Please continue to use this method of communication to keep up with Extension Service related policies and programs. Due to the length of this e-Directions, it has been divided into sections. Click on the section you would like to read
Faculty Assignment Changes
Fee Increases
Louisiana Candidate for Southern Region Director, NAE4-HA
Louisiana Government Streamlining Suggested recommendations
Proposition Two, Potential Impact on Agriculture
4-H Memorandum of Understanding
NIFA Director Announced
NEAFCS Award Winners
Extension Disaster Education Network received partnership Award
ANR Forum Alert, NIFA Rollout at Press Club Now Online
Jahn to serve in USDA post
September 2009 Parish Web page Statistics
Conference Call Etiquette
Faculty Assignment Changes
Effective October 1, Chad Hagan assumed the position of Interim Parish Chair for Vernon Parish. His job responsibilities are 70 percent 4-H, 20 percent ANR and 10 percent parish chair for Vernon Parish. This is an interim appointment ending June 30, 2010. Please give Chad your full support as he assumes these new duties and adjusts his job responsibilities.
Effective October 1, Thomas (Tommy) Shields, county agent, was appointed interim parish chair for Calcasieu Parish. He will serve in this capacity through June 30, 2010 and will continue his current responsibilities as county agent in that parish. Please give Tommy your full support and cooperation as he assumes his new administrative responsibilities.
Effective October 1, Kevin Savoie, area agent, was appointed interim parish chair for Cameron Parish. He will serve in this capacity through June 30, 2010 and will continue to serve as area aquaculture agent in the Southwest Region. Please give Kevin your full support and cooperation as he assumes his new administrative responsibilities.
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Fee Increases
As we enter another exciting 4-H year with quality programs at every level, we want to make everyone aware of various fee changes. It is great to be a part of one the strongest 4-H youth development programs in the nation thanks to the excellent faculty, staff and volunteers who conduct the program. Given the current budget situation, these fee changes are necessary to continue building and improving our quality programs.
Below is the new fee schedule. We appreciate your support in moving forward with these changes.
4-H member – $3 per member
4-H Summer Camp – $150 per participant
4-H Challenge Camp – $50 per participant
4-H University – $30 per participant
4-H overnight fee for Grant Walker Educational Center – $10 per night for LSU AgCenter groups and $15 per night for outside groups
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Louisiana Candidate for Southern Region Director, NAE4-HA
Hilton Waits from Vermilion Parish is a candidate for the office of NAE4-HA Southern Region Director. This is very exciting news for Louisiana. The elections will take place at the NAE4-HA convention. Although you may not be attending the convention, members of NAE4-HA can still VOTE online. Renee Castro will send current members online voting information when it is available. Congratulations again to Hilton; I know he will represent us well.
Source: Renee Castro
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Louisiana Government Streamlining Suggested Recommendations
This past week, ideas were put forth by Maurice McTigue, a former New Zealand ambassador and director of the Government Accountability Project at the Mercatus Center at George Mason University who is advising Louisiana’s Commission on Streamlining Government on ways to shrink costs. The full report can be found at the following link.
Source: http://senate.legis.state.la.us
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Proposition 2, Potential Impact on Agriculture
Proposition 2 – as it was known to California voters – is alive and well and moving through the states of Ohio, Michigan and Nebraska, potentially forcing a change in the way livestock is produced. A phaseout of commercial egg production in California is one change attributed to the referendum initiative, and Nebraska is examining its potential impact. Economist and agricultural law specialist David Aiken at the University of Nebraska seems to think his state would undergo similar changes that have occurred in California as a result of the ballot-driven “Animal Welfare Initiative.” His report in the Cornhusker Economics newsletter says the concept would end the use of veal calf crates, swine gestation crates and poultry cages (also known as battery or laying cages). He says the main supporter of Proposition 2 in California was the Humane Society of the United States, aided by consumer and environmental groups and opposed by agricultural and food processing groups. During the November 2008 election, it passed nearly 2 to 1, and imposed a fine and jail time for violators.
The new California law, which takes effect in 2015 and is being proposed in Ohio and Nebraska, would require that confined sows, veal calves and laying hens be able to stand up, lie down and extend their limbs without touching another animal or a side of the enclosure and to turn around freely within the enclosure. The battery cage ban applies to chicken, turkey, duck, geese or guinea fowl kept for egg production. Exceptions to the law include sows within seven days of farrowing, transportation, veterinary treatment, 4-H and similar exhibitions and humane slaughter. For full story, click here.
Source: The Farm Gate
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4-H Memorandum of Understanding
Dr. Colien Hefferan, CSREES Administrator; Don Floyd, President and CEO, National 4-H Council; and James Borel, Chair of the Board of Trustees for National 4-H Council; signed a new memorandum of understanding to clarify the responsibilities of each entity with respect to the 4-H Youth Development Program.
A full press release and copy of the MOU can be found on the CSREES Web site:
http://www.csrees.usda.gov/newsroom/news/2009news/09221_4h_mou.html
Source: Suzanne Le Menestrel, USDA
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NIFA Director Announced
Dr. Roger N. Beachy, the founding President of the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center in St. Louis, Mo., was appointed the first director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture October 1 by President Barack Obama. NIFA replaced CSREES (the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service) October 1. Beachy joined the agency on October 5. According to the formal agreement, Beachy will be “on loan” to NIFA from the Danforth Plant Science Center. He will transition to his new role of vice chairman of the center’s board of trustees, a move that was originally scheduled to occur next year.
“This exciting new agency is critical to growing our agriculture economy and ensures that innovation in plant science and agriculture research will flourish. I have been a strong proponent of the NIFA as have the scientists at the Danforth Plant Science Center and, of course, our chairman, Dr. Danforth. I am honored to have been selected for this position by the president and am committed to sharing my knowledge and experiences to help shape research and its applications that will impact agriculture and food in the U.S. and in developing economies,” Beachy said.
For full article, click here.
Source: Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
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NEAFCS Award Winners
The 75th Annual Session & Exhibits for the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) was held September 14-18 at the Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex in Birmingham, Ala. More than 800 members participated in professional development, awards and recognition activities. The theme of the conference was “Celebrating our Heritage, Embracing our Future.”
NEAFCS is the professional organization for extension educators specializing in the family and consumer sciences. The association builds leaders and partnership networks, recognizes excellence and scholarship in extension programming and provides professional growth and development opportunities within the land-grant university extension system.
Southern Region NEAFCS Extension Educator of the Year
Deborah Melvin, extension agent serving Lafourche, St. James, St. John and Terrebonne parishes, was honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences 2009 annual session. She received the Southern Region Maytag Extension Educator of the Year award. Debbie is passionate about her nutrition programming. She seeks to share her knowledge and skills by providing encouragement to help people eat right and get moving! The NEAFCS Extension Educator of the Year award, sponsored by Maytag Appliances, recognizes a professional extension family and consumer sciences educator who is conducting outstanding educational programs that demonstrate impact on families. She previously received the Distinguished Service award and Continued Excellence award, is also involved in continued professional improvement activities and is active in professional organizations. Maytag Appliances sponsors the award Melvin‘s commitment to meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities is exemplary.
Southern Region Continued Excellence Award Winners
Terri Crawford, extension agent (nutrition) from the Northeast Region and Dr. Jeanette Tucker, family economics specialist, were honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences 2009 annual session. The Continued Excellence award recognizes NEAFCS members who continue to be involved in professional development and leadership. The award recognizes NEAFCS members who have been actively involved in professional improvement programs, the promotion of professional development of others and leadership. A&T Industries sponsors the plaque for the award.
Southern Region Distinguished Service Award Winners
Ginger Boutwell, extension agent serving Franklin, Richland and Tensas parishes and Monica Olinde, extension agent serving Pointe Coupee, Ascension, Assumption, Iberville, West Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes, were honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences 2009 annual session. The Distinguished Service award is the highest award presented by the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences. The award recognizes members for leadership, outstanding program efforts and personal and professional development. A&T Industries sponsors the plaque for the award.
Southern Region Finalist Education Technology Award
Cathy Agan, extension agent serving Ouachita, Caldwell and Morehouse parishes, was honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences 2009 annual session. She received third place in the Southern Region Educational Technology Communications award at the conference. In receiving the award, Cathy was recognized for her presentation designed to teach six easy steps to making wiser food choices. The lesson helps participants save money and select more nutritious foods for a healthier diet. The Educational Technology Communications award encourages excellence in communication through computer programs, Web pages or computer generated presentations. American Income Life Insurance Company sponsors the award.
NEAFCS Extension Housing Outreach – First Place National Award
The team of Dr. Jeanette Tucker, family economics specialist; Deborah Hurlbert, extension associate; Deborah Cross, extension agent serving Iberville, Ascension Assumption, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge parishes; Sheri Fair, extension agent serving Ascension, Pointe Coupee and West Baton Rouge parishes; Cynthia Richard, extension agent serving Calcasieu, Allen, Beauregard, Cameron and Jefferson Davis parishes; Cynthia Stephens, extension agent, Ouachita Parish; Margaret Burlew, extension agent serving Terrebonne, Lafourche, St. James and St. John parishes; Valerie Vincent, associate extension agent serving Washington and St. Tammany parishes; and Deniese Zeringue, Associate Extension serving St. Charles and Jefferson parishes; were honored recently at the National Extension Association for Family and Consumer Sciences 2009, “Celebrating our Heritage, Embracing our Future.” The team received the first place National and Southern Region NEAFCS Extension Housing Outreach award. The team was recognized for their work on “Charting Your Course to Home Ownership” home buyer education program, which guides participants in selecting, negotiating and obtaining the best home and mortgage on their budget. Basic financial management life skills are taught interactively. The NEAFCS Extension Housing Outreach recognizes NEAFCS members for outstanding housing educational programs conducted for families and/or communities. This recognition honors outstanding extension system programming that enhances housing outreach to communities and special need families. Montana State University Extension Housing program established the award. The team‘s commitment to meeting the needs of individuals, families and communities is exemplary.
Source: Marsha A. Lockard, Debbie Hulbert
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Extension Disaster Education Network Received Partnership Award
The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) has received the CSREES (Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service) Partnership award for effective and efficient use of resources. CSREES, which has since been renamed the National Institutes of Food and Agriculture, or NIFA) presented the award to EDEN Chair Dave Filson (PA) at a ceremony in Washington, DC October 6.
As part of the EDEN leadership, Pat Skinner (Biological and Agricultural Engineering) and Summer Prisock (LSU AgCenter Information Technology) were named on the award and recognized with CSREES Partners award certificates at the EDEN annual meeting in Indianapolis October 7. Summer has been EDEN Web master since 2006. Pat was the first national chair of EDEN (1998-2000) and continues to be EDEN’s Web manager. The LSU AgCenter has hosted the EDEN Web site since 1998.
Lilli Arning and Cindy Richard also attended the EDEN annual meeting in Indiana, where Summer presented a remake of the EDEN Web site in MOSS (Microsoft Office SharePoint Services), which had been in the works for two years. Summer’s work is, as far as we know, one of the first adaptations of MOSS to provide Intranet function to a multi-institutional “membership.” Lilli is with the Disaster Recovery and Mitigation Unit in BAE. Cindy Richard, extension agent in Calcasieu parish, is cochair of the LSU AgCenter Hurricane Recovery Task Force.
EDEN is a collaboration of land-grant system professionals who provide exemplary resources through Cooperative Extension to reduce the impact of disasters through education programs, interdisciplinary and multistate research, interagency collaboration and timely and prompt delivery of information. Established in 1994 as a North Central Region committee, the network has developed into a dynamic, diverse, effective, national extension organization that reaches all 3,000 counties and parishes in the nation and territories. EDEN has more than 240 delegates from 67 member land-grant institutions, representing 50 states, three U.S. territories and 75 areas of expertise in extension disaster education. Delegates in each member institution serve as a liaison to the network, participate in developing EDEN disaster education resources and, as disasters emerge, facilitate a national extension response to local extension needs.
EDEN was recognized previously by presentation of a 2003 USDA Secretary’s Award.
For more information about EDEN and the projects and resources available through the network, visit www.EDEN.lsu.edu.
Source: www.eden.lsu.edu
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ANR Forum Alert, NIFA Rollout at Press Club Now Online
The National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Rollout held at the National Press Club recently is now posted online. established by the 2008 Farm Bill, NIFA will serve the nation’s needs by supporting exemplary research, education and extension that addresses many challenges facing the nation. From agricultural production, nutrition and food safety to energy independence and the sustainability of our natural resources, NIFA’s investment in science will secure America’s future. Agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack and White House science adviser John Holdren will be joined by USDA and other federal science leaders to launch this new Institute.
Source: www.nifa.usda.gov/
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Jahn to Serve in USDA Post
Molly Jahn, dean of the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS), has been appointed to a senior position in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, university officials announced recently. Jahn will serve as deputy undersecretary of research, education and economics, a position responsible for leading three units within the USDA that provide research and service on issues related to food and agriculture. Under the leadership of U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack and USDA Undersecretary Rajiv Shah, she will help guide the agency's efforts to ensure a safe, healthy, abundant and affordable food supply for the nation and the world.
"I am humbled and deeply honored to be asked to serve in this capacity, which I consider a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be a part of the conversation about our national priorities relating to agriculture, food, nutrition, energy and the environment," Jahn said. She will begin her new duties Nov. 9. Chancellor Biddy Martin has granted Jahn a one-year leave from her duties as dean to accept the post. The chancellor will confer with Provost Paul DeLuca and others before identifying a transition plan for CALS leadership.
"This is an excellent opportunity for Dean Jahn, one that will allow her to use her many talents to influence the nation's agricultural agenda," Martin said. "The university has a long history of providing service to government, and we are delighted to support Molly in carrying on that tradition." Jahn will provide leadership for the USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS), the Economic Research Service and the National Agricultural Statistics Service. The largest of those units, the ARS, funds approximately $1.1 billion in research projects annually. Some 2,100 scientists and 8,000 employees work at more than 100 ARS research facilities around the nation.
Source: Michael Penn
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September 2009 Parish Web page Statistics
|
Parishes |
Visits |
Page views |
|
Rapides |
3,623 |
4,059 |
|
Iberia |
2,017 |
2,275 |
|
Terrebonne |
1,965 |
2,132 |
|
St. Tammany |
1,711 |
1,847 |
|
St. Helena |
1,531 |
1,643 |
|
Ascension |
1,454 |
1,629 |
|
East Baton Rouge |
1,414 |
1,471 |
|
Lafayette |
1,345 |
1,490 |
|
St. Martin |
1,309 |
1,469 |
|
Jefferson Davis |
1,266 |
1,416 |
|
|
|
Source: Sam Razi
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Conference Call Etiquette
According to AccuConference, a communications blog, twice as many companies are communicating via audio- and videoconferencing than was the case five years ago. Between 2000 and 2006, the sales of conferencing equipment increased from $2.84 billion to $4.33 billion. The use of conference calls by the coastal resource management community is following this trend. Coastal organizations want to expand their partnership efforts, yet travel budgets continue to shrink. What’s an organization to do?
Nothing can replace face-to-face interactions, but a conference call has become the next best thing. With a conference call, many of the standard meeting mores are the same – provide an agenda several days in advance, designate a facilitator to keep things on track, give everyone the opportunity to participate – but there are special nuances that both the people on the phone and the group in the conference room should be aware of.
When You Are the Caller
· Mute it. A visitor to your office, sirens in the background, a ringing cell phone – every unintended sound can disrupt the meeting and make the caller look (sound) less than professional. Just remember to undo the mute when you want to speak.
· Stay focused. Callers can answer e-mail while “participating” in the conference call, right? Wrong. Refrain from electronic grazing. For a meeting to be successful, everyone needs to participate, and that includes you, the caller.
· Speak up. Even though participating via the phone can be less than elegant, the meeting organizers asked you to participate for a reason, so don’t be shy about contributing to the discussion.
When You Are the Host
· Ask everyone to state their names. A roll call at the beginning of the meeting is a good idea. Writing down the names of participants will help the leader remember to call on them when appropriate. Asking everyone to state their names when they talk is also a good practice.
· Stick to the agenda. This rule is especially important for a conference call. Sidebar conversations, conversations that veer off course and private jokes don’t help callers. Value their time.
· Encourage group participation. Call on those who are on the phone. Ask them to summarize what they are getting out of the meeting. If there is a moment or two of silence or a lot of head nodding going on, tell the person on the phone what is happening.
· Don’t rustle papers or allow other distracting noises to be made.
· Provide all visuals in advance.
· Send the conference call-in number in advance. Have the participants’ phone numbers available so you can call them if there is a problem.
· Keep the call as short as possible. Conference calls can be very effective, but there is a limit to everyone’s endurance. Many professionals say 90 minutes should be the maximum.
With the proliferation of conference calls, good and bad meeting practices are becoming more obvious. Start paying attention to what works and what doesn’t, and vow to become the Emily Post of conference calling.
Source: AccuConference
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