News and Notes: December 3, 2021

The Office for Research and Graduate Education will once again be offering an opportunity for CFAES faculty to visit federal funding agencies next spring. The D.C. Days program encourages researchers to become more competitive by providing an opportunity to visit with federal program officers. This allows researchers to determine if a basic research concept matches the sponsor’s mission, seek advice concerning project design and appropriate funding track, and better understand the peer review process. About 10 individuals will be chosen through a competitive application process to meet with program agencies in Washington, DC on May 8-11, 2022.

For past trip recaps, pictures, and comments, visit research.cfaes.ohio-state.edu/resources/dc-days. Application details are in the attached document. Contact Pam Schlegel (schlegel.33@osu.edu) if you have questions.

OSU Extension has been awarded a $69,417 grant from the USDA as part of a multi-million dollar program to partner with organizations to provide outreach and technical assistance to underserved farmers and ranchers. The partnerships will support participation in Farm Service Agency (FSA) programs, including those that are part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. The grant period is September 24, 2021 through August 31, 2022. Learn more online.

The USDA Specialty Crop Research Initiative (SCRI) was established to solve critical industry issues through research and Extension activities. The SCRI will give priority to projects that are multistate, multi-institutional, or trans-disciplinary and include explicit mechanisms to communicate results to producers and the public. The pre-application deadline is Jan. 21, 2022. To learn more, visit nifa.usda.gov/funding-opportunity/specialty-crop-research-initiative-scri. Projects must address at least one of five focus areas:

• Research in plant breeding, genetics, and genomics to improve crop characteristics.
• Efforts to identify and address threats from pests and diseases, including threats to specialty crop pollinators.
• Efforts to improve production efficiency, productivity, and profitability over the long-term.
• New innovations and technology, including improved mechanization and technologies that delay or inhibit ripening.
• Methods to prevent, detect, monitor, control, and respond to potential food safety hazards in the production and processing of specialty crops including fresh produce.

Cybersecurity 4 You (C4U) points will reset to zero as we kick off 2022. Redeem your current points before they expire; choose from exclusive Ohio State merchandise, security tools, and charitable contributions. On Jan. 1, 2022, your completed activities and achievements will remain in your profile. You will have a clean slate to begin accumulating points toward new rewards. Log into cybersecurity4you.osu.edu today to use your current points or start earning new points.

Many of our Ohio 4-H professionals were recognized at the NAE4-HYDP (National Association of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals) annual conference in Memphis last month. Those who received an Achievement in Service award were Adrienne Anderson (Licking County), Justin Bower (Logan County), Ashley Hughey (Portage County), Sara Lewis (Fulton County, received recognition via previous work in Michigan), and Margo Long (Marion County). Receiving Distinguished Service awards were: Jenna Hoyt (Ashtabula County), Crystal Ott (state 4-H office), Melinda Ryan (Champaign County), and Tracy Winters (Gallia County). Patty House (Clark County) received a Meritorious Service award.

Those who received the Greg Yost Memorial Youth in Leadership award (named for a former Ohio 4-H educator) were Hannah Epley (state 4-H office), Frances Foos (Madison County), Sarah Longo (state 4-H office), Kayla Oberstadt (state 4-H office), and Cecilia Mainzer (Ohio 4-H alumnus). Jo Williams (Scioto County) received a national communicator award for the news story category. Those recognized for 25 years of service were Graham Cochran (CFAES dean’s office), Teresa Johnson (Defiance County), Scott Scheer (state 4-H office), and Joy Sharp (Pickaway County).

There were several professional development session presenters: Christy Millhouse, Sue Hogan, Andy Hudak, Tracy Winters, Theresa Ferrari, and Mark Light. Poster presenters were: Jo Williams, Margo Long, Kate Wells, and Kiersten Heckel. Last but not least, two Ohio 4-H professionals serve on the NAE4-HYDP board: Theresa Ferrari (Journal of Extension liaison) and Sally McClaskey, chair of conferences.

The recipients of the 2022 CFAES alumni awards have been announced; and they will be recognized in-depth in several CFAES publications in December. The ceremony to celebrate these award winners will take place in person on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Fawcett Center. A livestream component will be offered for those unable to attend in person, as well as the larger CFAES community. Stay tuned for more information about those who won the following awards: young professional achievement, international alumni, distinguished alumni, and meritorious service. Nominations are now open for the 2023 CFAES alumni awards, and nominations are due June 30, 2022. You can submit nominations via on online survey. Once an alum is nominated, they stay in the pool for up to three years; and you can update their nomination each year if they are not selected or re-nominate them if their nomination expires.

Farm Office Live provides the latest outlook and updates on ag law, farm management, ag economics, farm business analysis, and other issues dealt with in your farm office. Our specialists digest the latest news and information and present it in an easy-to-understand format targeted to farmers and agri-business stakeholders. The next few sessions will be held on Dec. 15 (7-8:30pm), Dec. 17 (10-11:30am), Jan. 19 (7-8:30pm), and Jan. 21 (10-11:30am); and sessions are scheduled through mid-2022. You can register online. Register once and you will receive reminders for future sessions.

The CFAES Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is holding training webinars. All webinars are facilitated by Dr. Leo Taylor, program manager, unless otherwise specified. They are scheduled throughout the year as free open trainings (anyone at Ohio State can attend; sometimes they are open to the public). Upcoming webinars include:

• Identity, Power, and Privilege – Dec. 16 (1-3pm)
• Reach Out: An Education and Advocacy Session for Suicide Prevention – Columbus: Jan. 4 (1-2:15pm); Wooster: Jan. 5 (1-2:15pm)
• Inclusive and Equitable Hiring Practices – Jan. 13 (2-3pm)
• What’s All the Hype? An Introduction to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion – Jan. 21 (12-1pm)

If you require an accommodation such as live captioning or interpretation to participate in any event, contact Laura Akgerman, CFAES disability services coordinator (akgerman.4@osu.edu, 614-292-0622). Requests made 10 business days prior to the event will generally allow us to provide seamless access, but the university will make every effort to meet every request. For more information, visit the CFAES DEI website.