TOOLKITS

AUGUST 2023 TOOLKIT

YEAR IN REVIEW

On behalf of the FANR team, thank you for your commitment to highlight and spread the word about impactful and cutting-edge research, education, and Extension efforts on your campuses and throughout your communities. This month, we would like to provide a compilation of the previous ten toolkits (September 2022 – July 2023). Each month’s toolkit connects to the key messages that were developed with significant input from our member institutions (Board on Agriculture Assembly’s Strategic Communications Roadmap developed by Forbes Tate Partners, February 2021).

These key messages are:

Investments in agricultural research, education, and Extension:

  • result in safer, higher quality food systems.
  • make communities stronger and healthier.
  • address critical challenges facing agriculture and the environment.
  • are vital to safeguarding America’s status as a global leader in innovation. 

PAST TOOLKITS

Back To School/Building the Future
Cultivating and Harvesting
Giving Thanks: Stories from our Communities
Health, Wellness and Nutrition
Innovating for the Future: Climate-Smart Solutions
Protecting Water: Enhancing Efficiency and Management
Supporting Farmers and Ranchers: Research, Education, and Extension Working Together
Celebrating Earth Day
Advancing Ag Workforce Development
Land-grant Universities: Growing Urban and Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) to Cultivate Resilience
Increasing Food Security and Safeguarding National Security

    SOCIAL MEDIA

    TWITTER 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 

    Cooperative Extension 

    @Ext100Years 

    CALENDAR

    AUGUST HOLIDAYS

    MONTHS
    National Catfish Month, #NationalCatfishMonth 
    National Water Quality Month, #WaterQuality 
    National Wellness Month, #WellnessMonth #Wellfie

    WEEKS
    August 6-12 – National Farmers Market Week, #FarmersMarketWeek, #LoveMyMarket

    DAYS
    August 3 – National Watermelon Day, #NationalWatermelonDay 
    August 4 – International Beer Day, #InternationalBeerDay 
    August 5 – National Oyster Day, #NationalOysterDay 
    August 5 – National Mustard Day, #NationalMustardDay 
    August 19 – National Potato Day, #NationalPotatoDay 
    August 19 – World Honeybee Day, #WorldHoneybeeDay 
    August 22 – World Plant Milk Day, #WorldPlantMilkDay 
    August 25 – National Park Service Founders Day, #NPSFoundersDay 
    August 30 – National Beach Day, #NationalBeachDay 
    August 30 – Anniversary of Second Morrill Act (1890s) 

    source: August 2023 - National Day Calendar 

    USDA EVENTS & DEADLINES

    THE LAND-GRANT IMPACT

    Featured image for “Improving the health of livestock animals”

    Improving the health of livestock animals

    Livestock producers are continually searching for new management strategies that will help them be both innovative and better animal stewards.…
    Featured image for “Increasing public awareness of pollinators as contributors to global food security”

    Increasing public awareness of pollinators as contributors to global food security

    Pollination involves the process of pollen transference from a male part of a flower to the female part of the…
    Featured image for “Land-grant expertise make specialty crops viable”

    Land-grant expertise make specialty crops viable

    Specialty crops range from fruits and vegetables to cut flowers. These plants are cultivated for food, medicine or pleasure. Specialty…
    Featured image for “Managing controlled environments efficiently”

    Managing controlled environments efficiently

    In controlled environmental agriculture, plants are grown inside a greenhouse or other type of enclosure where growers can maintain optimal…
    Featured image for “Managing waste”

    Managing waste

    Agricultural wastes, like manure, animal carcasses and wastewater, can pose environmental and human health risks if not handled safely. Some…
    Featured image for “Preparing the next generation of farm operators”

    Preparing the next generation of farm operators

    Farm families facing the challenging issue of transferring the farm to the next generation confront many hurdles in putting together…
    Featured image for “Reaching out to farmers in crisis through mental health initiatives”

    Reaching out to farmers in crisis through mental health initiatives

    With stressors including long working hours, financial uncertainty, isolation in rural areas and seasonality, farming has been identified as one…
    Featured image for “Staying a step ahead of pests”

    Staying a step ahead of pests

    Researchers at the nation’s land-grant universities are helping protect food crops from direct insect damage and diseases spread by insect…
    Featured image for “Urban agriculture and food systems”

    Urban agriculture and food systems

    Urban agriculture and food systems comprises inner-city small farms, community and school gardens; backyard and rooftop horticulture, innovative food-growing methods…
    Featured image for “Improving crops key to food security”

    Improving crops key to food security

    Research at land-grant institutions keeps the U.S. food production on the cutting edge when it comes to quality, nutrition, disease…
    Featured image for “Improving the health of livestock animals”

    Improving the health of livestock animals

    Livestock producers are continually searching for new management strategies that will help them be both innovative and better animal stewards.…
    Featured image for “Increasing public awareness of pollinators as contributors to global food security”

    Increasing public awareness of pollinators as contributors to global food security

    Pollination involves the process of pollen transference from a male part of a flower to the female part of the…
    Featured image for “Land-grant expertise make specialty crops viable”

    Land-grant expertise make specialty crops viable

    Specialty crops range from fruits and vegetables to cut flowers. These plants are cultivated for food, medicine or pleasure. Specialty…
    Featured image for “Managing controlled environments efficiently”

    Managing controlled environments efficiently

    In controlled environmental agriculture, plants are grown inside a greenhouse or other type of enclosure where growers can maintain optimal…
    Featured image for “Preparing the next generation of farm operators”

    Preparing the next generation of farm operators

    Farm families facing the challenging issue of transferring the farm to the next generation confront many hurdles in putting together…
    Featured image for “Reaching out to farmers in crisis through mental health initiatives”

    Reaching out to farmers in crisis through mental health initiatives

    With stressors including long working hours, financial uncertainty, isolation in rural areas and seasonality, farming has been identified as one…
    Featured image for “Staying a step ahead of pests”

    Staying a step ahead of pests

    Researchers at the nation’s land-grant universities are helping protect food crops from direct insect damage and diseases spread by insect…
    Featured image for “Urban agriculture and food systems”

    Urban agriculture and food systems

    Urban agriculture and food systems comprises inner-city small farms, community and school gardens; backyard and rooftop horticulture, innovative food-growing methods…