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What's New from the Conference Chair - Phil Durst |
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NACAA
Annual Meeting/ Professional Improvement Conference July 15-19, 2007 Grand Rapids, MI |
May 9, 2007
May 3, 2007
Dear Colleagues,
I want to share
some good news with you and also ask for your help. Dr. Jeff Armstrong
has agreed to present a welcome to NACAA members at the General Session,
Monday, July 16 and then to provide an update on Create-21, the bold
initiative to change the way that Extension is funded. We can be proud
to be represented and supported by the Dean in this way. In a phone
message to me, he said "Thanks for all your work with this meeting,
its going to be really big for Michigan State!"
We still have much work to be done and I hope that you will join us
in that work. There are several things in particular.
1. The following is a list of educational events still in need of sponsorship,
a letter and
commitment form to be a sponsor. Will you help us find some sponsors?
Thanks!
2. I need
people to head up three different functions:
- International Extension Work Symposium
- What will be in the Fields Tomorrow?
- Networking Breakfast
In each case, some
of the work is already done and others are involved, but we need a leader
for each. Are you will to be one? Thanks!
The way that we carry out the NACAA conference will define the perception
of MSU Extension for years to come at MSU, with our partners in MI and
nationwide. I hope that you will join others in helping to make it a
great conference, one that is "really big for Michigan State"!
To: Those interested in promoting Michigan agriculture and natural resources
The professional improvement conference of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, being hosted by the Michigan Association of Extension Agents, is fast approaching. We are expecting 2000 registrants for the conference, July 15-19. Extension Agents in fields from water quality to dairy and community development to horticulture are registering now to attend.
The follwing is a list of some of the events that will be held at the 2007 NACAA Professional Improvement Conference. These events are still available to be sponsored in part or in whole. Sponsors will be listed in the program booklet and at the event.
These events feature outstanding topics and premier speakers. They are designed to attract an audience of interested Extension Agents/Educators from across the nation. This is a unique opportunity to support the Michigan Association of Extension Agents in their effort to provide an excellent program to a national audience and to enhance the reputation of MSU. Your support also promotes education that strengthens agriculture and natural resources and the people that work in them.
If you would like to be a sponsor for any of these events, please complete the attached form. On behalf of Michigan Extension Educators, I thank you for your support. Together, we can improve the viability of producers, communities, businesses and families in Michigan.
Sincerely,
Phil Durst
2007 NACAA Annual Meeting Chair
These following events at the 2007 NACAA conference in Grand Rapids, MI are still available for full or partial sponsorship:
• International Extension Work Symposium – A focused session,
involving speakers and a panel of Extension Agents on the practical
aspects of international experience and communicating things learned
abroad to clientele back home. Included will be a luncheon.
• “What will be in the Fields Tomorrow?” – A reader’s theater that explores sustainability and societal issues relating to agriculture. Participants will be provided with the script that they can take back to their counties and use to open up discussion on these issues.
• Networking Breakfast – Breakfast for 600 Extension Agents/Educators on Monday of the conference at tables marked with topic areas so that members can meet others working in their field. Some of the breakfast foods will be provided by donated products.
• Educational luncheon – “Building Entrepreneurial Capacity for Agriculture Economic Development” with Dr. Chris Peterson of the MSU Agriculture and Natural Resources Product Center. The role of the Center in turning ideas into profits and building entrepreneur capacity will be discussed
• Educational luncheon – “Land Use Decisions and the Dramatic Effect on Agriculture” The dynamics of land use decisions and the effect on agriculture will be the topic of this session with Dr. Soji Adelaja, one of the premier land use speakers in the nation from the MSU Land Policy Institute. This session is partially sponsored by the MSU Land Policy Institute and the MSU Planning and Zoning Center.
• Educational luncheon- “Opportunities and Challenges in More Localized Food Systems” – Dr. Mike Hamm, Mott Professor at MSU, will discuss opportunities in direct market and organic markets in parts of the country that under-produce and under-market compared to consumer purchases. His session is partially supported by SARE.
• Educational
luncheon- “Issues and Answers with Turfgrass”
The Michigan Turfgrass Environmental Stewardship Program (MTESP) is
a unique program designed to make fundamental advances toward environmental
protection on golf courses. Dr. Kevin Frank, Michigan State University,
will focus on research being done in Michigan around the MTESP, water
use, loss of effective pesticides and fertility challenges.
• Educational luncheon – “Environmental Opportunities
for Animal Agriculture: Extension's Critical Role” Dr. Dave Beede
will discuss current and pending standards for air and water quality,
opportunities for livestock farmers to benefit from aggressive, strategic
environmental stewardship, and the role of Extension in applied research
and education. This session is partially sponsored by the Clint Meadows
Chair for Dairy Nutrition, Nutrient & Environmental Management.
• Educational
luncheon – “Invasive Species Arrive, Survive and Thrive”
MSU faculty will address the state’s efforts in dealing with Emerald
Ash Borer and Soybean Aphids.
• Educational
luncheon – “Waterborne pathogens, human health and agriculture”
Dr. Joan Rose, Nowlin Homer Chair in Water Research at MSU is an international
expert on water microbiology and public health, will present this session.
Sponsorship Commitment Form
Sponsorship Commitment Form
Thank you for sponsoring educational events at the 2007 conference of the National Association of County Agricultural Agents, July 15-19 in Grand Rapids, MI.
Please check the event that you want to sponsor. The cost of full sponsorship or the balance of sponsorship appears after the title. We will gladly list partial sponsors of $500 or more.
_____ International Extension Work Symposium ($ 7500)
_____ “What will be in the Fields Tomorrow?” ($ 3000)
_____ Networking Breakfast ($ 2000)
_____ Educational luncheon – “Building Entrepreneurial Capacity for Agriculture Economic Development” ($ 7500)
_____ Educational luncheon – “Land Use Decisions and the Dramatic Effect on Agriculture” ($ 5500)
_____ Educational luncheon- “Opportunities and Challenges in More Localized Food Systems” ($ 7500)
_____ Educational luncheon- “Issues and Answers with Turfgrass” ($ 7500)
_____ Educational luncheon – “Environmental Opportunities for Animal Agriculture: Extension's Critical Role” ($ 2500)
_____ Educational luncheon – “Invasive Species Arrive, Survive and Thrive” ($ 7500)
_____ Educational
luncheon – “Waterborne pathogens, human health and agriculture”
($ 7500)
_____ Educational luncheon – “Experience with the animal identification program in Michigan and implications nationally” ($ 7500)
Amount Committed: $ __________ Make check payable to: “MSU –
MAEA 2007”
Your donation is counted as a gift the MSU. In addition, you will be recognized as a sponsor in all publications relating to the 2007 NACAA conference. Thank you!
Please send to:
Ned Birkey
Monroe County MSUE
963 South Raisinville Rd.
Monroe, MI 48161
March 30, 2007
Registration for the 2007 NACAA conference is now open! The County Agent magazine, provides a glimpse of the great program awaiting you. Click on here to register. And you'll want to register early to make sure that you get your choice of tours and workshops.
Plan now to attend
a great professional improvement conference and maybe even to enjoy
a great get-away with your family. Now is the time to make your plans
for Grand Rapids, Michigan – July 15-19. Come to Michigan for
the Great Lakes, Great Sights and Great Times!
The
Michigan Association of Extension Agents is pleased to invite you to
join us in Grand Rapids, Michigan for the 2007 NACAA Conference. Grand
Rapids is a vibrant city that you will enjoy and a perfect access point
for a wide variety of tours to diverse agricultural and horticultural
operations, natural areas, Lake Michigan shoreline and attractions.
The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, our headquarters hotel, exhibits an old
style luxurious elegance and a modern efficiency, and will host many
of our meetings and special events. Connected to DeVos Place Convention
Center, it provides tremendous space for our conference. These two facilities
sit on the banks of the Grand River, directly across from the Gerald
R. Ford Presidential Museum. There, the life and career of our courageous
38th president is documented and celebrated.
We hope that you will make plans to come to the hometown of Gerald R.
Ford, July 15-19. We look forward to being your gracious hosts and we
anticipate a conference that helps America's Extension Agents/Educators
to "transform the future".
Please check out our website www.nacaa2007.msu.edu
and watch it for further updates. I'm looking forward to welcome you
to Michigan!
Sincerely,
Phil Durst
2007 NACAA Annual Meeting Chair
989-826-1160
durstp@msu.edu
Mon, 22 Jan 2007
Michigan
Association of Extension Agents Hosting the 2007 NACAA Annual Meeting/ Professional Improvement Conference |
Michigan is well on its way in preparation for the 2007 NACAA Annual Meeting & Professional Improvement Conference! We are looking forward to hosting the nation’s Extension Agents and are working hard to invite more NACAA members with by letting them about the professional improvement opportunities that will make an impact on their career and their communities.
Our Mission in preparing for this has been the following:
• Host a conference characterized by Creativity, Excellence and
Teamwork.
• Attract over 2000 registrants from at least 46 states.
• Help plan a high quality program that is viewed as valuable
by all participants.
• Enhance the reputation of Michigan State University.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships statewide with key leaders
in industry,
commodity groups and Extension supporters.
• Involve all of MAEA members and others in the Extension family
including those in sister organizations, Extension administration and
our family members.
• Provide high customer service where attendees feel honored,
respected, listened to and helped.
• Strengthen MAEA and provide a significant legacy fund that can
used to fund professional development for members for years to come.
• Strongly support the mission and goals of NACAA.
We have an extensive organizational plan to accomplish our objectives. The Executive Committee consisting of the conference chair, four conference executive vice-chairs, secretary and treasurer, have been meeting regularly for four years. Twenty six committees are divided up according to function under the four executive vice-chairs.
The promotional slogan for the 2007 conference in Grand Rapids has been: Great Lakes, Great Sights, Great Times to highlight the many wonderful natural resource attractions of west Michigan and the opportunities for families to come and have a great time.
The educational
theme that we have selected for the conference is: Transforming the
Future. This theme is further refined for each day the participants
are gathered all together;
Sunday: Transforming the Future: Beginning with Self
Monday: Transforming the Future: Changing our Communities
Thursday: Transforming the Future: Impacting the World
At the Opening Session, speaker Jay Laffoon, a conference and marriage speaker from central Michigan is well-equipped to address the focus on NACAA members and families. Jay’s combination of power-packed delivery and laugh-out-loud humor holds audiences captivated. Through Biblical insights and real-life illustrations, Jay motivates and inspires his audience to action.
Monday’s Keynote speaker is Dr. Rick Foster, VP of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation which works to transform the future of communities across the nation. Dr. Foster is a thought-provoking speaker who sees a transformational role for the land-grant universities.
We are still working on a speaker for the Capstone session on Thursday to match the theme of impacting the world.
In addition, on
Thursday, we are working to develop some special programs that would
begin at the noon hour.
• International Extension Work Symposium which will include a
panel discussion of opportunities and realities of international work
assignments.
• Dramatic presentation of “What Will Be in the Fields Tomorrow”
as a tool to stimulate discussion around the issues of sustainability
in agriculture and the life of farms and the communities.
Our fundraising progress is on-target with over $270,000 raised at this
point. We have widespread support from commodity organizations, businesses,
individuals, foundations and outstanding support from Michigan State
University.
The site of the conference in Grand Rapids, MI is outstanding and will be very conducive to serve our members and provide great tour opportunities in the surrounding areas. The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is an award-winning Four Star Hotel where we have negotiated room rates that are lower than those of the NACAA headquarters hotels in the past several years. DeVos Place Convention Center is newly remodeled and is a great location for our larger functions. The city of Grand Rapids, Michigan’s fastest growing visitor destination, is full of life and attractions.
We are trying new things to improve the conference for NACAA and our members including having our website, www.nacaa2007.msu.edu up and running by the 2006 conference, putting a priority on environment in the conference functions, and recommending a profit-sharing plan that could encourage states to host.
We are pleased to work with President Chuck Otte, the national board and NACAA committee chairs to host an outstanding conference.
Sincerely,
Phil Durst
2007 NACAA Annual Meeting Chair
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