Educational Resources to Share with NACAA Members

NACAA Members:

During this time of uncertainty, Ag Extension agents have been creatively adapting their programming to meet the needs of their clientele. A great example is all of the videos which have been developed, by agents, to educate growers and the general public in the wake of the current Corona virus situation.

NACAA would like to give you an opportunity for professional development by sharing these videos with our members so we can all learn from each other. A Google doc has been created as a place for NACAA members to share their work and see what other Ag Agents across the country are doing.

NACAA will continue to collect these resources over the next few months and will update the directory on the NACAA website several times - so please feel free to make submissions as frequently as you would like.

Please click on this link below to add your Educational Resources you would like to have NACAA share.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfyoph326wbHFZLy0mHbqXuCfHUpyS3nTiTlUPEYVmdRkT40A/viewform?usp=sf_link

To view Resources which have been uploaded by others - please view this link:  (entries can't be made on this file - only viewing):

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ur9qvL-ddiIC3qiwugL9ri1QuOwzndLMsIY6UOorTf8/edit?usp=sharing

Connie L. Strunk

NACAA Secretary

Plant Pathology Field Specialist

Email:   connie.strunk@sdstate.edu

Office: (605) 782-3290

NACAA AM/PIC Update - April 17, 2020

NACAA AM/PIC Update - April 17, 2020

NACAA Members,

As the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to unfold and impact every sector of society, it has been extremely gratifying to observe Extension educators from across this great country rise to the challenge of serving our respective communities and bring factual information and solutions to the daily challenges being faced by our farmers, ranchers, friends and neighbors. 

I am writing to follow up on my previous message to you dated March 27 regarding plans for the 2020 AM/PIC originally scheduled for July 19-24, 2020 in Virginia Beach, VA.   As I noted in light of the current coronavirus pandemic facing our country and world, the NACAA Board has been carefully reviewing our options for the meeting since the likelihood that the conference would go on as scheduled was in doubt.

The NACAA Board in consultation with the Virginia Association of Agricultural Extension Agents and the staff at Helms Briscoe was able to negotiate with the Virginia Beach Convention Center and hotels to reschedule the AM/PIC to a later date without penalty.

We have decided to reschedule the AM/PIC for September 29 - October 1, 2020 in Virginia Beach.  We opted for a reduced 3-day schedule for several reasons:

• Anticipated reduced attendance because of budgetary constraints and possible travel restrictions at some institutions,
• COVID-19 influenced reduction in national and state sponsorship for the meeting,
• Likelihood that fewer families and children might attend after a long COVID-19 mandated absence from school this spring and probable re-opening of schools next fall.

Our plan is to focus heavily on professional improvement and member awards along with the by-law mandated delegate session and regional caucuses.  Unfortunately, due to financial constraints, tours, sons and daughter activities and spouse and life-time member activities will be eliminated and/or reduced. 

This has been a painful decision and was the subject of much deliberation and discussion by the board and does not diminish the value we place on our life members or family participation in the meeting.

We hope and pray that we will be able to return to a normal AM/PIC schedule in 2021.

Stay tuned for more information, we anticipate opening registration on or about June 1.

You can rest assured that as we move forward the health and safety of our members will take utmost priority.

Prayers for the safety of you, your families and our nation and keep up the good work of keeping our farmers, ranchers and the general public informed and educated about COVID-19.

Thank you for your understanding and thank you for your continued trust in NACAA! 

Stay safe and all the best.

Gene McAvoy

NACAA President

NACAA 2020 AM/PIC Update - March 27, 2020

NACAA Members,

As you are all aware, the 2020 AM/PIC is scheduled for July 19-24, 2020 in Virginia Beach, VA.  Registration was expected to begin April 1st.  However, in light of the current coronavirus pandemic facing our country and world, the NACAA Board is currently reviewing our options for the meeting since the likelihood that the conference will go on as currently scheduled is doubtful.

Although a copy of The County Agent magazine highlighting the AM/PIC schedule was just mailed,  please hold off on submitting your registration materials at this time.

We are looking forward to holding our 2020 AM/PIC, but in light of the current situation, we need to delay any final decision for a least 2 more weeks while the evaluation process for potential options continues.  We will send out details as soon as they are finalized, along with a registration link.  You can rest assured that as we explore potential options the health and safety of our members will take utmost priority.

Prayers for the safety of you, your families and our nation and keep up the good work of keeping our farmers, ranchers and the general public informed and educated about Covid 19.

Thank you for your understanding and thank you for your continued trust in NACAA!  

Stay safe and all the best.

Gene McAvoy

NACAA President

Webinar Link

WEBINAR LINK FOR THOSE OF YOU THAT WERE UNABLE TO PARTICIPATE

Engaging Participants without Leaving the Office:

Planning and Conducting Effective Webinars

NACAA Members,

Planning & Conducting Extension Programs Using Video Conferencing During the COVID-19 Pandemic:  https://media.oregonstate.edu/media/t/0_poj5ug0z

If you are interested in obtaining the PowerPoint slides, please contact the speakers directly at— Julie Robinson:  jrobinson@uaex.edu  or Mary Poling: mpoling@uaex.edu

Regards,

Sergio

NACAA TET Chair

__________________________________
Sergio Arispe , Ph.D., P.A.S., Assistant Professor
Oregon State University
Department of Animal & Rangeland Sciences
OSU Extension Service—Malheur County | Livestock and Rangeland
710 SW 5th Ave
Ontario, OR 97914
P: 541-881-1417 (x104) | C: 530-304-0620 | F: 541-889-8840
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SARE Fellows Application Now Available

SARE Fellows Application Now Available 

NACAA Members,

In 2020, the responsibility and selection process of the SARE Fellows Award was assumed directly by SARE.  Below is the new process for applying for the award.  The information submitted will be going directly to SARE not NACAA.  NACAA did discover there was an incorrect link for the 2020 award process still showing on the NACAA website.  If you did submit on that incorrect link (prior to yesterday) - within the NACAA website, you will need to re-submit on SARE's official application below.

NEW PROCESS BELOW

Applications are now being accepted for the SARE Fellows program . SARE Fellows is a unique professional development opportunity for agricultural educators to:

1. Forge new connections with colleagues from other parts of the nation
2. Evaluate agriculture within a social, economic and environmental systems framework
3. Visit innovative producers using practices that sustain agriculture for future generations
4. Improve agriculture education programs for local stakeholders

Applications must be submitted by May 1, 2020. Apply online now .

SARE Fellows participate in a series of sustainable farming and ranching systems trainings, with a focus on basic sustainable production strategies and how they work in the field. In this two-year program, Fellows are introduced to sustainable farming and ranching practices under a range of conditions and network with other agents to gain practical knowledge to improve Extension programs back home. Learn more about the SARE Fellows program and previous participants’ experiences .

Eligibility

• Extension professionals working with farmers and ranchers from 1862, 1890, 1994 institutions.
• Must have an interest in learning about sustainable agriculture across the United States and in applying what you learn with your clientele.

Application Process

Applications must be submitted by May 1, 2020. Apply online now .

Support provided by the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) program with funding from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture . The availability of this program will be dependent upon the consent of USDA SARE and the availability of funds.

NACAA Update – (COVID-19) and NACAA 2020 AM/PIC

NACAA Update – (COVID-19) and NACAA 2020 AM/PIC

Over the past several weeks, the NACAA Board of Directors has been evaluating and monitoring the current (COVID-19) situation.  As the outcome of this pandemic is still very fluid, and changing hourly, the board wants to assure you that we are still planning on holding the 2020 AM/PIC - July 19-24 in Virginia Beach, VA.  The health and safety of our members, speakers, partners and volunteers are of vital importance and will always be held at the forefront of any decision that is made in regard to the AM/PIC.  As we continue to monitor the situation, we will send additional communication to you if the board decides that modifications to the AM/PIC program are necessary. For now, we continue to plan for a successful event. The next edition of The County Agent Magazine is currently being printed and will mailed within 10 days and on-line registration will begin April 1, 2020 .

NACAA will be extending the Early-bird registration timeline (reduced cost) to now conclude on May 30, 2020 (instead of May 15).  Registration will continue until June 30th after that date, but the cost will not be at the Early-bird rate.

NACAA will also be extending the Deadline for entries for the Journal of the NACAA until March 30 ^th .

In addition to those modifications, NACAA Vice President Bill Burdine, along with the NACAA Council Chairs are extending the submission deadline for awards, oral presentation abstracts and posters to March 30 .  This new date is only for submissions with an original deadline of March 15.  Posters to be judged must have the pdf submitted by March 30 ^th . 

We are also extending committee deadlines by two weeks to give committees adequate time to perform their duties. 

New deadline dates are:

March 30 - Award, poster, oral abstract submission

April 15 - State Chair approval

May 01 - Regional Chair approval

May 15 - National Chair approval

If State Chairs have already selected a State Winner, and would like to consider new submissions, please contact Scott Hawbaker at nacaaemail@aol.com to have selected State Winners cleared to allow for new entries.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact a committee chair, Council Chair or Bill Burdine.

2019 AM/PIC Evaluation

Dear NACAA members,

Please complete this survey whether you attended the 2019 NACAA Annual Meeting and Professional Improvement Conference (AM/PIC) in Fort Wayne or not. For those who attended, we need feedback on your experience to improve plans for future meetings. Please assist your spouse and children with responding if they attended. Spouses and guests may take their survey separately.

https://ume.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_b9pnnXz14geYw7z  

For those who were not at the 2019 AM/PIC we need your responses as well to gather your insights to make future meetings more appealing and effective.

The survey may be accessed using a mobile device.   Please be aware that you will not be able to return to a previous page within the survey once you have moved to the next page. For that reason, we encourage you to complete the survey immediately following this year's AM/PIC, but not during the conference.   Please complete the survey by October 11, 2019.

Thank you in advance for helping make NACAA better,

Richard H. Fechter, NACAA Past President