Thank you for joining us at the first ever AgriProspects Summit! We appreciate your engagement and the energy you brought to the conversations and sessions.
Check back throughout the next few weeks for updates, including the final program, links to session recordings and presentation slides, and opportunities to stay engaged with this work moving forward.
We’re grateful to have had you with us – and we look forward to continuing the momentum together!
The AgriProspects Summit is supported in part by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)-National Extension Clearinghouse for Industry and the Workforce, project award no. 2023-67037-40533, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
Agenda at a Glance
Click the day to see its agenda
Summit Day 1: June 24th, noon to 5pm EASTERN (9am to 2pm PACIFIC)
- Noon – 12:10 PM ET – Welcome and opening remarks
- 12:10-1:00 PM ET – Panel 1: Extension is Workforce Development – This panel will explore the critical role Extension plays in skill-building, education, and training to prepare individuals for thriving careers in the agricultural sector. The discussion explore strategies for rethinking and reframing Extension’s role in addressing workforce challenges and driving innovation. Our distinguished keynote panelists are:
- Jorge Atiles, Dean of WVU Extension and Engagement and Director of WVU Extension
- Ali Mitchell Dunigan, Executive Director, Association of Northeast Extension Directors
- Mike Gutter, Director Virginia Cooperative Extension and Associate Dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech; Co-chair of ECOP Workforce Program Action Team
- 1:00 – 1:55 PM ET – AgriProspects Mini-Grant Awardee Lightning Round – Hear from current AgriProspects grant awardees and learn about their work with a variety of innovative projects across the country. These projects demonstrate some of the breadth and depth of Extension’s role in workforce development.
- 2:00 – 2:55 PM ET – Breakout Sessions 1
- Enhancing Workforce and Community Development through University Extension Collaborations – Janel Yamamoto, Laura Ediger (Hawaii), GoFarm Hawaii
- Assisting the Accidental Entrepreneur (Agricultural Entrepreneurship) – Dan Nieland (Poweshiek Economic Development Collaborative) & Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel (UNL)
- Catalyzing the Skills-based Future: Lessons From The Field – Christi Harter (Eastern Washington University) & Madelyn Rahn (SkillsFWD)
- Growing the Future – Cultivating Agriculture in Urban Spaces – Maggie Anderson Fasy (WSU), Troy Peters (WSU) & Dan Cronan (WSU)
- 3:00 – 3:55 PM ET – Breakout Sessions 2
- Equipping Justice-Involved Individuals through Agricultural Workforce Development – Qinglu Ying & Arundathi Sharma (UK); Joey Langford, Cul2vate
- Growing Solutions: The Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center – Kaitlin Barrios (TSU)
- Building Educational Hubs and Trainings for Farm Worker Safety – Maria Gorgo-Simcox (PSU), Esbey Hamilton (UVM), Drew Harner (VT)
- Whiskey Specialists and Bourbon Professionals: growing the bourbon industry through workforce education programming at UK’s Beam Institute – Kevin Baldridge (UK)
- 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET – Subject Matter Area Breakout Sessions – Join colleagues from across the country for discussions focused on workforce development as it relates to different subject matter areas. Attendees may choose whichever session they would like to attend.
- Animal Agriculture
- Horticulture
- Field Crops
- Urban Ag and Food Systems
- Community & Economic Development
- Family & Consumer Sciences
- “The Library” (a quiet place to reflect and ask questions)
- Adjourn
Summit Day 2: June 25th, noon to 5pm EASTERN (9am to 2pm PACIFIC)
- Noon -12:10 PM ET – Welcome and opening remarks
- 12:10 – 1:00 PM ET – Panel 2: The Landscape of Credentialing Panel Discussion – This panel will examine current trends and future directions in credentialing, focusing on the growing importance of credentials in validating skills and knowledge. Panelists will discuss emerging credentialing systems and standards and explore how Extension can leverage these innovations to address workforce gaps and meet the evolving demands of ag sector industries. – Christi Harter (Eastern Washington University), Madelyn Rahn (SkillsFWD), Laura Ward (Merit), & Trevor Lane (WSU)
- 1:00 – 1:55 PM ET – Plenary Presentation: The Concept and Importance of the AgriProspects Clearinghouse & Marketplace – Explore the concept of the AgriProspects Clearinghouse and Marketplace and its significance in elevating Extension’s role and visibility in adult agricultural workforce development. We will highlight drivers behind the need for reframing how Extension engages with learners, earners, employers, and intermediaries, the benefits of a centralized information repository in enhancing Extension opportunity visibility amongst these audiences, and what the Marketplace means for programming sustainability and collaboration. – Jason Weigle (Extension Foundation)
- 2:00 – 2:55 PM ET – Breakout Session 3
- Opportunities for Veterans in Agriculture – Barry Taylor (Land at Home) & La’Shun Wallace (IV VETS)
- LERs & the Transformative Student Experience – Laura Ward (Merit) and Trevor Lane (WSU)
- Food as Medicine: Connecting research to action through workforce and entrepreneurship – Courtney Long (Iowa State) and Kacey Labonte (Iowa State)
- Bridging Knowledge and Practice: The Role of the Tennessee New Farmer Academy in Workforce Development – Finis Stribling (TSU)
- 3:00 – 3:55 PM ET – Plenary Presentation: What’s next?: AgriProspects Grants Round 2 and Preparing Extension for the Future – This session will open with an overview of the recently announced grant round, including key priorities, considerations for applicants, and future opportunities for learning and engagement. In the latter part of the session, attention will shift toward the future, highlighting upcoming professional development and networking opportunities. The session will conclude with a call to action – encouraging participants to engage in a forward-looking discussion in the final session of the day. – AgriProspects Mini-grant Planning Team
- 4:00 – 5:00 PM ET – Extension Region Breakouts and Hosts – These regional sessions will close out the AgriProspects Summit by fostering dialogue and collaboration and will set the stage for next steps. Please plan to join with your region in these discussions. Non-Extension attendees are encouraged to meet with those in their region to network and seek opportunities for collaboration!
- North Central – Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel (UNL) & Tanya Hall (Purdue)
- Northeast – Andrea Franchini (UMD), Kate Hardesty (URI)
- Southern & 1890 – Lana Petrie (TSU), Clint Cummings (UT), Mark Mains (UK)
- Western & 1994 – Maritza Broce (Arizona) & Trevor Lane (WSU)
- Adjourn
