Colleagues,
First, let me say what an honor it is to be back with the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. It is always an honor to serve others, but I am particularly glad to be back and serving fellow Texans through this agency. I’ve had a long history with Extension and look forward to working with you to help Texans feel the benefit of our organization.
I am eager to get out across the state and meet in person with our teams as well as with our supporters and partners. I was lucky enough to attend the Livestock Appreciation Day Luncheon in Fort Worth last week and was pleased to hear so much praise for our impact on Texas. I know that as I continue across the state, similar praise will be shared for all our areas of expertise.
I am just a few days into this position, and I’m confident in saying that AgriLife Extension has remained steadfast in its service to Texans. It is impossible to discuss service without discussing gratitude. As I reintegrate with this agency and all of you, I am overwhelmed with the amount of gratitude felt toward the hard work of our people as well as the amount of gratitude expressed amongst members of Extension.
The work we do for Texas matters – and supporting one another matters greatly. With that said, I look forward to announcing the Superior Service Award recipients this Friday so we can celebrate those among us who particularly excelled in their service during a challenging 2021.
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Please keep up the good work. I look forward to seeing you all soon.
All the best,
Rick Avery, Ph.D
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Strategic Plan Update: Spring 2022 |
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Reviewing feedback to effectively move forward
Extension Leadership has delved into the feedback received throughout the pilot of Coordinated Program Areas from the steering committees, CPA Coordinators, individual feedback provided and the evaluation distributed in December. Based upon the outcomes of the pilot and the feedback received, an executive summary is being developed that outlines the process, accomplishments, lessons learned and recommendations for the future. More information will be shared soon on how the agency will move forward in coordinating and integrating programs.
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We are looking forward to celebrating the outstanding work and service of our colleagues in a private ceremony in College Station this Friday at 11:30 a.m. at the George Hotel.
Read about our award recipients on AgriLife Today after 2 p.m. on Friday.
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Recognizing Leaders in Service |
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The Vice Chancellor's Award for Extension County Agent was presented to Andy Holloway, AgriLife Extension agriculture and natural resources agent, Hemphill County for this work in growing strong sponsor partnerships in his community. Read more in AgriLife Today. |
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The Vice Chancellor's Award for Extension Specialist or Program Specialist Award was presented to Larry Redmon, Ph.D., professor and associate department head and AgriLife Extension program leader, Department of Soil and Crop Sciences. Read more in AgriLife Today. |
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WE WANT YOU!
... to tell us how your colleagues
are making a difference in their communities!
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Do you know a colleague who goes excels in their role? Do you know an agent or specialist who embodies the AgriLife's Extension's spirit of service?
Or, do you want to share your own story of AgriLife Extension's impact on your community? If so, we want to hear from you!
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2022 Outstanding Alumni &
Early Career Alumni Awards
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Nominations are being accepted for the 2022 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Outstanding Alumni Award and the Early Career Alumni Award!
The College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Outstanding Alumni Award recognizes graduates of the College for outstanding leadership and contributions in agriculture, natural resources, life sciences and related areas. The Outstanding Early Career Alumni Award recognizes graduates who are 15 years or less post-graduation from the College for their outstanding leadership and significant contributions in career, public service and/or volunteer activities.
Know an outstanding former student from the College? Nominate them or yourself now! The deadline for submission is Friday, February 25, 2022.
For more information on the guidelines, criteria, and past award winners, visit
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To learn more about these talented and passionate individuals that have joined our Extension family including some fun facts, click here. We encourage you to reach out to those in your region or those that serve in similar roles and send them a note of encouragement as they strive to adapt and engage key strategies for success in their first two years.
New Year’s Resolutions Resources:
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Recognition: Consider how you can take the time to recognize employees and volunteers for the value they add to our agency.
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Innovation: Be strategic as you consider change you would like to implement.
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2022 New Employee Orientations dates
March 1- 4
May 31- June 3
August 29 - September 1
November 1- 4
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MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS |
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Update regarding the Extension Web Hub
We are using the research uncovered by New City this past year to build an intuitive web platform for Extension that connects people, resources and knowledge in one place. That's right, we're rounding another corner on development of the new web home for the AgriLife Extension Service.
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We’ve recently reviewed designs and site interfaces with leadership that will soon become a functional prototype for review. This is an exciting step forward for this project.
Look forward to regular updates on this project this spring and follow our update page featuring FAQs on the Extension Employee site.
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Update regarding the Event Registration System Migration.
The current AgriLife Register site, also referred to as “Conference Services,” has reached the end of its life and will need to be replaced by March 1, 2022.
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Here is what you need to know:
On March 1, AgriLife will launch the transitionary platform. More communication on the details of the testing period will follow in the coming weeks.
Please note the following details:
- User acceptance testing (UAT) with AgriLife employees for the transitionary platform will be offered in February and we strongly encourage broad participation to ensure this interim solution is thoroughly tested, and functions as needed.
- All events active in the existing system prior to February 23, 2022, will be migrated to the new platform by AgriLife Digital Education support staff.
- Data migration of existing users and events will take place from February 23-27.
- Beginning March 1, AgriLife Register will no longer be active, and customers going to that URL will be re-directed to the new platform.
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Update regarding... updates!
AgriLife IT has recently seen an uptick in the number of machines being sent to College Station for repairs. Many of these situations could have been avoided if AgriLife IT had been able to run the scheduled update.
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We want to remind everyone to please leave your computers plugged in and turned on 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! This allows us to:
- Update operating systems
- Apply software patches
- Reboot computers as needed
If your computer is turned off or unplugged when you leave:
- We cannot keep the computer updated, resulting in inconvenient delays when you turn it back on.
- It can cause incomplete updates or interrupted patches, potentially requiring the computer to be sent in for repair
When leaving for the day, simply log out of your computer- do not turn it off or unplug it. For more info, click AgriLIfe IT best practices.
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AgriLife Learn online courses are here for Texans, and they can also be valuable educational supplements to your in-person programs. Check out the latest offerings, developed by your colleagues!
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Learn cutting-edge breeding methods from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service and College of Agriculture and Life Sciences equine experts. This course offers
- reproductive management techniques
- equine reproductive facility virtual tour
- access to industry experts
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Brush up on your fire training! Recognize the ecological role prescribed fire plays on our diverse Texas landscapes.
- get updates on new regulations
- learn about the Texas Forest Service Smoke Management Plan
- identify proper methods for prescribed fire
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Understand the legal and economic issues of your hunting, grazing and livestock leases. Agriculture law specialist, Tiffany Dowell-Lashmet, breaks down:
- The basics of a written ag lease agreement
- Lease arrangements and payment structures
- The importance of liability coverage and insurance for an ag lease
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