Congratulations
At the recent Agricultural and Applied Economic Association meeting held in Pittsburgh, our Market Journal Nebraska team was recognized with the Outstanding Electronic Media Education Award. Congratulations to this team of Cheryl Griffith, Kurtis Harms, Doug Jose, Jim Randall, and Jim Smith who have made this an effective, successful program!
Faculty and Staff Appreciation Receptions
UNL Extension Administration will be holding two faculty and staff appreciation receptions during your State Fair. Both will be held in the Hospitality Suite in the Livestock Expo Building. The first is Saturday, Aug. 27, from 10-11:30 a.m. The second is Saturday, Sept. 3, from 10-11:30 a.m. Light refreshments will be served at both. We hope you can join us during one or both of these receptions in recognition of your work, dedication, and successes!
Recent 2025 Planning and Discussions
This seems to be an unusually busy time, and the heat is taking a toll on about everything. The good news is that by next January or February, we will be wishing for some of this heat.
Recently, Dr. Green held a “listening” session regarding the “proposed NU Institute for the Rural Future (IRF).” Several Nebraska state senators and other community leaders participated in the conversation. Even with an interesting diversity of ideas and perspectives regarding the IRF, there were eight recurring themes: 1) Internal and external partners must be engaged in our strategic planning - - there must be a big umbrella; 2) The Legislature can play an important role in the shaping and execution of the IRF; 3) Land transition issues must be addressed to prevent wealth from leaving the state; 4) In order for a community (region) to survive, its residents must be willing to ensure its vitality; 5) For the proposed Institute to be successful, it must have the support of the NU administration and Board of Regents; 6) The standard evaluation and rewards system for faculty will require some change for this to be successful; 7) Focus groups and listening sessions should be widely dispersed across the rural areas of the state in the development phase; and 8) The focus on the future of the rural landscape, as opposed to holding on to past infrastructure and approaches, is wholly appropriate. Dr. Green will be holding several more IRF listening sessions over the next few months.
The District Directors also held a “Beef Mini Summit” where six ranchers shared their thoughts and successes in developing profit centers within their existing operations as a way to enhance the opportunity for family members return to the ranch. Again, lots of good suggestions came from the collective experiences. Rick Koelsch helped close the discussion by asking several small groups to think about next steps as a way to ensure this does not become just one more “good meeting.”
The IANR Deans’ Council participated in a retreat with the IANR Vice Chancellor’s Council at the West Central Research and Extension Center. The discussion centered on recommendations that originated from 11 work groups that grew out of earlier planning meetings led by Dr Green. The 11 groups are: 1) Evaluation Reformation; 2) Acquiring, Retaining, and Developing Human Talents; 3) Business and Financial Process Re-engineering; 4) Communications, Branding, and External Relations; 5) Entrepreneurship Education and Integration; 6) Transforming Food and Natural Resource Literacy; 7) Multidisciplinary Innovation and Implementation; 8) Strategic Partnership Development; 9) Capturing and Measuring Return on Investment; 10) Renewing Focus on the Future of Rural Nebraska; and 11) Creating and Fostering a Dynamic IANR Community. Lots of ideas and suggestions came forward and many changes - - large and small - - will be implemented over the next year or two.
-- Elbert C. Dickey