YOUTH & FAMILIES AGRICULTURE HEALTH ECONOMY ENVIRONMENT ENERGY COMMUNITIES

The Climate of Change and Challenge

Linda Kirk Fox, November 2008

Change is the byword of the season in America

• We have a love/hate relationship with change

• We love the concept– It’s the details we can’t stand

• Change is good in others– Few welcome it for ourselves

• We think of change as a solution– But forget it is a process

What changes are on the horizons for WSU Extension?

1. Role of the Federal Government2. “Browning” and “Greying” and

“Greening” of America3. Distribution of Wealth4. Our children at risk5. ‘Make a job’ not ‘Take a job’ 6. Role of state, county, NGO’s

fiscal realities7. Your role as leaders!

1. Federal Influence – Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 (FCEA)

“Farm Bill”

Farm Bill will cause these changes in 2009

• USDA CSREES (Cooperative States Research, Education and Extension Service) (our home agency) will cease to exist September 30, 2009

• Replaced by the National Institute for Food and Agriculture (NIFA)

• The National Research Initiative Competitive Grants program (NRI) to be replaced by the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI)

Farm Bill continued….

• AFRI requires 1/3 of all grants to be integrated (think extension!)

• Turnaround time for AFRI announced grants and due dates will be SHORT!

• New mandatory funding $140Mil annually:– Specialty crops– Organic ag

• Encourage stakeholder input– e.g. New and beginning farmers and

ranchers

Specialty Crops success story!

Some formula funded programs now competive! IPM, FRTEP

Changes over time in WSU Extension Federal Funding

-16.4%

Smith Lever 3(b), (c), and (d) Funding to WSU(1997 Dollars)

Trend in Extramural Funding Awards – WSU Extension

WSU Extension Awards Contrasted to Remainder of WSU

Other WSU

WSU Extension

WSU Extension & 4-H – Private Fund Raising History

*estimate

FY’03 FY’04 FY’05 FY’06

$2,085,480

$2,697,780

$3,034,862$3,170,787

$4,166,052

$4,694,978

FY’07 FY’08*

2. “Browning” and “Greying” and “Greening” of America

Change in Hispanic Population in the West 1990-2000

• From 1990 to 2000, the overall population of the West increased by 20%

• During the same period, the Hispanic population of the West increased by 52%

• In 1990, 10 million residents of the West were identified as being Hispanic (19% of the pop.)

• In 2000, 15.3 million residents of the West were identified as being Hispanic (24% of the pop.)

(US Census Bureau, 2006)

Annual Birth Rate (Million Live Births) (Dept HHS, 2006)

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

4.519

10

1920

1930

1940

1950

1953

1955

1957

1959

1961

1963

1965

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

68

55 yrs old

51 18

“Green Jobs”

• The potential for job growth in green jobs is significant. 

• According to a study released last month, 750,000 Americans work in what are considered green jobs.  That number is expected to grow 4.2 million by 2038, accounting for 10 percent of new job growth over the next 30 years.

• "The development of green jobs will be one of the biggest changes in our economy since the industrial revolution," Governor Pawlenty, Minnesota.

“Green Jobs” -- Here in WA

• WIRED (Dept. of Labor) $195 million investment in 13 regional economies, encompassing 14 states, including $5Mil to WA Pacific Mountain

• WSU Clean Tech Initiative, Phase I Buildings:– Seven (7) university teaching, research

and public service positions to develop new energy strategies, and

– Assist local governments with aggressive new programs to encourage energy conservation.

• http://www.olympia.wsu.edu/Budgets/2009_CleanTech_Three.aspx

• *WIRED: Workforce Innovation in Regional Economic Development

3. Wealth Disparity Continues to Increase

Percentage of Persons Below Poverty Line

17-22%

14-17%

12-14%

10-11%< 10%

Distribution of Wealth and Income

Top 1%

Top 5%

Top 20%

Bottom 60%

Bottom 40%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

33%

59%

84%

4% 0%

20%

35%

59%

22%

10%

Wealth

Income

(Levy Economics Institute, 2004)

Annual Income Disparity is Related to Educational Attainment

Lifetime Earnings and Educational Attainment

4. America’s Children – Redefine ‘failure to thrive’ to

include lower educational attainment and increased health

risks!

We have a response: Health Promotion

• Nutrition Education: Food $ense program (EFNEP, SNAP)

• Chronic Disease Prevention: Diabetes and Obesity

• Substance abuse prevention: Strengthening Families

Who We Reach

• Over ¾ million people annually

• Roughly one half from culturally diverse groups

• Priority audience is low income, e.g., at 120 percent of poverty or attend schools at or xxxxxxxbelow 50 percent free/reduced xxxxxxxlunch standard• Partner with five tribes to reach

Native American youth and families

Strengths of Health Promotion Programming

• Brings in $6.5 million in funding with another $6.5 million generated in local cost share

• Attracts excellent partners both internally and externally

• Offers opportunities for integrated research and extension programs

• Addresses needs of both youth and adult constituents in rural and urban counties, often in marginalized groups

5. “Make a job” not “Take a job”

Entrepreneuriship Education – Expanding the Pipeline

• Network– Extension– Learning Centers– SBDC– eXtension

• Curricula– Existing– New products to

develop– Youth

6. State, county, NGO’s fiscal realities

Educating the Public for the Health of the Puget Sound

• Individual involvement is critical to the Puget Sound Partnership’s success.

• People are most likely to take action when they fully understand the problems and believe they can make a difference.

Addressing state priorities: Beach Watchers

Researching and implementing new strategies for stormwater management

Another example: Low Impact Development

• Extension developed the technical manual adopted by the state

• Stormwater grant at Puyallup

• Online certificate program for professional engineers thru WSU Extension and Puget Sound Partnership

State budget

• Projections of state revenue shortfall

• Budget cut from current fiscal year, $300,000 one-time monies

• Anticipate budget cut scenarios of 10%

(more or less)

County budgets

• Projections of county revenue shortfall

• Budget cut in upcoming fiscal year…

Take Aways

• Extension must become more diverse and serve a more diverse society

• We must adapt education to serve needs of diverse learners—including online!

• We must prepare for turnover of our faculty and staff.

• Staff development and understanding of the connection to WSU will be important for our continued and collective success

Take aways continued

• We must embrace new priorities– Energy– Workforce development

• Entrepreneurial education• 4-H SET

– Economics of industry and communities

– Health– Sustainability and environmental

priorities

Take aways continued

• Communications– Tools– Resources: Kathy Barnard, Marketing

and News Services, WSU Extension, Pullman and staff (Brian Clark, Denny Fleenor, Dennis Brown)

• Messages

Question for you:

Given….• New opportunities• New ways of doing business• New ways of being organized

• Can we be ‘one’ Extension?

It will depend upon:

• Our collective understanding of– and

• Our commitment to the land-grant ideals:– Advancing knowledge (discovery

and application of quality science)– Assuring relevance – Providing access to all to education– Adjusting to the public and private

funding sectors

How will we manage the next set of budgetary challenges?

• Management of change in the hands of leadership!– That means all of US!!

• Your input is needed!