NIFA "Call to Conversation" Focuses on EFNEP’s Future

On June 14, the University of Missouri, Lincoln University, and NIFA hosted a two-day "Call to Conversation" on the Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP).

The main question that the "Call to Conversation" addressed was: Given that EFNEP reaches about 500,000 adults and youth annually, how might we most efficiently and effectively scale up the program to expand the program's reach while also maintaining its high rate of return, for example, program impact? The conversation was famed by a “Point of Departure Document” that outlined the meeting’s objective, program background, and questions to be addressed.

EFNEP is a national nutrition education effort undertaken by the Cooperative Extension and is funded through NIFA. Within the larger context of existing non-profit, public, and governmental programs, EFNEP has proven positive return on investment. Studies within individual states have shown health care savings ranging from $3 to over $10 for every federal dollar invested in EFNEP. 

Consistently, annual data shows that more than 90 percent of adult EFNEP participants report improved behaviors following participation in the program. Since 1969, the program has reached 33 million low-income families and youth, and taught them on ways to improve their health by improving their nutrition, food safety, and physical activity practices.

In 2016, NIFA provided $67.9 million in EFNEP funding to 76 land-grant universities. Using an evidence-based, interactive approach, EFNEP educators worked directly with 118,976 adults, 365,369 children, and reached more than 340,000 family members indirectly. View the "Nutritional Education Programming in America" infographic talking points related to this conversation.

For more information visit the Calls to Conversation Meeting Series page.

NIFA partners and grantees are encouraged to provide input on ways to most efficiently and effectively scale up the program to expand the EFNEP program's reach while also maintaining its high rate of return, please feel free to email us your thoughts.

Caption: Lincoln University Dean Albert Essel welcomes NIFA EFNEP Call to Conversation to St. Louis, Missouri, June 14. The group discussed a shared vision for a future that reaches more people in need.

USDA Acting Deputy Under Secretaries

USDA announced a reorganization on May 11. In accordance with a directive in the 2014 Farm Bill, a new Under Secretary of Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs was created as part of a realignment of several mission areas. The reorganization also included a reconstituted mission area reporting to a newly-named Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation. The U.S. Forest Service will be the only agency to report to the Under Secretary for National Resources and Environment. For these three mission areas, the following Acting Deputy Under Secretaries have been named and will serve in their roles until the Senate confirms permanent nominated appointees: 

Jason Hafemeister, until now serving as the Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Farm and Foreign Agricultural Services, will now be Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs. 

Dr. Robert Johansson will serve as the Acting Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation, while also remaining USDA’s Chief Economist, a position he has held since July 2015.  

Dan Jiron will fill the role of Acting Deputy Under Secretary for Natural Resources and Environment. With more than 29 years of public service and natural resources management, he was appointed Associate Chief of the Forest Service in July 2016. 

House Agriculture Committee Public Hearing: The Next Farm Bill: University Research

The House Agriculture Committee's Research Hearing is scheduled for June 22 at 10 a.m. EDT. 

Watch live.

Witnesses included: Robert Duncan, Chancellor, Texas Tech University System, Lubbock, Texas

Dr. Jacqueline Bums, Dean for Research and Director, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, Gainesville, Florida

Dr. Glenda Humiston, Vice President, Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of California, Oakland, California

Dr. Walter H. Hill, Dean of the College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences and Vice Provost for Land-Grant Affairs, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, Alabama 

Dr. Steven H. Tallant, President, Texas A&M University - Kingsville, Kingsville, Texas

Carrie L. Billy, President and CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, Alexandria, Virginia 

Agricultural Research: Perspectives on Past and Future Successes for the 2018 Farm Bill 

The Senate Agriculture Committee held a hearing on June 15 for the 2018 Farm Bill. Witnesses included: Panel 1: Dr. Ann Bartuska, Acting REE Under Secretary, Research, Education & Economics; Dr. Sonny Ramaswamy, Director, NIFA; Dr. Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Administrator, ARS; and, Dr. Sally Rockey, Exec. Director, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research. Panel 2: Dr. John Floros, Dean and Director, College of Ag and K-State Research and Extension, Kansas State University; Gary McMurray, Div. Chief, Food Processing Technology Division, Georgia Tech Research Institute; Dr. Kerry Hartman, Academic Dean and Sciences Chair, Environmental Sciences, Nueta Hidatsa Sahnish College; and Steve Wellman, Farmer, Wellman Farms Inc., Syracuse, Nebraska. Listen to the witnesses recorded testimony.