2026 AM/PIC Registration Now Open & April edition of The County Agent now posted online

Registration for the July 8-12 NACAA AM/PIC is now open.  Early-bird rates are available until May 15, 2026 (Midnight EST).  Beginning May 16, 2026 all registration rates will increase by $100/person.

The links to register can be found on the https://www.nacaa.com/ homepage - bottom right hand corner.  Here’s a shortcut to the links:    

Lodging (Hotel Reservation) -  https://book.passkey.com/go/NACAA2026ATTENDEES

AM/PIC Registration -  https://fs18.formsite.com/TTFZVS/powcuqalsk/index

Hotel reservations this year will be made directly with the Sheraton Denver Downtown Hotel.  Active and Life members are expected to stay at one of the contracted hotels for a minimum of one night.  If you choose to stay off-site at a different hotel - the NACAA Facilities fee of $250 will be charged.  You will need to enter your lodging Reference Number in the AM/PIC registration process - so please make your Lodging reservation FIRST - before registering for the AM/PIC.

If you are travelling with a guest/spouse - they will NOT need to make a separate hotel reservation - and they will be able to select an option within the registration process to indicate they already have a room.  If you are an Active or Life Member and you are sharing a room -  you will need to indicate who you are rooming with.

If you have issues with the AM/PIC registration process - please contact NACAA at (217) 794-3700 or email at exec-dir@nacaa.com

The County Agent - April, 2026 Edition is now Available

The April Edition of The County Agent is now available online and can be found at:   NACAA | Magazine (The County Agent) or the direct link of:  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/April2026CountyAgentweb.pdf

The April edition contains vital information on the 2026 AM/PIC activities and programs.  A Tentative Schedule is also published in this edition.

For those of you who have requested a printed/mailed version - it’s in the mail.

LIFE MEMBERS

Unless you subscribe to The County Agent magazine - you will not receive a printed edition.  If you are interested in subscribing - here’s a link on our website with instructions on how to subscribe and the costs associated.  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/lifepostcard2020.pdf

JCEP PILD Registration Now Open - March 15 deadline

Registration Now Open for the 2026 JCEP

Public Issues Leadership Development Conference

 

https://www.jcep.org/pild

Join your Extension colleagues from around the nation, for an impactful experience in our nation’s inspiring capital, Washington DC, at the 2026 Public Issues Leadership Development Conference (PILD), April 20 to 22, 2026.

This year’s conference will be held at the beautiful Hyatt Regency Bethesda just a few metro stops from some of the most awe-inspiring historical places in our nation’s history.

Not just a conference, PILD has opportunities for you to:

• Hear from Extension administrators from across the nation

• Connect with representatives of our federal funding partner, USDA-NIFA

• Meet leaders from APLU, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and ECOP, the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy

• Join fellow conference attendees for a tour some of our nation’s most iconic monuments and memorials, as part of our pre-conference educational experience

• Visit the office of your Senator or Representative on Capitol Hill (check with your state leadership for guidance on Hill visits)

Don’t miss out on this unique educational opportunity! Registration is limited, and this tour is truly not to be missed. A comfy motor coach will take you around DC, visiting all the key monuments and memorials. You’ll have the opportunity to get off the bus and walk around at most of the monuments, seeing them up close and personal, and there will even be a professional tour guide on board to give you the history and importance of each site! This experience is listed as one of the key highlights of most past conference attendees, but participation is limited, so tell your friends to join you, and don’t delay your registration.

A detailed agenda for this educational tour will be available on the conference website soon, for use in your travel justification.

Registration Details: 

• Don’t miss the early bird rate! (until March 15): $515

• Not-to-be-missed preconference educational tour (additional registration): $75

• Late registration (March 16 and later):  $615 conference, $85 preconference tour

Space is limited, so register for the conference and the educational tour today at https://www.jcep.org/pild to secure your spot at this premier Extension leadership event! 

For questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the 2026 Conference Planning Chair, Travis West, by email at west.222@osu.edu 

JOURNAL OF EXTENSION UPDATE

 

Forwarded on behalf of Jamie Rae Walker, 2025 EJI President:

Dear Journal of Extension Partners,

Thank you for being a valuable supporter of Extension Journal, Inc. (EJI) and the Journal of Extension (JOE). Your institution’s support—along with the dedication of our many volunteers—makes it possible to produce the high-quality, peer-reviewed journal that serves the Extension community so well.

We appreciate Clemson University Press' critical support in guiding us through the important evolution of JOE over the last five years. However, the EJI Board has made the strategic decision to transition JOE to its own publishing repository on the Digital Commons platform (formerly Bepress). While Clemson has hosted the journal on this platform, we realize that we’ve outgrown the Press’s ability to meet our current needs. Moving to our own repository will give EJI direct control and flexibility in how JOE is managed and delivered.

This transition will allow us to:

• be more responsive to the needs of authors and readers, providing timely feedback and support;

• expand the range of publishing services offered, including the potential to host additional journals; and

• enhance scholarly activity by providing new media formats, including video, audio, and interactive content.

We expect the transition to be seamless for readers and contributors. Volume 63, Issue 4, will be published by Clemson University Press in mid-November. In parallel, we are working with Digital Commons to migrate JOE to its new home, with the process scheduled for completion by January 2026. We will share updated details as the migration progresses.

EJI will release a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the ongoing management of the platform. We invite and encourage your institution to consider submitting a proposal for this critical opportunity to help shape the future of JOE.  In the meantime, please share this letter with your faculty, staff, and other stakeholders who are authors and reviewers for JOE.  

Thank you for your continued support. Your annual subscription is essential to The Journal of Extension remaining an open-access journal and allowing your authors to submit without any additional fees or costs for authors or readers. Let’s continue to work together to bring attention to Extension scholarship.

Please feel free to contact me at urbanparks@ag.tamu.edu with any questions or concerns.

Thank you again for your continued support,

Jamie Rae Walker & the Journal of Extension Board of Directors

Registration Now Open for JCEP ELC 2026

Important Registration information:

Registration Links can be found here:  JCEP - ELC

Registration for JCEP 2026 ELC *

• Early Bird registration until January 9^th (Midnight EST) is $515

• Late free of $100 will be added on January 10^th and later

Pre-Conference Tour: Squares, Stories, & Sips – The True Savannah Experience

• Early Bird registration until January 9^th (Midnight EST) is $40

• Late fee of $10 will be added on January 10^th and later

 

In addition, the Extension Foundation is offering a Pre-Conference Educational Workshop entitled "Crucial Influence". 

 

The course reveals the personal, social, and structural sources that shape behavior and teaches a method for using these sources to influence people and results.

 

Registration for this event can also be found on the JCEP-ELC website with a separate registration link.

 

Register in advance for these meetings:

November 19, 2025 - Current State of the U.S. Crop Insurance Industry

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Q20hbpR0ROenF4WJWxaJ8A

This session is planned to last 1 hour or less.  We look forward to your participation!

NACAA 365 Webinar - Got questions? We have answers!

 

Register in advance for these meetings:

April 30, 2025 - Got Questions?  We have answers!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/sAkUi3udS3qx9UAenuQ5Lg

This session is planned to last 1 hour or less.  We look forward to your participation!

NACAA 365 - April 23, 2025 - Farm Bill Update from Ag Issues Committee

 

Register in advance for these meetings:

April 23, 2025 - Farm Bill Update from Ag Issues Committee

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/UTQShTGnSOK0lHWppRuXsQ

This session is planned to last 1 hour or less.  We look forward to your participation!

JCEP Excellence in Extension Engagement Award

The Joint Council of Extension Professionals (JCEP) “Excellence in Extension Engagement Award” nomination period is open at www.jcep.org/awards through May 31, 2025.

What isthe Excellence in Extension Engagement Award?

Thisaward recognizes high quality, evidence-based Extension work that has documented outstanding outcomes and impacts with clientele and strengthens the Extension profession. The selection committee considers individual or team applicants that documents an engagement program that is: local needs driven, grounded in scholarly practice, adequately evaluated, adopted beyond the initial audience or geographic region, strengthening professionals within or across states, and demonstrating innovation that brings something new to Extension professionals. Applicants must have an extension appointment and belong to a JCEP organization.

Full details may be found at: www.jcep.org/awards. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m., submitter’s time, May 31, 2025.

First place receives a $750 award. The winner will be an invited speaker at the Extension Leadership Conference in Savannah, Georgia, February 4-5, 2026 (ELC registration waived).

Honorable mention receives: $250 award and ELC registration waived. Honorable mention awardees may be invited to speak at ELC at the planning committee’s discretion.

The 2025 winning team included Dr. Jennifer Aranda, Isabel Huot-Link, Ellen Wolter, Tobias Spanier, Tim Young Chol Choi, Dr. Scott Chazdon, and Victoria McWane-Creek with The Welcoming and Inclusive Communities Program. A synopsis of their program is provided at the awards webpage.

2025 AM/PIC Registration Now Open - April Edition of The County Agent Now Posted Online

 

2025 AM/PIC Registration Now Open

 

Registration for the June 29-July 2, 2025 NACAA AM/PIC is now open.  The links to register can be found on the https://www.nacaa.com/ homepage - bottom right hand corner.  Here’s a shortcut to the links:    

 

Lodging (Hotel Reservation) - https://fs18.formsite.com/TTFZVS/vafneuruvl/index

 

AM/PIC Registration - https://fs18.formsite.com/TTFZVS/infz0ad5r1/index

 

Hotel reservations this year are once again being handled directly through NACAA via a group rooming list that NACAA will provide to the hotels.  PLEASE DO NOT MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS DIRECT WITH HOTELS - AS YOU WILL NOT RECEIVE OUR GROUP RATES.  Active and Life members are expected to stay at one of the contracted hotels for a minimum of one night.  If you choose to stay off-site at a different hotel - the NACAA Facilities fee of $250 will be charged.  You will need to enter your lodging Reference Number in the AM/PIC registration process - so please make your Lodging reservation FIRST - before registering for the AM/PIC.

 

If you are travelling with a guest/spouse - they will NOT need to make a separate hotel reservation - and they will be able to select an option within the registration process to indicate they already have a room.  If you are an Active or Life Member and you are sharing a room -  you will need to indicate who you are rooming with.

 

If you have issues with the AM/PIC registration process - please contact NACAA at (217) 794-3700 or email at exec-dir@nacaa.com

 

The County Agent - April, 2025 Edition is now Available

 

The April Edition of The County Agent is now available online and can be found at:   NACAA | Magazine (The County Agent) or the direct link of:  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/April%202025%20County%20Agent%20lr.pdf

For those of you who have requested a printed/mailed version - it’s in the mail.

 

LIFE MEMBERS

Unless you subscribe to The County Agent magazine - you will not receive a printed edition.  If you are interested in subscribing - here’s a link on our website with instructions on how to subscribe and the costs associated.  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/lifepostcard2020.pdf

NACAA 365 - Why Attend the Horticulture/Sustainable Ag Pre-Tour - March 26, 2025

 

Register in advance for these meetings:

March 26, 2025 - Why to attend the Horticulture/Sustainable Ag Pre-Tour!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/L6kgUtXVSaykspR_4BJc5g

This session is planned to last 1 hour or less.  We look forward to your participation!

 NACAA members,

The 2025 AM/PIC Registration link will be posted on or before April 1, 2025 - with the early bird registration period being April 1 - May 15, 2025.  

Since we will be utilizing several hotels - Lodging reservations will once gain be handled through the NACAA registration process.  Please do not make reservations directly with the hotels - as our group rate will not be honored unless your reservation is submitted to NACAA - then submitted by NACAA in a rooming list to the hotels.  If you choose to stay off-site and not make your reservation through the NACAA registration process - there will be a $250 Facilities Fee assessed to your registration.  

NACAA will be sending a e-blast out to all members (Active & Life) with the registration link as soon as it is available.

We look forward to your participation in the upcoming 2025 AM/PIC in Billings, Montana - June 29 - July 2.  

Upcoming NACAA 365 Webinar - February 26, - 1:00 pm EST - Register Now!

 

Register in advance for these meetings:

February 26, 2025 - How to Write a "Winning" Horticulture Abstract!

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/dOTjxWb8Te6UxZeXxjD_Ww

This session is planned to last 1 hour or less.  We look forward to your participation!

Registration Etended for the 2025 JCEP Public Issues Leadership Development Conference

 **EARLY BIRD RATE AVAILABLETHROUGH MARCH 14**

**Twilight Monument Tour Waiting List Available, through March 5**

Registration and more information available on theconference website: https://www.jcep.org/pild

Monument Tour waiting list: drichards@ag.tamu.edu

UPDATE: Early Bird Rate Extended for the 2025 JCEP PublicIssues Leadership Development Conference

Momentum for this amazing conference is building, so we’veextended the Early Bird Registration rate through March 14. After that, therate will definitely go up, so don’t delay, register today!

UPDATE:  Twilight Monument Tour Waiting List Available,through March 5

Tickets for the Twilight Monument Tour (April 6 from6:00 to 9:30 PM) sold out much earlier than expected, and we’re now building awaiting list! We need at least 25 more people to join the waiting list byMarch 5th. If we reach our minimum goal, we’ll open ticket salesagain for this educational tour. Send an email to drichards@ag.tamu.edu to addyour name to the list.

A detailed agenda for this educational tour will beavailable on the conference websitesoon, for use in your travel justification.

Cap-note Speaker Reminder: Don’t miss a dynamiccap-note presentation from Dr. LupitaFabregas, Director, 4-H Center for Youth Development, University of Missouri,entitled “Leading with Courage: The Legacy of an Immigrant”

For questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to the2025 Conference Planning Chair, Daphne Richards, by email at drichards@ag.tamu.edu

NACAA 365 - Got Questions? We have answers!

Register in advance for these meetings: February 5, 2025 - Got Questions? We have answers! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Wd0_OnVJQ1GOT6OTYAT4cQ This session is planned to last 1 hour or less. We look forward to your participation!

NACAA 365 - Got Questions? We have answers!

Register in advance for these meetings: February 5, 2025 - Got Questions? We have answers! https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/Wd0_OnVJQ1GOT6OTYAT4cQ This session is planned to last 1 hour or less. We look forward to your participation!

NACAA 365 Webinars January 2025

Register in advance for these meetings: January 22, 2025 - You want to talk about WHAT in a Sustainable Agriculture Presentation at the National Meeting? https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/CM_4deKUQtK8mH1PUe4GqQ This session is planned to last 1 hour or less. We look forward to your participation!

The County Agent - December, 2024 Edition is now Available

 

The County Agent - December, 2024 Edition is now Available

Direct link is:  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/Committee%20Directory%202025%20web.pdf  

For those of you who have requested a printed/mailed version - it’s in the mail.

LIFE MEMBERS

Unless you subscribe to The County Agent magazine - you will not receive a printed edition.  If you are interested in subscribing - here’s a link on our website with instructions on how to subscribe and the costs associated.  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/lifepostcard2020.pdf

JCEP - ELC Early Bird Registration - January 24, 2025

The early bird registration deadline for the JCEP Extension Leadership Conference is fast approaching—don’t miss out!

Looking for a fun and educational way to kick off your ELC experience? Join us on Tuesday evening for the Dark History Tour of Savannah, a captivating walking tour exploring the city’s intriguing past.

Please note that the tour requires separate registration. You can find the link and more details on the JCEP website: https://www.jcep.org/elc.

Register soon to secure your spot!

NACAA Seeks Editor for Journal of NACAA

NACAA is seeking to fill the (3-Year) Special Assignment of Editor for the Journal of NACAA beginning July 3, 2025 following the 2025 AM/PIC held in Billings, Montana.

A brief summary of the position job description can be found at:   https://www.nacaa.com/journal-chair-job-description

A copy of the application can be found at:  https://www.nacaa.com/uploads/userfiles/files/Journal%20of%20NACAA_chair_application%202024.docx and must be submitted by no later than October 1,2024 and sent directly to NACAA Secretary Donna Beliech electronically at  d.beliech@msstate.edu

Eligibility: Special assignment open to all active and life members.

The NACAA Board of Directors plans to select the Editor by December 1, 2024 to allow time for cross-training if needed.

For more information regarding the position, please feel free to contact NACAA President Scott Jensen at   208-364-4623 or scottj@uidaho.edu or NACAA Executive Director Scott Hawbaker at 217-794-3700 or nacaaemail@aol.com.

Leadership Opportunities Are Now Available within NACAA Committees

Applications are being accepted for the following positions.  The deadline to apply for these openings is August 30, 2024.  Please apply at:  https://www.nacaa.com/leadership-application

At this time, please only focus on the CURRENT/IMMEDIATE openings we have as listed below (3 WESTERN REGION VICE CHAIR POSITIONS AND ONE NATIONAL COMMITTEE CHAIR POSITION).  You will notice additional openings on the website - as they include upcoming positions which will not start until after the 2025 AM/PIC in Billings, Montana. You are welcome to apply for those openings at this time - however, they will not be reviewed/considered until after March 15, 2025.

Committee work and related activities is the essence of what it takes to achieve NACAA’s mission.  This is a unique opportunity to expand and share your leadership and professional improvement skills for applying for committee positions that are open.  Submit your application TODAY!

CURRENT/IMMEDIATE OPENINGS

Professional Improvement Council:

VICE CHAIR OPENINGS:

Sustainable Agriculture - Western Region Vice Chair (one year)

Program Recognition Council

VICE CHAIR OPENINGS:

Scholarship - Western Region Vice Chair (one year)

Extension Development Council:

NATIONAL CHAIR OPENING:

Agricultural Issues (two year term)

VICE CHAIR OPENINGS:

Early Career Development - Western Region  (two years)