by kristi.axtell@wsu.edu | September 22, 2021 3:33 pm
Welcome and Introductions – Cody Stone called the meeting to order at 3:01 p.m. (Pacific Time)
Roll Call/Sound Check – Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom
Present: Cody Stone, Ivory Lyle, Pete Pinney, Aufa’i Areta, Mike Gaffney, Jeff Goodwin, Anita Azarenko, Vicki McCracken, Blake Naughton, Kelly Crane, Shannon Horrillo, Jon Boren, Pete Barcinas, Barbara Petty, Lyla Houglum, and Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom
Guests: Frank Burris, Clayton Marlow, Jenna Meeks, Sara Trojan
WELD Update – Blake Naughton, Frank Burris
WELD X Seminar 1 took place in Bend Oregon in March of 2019, with 24 interns. Seminar 2 was scheduled for Kalispell in September of 2020 but due to COVID a virtual session was held. It went well and concluded with a virtual happy hour. The interns expressed interest in networking with their peers face-to-face. 19 graduated.
WELD XI conducted an introductory virtual session in May of 2021. 31 interns. The interns started their innovative projects, and they started a book club. The interns must attend one of the book clubs and write a book report as a part of the program. Mitch Owen has done leadership assessments in the past and they have been completed by the interns in WELD XI. The first seminar will be in Kalispell September 20 – 23, 2020. Leadership through Change will be a new component of the program. It will include a field trip to Glacier National Park and will incorporate Native American History. They will try to incorporate WELD X interns in this session. DEI will be a part of the last day and will finish with a banquet so WELD X can “finish” their WELD experience.
San Diego Seminar 2 will be the location in September 2022. The Extension Directors will receive the names of the interns from our states and Frank encouraged us to connect with them.
The evaluation of the WELD program indicated that there was strong positive encouragement for the interns’ careers. “WELD made positive career steps.”. The presenters received high scores and there was support to continue the program. The results will be published in JOE.
ACTION ITEM: Connect with WELD interns to discuss the book club that they are participating in and discuss the impact of the program.
Western SARE – Kelly Crane, Clayton Marlow, Jenna Meeks, and Sarah Trojan
Kelly’s goal is to strengthen the relationship between Extension Directors and Western SARE.
Jenna Meeks is the new professional development program coordinator. She is located in Wyoming. Her goal is to have a relationship with state coordinators – close the loop as to how we can support your state coordinators – improve professional development from the sustainability of ag.
WSARE will be moving to a three-year funding cycle starting in January. This will help develop longer term strategies with more secure funding. Jenna is here to assist the state coordinators, provide ideas for projects and work with Extension Directors to use the funds for our states.
Clayton Marlow explained how they depend upon Extension to be the outreach and facilitate and teach outreach efforts. Please give them feedback as to what they need to be providing for.
SARE – Chapter 1, 2 and 3. Chapter 2 has not been funded (National Center for training and sustainable ag). Chapter 1 is research and education. Chapter 3 is professional development of educators. In November they will open grants for farmers rancher, professional and research to grass roots, sabbatical research, and education opportunity. Please go to the web site to look at the proposals open, funding available. Professional plus producer is where Extension can work directly in this program. Encourage the state coordinator and rank and file to review the SARE opportunities.
Sara Trojan – They are conducting a needs assessment survey to make sure advisory council and review panels are up to speed on what is needed. They need our help to contact on the ground Extension people to learn the needs.
REQUEST – Please send your contact list to Sara. She has only received about half of the western region. She needs Extension list for both educators/agents and specialists – launch date is September 14. If she drafts a pre-notice, can Directors please send it out?
Each state coordinator directs $90,000 and other opportunities add up to
$1.5 million going to the West. Consider the sabbatical grants program. They are not designed for faculty to take a sabbatical, but it is to bring an expert to our state to add focus and details to some program
WEDA Business Meeting
Approve July 27 Meeting Minutes – Barbara Petty/Shannon Horrillo
Jon moved and Ivory seconded that the minutes be approved as presented. The motion passed unanimously.
Old Business
Approve Rules of Operation – Cody Stone
Blake moved to approve the updated rules of operation (attached). Kelly seconded the motion.
The motion was approved unanimously.
Introduce New WEDA Website – Lyla Houglum, Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom
Website address: https://weda.extension.org/
Passwords: ext_mbrs
Lyla walked us through the new website.
New Business:
FY 21 Year End Financial Report – Lyla
As Lyla is finishing, she provided the 2021 FY Reconciled Budget Statement (attached). We are in good shape. There was money saved from travel, transition staff, and recruitment. We have $91,267 in carryover. The notes include information about the assessments paid ahead and FY21 unpaid assessments.
Economic Development Administration CARES Act Recovery Assistance Funding – Shannon Horrillo, Lindsey Shirley, Michael Gaffney
CARES funding was released with EDA to address a wide range of needs in economically destressed communities. Awards to be around $5M. Nevada, Washington, Oregon, and California are working on this. Colorado is not in the Seattle region for this but can be a sub award. We solicited two to three people from each state. Next meeting is to pull together team of experts from each state to identify projects and move to national leadership. If you are interested, now is the time to engage and join the team. The project will likely focus on workforce development.
WASDA Meeting – Anita Azarenko
Anita attended the WASDA meeting, July 27 and 28, 2021. There was an update from national association. Four thematic areas include: government affairs, members engagement, growing partnerships and strategic public engagements. More USDA confirmations have been made with more in progress. With $8.5 million disaster relief there are 6 major themes climate, climate, climate; diversity inclusion and racial equity; infrastructure (Tax Policy); meat processing grants; appropriation for Fiscal Year 2022; and disaster assistance supplemental.
Food Trends – Food Innovation Center made a presentation on plant-based alternatives, home delivery, booze drinks. -coffee, kombuchas, and seltzer; retail delivery increased; direct ship to customers; and increased food preparation because of COVID. There is pressure to ship directly to consumers.
Equity and social justice in Ag – DEI 101 for the state of Oregon. Interview from nursery leader. Big year for people to do improvements. Now there are supply chain issues. Huge push for larger nurseries to go online. Direct to consumers. Looking at expenditure rates as a measure as to how much you have done. You should be at 90% utilization of previous request.
Blue Ribbon Panel – Doreen Hauser-Lindstrom
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is undertaking an activity with a Blue Ribbon Panel that will identify key factors for successful outcomes of coordinated and collaborative projects of colleges and universities in the land-grant system, including those involving historically Black colleges and universities and other institutions and a secondary purpose to recommend processes that land-grant schools can use to capture and share successes, outcomes, and impacts of joint projects. Doug Steele encouraged everyone to submit names. The more times a name is nominated, it will rise to the top. Only 10 individuals will serve on the panel. We nominated Wendy Powers and Dina Chacón-Reitzel,
from New Mexico who has served as a past CARET chair and past chair of New Mexico State University Board of Regents. This will move fast as funding expires October 1.
Farm Bill 2023 – Doreen and Lyla
Currently gathering input:
Looking for big ideas that would attract attention to Extension.
Propose a September meeting to discuss the Farm Bill and learn about the CLD3 Proposal – Community Learning through Data Driven Discovery, Cathy Woteki and Sallie Keller. (attached)
ACTION ITEM: Doreen will send out a doodle.
Partnerships with 1994 and FRTEP – Doreen and Lyla
ACTION ITEM: Cody and Jon will visit with Doreen on putting together a group to focus on expanding 4-H across tribal communities.
Current COVID impacts on youth and adult Extension programming – Anita Azarenko
It is fair season. How do we keep our youth safe? We are modeling and going to fair. Had a Kid’s Spirit program on campus where three tested positive. The kids are under 12 so are not eligible for vaccine. Local health authorities cannot do timely testing. We are on our own. They will continue to offer Kid’s Spirit program following all protocols.
NM – following public health guidelines – by September 30- all employees and students must be fully vaccinated or have weekly test – new guidelines from governor for state fair -to enter, must be vaccinated to enter – two educators are in a lawsuit against the governor.
WA – vaccinations for all state employees including higher ed and students by October 10. Includes volunteers.
HI – starting the 4-H year a month later – as of yesterday, all employees and students must be vaccinated or test negative – now includes all visitors which impacts Extension offices. – running 3 times the daily rate of infection – hospitals are maxed out.
ACTION ITEM: Doreen will send out a request for what the COVID restrictions/requirements are for each state.
Upcoming WEDA Meetings – Cody Stone
(NEDA – Propose WEDA meeting after NEDA)
4:50 p.m. Celebrate Lyla!
Jon read a resolution honor Lyla for her many accomplishments and years of service that was authored by the Resolution Committee of Mike, Lindsey, and Jon. Anita presented Lyla with a plaque and gift certificate to her favorite local nursery. Doreen will share with Lyla a book of comments from her western colleagues as well as those across the nation. Lyla will be missed.
The meeting was adjourned by 5:07 pm.
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