Issue Identification Deadline fast approching May 15th, 2011

The County Issue Identification Deadline is fast approaching, please enter you information into the website, if you need help let me know, or call Dr. Jeff Ripley for help. All of the guidelines for issue identification and procedures are at:   http://extensionissues.tamu.edu/?page_id=7

End of The Quarter
In reviewing your reports, I would like to remind you that the end of the quarter, is approaching at the end of May, all your monthly reports in Texas, should be completed by the 7th of June . This includes your county commissioners reports, travel, and our new Legislative Making a Difference, email one pagers. The one pagers should be emailed to state representatives, senators, us congressman, and their staff, you will also want to send to your local funding partners , county court members, and selected stakeholders in your county.

District CEA Strike Teams

Hurricane Season Just around the corner, most of you are very involved in providing leadership to your communities and county concerning Hurricane awareness and preparation. Once again we are in the process of establishing our District ANR strike team and FCS/4-H strike team. I will be evaluating the individuals on the team and call several of you in order to submit my list to our state office. If you would like to volunteer for the Hurricane strike teams please give me a call by the end of the week.

During the agency’s 2008 Hurricane Season After-Action Reports the concept of District CEA Strike Teams was borne.  When disaster strikes how can we elevate the human resource needs and improve our ability to support the CEAs in the stricken area.  Local CEAs may be victims themselves and the incident may call for an elevated level of professional responsibilities and commitments to fulfill Extensions role in County and State Emergency Management Plans.

District 11 Hurricane Recovery County Publication Management Plans (CPMP) 

DEAs are responsible for approving and filing the Hurricane Recovery CPMP.   This plan should include the pre-storm and post-storm distribution plan with county and city post-storm recovery/distribution center points-of-contact and addresses/information for each county and city recovery/distribution center in the plan. This contact information is essential in the event that local CEAs and/or their families are impacted by the storm or have been asked by their county judge/EMC to perform other duties after the storm.  With the completed CPMP on file DEAs have the option mobilize one or more of our CEA FCS/4-H Hurricane Recovery Strike Teams to assist local CEAs to  implement the CPMP.   

I am asking for you to review you CPMP and make and send me a copy of the new updated plan, if yo have not changes make reference to the new plan year and submit the plan to the district office for filing. if you need a template for the plan let me know.  I need the plans by next Monday, May 16th, 2011.

2011 Texas 4-H Volunteer Conference

July 29th-31st, 2011

San Antonio, Texas

Registration Now Open on 4-HCONNECT.
DON'T MISS OUT! 

Why a Volunteer Conference?    

The opportunities for our youth, our volunteers, and our 4-H Program continue to grow!  With this growth comes the need to prepare and provide our volunteers with the best resources and training possible.  As our 4-H Program continues to expand and become more vital to the youth of Texas, it is imperative that we effectively engage and empower our volunteer network.     
Our volunteers need access to the highest quality educators and resources so they are best equipped to return to their counties and work in partnership with their local County Extension Agents to further develop our youth.  This has never been more important as we consider how to most effectively lead our youth.

Conference Highlights 

The Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program will be sponsoring a state-wide leader training on July 29-31, 2011 in San Antonio to prepare the new generation of 4-H volunteers to lead and instruct our members.  Highlights of the conference will include:

•  High energy, dynamic, and engaging conference addressing the emerging issues of youth development and the Texas 4-H Program.
• A two and half day conference filled with quality educational workshops and general sessions. (Scheduled to start on Friday evening and conclude on Sunday)
• Opening session featuring engaging communicator and leading teen expert, Grant Baldwin, as well as an updated on the state of the Texas 4-H and Youth Development Program by Dr. Chris Boleman.
• Sessions on Saturday and Sunday focused on needs provided through agent and clientele surveys ensuring our program leaders are receiving the training they want! 
• It’s not a one time thing!  This is on target to become a bi-annual event (off years of Texas 4-H Congress). 
• Conference will include web-based video streaming of some sessions for those that cannot attend in person!  

Recognizing District 11 Agents:

Stephen Biles, Joe Janak, and Peter McGuill recently had their article published in the "International Journal of Agronomy:" 

Great to see our agents being recognized for their demonstration work internationally.



Soybean Yield along the Texas Gulf Coast during Periods of Variable Rainfall as Influenced by Soybean Cultivar and Planting Date, W. J. Grichar, S. Biles, J. D. Janak, and P. McGuill
Volume 2011 (2011), Article ID 314852, 14 pages

You may access this article from the Table of Contents of Volume 2011, which is located at the following link: http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ija/contents/