2022 National Health Outreach Conference

Registration is now open for the 2022 National Health Outreach Conference, which will be held in Kansas City, Missouri at the Marriott Country Club Plaza from May 4-6, 2022. Early registration ends April 1, 2022. With the theme of Today's Health in a Changing World: Be the Difference, there will be sessions related to health equity, effective behavior-change messaging, policy system and environmental change, health behavior, and pandemic response programming. Keynote speakers, concurrent and posters sessions will be relevant for professionals who address health, nutrition, youth development, workforce development, and human development.

----

In recognition of Presidents' Day, the ECOP Monday Minute will be on hiatus on February 21, 2022.

NIFA Seeks Hall of Fame and Partnership Award Nominees - For action no later than April 1, 2022! Winning nominations will be recognized at the NIFA Day of Appreciation in either June or July 2022. NIFA invites nominations for the following.

• Inductees into the USDA-NIFA Hall of Fame have worked, coordinated, or supported activities exemplifying NIFA’s synergy of excellence in any combination of research, education, and Extension approaches on local, regional, national, or international levels. Inductees have also demonstrated a measurable and positive impact on the lives of citizens and NIFA's mission to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and Extension to solve societal challenges. Nominations will be evaluated based on three weighted areas: measurable impact on NIFA; synergy of research, education, and/or Extension; and endorsements/letters of support. Nominations must consist of a completed nomination form and up to three endorsements/letters of support. To learn more, visit the NIFA Hall of Fame Awards website.
  
  
• NIFA also invites all Land-grant Universities, cooperating institutions, and organizations supported by NIFA to submit nominations for the 2022 NIFA Partnership Awards Program. Nominations can be submitted for individuals or teams of up to 20 members. Complete details, instructions and the form are found NIFA Partnership Award webpage.

Questions regarding these 2 types of nominations may be directed to Kelly (Michael) Sprute at kelly.sprute@usda.gov.

2022 Land-grant Administrative Officers Conference - The annual National Extension and Research Administrative Officers Conference (NERAOC) will be held from April 10-13 in St. Louis, MO.  Administrators and program directors with responsibility over USDA-NIFA land-grant programs including the 1994 land-grants, Extension, equity, research, and endowment programs are urged to learn more and register here by April 4. The event provides a venue for professional development, information sharing, and networking to state among the administrators of Cooperative Extension, and state Agricultural Experiment Stations, and USDA-NIFA staff. Thank you to Gina Eubanks, Louisiana State University, for serving on the NERAOC coordinating committee representing the Cooperative Extension Section and ECOP. 

 

Leaders Examine Potential of the 4-H Equity Strategic Plan

Almost half the LGUs within the Cooperative Extension Section were represented at last Friday's Learning for Leaders - 4-H Equity Strategic Plan. The conversation reinforced and built upon the collective mindset of Extension Leaders that establishes short- and long-range goals for system change for diversity, equity, and inclusion at national, state, and local levels. To review elements of the event, use:
   --> YouTube video (~ 40 min.): youtu.be/LyKIZSMdk7s
   --> Slides
An analysis of the small group discussion is in process to more deeply inform ECOP on next steps. Thank you to everyone who participated. 

SNAP-Ed Program Development Team Meets - The annual meeting of the Land-grant Universities SNAP-Ed Program Development Team (PDT) was held virtually on April 19-21. Representatives from USDA Food Nutrition Service, and National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the Cooperative Extension met with current and incoming members of the PDT. The PDT reviewed progress on the strategic plan and developed goals for the upcoming year. Highlights of the meeting and the past year are now available for review. Nineteen members from the 2020 and 2021 PDT were able to attend by Zoom. The work of the PDT is funded through assessments to Cooperative Extension Services providing education to SNAP recipients.

USDA Hosts First-Ever Virtual Fair on Food Waste Reduction Innovations and Leaders - The USDA will host the first-ever Food Loss and Waste Innovation Fair on May 26 (12 - 4 p.m. ET), to showcase USDA investments and business leadership in reducing food loss and waste throughout the food system. The Innovation Fair will present businesses and research teams that have received USDA funding to research or commercialize cutting-edge food loss and waste solutions. For more information, read the USDA press release.




Act by May 28 NIFA Partnership and Hall of Fame Awards Nominations - All Land-grant Universities and cooperating institutions and organizations supported by NIFA may submit nominations to their 2021 Hall of Fame and/or Partnership Awards Program by May 28, 2021. Links to each:

NIFA Partnership Award website - For outstanding contributions in support of the NIFA mission and USDA Strategic Goals that provide an outcome that positively impacts agriculture, the environment, communities, or people. 

NIFA Hall of Fame Awards website - Former inductees include several Extension Directors and Administrators who have have worked, coordinated, or supported activities exemplifying NIFA’s synergy of excellence in any combination of research, education, and extension approaches on local, regional, national, or international levels and demonstrated a measurable and positive impact on the lives of citizens and NIFA's mission to invest in and advance agricultural research, education, and extension to solve societal challenges.

Winning nominations will be recognized at the NIFA Day of Appreciation on a date to be announced for either June or July 2021.