GFRAS annual meeting coming to Denver
Anthony Lane
Senior Writer, CSU System
anthony.lane@colostate.edu
719-510-3875
Denver, Colo. — An international organization focused on empowering farmers, supporting rural communities, and boosting food production will meet in Denver, Colorado, Oct. 17-19, at a conference hosted by the North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN), an initiative of the Colorado State University System (CSU System).
More than 150 experts and practitioners in agricultural education, extension, and rural advisory services are expected to attend the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) annual meeting, the 14th such gathering and the first to take place in the United States. The meeting will focus on “Building the Next Generation of Leaders in Agriculture.”
The NAAAN, established in 2022 to strengthen collaboration across Mexico, Canada, and the United States, provides membership in GFRAS, and with it entrée to global conversations about best practices in rural advisory services.
“This is bigger than any one nation,” said Tony Frank, chancellor of the CSU System and chair of the NAAAN Steering Committee. “It has to be, because this goal of providing food security to North America and to the world demands that we find new ways of collaborating and sharing information across countries and between communities.”
The senior agriculture officials of Mexico, Canada, and the United States all serve as ex officio members the NAAAN Steering Committee.
At this year’s conference, attendees will explore how they are engaging young people in agriculture globally, with a focus on: (1) children in elementary and middle school, including through organizations such as International 4-H and FFA; (2) high school and post-secondary students; and (3) young professionals and providing opportunities for the next generation of leaders in agriculture. They will do this all while also reflecting on and considering their own life experiences and backgrounds and how to better serve the underrepresented and underserved in agriculture.
In addition to hearing from dynamic speakers and attending panel sessions and workshops, meeting attendees will visit local area farms and ranches on the second day of the meeting. The day will culminate in a tour of the CSU Spur campus and a Cultural Night at the National Western Stock Yards Event Center.
The last day of the meeting will feature a keynote address by Dr. Manjit Misra, Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, on the importance of building the next generation of leaders in agriculture.
Registration closes on September 16th, and interested parties are encouraged to sign up.
The NAAAN thanks all its sponsors for making this event possible, including the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS), the Government of Canada, and the Mighty Arrow Family Foundation
This material is based, in part, upon work that is supported by the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture, under award number 2023-67023-40822.
About the NAAAN
The North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) is a North American platform among advisory services organizations, including government extension services, promoting and supporting innovation, knowledge utilization, and information sharing across rural and urban landscapes in Canada, Mexico, and the United States. NAAAN shares North American best practices and facilitates learning from global best practices. Learn more at naaan.csusystem.edu.
About GFRAS
The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services is an international non-profit association, based in Switzerland, that works to enhance visibility, strengthen capacity, enhance exchange, and promote rural advisory networks and services around the world. GFRAS consists of 17 sub-networks across six continents. The North American Agricultural Advisory Network (NAAAN) is the 17th network to join GFRAS Learn more at g-fras.org/en/.
About CSU Spur
CSU Spur is a new, free educational year-round public life-long learning destination in Denver focused on engaging PreK-12 students, families, and visitors around food, water, and health. CSU Spur showcases the work of the CSU System campuses: CSU, CSU Pueblo, and CSU Global, and offers degree programs that originate from the campus offerings. Spur is built upon the land-grant mission of access to education and the belief that students can be anything they want to be. To inspire learners of all ages to engage in important world issues, CSU Spur brings together scientists to collaborate, puts science on-display, and showcases career paths. The CSU Spur campus provides immersive learning experiences and cutting-edge research across three buildings: Vida, Terra, and Hydro. Learn more at CSUSpur.org.