NOVEMBER 2024 TOOLKIT

PUBLIC AND LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES AID SOUTHEAST FARMERS, FAMILIES, AND COMMUNITIES IN HURRICANE RECOVERY AND SUPPORT PRODUCERS YEAR-ROUND

As our nation faces the extensive devastation resulting from Hurricanes Helene and Milton, we mourn for those who lost their lives, their loved ones, and displaced families. The news videos reveal the tragic impacts on farms, businesses, and communities that were severely damaged or washed away.

The Southeast now begins the long process of recovering and rebuilding. The public and land-grant university system and our partners are dedicated to helping the region’s families, farmers, ranchers, and communities. This extensive work includes helping our food producers as they deal with billions of dollars of damage to agriculture. 

The United States is resilient. The public and land-grant university system and Cooperative Extension System (CES) has built better futures in every U.S. county for over 100 years. County Extension agents and staff are frequently relied upon during and after disasters. As local residents, they are integral to their communities. Although their own families are impacted by disasters, they remain dedicated to serving those around them. Cooperative Extension’s efforts include:

Distributing food and supplies.
Distributing hay and other feed, fencing, and health care supplies to farmers for their livestock.
Assisting in search and rescue.
Staffing shelters for humans and shelters for pets.
Helping homeowners on post-flood care of homes and food.

RESOURCES

Photos courtesy of N.C. Cooperative Extension - Madison County.

The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is a CES’ collaborative multi-state effort to improve the delivery of services to citizens affected by disasters. EDEN’s mission is to reduce the impact of disasters through research-based education. This includes Hurricane Helene and Milton resources.

Florida
- University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences: Resources - Disaster Preparation & Recovery
Georgia
- University of Georgia Cooperative Extension: Resources Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton
North Carolina
- NC State University Extension: NC Disaster Information Center
- North Carolina A&T University: Aggies Care: North Carolina A&T Pitches in for Ongoing Hurricane Helene Recovery
South Carolina
- Clemson University: Hurricane Helene Resources
Tennessee
- University of Tennessee Cooperative Extension: Resources to Aid Flood Recovery Efforts

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, APLU’s Office of Food, Agriculture, and Natural Resources (FANR) team expresses our deep gratitude to the researchers, educators, Extension professionals, administrators, and staff at our member universities. Their determination to tackle rapidly evolving, complex challenges is essential to produce and deliver safe, nutritious, affordable, and abundant food.

Land-grant universities help our nation’s producers improve their operations, lower expenses, boost profitability, and deliver practical solutions. Scientists are discovering innovative solutions to breed crops tailored for the future, improve livestock health, sustain healthy soil, and respond rapidly to animal, food safety, and security threats.

The National Excellence in Multistate Research Award was presented to NCERA101: Committee on Controlled Environment Technology and Use at the agInnovation Fall Meeting.

Excerpts from the IMPACT COMMUNICATIONS TOOLKIT

View sample social media posts.

For over 40 years, a committee of land-grant university researchers, Extension specialists, and industry and international partners has worked to advance the design and operation of controlled environments such as growth chambers and greenhouses. Optimizing controlled environments is key to ensuring crop production, especially in the face of climate change and population growth. Controlled environments are also essential for research and education.

PROJECT DETAILS: controlledenvironments.org and NCERA101: Controlled Environment Technology and Use – NIMSS

_{This project is supported in part by USDA NIFA through Hatch Multistate Research Fund allocations to participating State Agricultural Experiment Stations at land-grant universities and other partners.}

To bolster communities, land-grants reach diverse farms and farmers, strengthen tribal communities, and Historically Black land-grant universities reach diverse communities.

The land-grant system also support families with community nutrition programs, aid farmers and rural residents with mental health struggles, and strengthen families through engaging programs.

Looking to the future, LGUs develop a diverse and thriving workforce in underserved and at-risk communities, expand access to education and resources, Educators prepare students with cutting-edge science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as many other disciplines, to become our next generation of farmers, ranchers, scientists, educators, Extension educators, and culinary professionals.

Every land-grant university has many powerful stories about its efforts to advance solutions for a broad range of complicated issues. We encourage you to submit your stories to the National Land-Grant Impacts Database (NIDB).

The FANR team is inspired to tell your stories and build deep support for research, education, and Extension. The FANR team appreciates working with you and wishes you and your loved ones a healthy and Happy Thanksgiving!

SOCIAL MEDIA

SAMPLE POSTS

ONE HEALTH DAY
#LandGrantUniversities play a crucial role in addressing global food and nutrition challenges, making our world a healthier place. Learn more about how [@school research in [project] protects #OneHealth. [link]

VETERANS DAY
#LandGrantUniversities are committed to empowering veterans through education, training, and support. Through programs like [program] at [@school], veterans learn the skills needed for careers in [agriculture/natural resources/other]. #VeteransDay

GIVING THANKS
_{*Use the language in the toolkit introduction to highlight individuals or programs in your college:}
This Thanksgiving, we are thankful for Extension agent, [name], who works with producers in the [county] community to improve local food security through [program].

FOOD SAFETY
Protect your family this Thanksgiving with food safety tips from [@school]: [link]
_{*If your institution does not have food safety resources, share this article from @USDA: https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/11/13/keep-risky-habits-out-kitchen-thanksgiving}

Looking for pre-made stories to feature? Check out:

Land-grant Impacts
Scroll down to "View by Institution" and click your university's name. Only institutions who submitted impacts to the National Impacts Database in 2023 are listed. This page features research and Extension impacts.
Multistate Research Funds Impacts
Scroll down to "Filter by Institution" on the sidebar and click your university's name. This page features research impacts.

Feel free to reach out to us with specific posts that you would like @AgIsAmerica to share. Please email your request to Kim Scotto at [email protected] or use #AgIsAmerica.

HASHTAGS AND HANDLES

HASHTAGS
#LandGrantUniversities
#AgIsAmerica

HANDLES

Ag is America	@AgIsAmerica
APLU Ag	@APLU_Ag
Sec. Vilsack (Secretary of Agriculture)	@SecVilsack
USDA	@USDA
USDA National Institute of Food & Ag	@USDA_NIFA
APLU	@APLU_News

CALENDAR

NOVEMBER HOLIDAYS

MONTHS

National Native American Heritage Month, #NativeAmericanHeritageMonth
National Pepper Month, #PepperMonth
National Pomegranate Month, #PomegranateMonth
Sweet Potato Awareness Month, #SweetPotatoMonth
World Vegan Month, #WorldVeganMonth

WEEKS

November 1-7: National Fig Week, #NationalFigWeek
November 22-29: National Farm-City Week, #FarmCityWeek

DAYS

November 1: National Cinnamon Day, #CinnamonDay
November 3: One Health Day, #OneHealthDay
November 4: National Candy Day, #NationalCandyDay
November 8: National STEM/STEAM Day, #NationalSTEMDay
November 11: Veterans Day, #VeteransDay
November 14: National Pickle Day, #PickleDay
November 21: National Rural Health Day, #RuralHealthDay, #PowerOfRural | Toolkit
November 23: National Cashew Day, #CashewDay
November 28: Thanksgiving Day, #Thanksgiving
November 29: National Native American Heritage Day, #NativeAmericanHeritageDay
November 29: Maize Day, #MaizeDay

_{Source: November - National Day Calendar}

USDA EVENTS & DEADLINES

November 7 – Application Deadline: Community Food Projects Competitive Grants Program
CFPCGP projects are to include food insecure community members in the planning, designing, development, implementation and evaluation of activities, services, programs, and policies to combat food and nutrition insecurity; and to address underlying causes and factors related to hunger.

November 8 – Application Deadline: Specialty Crop Research Initiative
The purpose of the Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) program is to address the critical needs of the specialty crop industry by awarding grants to support research and extension that address key challenges of national, regional, and multi-state importance in sustaining all components of food and agriculture, including conventional and organic food production systems.

November 12 – Veterinary Shortage Situation Nominations Deadline
These nominations support two United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) competitive programs: Veterinary Medicine Loan Repayment Program (VMLRP) & Veterinary Services Grant Program (VSGP)

November 14 – NIFA Reporting Activities: Differences Between Capacity and Competitive Awards
Join us for a Grant Applicant/Awardee Technical Assistance (GAATA) session on NIFA reporting activities. During this session, experts will cover the differences between competitive and capacity reporting, and provide guidance on how to resolve common user issues in REEport and the NIFA Reporting System.

November 14 – Live FAQ Session: Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agriculture Systems
The Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Rapid Response to Extreme Weather Events Across Food and Agricultural Systems (A1712) program area priority is designed to rapidly identify and implement strategies to protect the nation’s food and agricultural supply chains and the people who support them during and after extreme weather events.

November 15 – Application Deadline: Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program
Capacity Building Grants for Non-Land-Grant Colleges of Agriculture Program (NLGCA) Institutions may use the funds: (a) to successfully compete for funds from Federal grants and other sources to carry out educational, research, and outreach activities that address priority concerns of national, regional, State, and local interest; (b) to disseminate information relating to priority concerns to interested members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities, the public, and any other interested entity; (c) to encourage members of the agriculture, renewable resources, and other relevant communities to participate in priority education, research, and outreach activities by providing matching funding to leverage grant funds.

November 21 – 2025 National 4-H Conference Information Session
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) will host the 2025 National 4-H Conference April 11-16, 2025, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Virginia. This information session shares details about the event, including a preliminary look at the agenda, registration process, costs and more.

_{Source: Upcoming Events | National Institute of Food and Agriculture (usda.gov)}