Agricultural Services Forum, June 20-21, 2007

May 22, 2007

REGION 5 WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LETTER 010-07

MEMORANDUM TO: State Workforce Administrators

FROM:                            Byron Zuidema
                                      BYRON ZUIDEMA
                                      Regional Administrator

SUBJECT: Agricultural Services Forum, June 20-21, 2007

1. Purpose: To advise State Workforce Administratorsof the Agricultural Services Forum to be held on June 20-21, 2007in Louisville, Kentucky, immediately following the Delta Association for Rural Initiatives' (DARI) Spirit of Success Conference.

2. References: None.

3. Links: This Letter is in the Region 5 website archive at: http://doleta.gov/regions/reg05/pages/Libraryissuances.cfm

4. Substance: The Employment and Training Administration is holding an Agricultural Services Forum to provide professional development workshops for all National Farmworker Jobs Program (NFJP) Grantees, State Monitor Advocates, Assistant Monitor Advocates, NFJP Federal Project Officers and other staff who are involved with Migrant and Seasonal Farmworker (MSFW) issues. This is a working session, designed to implement the Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development (WIRED) framework in serving MSFWs and the agricultural community.

The objectives of this Forum are to: a) Immerse agricultural stakeholders in the WIRED principles, the role of agriculture in regional economic development, and MSFW talent development strategies; b) better integrate the services to MSFWs and agricultural employers in the Workforce System; c) facilitate the exchange of information among farmworker service providers; and d) develop and produce actual tools that will be used to improve services for the agricultural community.

5. Logistics: The Agricultural Services Forum will begin at 1:00 p.m.on June 20, 2007 and continue until 5:00 p.m.on June 21, 2007 in Louisville, Kentucky. The Forum will be held at:

Galt House Hotel and Suites
140 North Fourth Street
Louisville, Kentucky 40402

The special rate for the Galt House Hotel during this meeting will be $85.00 per night. For reservations, participants should call the hotel directly on 800.843.4258. Hotel reservations should be made and confirmed by May 25, 2007 to receive this special conference rate. Please identify yourselves as part of the DARI group when making your reservations.

6. Action Required: State Administratorsare requested to encourage State staff and WIA section 167/NFJP grantees involved with farmworkers, agricultural employers and One-Stop services to attend this Agricultural Services Forum.

7. Inquiries: Questions may be directed to Eric Hernandez on 312.596.5419 or Carl Stahlheber on 312.596.5415.

8. Attachments: Agricultural Services Forum Draft Agenda

9. Effective Date: May 22, 2007

10. Expiration Date: June 20, 2007

**Agricultural Services Forum**
Louisville, Kentucky
June 20-21, 2007
Draft Agenda
DAY ONE
1:00 - 1:15	Welcome and Purpose Speakers: Joseph Juarez, Christine Ollis and Alina Walker
1:15 - 2:00	WIRED in Regional Agricultural Economies The Road to WIRED - How do agricultural regional economies undergo economic transformation? Speaker: Gay Gilbert, Administrator, Office of Workforce Investment Employment & Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor
2:00 - 3:15	WIRED Panel Session - Agricultural Regional Economies in Action Speakers: Montana WIRED Representative, Montana WIRED Lead, Finger Lakes WIRED Representative, Finger Lakes WIRED Lead
3:15 - 3:30	Break
3:30 - 4:45	Forming Core Leadership Groups in Agricultural Economies How do partners come together? How does the transformation begin? Continuation of the earlier discussion, looking at partnerships and collaboration Facilitator: TBD Speaker(s): TBD
Day Two
8:00 - 8:30	Continental Breakfast
8:30 - 10:30	Driving Regional Economic Development - Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Micro-Enterprise Presentation followed by facilitated discussion Speaker: Jonathan Simonetta, Manpower Analyst, Employment and Training Administration, U.S. Department of Labor Facilitators: Alina Walker, Christine Ollis, Jonathan Simonetta
10:30 - 10:45	Break
10:45 - 11:45	Report Out on Group Activities
11:45 - 1:15	Lunch
1:15 - 3:15	WIRED and Agricultural Services - Next Steps Facilitator: TBD
3:15 - 3:30	Break
3:30 - 5:00	Individual Technical Assistance and Training (Schedule individually with Regional FPO or Monitor Advocate)