriculture that helps food growers adapt to changing conditions. ECOP, ESCOP and USDA signed a Memorandum of Understanding in November 2014 pledging to work together to mitigate the effects of climate change. 

Enhancing Energy Literacy – The Department of Energy (DOE), along with the American Geosciences Institute (AGI) and the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), released the first four videos in a series highlighting each of the seven essential principles presented in the DOE Energy Literacy Framework. The Framework seeks to help educators of all disciplines and age groups incorporate a multidisciplinary approach to energy into their lessons and programs. The final three videos are expected by September 2015. In addition, DOE is also announcing the Spanish-language version of its Get Current coloring book, which is part of an ongoing effort to expand educational resources for the growing Spanish-speaking population in the United States. ECOP continues involvement with the State Energy Extension Partnership, chaired by Beverly Samuels, USDA-NIFA.

NEW eXtension Board of Governors Vote

In recognition of the Martin Luther King holiday, ECOP Monday Minute will return 1.26.15. 

VOTE: NEW eXtension Board of Governors – Cooperative Extension administrative representatives from your institution who made a commitment to the NEW eXtension as either a premiere or basic member have received a ballot to elect the NEW eXtension Board of Governors. Your vote as applicable, due 1.20.15, is critical to naming the new Board and beginning work on the hiring process for a Chief Executive Officer. Elbert Dickey continues as the interim director. The slate of candidates, all Cooperative Extension Directors and Administrators, has been provided by each region and, if elected, have agreed to serve. Eligible voters are asked to choose one candidate for each of the five Cooperative Extension regions. Questions about the NEW eXtension can be directed to Elbert Dickey edickey1@unl.edu. Questions about voting logistics can be directed to Sandy Ruble sandy.ruble@extension.org. 

USDA-FSA Blog Features Producer Education Project – The USDA Farm Services Administration weekly blog called Fence Post will soon provide details on the producer education project implemented in cooperation with Cooperative Extension and partially funded by the Agriculture Act of 2014 (farm bill). To read more, see http://fsa.blogs.govdelivery.com. 

Food Safety Letters of Intent Due 2.16.15 – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and USDA-NIFA have joined in a collaborative partnership to administer and manage the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Program. The purpose is to develop a comprehensive food safety training, education and technical assistance program for those affected by the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) to include owners and operators of small and medium-sized farms, beginning farmers, socially disadvantaged farmers, small processors, and small fresh fruit and vegetable merchant wholesalers. FDA has issued a Request for Applications for the establishment of a National Coordination Center (NCC). The Letters of Intent for the NCC are due February 16, 2015 and full applications are due March 16, 2015. For additional information and the full request for application, please visit http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/rfa-files/RFA-FD-15-003.html. The programmatic contacts are Mary Tijerina (Mary.Tijerina@fda.hhs.gov) and Scarlett Salem (scarlett.salem@fda.hhs.gov). NIFA and FDA will also issue separate RFAs in the near future to request applications for the establishment of four Regional Centers (RC) which will be coordinated under the NCC. The NCC will provide national leadership, support and coordination for the RCs. Each RC will lead, manage, and coordinate the regional development and implementation of the National Food Safety Training, Education, Extension, Outreach, and Technical Assistance Program. 

NC-FAR Dialogue on Food and Ag Engagement – In mid-December 2014, the National Coalition for Food and Agriculture Research (NC-FAR) hosted a dialogue with Cooperative Extension Directors Tim Cross, University of Tennessee, and Michael Ouart, University of Missouri. The session Why Cooperative Extension? A Century of Food and Ag Engagement was the first in what NC-FAR hopes to be a continuing discussion on how Cooperative Extension can best meet the educational needs of farmers, ranchers and others in the food industry. See http://goo.gl/eh9juK for the presentation outline complete with participant comments in the notes section or go to http://ncfar.org/video-Extension-Dialog.asp for the video recording. 

NACo Election Analysis – With the new Congress in session, the National Association of Counties (NACo) provides an analysis of how the shift in power may affect counties. See http://www.naco.org/legislation/Documents/NACo-2014-Election-Analysis.pdf.

12.15.14 - NEW eXtension UPDATE

ECOP Holiday Greetings

Wishing You A Holiday Season Filled With Warmth And
Wonderment And A Most Joyous New Year 

Extension Committee On Organization And Policy

Delbert Foster, Chair 

Executive Director and Administrator Team 

Ron Brown, Nancy Bull, Lyla Houglum, L. Washington Lyons,
Sandy Ruble, Jane Schuchardt, and Robin Shepard 

 

ECOP Monday Minute Returns on 1.5.15 

 

NEW eXtension UPDATE – The nomination process is underway through regional Cooperative Extension associations for the NEW eXtension Board of Directors. Those institutions in the Cooperative Extension Section with either a premium or basic membership will receive a ballot in early January to vote for the board members. Elbert Dickey, interim eXtension director, reports the response to the NEW eXtension membership poll now is at 96 percent (72 of the 75 institutions in the Cooperative Extension Section of the Board on Agriculture Assembly). Of those responding, 80 percent (58 institutions) have indicated intent to be members of the NEW eXtension. Details about membership levels are provided in the final report about the NEW eXtension. Questions can be directed to Dr. Dickey at edickey1@unl.edu whose interim appointment has been extended through April 2015 to provide consistent leadership through the transition. 

JOE Editor Proposals Due 1.15.15 – Extension Journal, Inc. invites proposals to provide editorial services for the corporation’s flagship product, the Journal of Extension. Editorial services required range from initial review of all submissions, to writing advice for authors, to working with reviewers, to copy editing of all issues. Michelle Rodgers, ECOP chair-elect and ECOP liaison to the Extension Journal Board of Directors, University of Delaware, asks your assistance in identifying qualified applicants. The deadline for proposals is January 15, 2015, with the contract to begin January 1, 2016. For the full RFP, Click Here. Questions can be directed to Terry Meisenbach tmeisenbach@extension.org. 

JCEP Leadership Conference Registration Open – Plan now to attend the JCEP Leadership Conference February 11 & 12, 2015 at the Tropicana Hotel, Las Vegas, Nevada with the theme Leading Through Trust. Keynote speaker and author of The Trust Edge, David Horsager, will discuss how trust has the ability to accelerate or destroy any organization or relationship. ECOP Chair Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, will provide an ECOP update and recognize the 125th anniversary of the passage of the second Morrill Act which created the universities commonly referred to as the 1890 institutions. Registration and more details are available at www.jcep.org. 

SNAP-ED Program Development Team Represented at National Conference – Jenna Anding, Texas A&M University, and Debra Garrard, Oklahoma State University, both members of the SNAP-ED Program Development Team, represented Land-grant Universities and Cooperative Extension at a recent Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Directors' meeting in New Orleans. During the conference, Anding and Garrard, who are members of the SNAP-Ed Program Development team, interacted with directors of SNAP-ED efforts from across the U.S. and briefed them on the contributions of Cooperative Extension to SNAP-Ed programs. ECOP authorizes an assessment of state Cooperative Extension Services receiving SNAP-ED funding to support the work of a Program Development Team managed out of South Dakota State University. Nominations are being sought by 12.19.14 for team members willing to help shape the future of SNAP-ED within the Land-grant University and in conjunction with other SNAP-ED efforts. For details on how to submit an application or provide a nomination, contact Sandra Jensen Sandra.jensen@sdstate.edu, 605.688.4944. 

Journal Continues Centennial Celebration – The December 2014 issue of the Journal of Extension, to be posted 12.18.14 at www.joe.org, includes the article Milestones and the Future for Cooperative Extension. ECOP immediate past chair, Jimmy Henning, University of Kentucky, is lead author. This completes the year-long series of articles published by JOE honoring Cooperative Extension’s centennial. 

GCHERA Announces World Conference – The Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations for Agricultural and Life Sciences www.gchera.com offers its 8th world conference June 25-26, 2015 in Kaslik, Lebanon. The theme is Global Challenges: Nutritional Security and Environmental Sustainability for Human Health. Details, including a call for abstracts due 1.12.15, are available at http://webapp.usek.edu.lb/forms/WS/gchera/index.html. Questions can be directed to desireeelazzi@usek.edu.lb or alainabirizk@usek.edu.lb.

12.8.14 - NEW eXtension Membership Poll

NEW eXtension Membership Poll – The response to the NEW eXtension membership poll conducted by Elbert Dickey, interim eXtension director, has been significant and positive. Eighty-three percent of the 75 institutions in the Cooperative Extension Section of the Board on Agriculture Assembly have responded to date with 38 selecting the premium level of membership and 12 selecting the basic. Details about membership levels are provided in the final report about the NEW eXtension. Watch for a solicitation of foundation board candidates soon. NEW eXtension members will have opportunity to vote for board members early in the new year. Questions can be directed to Dr. Dickey at edickey1@unl.edu.

Web Resources for Directors/Administrators – Please bookmark www.extension.org/ecop. Make note of the "Quick Navigation" links and "Resources for Directors and Administrators" link. In addition to the ECOP Monday Minute, this is your one-stop location to learn about ECOP’s national leadership designed to benefit Cooperative Extension state and local programming.

“Unifying Message” Report Now Available – The Charles Valentine Riley Memorial Foundation (RMF) has released the report Pursuing a Unifying Message: Elevating Food, Agricultural and Natural Resources Research as a National Priority available at www.rileymemorial.org. In discussing the report during a presentation at the National Press Club in Washington, DC last week, Wendy Wintersteen, Endowed Dean of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Iowa State University, repeatedly referenced the value of Extension for agriculture research and called for a broad-based coalition of stakeholders to elevate food, agricultural, and natural resources research as a national priority. Iowa State University helped develop the report, published by the RMF, together with Mississippi State University, the Soil and Water Conservation Society, Texas Tech University and Colorado State University. Cooperative Extension had opportunity to comment on the report during its development. The webcast of the program will be available 12.12.14 on the RMF website. 

ECOP Health Implementation Action Teams – Thanks to Cooperative Extension Directors/Administrators, together with Experiment Station Directors/Administrators, for nominating a significant number of faculty and field educators for the ECOP Health Implementation Action Teams. The teams will focus on five program priorities for the next three-five years – health literacy, health insurance literacy, chronic disease prevention and management, positive youth development for health, and health policy issues education. These are outlined in Cooperative Extension’s National Framework for Health and Wellness (March 2014). The responsibilities of the teams, which will be formed in early 2015, are to identify and develop programs and curriculum, provide professional development, initiate system-wide impact evaluation, and engage external partners. A chair/co-chair from each action team will make up the ECOP Health Implementation Task Force co-chaired by Rick Klemme, University of Wisconsin, and Celvia Stovall, Alabama A&M University. Drs. Klemme and Stovall represent ECOP on the BAA-BOHS Healthy Food Systems, Healthy People Steering Committee and will communicate the implementation efforts of the action teams to the broader effort, which is designed to integrate nutrition, health, environment and agriculture systems and link research, engagement, and academic programs. 

Join Food and Ag Engagement Dialogue – Register to join the 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. 12.17.14 webinar Why Cooperative Extension? A New Century for Food and Ag Engagement at http://bit.ly/1uTmfrk. Sponsored by the National Coalition of Food and Agricultural Research www.ncfar.org, the webinar will be led by Extension Directors Tim Cross, University of Tennessee, and Michael Ouart, University of Missouri. Both ECOP members, Dr. Cross is on the NC-FAR Board of Directors and Dr. Ouart is on the NC-FAR Research and Outreach Committee. 

Nominations Due for SNAP-ED Program Development Team – ECOP authorizes an assessment of state Cooperative Extension Services receiving SNAP-ED funding to support the work of a Program Development Team managed out of South Dakota State University. Nominations are being sought by 12.19.14 for team members willing to help shape the future of SNAP-ED within the Land-grant University and in conjunction with other SNAP-ED efforts. For details on how to submit an application, contact Sandra Jensen Sandra.jensen@sdstate.edu.

11.24.14 - ECOP Welcomes New Members and Sets Goals

ECOP Monday Minute returns on 12.8.14 …. HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

ECOP Welcomes New Members and Sets Goals – With the launch of another ECOP year, Delbert Foster, chair, South Carolina State University, welcomes new members Scott Reed, Oregon State University, and Beverly Durgan, University of Minnesota. Charlotte Eberlein, University of Idaho, and Daryl Buchholz, Kansas State University, have completed terms of service. ECOP, the representative leadership and governing body of Cooperative Extension nationwide, continues to work against the core themes of building partnerships and acquiring resources, increasing strategic marketing and communications, enhancing leadership and professional development, and strengthening organizational functioning. Find the 2015 goals at http://www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=4949. 

eXtension Vote Passes – Thanks for the extensive participation in the Cooperative Extension Section vote to implement the NEW eXtension proposal http://bit.ly/InnovStratFrame. On 11.19.14, Extension directors/administrators were contacted by the interim eXtension director, Elbert Dickey, by email regarding membership with decisions needed by December 5, 2014. Also in December, candidates for the new foundation board of directors will be solicited from the five Cooperative Extension regions.

UPDATE:Health Nominations Deadline Extended to 12.2.14 – Last week the deadline was extended to send one-page letters to nominate Extension professionals to work in action teams that will focus on 5 of the 6 priority areas identified in the report, Cooperative Extension's National Framework For Health and Wellness. The criteria and all of the details may be found at: http://goo.gl/SFm1hX. The action teams are an ECOP effort, in collaboration with ESCOP, and complementary to the integrative BAA-BoHS Healthy Food Systems, Healthy People initiative. Work will begin January 15, 2015.

Health Conference Registration Soon to Open – The purpose of the National Health Outreach Conference May 6-8, 2015, Atlanta, GA, is to build a collaborative approach with organizations and agencies to achieve a healthier and safer America by promoting health and wellness, advancing health equity, and reducing health disparities. The conference website is at www.nationalhealthoutreach.org where you can find all the details. 

Online Impact Training – Oregon State University Professional and Continuing Education announces training to help employees of universities and other public programs write high value impact statements. Annual licenses are available for single users or entire departments. For more information, email learn@oregonstate.edu or dave.king@oregonstate.edu, or call 541-737-4197. 

Antibiotic Resistance in Production Agriculture – APLU and the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) will work together through a task force to advise the federal government on a research agenda and provide public information on the use of antibiotics in production agriculture. The task force, chaired by Lonnie J. King, Dean, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, is comprised of key representatives from the production animal agriculture community and the pharmaceutical industry. Officials from key federal agencies are expected to serve as observers to the task force and leaders from public universities in Mexico and Canada will serve as ex officio members.

11.3.14 - USDA, ECOP, ESCOP Signs Climate Hubs Document

USDA, ECOP, ESCOP Signs Climate Hubs Document – Pledging to work together on adaptation and mitigation strategies to climate change and variability, USDA Regional Climate Hubs http://www.climatehubs.oce.usda.gov/, Cooperative Extension and Experiment Station leaders signed a Memorandum of Understanding today during the Board on Agriculture Assembly meeting at the APLU Annual Meeting in Orlando. The document outlines coordination and does not obligate resources. Those signing are Catherine Woteki, USDA Chief Scientist and Under Secretary for Research, Education and Economics; Robert Bonnie, USDA Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment; Jimmy Henning, ECOP Chair, and Steve Slack, ESCOP immediate past chair. 

L-R Jimmy Henning, Cathie Woteki, Steve Slack

ACTION: JOE Editor Proposals Due 1.15.15 – Extension Journal, Inc. invites proposals to provide editorial services for the corporation’s flagship product, the Journal of Extension. Editorial services required range from initial review of all submissions, to writing advice for authors, to working with reviewers, to copy editing of all issues. Michelle Rodgers, ECOP chair-elect and ECOP liaison to the Extension Journal Board of Directors, University of Delaware, asks your assistance in identifying qualified applicants. The deadline for proposals is January 15, 2015, with the contract to begin January 1, 2016. For the full RFP, click here. Questions can be directed to Terry Meisenbach tmeisenbach@extension.org. 

ACTION: NEW eXtension Vote Due 11.17.14 – This week the voting members of the 75 institutional members of the Cooperative Extension Section will receive a ballot to determine the future of the NEW eXtension. Your careful consideration and vote by 11.17.14 is requested. ECOP through the eXtension Governing Committee, Dennis Calvin, chair, Pennsylvania State University, engaged an eXtension Strategic Planning Committee in 2014. Chaired by Keith Smith, Ohio State University, and assisted by the Cascade Center for Community Governance, the committee was composed of representatives from all five Extension regions and was charged to present a plan for increasing eXtension’s value to Land-grant institutions and partners. The final report was accepted at the October 15, 2014 ECOP meeting in Lexington, KY. ECOP unanimously voted to engage the Cooperative Extension Section to 1) discontinue the current eXtension assessment for 2015; and 2) move to a new membership, fee-driven model effective January 1, 2015. A “yes” vote on #2 does not obligate the voting institution to membership. In addition to the report, view the webinar recording http://connect.extension.iastate.edu/p8ubbwg6dhy/ of 10.29.14. The webinar outlines a new vision for eXtension, making Cooperative Extension state and local electronic innovation the primary priority. Plus, the new funding model proposes a change from assessments to a fee-based approach. The webinar defines what you will get, what it will cost and the process for electing new directors. 

ACTION: Health Nominations Due 11.28.14 – Complementary to the BAA-BoHS Healthy Food Systems, Healthy People initiative, ECOP, in collaboration with ESCOP, is developing an implementation process on specific action areas related to human health and wellness. While the BAA-BoHS effort focuses on the integration of nutrition, health, environment, and agriculture systems, the ECOP/ESCOP action teams will focus on the other five priority areas identified in the ECOP Health Task Force Report www.aplu.org/document.doc?id=5134. These are health literacy, health insurance literacy, chronic disease prevention and management, positive youth development, and health policy issues education. Extension and experiment station directors and administrators have been asked to submit nominations for researchers, faculty and field educators for each of the five priority action teams. The deadline for submissions is 11.28.14. Work begins in early January. 

Funding Opportunity on Energy Efficiency – The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy has $9 million available to improve energy efficiency of commercial buildings. More information, application requirements, and instructions for this funding opportunity announcement (DE-FOA-0001168) can be found on the EERE Funding Opportunity Exchange website. To be eligible for consideration, a concept paper must be submitted no later than November 17, 2014. Questions about this FOA may be sent to CBIFOA2015@ee.doe.gov.