Budget Webinar Today 10.5.15

ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee Chair Rick Klemme, University of Wisconsin, and Vice-chair Doug Steele, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, remind you of the webinar today at 1:00 p.m. ET on Understanding the Federal Budget Process. See www.bit.ly/ECOPFedWays for details. For best results, please use Firefox or Internet Explorer, not Chrome, as your web browser. 

Join Twitter Town Hall 10.14.15 – Extension educators and researchers from the University of the District of Columbia, North Dakota State University, Kansas State University, and the Southern University Ag Center (Louisiana) will partner with Agriculture Is America, a national communications initiative aimed at highlighting the nation’s land-grant institutions, to host a joint Twitter Town Hall on Wednesday, 10.14.15 from 10:30 – 11:00 a.m. ET. The experts will answer questions regarding youth development, gardening, nutrition, and unmanned aerial systems, among other agricultural topics. The University of the District of Columbia sponsors Urban Food Hubs, which tests the feasibility of small-scale food systems in urban communities in order to address food insecurity in our nation’s capital and beyond. Kansas State University helps rural and minority families connect with 4-H and Extension offices to learn more about higher education and join community clubs. North Dakota State University is one of six FAA national test sites for unmanned aerial systems, and university research and Extension specialists are performing field tests to assess crop and livestock sensing and monitoring. Southern University hosts a fast track gardening program that gives incarcerated youth the opportunity to use gardening as a tool to learn more about agriculture and nutrition. The four projects will be acknowledged at the 2015 National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) and Cooperative Extension Section Annual Business Meeting next week in St. Louis. A Twitter Town Hall, like a public meeting or seminar, gives the opportunity for live question and answer periods. To follow the conversation or submit a question, include the hashtag #agischat in your tweet. All agriculture-related organizations, industry leaders, friends, and supporters are invited to join the discussion. The participating Twitter handles include: @agisamerica, @KState, @suagcenter, @UDC_CAUSES, and @NDSUExt. 

$9.8 Million Award to Support 4-H National Mentoring Program – 4-H symbol The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) has awarded National 4-H Council $9.8 million for implementation of the 4-H National Mentoring Program. This marks the sixth consecutive year that Council has received this important funding which is a testament to 4-H and the Cooperative Extension System's success in providing one-to-one and group mentoring services to youth. This new award brings the total investment from OJJDP in Cooperative Extension's 4-H program to $43 million since 2010. A special thanks to National 4-H Council Trustee Delbert Foster for his important role in helping to secure this funding by representing all of Cooperative Extension in his role as ECOP Chair. Through this award, land-grants across the country will have the opportunity to continue, enhance and expand mentoring services to at-risk, high-risk, and/or underserved populations through the replication of three successful Cooperative Extension youth mentoring programs. All three programs were brought to full implementation through USDA-NIFA's Children, Youth and Families at Risk Program. 

Health Conference Proposals Due 10.16.15 – You are invited to submit a presentation proposal for the 2016 National Health Outreach Conference hosted by Virginia Cooperative Extension and coordinated by a multistate planning team. The goal of the conference is to build a collaborative approach among organizations and agencies to achieve a healthier and safer America by promoting health and wellness, advancing health equity and reducing health disparities. For more information, see www.nationalhealthoutreach.org. Submit proposals at https://osu.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_3fW18frku1WJwWN. 

Cooperative Extension at North Carolina A&T State and North Carolina State
universities are part of the Plants for Human Health Institute
centered at the Kannapolis Research Campus near Charlotte, NC.

Experiment Station Leaders Meet in Charlotte – Water security and plant breeding were key topics of discussion at the annual meeting of Experiment Station directors/administrators last week in Charlotte, NC. Included in the event was a tour of the Kannapolis Research Campus, which houses research efforts of various universities including land-grants North Carolina A&T State and North Carolina State universities. Bev Durgan, University of Minnesota, is the ECOP liaison to the Experiment Station Committee on Organization and Policy (ESCOP).

Excellence Data Due 12.31.15

The ECOP Measuring Excellence in Extension Implementation Team has shifted its call for data input to the fall of each year. While data is appreciated at any time, this shift is designed to coordinate with most university’s fiscal years. In addition to entry of data directly into the system at www.landgrantimpacts.org (formerly excellenceinextension.org), there is an option to fill out a form and the data will be entered for you. The form is available from Scott Cummings at s-cummings@tamu.edu. The database is only as valuable as the level of response from all institutions in the Cooperative Extension Section. Your participation is encouraged. 

eXtension Features Healthy Food Choices in Schools – The eXtension Healthy Food Choices in Schools community now features details on how one New York food hub has sourced fresh produce from 35 local farms to private and public K-12 school meal programs. More information on how food hubs are working with local school meal programs to reduce costs and provide healthy meals to students is available here and by contacting Katherine Baildon kmb338@cornell.edu. 

NEDA 2015 to Include Director/Administrator Orientation –  The ECOP Personnel Committee, co-chaired by Celvia Stovall, Alabama Cooperative Extension System, and Mike O’Neill, University of Connecticut, announce an orientation for new directors/administrators on Monday afternoon, October 12, 2015 in St. Louis preceding the National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) annual meeting. Panelists are Cathann Kress, Iowa State University; Alton Johnson, Prairie View A&M University; Larry Katz, Rutgers University, and Brian Higginbotham, Utah State University. Stovall will moderate the interactive session. While all NEDA participants are welcome to attend, first priority for the limited space will be given to directors/administrators who have assumed Cooperative Extension administrative positions in recent months. NEDA registration continues to be open at www.cvent.com/d/wrq424 though the reduced rate period has passed. 

Antimicrobial Resistance Workshops – Stewardship of medically-important antimicrobial drug use in food animals is the topic of workshops sponsored by the Farm Foundation. To find out more, see http://www.farmfoundation.org/webcontent/Stewardship-of-medically-important-antimicrobial-drug-use-in-food-animals-1901.aspx. 

Ag Workshop Call Ends This Week – October 1 is the deadline to submit proposals for presentations and posters at the 73rd Professional Agricultural Workshop Conference (PAWC) at Tuskegee University, AL from December 6th-8th, 2015. See www.pawc.info for details.

NEDA Early Registration Ends Tomorrow

For the 104 Cooperative Extension professionals and partners who have already registered for NEDA, thank you. You will join colleagues from 59 institutions and 47 states, DC and 2 US Territories on a fast-paced, highly interactive agenda focused on the theme Innovation: Driving Extension’s Next Century. In addition to a keynote speech funded by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, a Twitter Town Hall, an innovation showcase, an innovation video developed at the meeting, and a Cooperative Extension Section business meeting, concurrent work sessions will focus on creating a culture of innovation, new ideas for innovative programming and resource development, and attracting and retaining innovative staff. NEDA registration is available at a reduced fee until tomorrow, 9.22.15 at www.cvent.com/d/wrq424. The NEDA room block at the Embassy Suites Downtown St. Louis expires today. 

Debbie Allen, new editor of JOE

JOE Board Names New Editor – Debbie Allen, Waynesville, OH, has been named the new Journal of Extension (JOE) editor. Keith Mickler, president of the JOE Board of Directors made the announcement and introduced Allen to the Board at its fall meeting in Minneapolis last week. Allen has nearly 30 years of editorial experience in public, private, profit and not for profit, and military organizations. She has worked on national and international editorial projects including other journals, magazines, technical documentation, newspapers, and electronic media. Allen begins January 1, 2016 succeeding the current JOE editor Laura Hoelscher, Purdue University, who is retiring.

Understanding the Federal Budget Process – Use the flier at www.bit.ly/ECOPFedWays

to encourage participation in an ECOP webinar at noon ET, Monday, October 5, 2015 on Understanding the Federal Budget Process. ECOP Budget and Legislative Committee (BLC) Vice-Chair Doug Steele, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, will moderate the session with speakers BLC Chair Rick Klemme, University of Wisconsin; Hunt Shipman, Cornerstone Government Affairs, and Rick Mertens, Texas A&M AgriLife Federal Relations. Learn how federal budget priorities are established by the APLU Board on Agriculture Assembly, including strategies for interaction with USDA and the White House Office of Management and Budget. 

Delbert Foster, ECOP Chair

Extension Dinner at APLU Annual Meeting – ECOP Chair Delbert Foster invites you to the Cooperative Extension Section dinner Monday evening of the APLU Annual Meeting, November 15-17, 2015 in Indianapolis. In addition to passing the gavel to the new ECOP chair, Michelle Rodgers, University of Delaware, be on hand to hear a summary of ECOP’s accomplishments with national leadership on behalf of Cooperative Extension state and local programming and hear priories for 2016. The regular registration deadline is October 16. Register today before attendance fees increase! 

Focus on Urban Programming – Registration is available at https://ucanr.edu/survey/survey.cfm?surveynumber=15937 for the National Urban Extension Leaders (NUEL) Meeting and the Extension as Urban Policy Advisors Workshop December 1-4, 2015 in Sacramento, CA. The policy workshop which runs through Wednesday noon is geared for Cooperative Extension professionals working in metropolitan communities. The NUEL meeting which runs noon to noon Thursday and Friday is designed for Extension professionals working at the policy level for programming to urban and metropolitan communities.

EDEN Looks Ahead

Ed Jones (Virginia Tech), Nick Place (University of Florida),
Fred Schlutt (University of Alaska),
Chris Boerboom (North Dakota State University),
and Larry Katz (Rutgers)

Charting a course for Extension disaster education was the focus of a work session last week in Indianapolis. Joining representatives from the Extension Disaster Education Network’s (EDEN) executive committee were five Cooperative Extension directors, a USDA-NIFA liaison, and the ECOP Executive Director. Carolyn Williams, Prairie View A&M University, was also part of the team. The meeting provided input on how the network will expand its accomplishments from its first 20 years working at the local, state, national, and international levels. Discussion was informed by the results of the recent survey of Extension directors/administrators and EDEN delegates. Thanks is extended to those who completed the survey. The relationship between EDEN leadership, Extension directors/administrations, and ECOP is critical for Extension educators to be ready to serve local communities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from disasters. For more information on EDEN visit www.EDEN.lsu.edu or contact Mike Yoder, EDEN Chair, mjyoder@ncsu.edu. Nick Place, University of Florida, serves as ECOP Liaison to EDEN.

ECOP Working for YOU at NEDA 2015 –

ECOP Chair Delbert Foster, South Carolina State University, invites you to the annual Cooperative Extension Section business meeting Wednesday morning at the National Extension Directors and Administrators (NEDA) Meeting October 12-14, 2015 in St. Louis. Learn the latest on the proposed 4-H field marketing plan, USDA-NIFA partnership priorities, and the status of SNAP-ED funding, along with a brief overview of ECOP’s major initiatives. NEDA registration is available at a reduced fee until 9.22.15 at www.cvent.com/d/wrq424. 

Dennis Calvin, chair (Pennsylvania State),
Jason Henderson (Purdue University),
Doug Steele (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension),
Fred Schlutt (University of Alaska),
and Vernon Jones (Langston University)

NEW eXtension Highlights Innovation – eXtension Foundation Board of Directors were on hand last week in Indianapolis to learn about new directions for eXtension. Innovation was the theme with eXtension Fellows, Innovation grantees and select user community/learning network leaders showcasing their work. The Board also met to review and approve plans and policies for eXtension. For a complete update, all eXtension members and others attending NEDA 2015 are welcome to the eXtension Foundation Membership Meeting 11:30 – Noon, Wednesday, October 14, 2015 in St. Louis. 

Tourism Conference Set for October – The National Extension Tourism Conference (NET 2015) http://extensiontourism.net is in Galveston, Texas October 27-30, 2015. The theme Coast to Coast, Tourism Matters focuses on the role that tourism plays in many aspects of business, community and agricultural landowner operations. For more information, see http://extensiontourism.net/conference/. 

Economic Engagement Focus of Toolkit – The APLU Commission on Innovation, Competitiveness, and Economic Prosperity (CICEP) has developed an Economic Engagement Framework to help universities plan, implement, assess, and advance economic engagement efforts. See http://www.aplu.org/CICEPFramework.