Around The South
August 2012 Vol. 8, No. 08
In This Issue

SRDC Items of Interest

SRDC and MSU partners secure more than $1 million federal job creation grant

The Southern Rural Development Center is one of five Mississippi State University centers collaborating for a $1,065,000 federal Rural Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge grant to spur job creation and economic growth across the state. Find out more.

USDA report features SET initiative as example of regional collaboration

The recently released "Promoting Regional Innovation in Rural Communities" highlights USDA's efforts to promote regional economic development in rural areas of the United States. This report showcases a range of regional work, including Stronger Economies Together (SET), an economic development training and technical assistance program launched in 2010 by USDA Rural Development, the nation's four Regional Rural Development Centers and their land-grant university partners. Read the report.

SRDC marks the 150th anniversary of the USDA and the Morrill Act

Along with its partners across the United States, the Southern Rural Development Center this year celebrates the 150th anniversary of both the Morrill Act, which established the nation's land-grant university system, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which spearheads work on national agricultural research and responsive Extension programming. Read more.

SRDC leads ReadyCommunity training for new pilot sites

Communities in five states will serve as the second round of pilot sites for ReadyCommunity, a national initiative led by the Southern Rural Development Center to assist rural places with disaster planning and response. Participants from Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota and Washington took part in last week's SRDC-led training session in Memphis. In partnership with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the SRDC, its sister Regional Rural Development Centers and the Cooperative Extension System are providing national leadership to this program that provides a step-by-step process to help rural communities prepare a comprehensive Emergency Operation Plan for natural and technological disasters.

Life expectancy for rural women falls below national average

A study by SRDC's Roberto Gallardo and The Daily Yonder finds that the average age at death for rural and exurban women is lower than the national average in four out of five rural counties. The average in the U.S. in 2009 was 81.3 years, but that age was reached in only 540 rural or exurban counties in 2009 out of more than 2,500. Get the details.

New policy brief explores children's poor fruit and vegetable consumption

Researchers from the University of South Carolina's Center for Research in Nutrition and Health Disparities has released a policy brief exploring how food service and snacks in the cafeteria affect children's consumption of fruits and vegetables. The research was made possible through a grant from the SRDC's RIDGE Center for Targeted Studies. Check it out.

2012 Program Leadership Network conference approaches

We hope everyone is ready 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 next week 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. Get full conference information.

Other Items of Interest

USDA announces federal resource guide aimed at rural communities

The USDA has announced the publication of Federal Resources for Sustainable Rural Communities, a guide outlining federal funding that is available to help rural communities promote economic development and enhance the quality of life for rural residents. The publication is a collaborative effort among USDA, the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency. It highlights federal resources rural communities can use to promote economic competitiveness, protect healthy environments, modernize infrastructure, and provide services to residents. It also has key information on funding and technical assistance opportunities available from the four agencies, as well as examples of how rural communities across the country have benefited from federal resources. A copy of the resource guide is available on the Partnership for Sustainable Communities' website at www.sustainablecommunities.gov.

AAHHE accepting submissions for food and agriculture sciences thesis competition

The American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education (AAHHE), in partnership with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, proudly announces the 2013 Outstanding Thesis in Food and Agriculture Sciences Competition. Get the details.

USDA unveils the 2.0 version of Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass

The updated Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass, a digital resource which highlights USDA investments in local food systems, local food success stories, and an interactive map, is now available. The 2.0 version of the map is searchable by keyword or zip code, is easier to use, and has thousands of new data points (including USDA-funded local food projects in all 50 states, farmers markets, food hubs, wholesale markets, meat processing facilities, and other critical infrastructure). In addition, the USDA has also updated its Food Environmental Analysis visualization, which provides a range of data including store and restaurant availability, food prices, food and nutrition assistance programs, local foods, health, and community characteristics. Visit the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food Compass.

Beginning teachers are more common in rural, high-poverty and racially diverse schools

A new report from the University of New Hampshire's Carsey Institute finds that beginning teachers are more common in rural, high-poverty, and racially diverse schools. In addition to suggesting a higher rate of teacher turnover, a high percentage of beginning teachers might also suggest issues of teacher quality within a district. This paper contributes to an established body of evidence that educational opportunities are not equal across poverty and place. Check out the report.

Conferences and Trainings

2012 Joint Meeting Program Leadership Network, AEA and ASRED

#cesvalue: Advancing Cooperative Extension's Mission
August 20-24, 2012
Orlando, Florida
http://srpln.msstate.edu/conferences/12pln/info.html

Virginia Rural Summit

Sept. 11-12, 2012
Roanoke, Virginia
http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e64lqvkh53b5f42fllr=fd4mwekab

National Small Farm Conference

Sept. 18-20, 2012
Memphis, Tennessee
http://www.nifa.usda.gov/nea/ag_systems/in_focus/smallfarms_if_conferences.html

Future of Workforce Development

Sept. 19-20, 2012
Kansas City, Missouri
http://kcfed.org/community/conferences/workforce/index.cfm

National eXtension Conference

Oct. 1-4, 2012
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
http://about.extension.org/2012/03/03/national-extension-conference-set-for-october-1-4-2012/

Southern Rural Sociological Association Annual Meeting

Social Stabilization in the Twenty-First Century: The Role of Rural Communities
Feb. 2-5, 2013
Orlando, Florida
http://www.ag.auburn.edu/auxiliary/srsa/SRSA.htm
Download Call for Papers (Abstract due Oct. 31)
Download Award Nomination Information

Job Opportunities

Associate or Full Professor of Demography, University of Texas at San Antonio

Download information

Head, North Mississippi Research and Extension Center, Mississippi State University

View announcement for posting number 6674
https://www.jobs.msstate.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1318281270934

Post-Doctoral Fellow, National Agricultural and Rural Development Policy Center, Pennsylvania State University

View announcement for posting number 37107
http://psu.jobs/Search/Opportunities.html

State Specialist for Community Health, Kentucky State University

http://apps.kysu.edu/transitionalFiles/job_openings.cfm?jobid=794detail=yes

Web/Graphic Design Extension Associate, Southern Rural Development Center, Mississippi State University

View announcement for posting number 6760
https://www.jobs.msstate.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1344893537448

Submit Announcements

Job announcements and other items of interest may be sent to Meaghan Gordon for possible inclusion in future issues.


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