SAES-422 Multistate Research Activity Accomplishments Report
Sections
Status: Approved
Basic Information
- Project No. and Title: SERA47 : Local and Regional Food Systems Extension and Research: network development, emerging issues and policy development
- Period Covered: 12/19/2022 to 02/06/2024
- Date of Report: 02/12/2024
- Annual Meeting Dates: 12/11/2023 to 12/11/2023
Participants
See attached for participants at the December 2023 annual SERA-47 virtual meeting.
See attached meeting notes.
Accomplishments
--Active Listserv – 208 members
--General Membership Virtual Meetings – three (3) to discuss research and Extension interests and proposal development opportunities.
--Activities:
Activity 1. HBCU Agriculture Business Innovation Center Webinar
An overview of the HBCU Agriculture Business Innovation Center at North Carolina A&T State University was presented by Kenrett Jefferson-Moore. The presentation provided the overall goal, objectives and expected outcomes of the center. Project partners include Alabama A&M University, Kentucky State University, and West Virginia State University with stakeholder, technical, and executive advisory board that covers four regional territories serving Historically Black Colleges and Universities. The webinar was held on September 7, 2023.
Activity 2. SERA-47 Annual Meeting Overview
SERA-47 Local & Regional Foods annual meeting allowed Extension and research colleagues in the Southern region to come and share the great work they are doing and explore how it might be expanded throughout the region. The 2023 annual meeting for ‘Local and Regional Food Systems’ took place virtually via Zoom and was hosted by the Southern Rural Development Center at Mississippi State University.
The objectives of the 2023 Annual Meeting were to:
● Learn what is happening across the nation and region through lightning talks.
● Learn how colleagues can better collaborate across disciplinary and state lines through the USDA’s Regional Food Business Centers.
Activity 3. In-Person Meeting in Collaboration with the Southern Rural Sociological Association (SRSA) and Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists (SAAS)
SERA-47 Local & Regional Foods met in person during the SRSA and SAAS meetings in Atlanta, Georgia on February 5, 2024. This meeting was to foster discussion among extension and research colleagues in the Southern region to come and share the great work they are doing and explore how it might be expanded throughout the region. The discussion was led by Russ Garner and Kenrett Jefferson-Moore served as reporter. The agenda included the following items:
● What is SERA-47?
● SERA-47 Overview.
● Current Priorities.
● 2024 Leadership.
● SERA-47 2023 Activities.
● Building Collaboration between SERA-47, SRSA, SAAS, and SRDC.
● Discussion among Attendees on Current Interests in Local and Regional Food Systems.
Impacts
- Through the above activities, over 200 people were informed of the recent activities of SERA- 47 group through the listserv, webinar, virtual meeting, and face-to-face meeting.
- Stakeholders are more aware of resources and activities that are ongoing in the southern region in the local food systems arena. One of the in-person meetings mentioned that they appreciated the strengthening of collaborations between 1890 and 1862 Land-Grant institutions.
Publications
N/A.