CSREES Update - May 21, 2008
CSREES Update, from the Office of the Administrator, is a biweekly newsletter for research, education, and extension partners at land-grant universities and other cooperating institutions.
In This Issue
CSREES
- 2008 CYFAR Conference
- CSREES Helps Sponsor Research Committee Meeting
- CSREES Open Requests for Grant Applications
USDA
- Farm Bill Updates
- It's Not Too Late to Be Counted in the 2007 Agriculture Census
Partners
Mailbox
CSREES
2008 CYFAR Conference
The 2008 CYFAR Conference opened in San Antonio, TX, on May 7, with Cathann Kress, CSREES director of youth development, and Sharon Wright, CSREES national program leader of National 4-H Headquarters, welcoming about 1,000 people to CSREES's Children, Youth, and Families at Risk (CYFAR) Conference. CYFAR 2008 was hosted by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service/Texas A&M System. Jeff Howard, associate state 4-H program leader, served as the conference chair.
Conference activities included a "4-H Military Partnerships" track that featured opportunities for networking and building effective teams to join the CYFAR Military Partnership, courtesy of the Army's Fort Sam Houston, and tours to youth centers at Lackland Air Force Base. Teen conference participants assisted with the Learning Arcade, helping teach adults about integrating technology into their programs. Four research presentations were offered this year, Exploring Military Deployment Through the Eyes of Youth: Implications for Research and Practice; Exergames: Using Videogames to Promote Physical Activity; Whatever: Turning on the Teen Brain; and Educating the Whole Child for the World: Culture and Education in the New Millennium. CSREES certificates of appreciation were presented to project directors in Alabama, California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Washington for successfully completing their 5-year CYFAR New Communities Projects. More than 100 CYFAR participants joined with San Antonio neighbors of the El Carmen Society for Community Advancement to build this year's KaBOOM!® playground in 1 day.
Visit the CYFERnet Web site for more information on the CYFAR 2008 Conference and the proceedings. CYFAR 2009 is May 18–21 at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, Baltimore , MD.
CSREES Sponsors Research Committee Meeting
In partnership with CSREES and Farm Foundation, members of the Southern Natural Resource Economics Committee (SERA-30), a multistate research committee, will meet in Washington, DC, May 22-23. Topical issues to be address includes water quantity, ecosystem services, best management in agriculture, and natural resources management. The group invited speakers from Economic Research Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. Geological Survey. Other federal agencies from the metropolitan area will participate, such as Forest Service, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Sea-Grant), and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
CSREES Lists Open Requests for Grant Applications
CSREES advertises all of its funding opportunities through "Find Grant Opportunities" on the Grants.gov Web site. This site is searchable and contains summary information on all federal funding opportunities with links to the full announcements. Users can search announcements by topic, funding agency, and date, as well as subscribe to an e-mail notification service based on these parameters.
USDA
Farm Bill Updates
It's Not Too Late to Be Counted in the 2007 Agriculture Census
WASHINGTON, May 12, 2008 - Agriculture Secretary Ed Schafer reminded America's farmers and ranchers that they should still plan to respond to the 2007 Census of Agriculture either by Internet or postal mail.
"More than two million responses have already been received," said Schafer. "I sincerely thank those who have fulfilled their responsibility by completing and returning their census forms. However, a good number of producers have not been heard from, so I'm encouraging everyone to help make this the most accurate Census of Agriculture on record."
USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) already sent a second reminder mailing. Representatives from NASS's 46 field offices are now beginning to call and visit producers who have not responded. Visit the USDA Newsroom to read It's Not Too Late to Be Counted in the 2007 Agriculture Census.
Partners
Request for RIDGE Proposals
The Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) continues support for food and nutrition-related research focusing on the South under the RIDGE Program (RIDGE refers to Research Innovation and Development Grants in Economics). The program's design supports innovative research that advances knowledge and understanding of food assistance and nutrition issues impacting vulnerable populations. The Economic Research Service remains a partner with the SRDC to support this important work. The maximum award is $35,000. Proposals must be postmarked by June 20. For application guidelines, including the list of research topics of interest, visit the SRDC Web site. Contact Sally Maggard, CSREES national program leader for Economic and Community Systems Unit, or Lionel "Bo" Beaulieu, director of the Southern Rural Development Center, for more information.
Tri-State Diversity Conference Call for Proposals
The Ohio State University Extension will host the Fifth Annual Tri-State Diversity Conference February 5-6, 2009, in Sharonville, OH. Kentucky State University and University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service, and Purdue Extension will sponsor the conference. The conference is designed for Land-Grant University System administrators, faculty and staff, and others interested in empowering greater diversity and cultural understanding within their communities. The conference planning committee seeks proposals on best practices, curriculum models, research, training, and success stories for implementing diversity initiatives through four tracks: health and wellness; education and youth development; building strong communities; and diversity in the workplace. Proposals must be submitted by June 6. View conference details and proposal forms or e-mail Steve Brady for more information.
SRDC Announces BR&E Training The SRDC is hosting its Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) training on July 20-22, in Galveston, TX. The training introduces participants to the elements of a successful BR&E program and provides an assessment and planning framework that can be used to evaluate an established program, or design a program tailored to the specific needs and capacity of the local community. Visit the SRDC Web site for more information and registration. You may also contact Sally Maggard, CSREES national program leader for Economic and Community Systems, or Lionel "Bo" Beaulieu, director of the Southern Rural Development Center, for additional information about the training or the SRDC.
Mailbox
For a plain text copy of this newsletter, please contact Judy Rude. CSREES UPDATE is published biweekly. The next regular issue is planned for May June 4, 2008. Submit news items to newsletter@csrees.usda.gov by May 28, 2008.
Editor: Judy Rude, writer-editor, CSREES Communications Staff. If you have questions about Update, please contact her at jrude@csrees.usda.gov.
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Back issues of CSREES UPDATE are available on the CSREES Web site.
Colien Hefferan, Administrator The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination in all its programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, disability, and where applicable, sex, marital status, familial status, parental status, religion, sexual orientation, genetic information, political beliefs, reprisal, or because all or part of an individual's income is derived from any public assistance program (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs.) Persons with disabilities who require alternative means for communication of program information (Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) should contact USDA's TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD). To file a complaint of discrimination, write to USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, DC 20250-9410, or call (800) 795-3272 (voice) or (202) 720-6382 (TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. |
