ON THE NEWS

Navigating Tides of Change: Supporting each Other
Join the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Land Grant Team to share practical strategies to stay focused while navigating through uncertain times and effectively plan for the future.

Findings from the National Agritourism Survey
Join the National Extension Tourism Network for a presentation by Claudia Schmidt (Penn State) and Jason Entsminger (University of Maine), who will share key findings from the recent national agritourism survey, exploring both challenges and opportunities within the industry.

The Regional Rural Development Centers: Advancing the Economic Health of Rural America
Join the National Association of Community Development Extension Professionals (NACDEP) for this webinar with the Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) to learn more about how Community Development professionals can connect to regional centers and get involved!

AgriProspects Summit
Registration Deadline May 5, 2025
Summit: June 24-25, 2025
Nashville, TN

Food Recovery for Rhode Island — Cultivating Community-Led Solutions to Food Access and Food Waste
The second webinar in NERCRD’s 2025 series will be presented by Dr. Amanda Missimer and Vanessa Venturini (University of Rhode Island), who will share about the Food Recovery for Rhode Island program, a Cooperative Extension community development train-the-trainer program that simultaneously addresses food waste, food insecurity, and climate change.

The Climate Adaptation Intern Program: Bolstering Adaptive Capacity in Utah and Training a Climate-Ready Workforce Through Undergraduate Engagement
Join the National Extension Climate Initiative (NECI) for a Professional Development meeting featuring Scott Hotaling, Assistant Professor in the Department of Watershed Sciences at Utah State University, who will be presenting on the Climate Adaption Intern Program (CAIP). The CAIP is a semester-long, cohort-style Extension program at Utah State University where undergraduates are work with experts to develop resources (e.g., fact sheets) that correspond to climate needs in Utah and the surrounding region. In this talk, Scott will describe CAIP, the outcomes and impacts thus far, and why the team thinks the program is well-poised to be replicated in other universities/states.

Rural Community Action Assembly: Childcare Demands and Workforce Needs
Join the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia for this online event to hear from experts and practitioners about strategies and best practices for supporting the local workforce through sustainable childcare services. Investing in childcare services creates jobs, allows caregivers to participate in the labor market, and provides opportunities for young families to remain in their rural communities — all of which contribute to a thriving regional economy.

NET Webinar: Creating a Beverage Tourism Destination
The National Extension Tourism Network (NET) invites you to join this webinar presented by Kathy Kelley, Penn State Professor of Horticultural Marketing and Business Management, who will present on trends describing what tasting rooms and related alcoholic beverage venues can implement to attract visitors. Strategies include developing events based on national trend data, partnering with complementary businesses, and customizing experiences based on surveying visitors and loyalty program members.