ANR Adventures

Last week the strategic planning team for the communications units (Publications and Strategic Communications) met for the first time. As an ice-breaker, Nilofar asked each participant to share what they like most about autumn. Nothing too surprising emerged.

A couple of weeks back, I had a chance to see the Hispanic Heritage Month video that featured DREC director, Jairo Diaz. I meant to find other videos, but I lost track of the thought. Today I had a chance to see those videos featuring Fe Moncloa, Maria de la Fuente, and Aileen Carrasco Trujillo.

I didn't get as much done las week as I had hoped. I had planned to find some time during the conference to sneak away and check some items off my 'to-do list.' I couldn't find a session I could or wanted to miss.

A high point this week is learning that John Bailey was appointed to the USDA Advisory Committee on Beginning Farmers and Ranchers! The appointment was made by Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue.

Throughout the conference, we covered topics ranging from foreign influence and shadow labs to Title IX compliance to predatory journals. It is a bit alarming how all of these topics seem to intersect now.