2026 Leadership and Team Development Series for Members

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The Extension Foundation is excited to launch the 2026 Leadership Development Series for our members. Below, find a full year of practical and inspiring workshops designed to help Extension professionals strengthen their communication, teamwork, motivation, and overall leadership capacity. Each session is led by Karl Bradley, Leadership Development Specialist at the Extension Foundation, who has facilitated leadership workshops, coaching sessions, keynotes, and trainings across the Extension system.

Each topic is offered twice throughout the year so you can choose the date that works best for you.

Join us- see the schedule and register here!

 

2026 Topics & Dates

  • Trust: January 20th or September 1st
  • Teamwork: January 27th or September 8th
  • Success Partner Mindset: February 10th or September 22nd
  • Motivation or Inspiration: February 17th or September 29th
  • Communication: March 10th or October 13th
  • Diffuse the Drama: March 17th or October 20th
  • Busy is a Choice: March 31st or November 3rd
  • Work/Life Harmony: April 7th or November 10th
  • Leadership Legends: April 21st or November 17th
  • Distributed Leadership: April 28th or December 1st
  • Change: May 12th or December 8th
  • Strategic Planning: May 19th or December 15th


New in 2026: Summer Leadership School

A 6-part learning series running June–August focused on personal leadership, teamwork, communication, and taking action. More details coming soon.

  • June 16 — Kick-Off: Everyone’s Leading!
    (Who you are)
  • June 30 — Workshop 1: The DNA of Leadership
    (Historic perspective & values)
  • July 7 — Workshop 2: Leadership Beyond You
    (Effective Teams)
  • July 21 — Workshop 3: Collaboration Everywhere
    (Distributed Leadership & Change)
  • Aug 4 — Workshop 4: Your Leadership Story
    (Listening, Communication)
  • Aug 18 — Wrap-Up: Taking Action
    (What you do)

All Extension Foundation members looking to build confidence, improve team dynamics, and strengthen their personal leadership style whether you’re new to Extension or an experienced leader. Register to join us here.

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New Online Course Available! Roots to Results: An Overview of the Cooperative Extension System

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The Extension Foundation is excited to announce the launch of a new self-paced online course: “Roots to Results: Overview of the Cooperative Extension System.” This course is open to anyone who wants to better understand Cooperative Extension, whether you’re new to the system, need a refresher, or are working with Extension in a partnership role.

It’s a flexible resource designed to support onboarding, professional development, and increased awareness of Extension’s unique role and impact. Feel free to share or adapt this announcement for your own networks!


What You’ll Discover

Behind nearly 3,000 Cooperative Extension offices across the U.S. lies a remarkable transformation story from agricultural roots to today’s dynamic local impact network. This course guides you through the key concepts that make Extension so impactful and serves as an excellent onboarding tool for new Extension professionals or anyone who wants to learn more about Extension.

Course Learning Objectives

In this self-paced online course, you will learn about:

  • The history and purpose of the Cooperative Extension System and how it connects research to communities
  • Its organizational structure, including how local, state, and federal partnerships work together to drive its mission
  • Key partners, from Land-grant Universities to government agencies, and how these collaborations enhance Extension’s reach and effectiveness
  • A wide variety of focus areas, from agriculture and youth development to health and local engagement

Who Should Take This Course: Anyone interested in understanding the Cooperative Extension System, whether you’re new to Extension work or seeking to refresh your knowledge

Time Commitment: Approximately 30 minutes to complete all lessons (timing may vary based on your engagement with supplemental resources)

Ready to Get Started?

  1. Visit https://campus.extension.org 
  2. Click the login button (top-right corner).
  3. Log in with your existing Campus credentials, or create a new account following the on-screen instructions.
  4. Use the Search function to look for “Roots to Results,” OR browse the Professional Performance category and locate the course there.
  5. Open the Roots to Results course page and follow the self-enrollment instructions to access the course materials.

Questions about the course? Contact Lisa Linfield (lisalinfield@extension.org).

This course is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation.

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Impact Collaborative Workbook Redesigned and Released

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Cover of Impact Collaborative Workbook by Extension Foundation

The Extension Foundation is excited to announce the release of its redesigned Impact Collaborative Workbook, now available publicly as an interactive PDF. This format enhances collaboration, especially for participants in a virtual Impact Collaborative method training and for participants exploring the process independently.

Established in 2014 by the Extension Foundation, the Impact Collaborative serves as a national network of Land-grant university professionals focused on empowering communities to co-create sustainable solutions through Extension programming. The initiative has evolved to meet the needs of Extension professionals, guided by their feedback.

A key feature of the Impact Collaborative is its comprehensive skills curriculum, which has trained hundreds of Extension professionals to rethink program development and serve as resources within their communities. The interactive Impact Collaborative Workbook facilitates dynamic engagement, allowing teams to collaborate effectively from different locations.

Thousands of Cooperative Extension professionals have participated in the Impact Collaborative, which plays a crucial role in delivering national programs and services. In 2023, a needs assessment was conducted to ensure the initiative continues to address the evolving challenges faced by the Cooperative Extension system.

The new interactive Workbook is now available. For more information, please visit the Impact Collaborative website.

Related Reading:

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Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching & Engagement (EXCITE) Announces NEW Funding Recipients!

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The Extension Foundation, in cooperation with the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy, through an Interagency Agreement with the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are funding the Cooperative Extension System to address health disparities among rural and other underserved communities. This initiative is called the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching & Engagement (EXCITE).

Earlier this year, EXCITE announced two new funding opportunities aimed at enhancing immunization education and awareness across various Extension programs and projects. The first initiative, the Adult Immunization Education Integration Project, offers $125,000 to support the integration of adult immunization education into program series across any discipline. The second initiative, the Adult Immunization Messaging Awareness Project, provides $40,000 to develop tools or methodologies for Extension professionals to raise awareness about adult immunization.

Congrats to all the teams, we are so excited to see what you learn and accomplish in your projects.Both projects represent significant steps toward fostering a more holistic health approach within Extension programming.

Below are the awarded institutions:

Adult Immunization Messaging Awareness:

  • Strengthening Arizona’s Health through Immunization Awareness Integration with Cooperative Extension Programming and Partnerships, University of Arizona-Arizona Board of Regents
  • Rutgers Cooperative Extension – FCHS Vaccination Education Program,Rutgers Cooperative Extension
  • Cultivating COVID-19 Vaccine Awareness Among Farmers and Rural Adults in Utah: A Toolkit for Extension Professionals,Utah State University
  • Annual Health and Wellness Planner,The Regents of The University of California, Agriculture and Natural Resources
  • Building Vaccine Confidence, Community Partnerships, and Tailored Messaging for Pharmacists in Arkansas, Division of Agriculture of the University of Arkansas
  • MI on the Fly: Integrating Motivational Interviewing Strategies into the Cooperative Extension Education Programming to Increase Community Engagement with Adult Immunization,Washington State University

Adult Immunization Education Integration:

  • Show-Me Vax: Building Capacity for Extension to Integrate Vaccine Education into Programming, University of Missouri Extension
  • Oregon State Training Community Health Workers, Oregon State University
  • Increasing Immunization Messaging and Resource Availability in UA Cooperative Extension’s EFNEP and Diabetes Prevention Multi-Series Classes to Uninsured and Under-Insured Arizonans to Reduce Vaccine Hesitancy, Arizona Board of Regents, University of Arizona
  • Integrating the Learn. Understand. Decide. Methodology into How to Talk to Your Doctor in Arkansas, University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service
  • Integrating Adult Immunization Education into Virginia Cooperative Extension’s Balanced Living with Diabetes Program
    Virginia Tech
  • Integrating Adult Immunization Education into the Junior Master Wellness Volunteer Program in Mississippi, Mississippi State University
  • Health Extension Training and Capacity-Building for Expanding Access to Vaccination in Rural Communities, Clemson University
  • Integrating Heat Resiliency and Immunization, University of Minnesota
  • Poverty Informed Care for Communities Integrated with Immunization Education, University of Idaho
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EXCITE EFNEP Integrating Immunization Education into Extension Health Programming

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The Extension Collaboration on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) Program has received additional funding to enhance immunization education within Cooperative Extension communities. EFNEP programs have been awarded funds to educate underserved and rural audiences about the CDC’s Bridge program and other adult immunization opportunities, aiming to close gaps across all adult immunizations. This new phase will further integrate immunization education into Extension programming. By incorporating this education into EFNEP activities, a comprehensive health approach will be promoted, addressing both nutrition and disease prevention for Extension audiences.

 

EXCITE Funding and Collaboration

EXCITE is possible through an interagency agreement between the United States Department of Agriculture – National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and a cooperative agreement with the Extension Foundation in partnership with the ECOP Health Program Action Team. The funding for these efforts is provided through the CDC’s COVID-19 Bridge Access program.

For the first time, the USDA NIFA Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) teams who applied for this opportunity will receive $72,000 to incorporate Bridge Access and immunization education into their curriculum and programming efforts.

Key Objectives of the New Funding

  1. Increase awareness of the eligibility criteria for the COVID-19 Bridge vaccine program (for uninsured and underinsured individuals aged 18+)  
  2. Equip Participants with knowledge on how and when to access free covid-19 vaccines through the Bridge Access Program,
  3. Increase awareness and confidence regarding all adult immunizations following the ending of the Bridge access program.  


EFNEP Resource Integration

With resources from the EXCITE program and the CDC, EFNEP teams can easily integrate Bridge messaging and immunization education into their curriculum. These resources cover a range of topics, including promoting healthy eating, facilitating budget-friendly meal planning, and encouraging physical activity. By incorporating Bridge and immunization education messaging alongside these topics, EFNEP will foster a comprehensive approach to health education.


Cooperative Extension: A Trusted Partner

The CDC’s selection of Cooperative Extension as a partner in immunization education underscores Extension’s reputation as a trusted community health messenger. With a proven track record of reaching rural and underserved audiences, Extension is uniquely positioned to deliver culturally relevant messaging that resonates with community members. EFNEP’s particular focus on families with limited resources further highlights the program’s potential to serve those who may lack healthcare coverage and stand to benefit from Bridge immunizations. EFNEP’s focus on adult immunizations following the end of the Bridge Access program will focus on COVID – 19, flu, and RSV immunizations. EFNEPs long standing relationship with its audience makes the program a great partner in health communication.

 

Dr. Jackie Wilkins, former Dean and Director for OSU Extension, joins the EXCITE team as the EFNEP Project Director. Regarding this new project, Dr. Wilkins shares, “We are excited to showcase the capacity of our EFNEP professionals, through this innovative funding, to reach literally hundreds of thousands of individuals. Leveraging our existing trusted relationships, community partnerships, and educational programs, we aim to increase awareness of and access to critical, life-saving immunizations.”

 


We are thrilled to embark on this new phase of EXCITE!

Congratulations to the following institutions awarded EFNEP funding!

  • Central State University
  • Clemson University
  • Cornell University
  • Delaware State
  • Florida A&M University
  • Langston University
  • Louisiana State University
  • New Mexico State University
  • North Carolina A&T
  • Southern University
  • Tennessee State University
  • Texas A&M Agrilife Extension
  • Tuskegee University
  • University of Arizona
  • University of California, Ag & Natural Resources
  • University of Connecticut
  • University of Delaware
  • University of District of Columbia
  • University of Hawaii
  • University of Illinois
  • University of Maryland
  • University of Maryland Eastern Shore
  • University of MIssouri
  • University of Nebraska Lincoln
  • University of New Hampshire
  • University of Tennessee
  • University of Vermont
  • Utah State University
  • Virginia State University
  • Washington State University
  • West Virginia State University
  • West Virginia University
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From Earth Day to Everyday Action: Extension Tackles Climate Challenges

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The History of Earth Day

Earth Day was launched in 1970. Many factors contributed to the call for a national day focusing on environmental stewardship, including the publication of Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring – serialized in the New Yorker – and the catastrophic oil spill that occurred off the coast of Santa Barbara in 1969. The Santa Barbara oil spill galvanized U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson (D-Wisconsin) to call for a national day of locally inspired and organized “teach-ins” on the environment – a national “Earth Day.” The Earth Day model was inspired by the spirit of campus activism at the nation’s colleges and universities. It wasn’t top-down, but rather a grassroots effort that encouraged communities to develop educational and service events around issues and topics important to them. 

Earth Day struck a chord; some estimates suggest that 1 in 10 Americans participated in the first events. Earth Day is widely credited with “sparking” the modern environmental movement. Landmark environmental legislation swiftly followed (including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act and Endangered Species Act). The Environmental Protection agency was founded that same year. Twenty years after its launch, Earth Day became a global movement. Increasingly, Earth Day activities are focused on the impacts a changing climate has on communities.

You can learn more from the Earth Day Network by linking to this website.

Take part. Learn. Act.

 

From Awareness to Action: Extension Works to Address Climate Challenges

A changing climate impacts all of us, and Extension is taking action. In 2021, Extension Directors identified climate change as one of seven priority areas for CES and partnered with Extension Foundation to provide national leadership on the subject. Extension Foundation—in partnership with USDA and Iowa State University—held a Climate Action Convening from Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2024, in Tucson, Ariz., gathering with more than 40 Extension professionals who served as ambassadors for the larger system. Learn more about the Convening here.

The New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE) is a grant from USDA NIFA in partnership with the University of New Hampshire. The Extension Foundation invited project and program teams aligned with USDA and Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) strategic goals/priority program areas (including climate) to apply for funding and support from the Extension Foundation through September 21, 2024. 22 projects were selected. A number of the projects selected focus on climate including projects that address climate resiliency and adaptation in agriculture, identifying climate change programming for children, and developing animated pollinator videos to educate youth. We look forward to sharing more information about these projects in our upcoming 2024 NTAE Yearbook, which will be published in the fall. 

In the meantime, learn more about one of this year’s NTAE projects that focuses on climate by reading this article: Celebrating Culture & Pollinators: Animated Series Honors Native Languages, Provides Science Education. The article links to a wonderful YouTube video featuring “pollinator superheroes.” 

 

ECOP Climate Program Action Team Update at Program Center Stage – Register Now

Climate Program Action Team (PAT) leaders Jason Henderson and Roy Beckford, and Extension Foundation’s Regan Emmons are excited to host a special Earth Day Program Center Stage! Join us for an informative session to hear about the Climate PAT’s recent efforts and their next focus for engaging Cooperative Extension in climate work. The program will be held on Monday April 22nd at 2 p.m. EST.

In this session, discover the latest initiatives and strategies from the Climate PAT as they share insights from the recent Climate Convening. This gathering brought together leaders from across Cooperative Extension to address a fundamental question: “How can we mobilize the U.S. Cooperative Extension system to swiftly and effectively contribute to climate change solutions?” This Convening strengthened the climate-focused network within Cooperative Extension and developed climate action outcomes for Extension.As we reflect on the achievements of the Climate Convening, you are invited to help in outlining the next steps for the Climate PAT. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore Cooperative Extension’s vital role in fostering a sustainable and resilient future. Register here to join us!

 

Submitted by Melanie Pugsley and Rose Hayden-Smith

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Advancing Disaster Education in America: EDEN Request for Applications Announced

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When disaster strikes, knowledge is power. Disaster education builds resilient communities ready to respond and recover. Cooperative Extension plays a critical role in the nation’s disaster education efforts, and a new Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Development Grants Program will enable the Cooperative Extension System to do even more. 

Applications for the EDEN Development Grants Program – Advancing Disaster Education America – is now open. You can review the RFA here. The application deadline is April 15, 2024. The goal of the grants program is to fuel the development of creative educational resources and Extension initiatives. These resources will empower EDEN’s mission and the broader land-grant and sea-grant systems to effectively address all phases of disaster management: mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery. 

Focus Areas 

The development grants program focuses on four areas of work, detailed below:

  • Production of publicly available EDEN resources and scholarship. Deliverables must increase the scope, variety, and number of disaster-related materials available on the website. 
  • Professional development for EDEN points-of-contact and delegates. Deliverables must include training, EDEN certificates, and related projects to enhance the personal and professional capacity of EDEN Delegates. 
  • Enhanced membership and participation. Deliverables must include efforts and activities to generate new institutional memberships, increase delegate numbers, and increase participation, particularly among underrepresented groups such as 1890 and 1994 institutions.  
  • Enhancement of partnerships, relationships, and networks on behalf of EDEN. Deliverables would include outreach and engagement activities intended to build new funding relationships with agencies and organizations, including, but not limited to, USDA. 

Award Amount and Eligibility

Committee Awards: Awards of up to $5,000 will be made available to each of nine eligible EDEN committees. A list of eligible committees is available in the full RFA. 

Competitive Grants: Four $10,000 grants – one per focus area – and one $15,000 grant are available. These grants are intended to foster cross-committee and cross-focus engagement. Applications may be submitted by Extension professionals employed by land-grant or sea-grant universities that are members of EDEN. For committee-specific awards, at least one individual named in the proposed project must be a committee member. For the larger awards, at least one individual on any proposed project must be an EDEN delegate or point of contact.  

If you have questions about the EDEN Development Grants Program, please contact Fred Schlutt at fredschlutt@extension.org.

Timeline

  • Application Open: April 1, 2024
  • Application Deadline: 11:59 pm Pacific on Monday, April 15, 2024 FRIDAY, MAY 10, 2024
  • Award Notification: April 2024
  • Award Period: May 1, 2024 June 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024

Access the complete RFA here.

Application Process: Learn the steps involved in applying for each mini-grant type.

Review, Award & Monitoring: Understand the evaluation process for selecting awardees and how grant progress will be monitored.

Apply here.

About EDEN

EDEN is a collaborative network of Cooperative Extension educators across the United States and territories who work to improve the delivery of education and information and the availability of resources related to disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. Historically, this grassroots network has been aligned with the Extension Committee on Organization and Policy (ECOP) and supported by USDA NIFA through the Food and Agricultural Defense Initiative (FADI) grant.

The Extension Foundation, in partnership with Washington State University, Iowa State University, and the Cooperative Extension System, is now supporting the administration of the FADI-EDEN project. Learn more about EDEN here.

 

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New Publications Available in Extension Foundation Publications Library

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The Extension Foundation has added four new titles to its publications library. These brief publications – written as magazine-style feature stories – share project work funded through the New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE) program, a cooperative agreement between USDA NIFA, Oklahoma State University, and the Extension Foundation. NATE’s goal is to incubate, accelerate, and expand promising work that will increase the impact of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in the communities it serves, and provide models that can be adopted or adapted by Extension teams across the nation. 

Each of the publications is excerpted from the New Technologies for Ag Extension 2022-2023 Yearbook, an 83-page magazine, which shares how these grant projects improve human, environmental, and community health. 

  • Una Educación Sobre la Educación shares the story about a team of Extension educators at Iowa State University who have developed ¡Salir Adelante! Caminos a Nuestro Futuro” (Pathways for our Future) to give Latino Iowans tools and support to reach their hopes and dreams for education to help their families thrive. In this publication, the educators talk about the kind of support Latino families need when it comes to navigating the U.S.education system and the results this program is having in Iowa.
  • Seguridad de Pesticidas details exciting work from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The institution has offered the Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) to Nebraska farmers since 1993. In 2020, a team created an online, asynchronous version of the course and applied for NTAE funding to translate it into Spanish, to better reach Latinx farmers. This publication discusses the growing need for pesticide safety instruction among Spanish-speaking farmers and what PSEP educators hope to accomplish with this audience.
  • Building Grantsmanship Capacity.The Southern Rural Development Center created a program to teach teams of 1890 land-grant university professionals and community members how to find, apply for, and manage grants to fund projects that address under-resourced communities’ most pressing needs. This publication briefly describes who participated in the training and what they learned.
  • Alabama Master Naturalist and Underserved Communities. Educators at Alabama Cooperative Extension System have launched a free online, asynchronous component of their “Alabama Master Naturalist” certification course. This publication talks about initial results, and how this new layer of naturalist training has helped the program reach underserved communities.

The Extension Foundation carries dozens of titles in its library. Four to five additional publications are slated to hit the shelf each week through the end of November. Sign up to receive publication notifications here. You can find the entire library of publications here.

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Extension Foundation Releases Three New Titles

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Three new titles are available on the Extension Foundation’s website. The brief publications – written as magazine-style feature stories – share project work funded through the New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE) program, a cooperative agreement between USDA NIFA, Oklahoma State University, and the Extension Foundation. NTAE’s goal is to incubate, accelerate, and expand promising work that will increase the impact of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in the communities it serves, and provide models that can be adopted or adapted by Extension teams across the nation. 

Each of the publications is excerpted from the New Technologies for Ag Extension 2022-2023 Yearbook, an 83-page magazine, which shares how these grant projects improve human, environmental, and community health. 

  • West Virginia University Extension – “My Hometown is Cool.” Educators at West Virginia University Extension have created a toolkit to teach youth how to be community developers and entrepreneurs. This publication provides a brief overview of how the program works and what the creators hope to accomplish with this exciting program.

 

  • West Virginia State University – “Out of the Mines.” This publication shares how an NTAE project team is focused on helping rural communities in West Virginia capitalize on historical and natural resources, to compensate for the dwindling coal-based economy. Extension professionals from West Virginia State University planned to pilot the concept in Kimball, West Virginia. In this story, you’ll learn why this effort is critical for southern West Virginia and what the team hopes to accomplish. 

 

  • University of Massachusetts, Amherst – “Capacity Building – Expanding Urban Extension.”  A University of Massachusetts Extension team plans to train up to 10 UMass Extension educators to engage more effectively with underserved and urban audiences in a wider range of communities in Springfield, Massachusetts, and across the state. The team will also partner with a variety of community organizations to develop resources and programs that use and build on the strengths of this broader target audience. This publication provides a brief overview of the program’s goals and strategies.

The Extension Foundation carries dozens of titles in its library. Four to five additional publications are slated to hit the shelf each week through the end of November. Sign up to receive publication notifications here. You can find the entire library of publications here.

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Extension Foundation Releases Four New NTAE Titles

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Four new titles are available on the Extension Foundation’s website. The brief publications – written as magazine-style feature stories – share project work funded through the New Technologies for Ag Extension (NTAE) program, a cooperative agreement between USDA NIFA, Oklahoma State University, and the Extension Foundation. The goal of NTAE is to incubate, accelerate, and expand promising work that will increase the impact of the Cooperative Extension System (CES) in the communities it serves, and provide models that can be adopted or adapted by Extension teams across the nation. 

Each of the publications is excerpted from the New Technologies for Ag Extension 2022-2023 Yearbook, an 83-page magazine, which shares how these grant projects improve human, environmental, and community health. The Yearbook shares innovative Cooperative Extension work across the U.S., from technology to composting to youth development to health and equity. In addition, the publication shares information about the vital work undertaken by ECOP’s Program Action Teams.

  • University of Illinois – Community Seminar Series. The University of Illinois Extension launched the Community Seminar Series in 2020 and has been refining and expanding it ever since. A collaboration between U of I Extension and U of I’s Interdisciplinary Health Sciences Institute (IHSI), the CSS is an effective way to educate the public on health topics and give students majoring in health fields a chance to build their expertise, through developing and presenting the seminars. This story provides a brief overview of the goals and strategies of this program.

 

  • University of California ANR – Community is Our Jam. Through virtual and in-person workshops, participants in the University of California Master Food Preserver program learn about reducing food waste and about safe food storage, preparation, and preservation methods. This feature describes how the team has focused on equity, broadening their program’s audience and impact and the lessons the team has learned while developing the program. 

 

  • Penn State University – Buy, Cook, Eat Local. While changing food habits isn’t easy, learning how to cook healthy food using farm fresh ingredients may help people improve their diets. An innovative program that Penn State Extension educators launched in spring 2023 is lowering barriers to healthy eating by introducing people to fresh produce and other local foods. This story describes how the program works and how the team collaborates in the community, specifically with farmer’s markets, to accomplish its goals.

 

  • The National Center for Home Food Preservation: Because We Can. Specialists in consumer and retail food safety from nine Southeastern land-grant universities launched the Food Safety Extension Network in 2021 to raise general awareness of the importance of preserving food safely and to be a resource for home cooks, small, independent food retailers, and home-based food preparation businesses. This piece gives an overview of how the Network was built and how it expects to operate. Participating institutions are: University of Arkansas, Clemson University, University of Florida, University of Georgia, University of Kentucky, North Carolina State University, Oklahoma State University, University of Tennessee, and Virginia Tech University.

The Extension Foundation carries dozens of titles in its library. Four to five additional publications are slated to hit the shelf each week through the end of November. Sign up to receive publication notifications here. You can find the entire library of publications here.

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This website is supported in part by New Technologies for Ag Extension (funding opportunity no. USDA-NIFA-OP-010186), grant no. 2023-41595-41325 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the view of the U.S. Department of Agriculture or the Extension Foundation.

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