A recent report by the World Economic Forum concluded that the global food system no longer meets the health needs of the planet and offers rationale for the claim. "The world’s food needs are changing. After the Second World War, the global food system was focused on providing cheap, high-calorie food to feed a growing population. But, today, conditions related to excess body weight kill more people in the Western world than hunger." They estimate that the cost of poor nutrition is more...

Are you passionate about making a difference? Dive into the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) with our engaging speaker series this fall! Learn how to contribute to ensuring sustainable consumption, promoting health and well-being, securing water access, and providing sustainable energy for all. Upcoming Sessions: Sept 18: SDG #12 - Sustainable Consumption & Production Oct 2: SDG #3 - Health & Well-being Oct 16: SDG #6 - Water & Sanitation Oct 30: SDG #7 -...

Applications are now being received to host the 2026 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference (NHOC). Originally known as the Priester Conference, the National Heath Outreach and Engagement Conference is a three-day annual gathering of Extension faculty and staff, cross-campus collaborators, and external partners focused on the role that they can collectively play in improving the health and well-being of the nation. The conference has historically been held in May of each year and...

The 2025 National Health Outreach and Engagement Conference will be be held April 29 - May 1, 2025 in Omaha, NE. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Heat-related deaths and illnesses are preventable. Despite this fact, approximately 1,220 people in the United States are killed by extreme heat every year. Please share these websites with helpful tips, information, and resources to help you and your community stay safe in the extreme heat this summer. CDC Heat Risk Web Site - https://www.cdc.gov/extreme-heat/about/index.html Weekly Heat Risk Monito r - https://ephtracking.cdc.gov/Applications/HeatRisk/ Información acerca el calor extremo -...

The U.S. Surgeon General has declared firearm violence to be a public health crisis through an advisory issued yesterday. A Surgeon General’s Advisory is a public statement that calls the American people’s attention to an urgent public health issue. Advisories are reserved for significant public health challenges that require the nation’s immediate awareness and action. According to the report "this Advisory describes the public health crisis of firearm violence in America and describes...

The Extension Collaboration on Immunization Teaching and Engagement (EXCITE) Program has received additional funding to enhance immunization education within Cooperative Extension communities. EFNEP programs have been awarded funds to educate underserved and rural audiences about the CDC’s Bridge program and other adult immunization opportunities, aiming to close gaps across all adult immunizations. This new phase will further integrate immunization education into Extension programming. By...

From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation No matter where we live in the world, we all want a future where health is no longer a privilege, but a right. We all want to live in a community where our loved ones have access to healthy foods, inviting green spaces, and safe affordable housing. A community where we engage, support, and maintain the health of our caregivers and grandparents. Many of the inequities that prevent communities in the United States from fulfilling these dreams are also...

Thanks to the Extension Foundation, the results of Cooperative Extension’s Health and Well-Being Infrastructure Survey have now been published in an easy-to-read, visually-appealing infographic . The survey was conducted in the fall of 2023 to document changes that have occurred in the Cooperative Extension’s capacity to support health-related programming over the last five years. More specifically, the survey tracked increases in internal and external funding for health-related work,...

The North Central Region Aging Network is requesting ALL Extension educators, specialists, and administrators complete a short survey. Twenty participants will win a $50 gift card!

A recently released report in CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) shows the gap in preventable premature mortality (or early death) between rural and urban America is growing wider. People living in rural areas are at a higher risk of dying early from one of the five leading causes of death when the death could have been prevented compared to people living in urban areas. This report is an extension of the 2019 CDC study, which showed the percentage of preventable early deaths...

H5N1 bird flu is widespread in wild birds worldwide and is causing outbreaks in U.S. poultry and dairy cows with one recent human case in a U.S. dairy worker. The latest information, data and guidance on the current situation are available from the links below: Current Situation Summary | Current H5N1 Bird Flu Situation in Dairy Cows Avian influenza or bird flu refers to the disease caused by infection with avian (bird) influenza (flu) Type A viruses. These viruses naturally spread among...