Regional Rural Development Centers to spearhead new National Agricultural and Rural Development Policy Center

The nation’s four Regional Rural Development Centers (RRDCs) were recently chosen by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture/United States Department of Agriculture to establish the National Agricultural and Rural Development Policy Center (or NARDeP), which will provide to policy makers timely and unbiased information on a variety of topics, including rural families, households, and economies; farm and agricultural sectors; consumers, food, and nutrition; and environment. Read more at http://srdc.msstate.edu/news/2012_may_nardep.html.

May 30 webinar offers latest small business research findings

Small businesses have many beneficial effects on rural communities, as they are associated with higher income levels and lower poverty, unemployment, and crime rates. In a free Southern Rural Development Center-sponsored webinar, “Big News about Small Business,” researchers Charles M. Tolbert and F. Carson Mencken from Baylor University and Troy C. Blanchard from Louisiana State University will report on nearly two decades of work on local firms’ many contributions. Get the webinar details at http://srdc.msstate.edu/news/2012_04_smallbusinessresearch.html.

Launch Issue

New National e-Commerce Extension Initiative learning module helps local governments get online

Every day, community organizations, government officials, business owners and educators are faced with the challenge of connecting with their constituents and clientele. The new learning module, "eStrategies for Local Governments: Getting Your Community Online," will help answer a variety of questions: What kind of presence should you have? Who will manage it? How much time will it take? Who decides what material goes on the site? Whether your community is seeking to upgrade its existing presence on the World Wide Web, or if you are discussing the concept for the very first time, this course serves as a launching point to learn more about Internet usage trends, steps to developing a community site, website management, and online marketing. Check out the curriculum developed by Dave Shideler and Brian Whitacre, Oklahoma State University; Connie Hancock, University of Nebraska; and Michael Wilcox, University of Tennessee, at http://srdc.msstate.edu/ecommerce/curricula/egovernment/index.html.

Register now for 2012 Program Leadership Network conference

Online registration and conference information is now available for this summer's Joint Meeting of the Southern Region Program Leadership Network, Association of Extension Administrators and Association of Southern Region Extension Directors, set for August 20-24 in Orlando, Fla. This year's theme is #cesvalue: Advancing Cooperative Extension's Mission. Learn to use Twitter, Facebook, Four Square, YouTube, Linkedin, Pinterest, G+ and other tools for supporting the work and mission of Cooperative Extension professionals. Discover what tool to use for what job and learn how these new vehicles can help meet clientele needs, support an organization's mission and tell the Cooperative Extension story. Register by July 15 to receive the early bird discount at http://srpln.msstate.edu/conferences/12pln/info.html.

Launch Issue

2011 SRDC Annual Report released

The 2011 SRDC Annual Report, “Regional Innovations, National Applications,” captures the variety of Extension and Research activities spearheaded by the Center over the past year in partnership with its land-grant university colleagues and key external collaborators. The report devotes special attention to the Stronger Economies Together (SET) program supported by USDA Rural Development, the RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies @ the SRDC sponsored by the USDA Economic Research Service, the Center's National e-Commerce Extension Initiative funded from a grant from NIFA/USDA, and the Turning the Tide on Poverty initiative supported by the Farm Foundation, the Kettering Foundation, and Everyday Democracy. Please explore the highlights at http://srdc.msstate.edu/publications/annual/.

RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies @ the SRDC now accepting 2012 research grant proposals

The RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies @ the SRDC, in partnership with USDA Economic Research Service, has released its 2012 request for proposals for both the Doctoral Dissertation Research Grant Program and the Food Assistance and Nutrition Challenges in Rural America Grant Program. All proposals for innovative social sciences-bases research that explores the food and nutrition assistance challenges of rural people and places are due in May. Get more information on these opportunities at http://srdc.msstate.edu/ridge/grants/.

Launch Issue

SRDC Data Center updated with Southeastern region state and county profiles

Profiles from every county in the 13 southern states are now updated with the latest demographic, education, social and economic data. State level data—overall and by metro and noncore areas of the state—are provided as well. The data in most profiles are presented over 2-3 points in time—1990, 2000, and 2010. Visit the Community Data Center at http://srdc.msstate.edu/data/center/.

NIF releases economic security report

The National Issues Forums has released a new report, "Public Thinking about Economic Security: How Should We Take Charge of Our Future," that analyzes the results of a series of citizen discussions about economic security that took place from Sept. 2010 to April 2011 in 33 states, including nine from the Southern region. Find out what these citizens thought about self-disciplined spending, supporting local businesses and our national debt. Download the full report at http://srdc.msstate.edu/news/files/econsecurityreport.pdf.

Launch Issue