To assist small-scale farmers, Cooperative Extension at Virginia State University (VCE-VSU) designed a mobile processing unit (MPU) and developed an MPU Certification Program, which is funded by NIFA at USDA. The certification program consists of four online modules and a hands-on module at VCE-VSU’s Randolph Farm.

The last thing Erica Shambley, the Assistant Director of Marketing and Communications for Virginia State University (VSU)’s College of Agriculture, wanted was a band-aid, check-the-box effort for diversity. An emerging partnership between VSU and Virginia Tech tapped Shambley, a self-identifying Black woman, to join at a time when people across the country protested George Floyd’s death and some residents of Richmond, Virginia, demanded the removal of local Confederate statues. Once she got involved, Shambley “found out not only was this extremely important and valuable, but I never thought we could have such open dialogue about diversity and coming together in the workplace the way that we do.”

The mission of the Urban Ag Center is to address existing food deserts in the City of Petersburg by building a sustainable food production system and distribution hub that includes educating the community about indoor food production operations, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Creating urban land-use policies would expand VSU’s Extension’s ability to impact the community in terms of providing greater access to food in Petersburg.

At Virginia Cooperative Extension, we take concrete actions that advance the wellbeing of Virginia’s families, youth, community, health, economy and food systems. Virginia State University’s Urban Forestry Extension Associate, Joel Koci, supports all of these areas to shape a brighter future for Virginia through his work to improve the health of our state’s urban and suburban trees.

In a May 2020 interview with Future Farmers of America, Bronaugh said, “Taking the position in 4-H and youth development in VSU’s College of Agriculture changed the trajectory of my career; I was planning on building a career as a college professor.” Some of her outreach work in the community included program to address bullying in youth.

Today, Cooperative Extension resources are offered in every state in the United States to advance the wellbeing of everyone. Empowering its communities, stewarding its resources and shaping a healthy future is at the heart of the nation’s Cooperative Extension program, launched in 1914 by the United States Department of Agriculture in partnership with land-grant universities. However, in the program’s early days, many Cooperative Extension programs and opportunities were offered to whites only.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture have provided funding to the Cooperative Extension system to address health disparities in underserved communities. Called the Extension Collaborative on Immunization Teaching & Engagement (EXCITE), the initiative offers two options for land-grant universities.

Virginia State University’s Extension Program has numerous communal garden projects across the state. Dr. Leonard Githinji, who leads the Sustainable and Urban Agriculture program at VSU and was recently appointed as a state program leader for agriculture with Virginia Cooperative Extension, says the top goals of community agriculture are to “address food insecurity, encourage healthy eating, and provide exercise opportunities.”

Community and connection. These two elements, so essential to our well-being, were challenged in ways we’ve never seen during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Not to be deterred from their mission, Virginia Cooperative Extension’s 4H embraced a new national program called 4H Tech Changemakers that connects teenagers and adults within their communities.

The Virginia Cooperative Extension’s (VCE) emergency preparedness webpages are designed to help Virginia residents prepare for all types of disasters. The pages, part of the ext.vsu.edu website, were created in 2018, as hurricane Michael took aim at Virginia and was expected to make a direct hit.

At VSU, the Dietetic Internship Program integrates teaching, research and Cooperative Extension to give students a well-rounded understanding of the food production process, as well as nutrition education and how to address food insecurity in low-income communities.

Chris Mullins educates local farmers about hydroponics and aquaponics, and he’s fishing for new ways to help them decide what systems will be cost effective for their operations and what crop and fish combinations grow best together.

Dr. Reza Rafie, horticulture Cooperative Extension specialist at Virginia State University (VSU), first realized in 2012 the potential technology held for delivering Extension programming when he and a videographer created a 12-minute video on growing ginger. It’s been viewed more than 86,000 times since.

VSU’s Small Ruminant Mobile Processing Unit has been in the making for five years, but is scheduled to finally be unveiled and fully operational this spring. It couldn’t come soon enough for O’Brien and many small ruminant producers.

There is something growing year round at the Harding Street Urban Ag Center in Petersburg, Virginia. But it’s what you can’t see growing that makes the center a success and a unique model for sustainable urban agriculture.

With almost one in three low income families in Petersburg receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, Virginia State University’s Family and Consumer Sciences Program in partnership with Petersburg Healthy Options Partnerships, Petersburg Healthy Community Action Team, River Street Market and the Harding Street Urban Agriculture Center have teamed up to establish a new market concept called POP! (Petersburg Offers Produce) Market.

One way of ensuring that youth grow to become curious, confident and capable leaders is by exposing them early to key life skills, educational opportunities and career exploration through 4-H programs like i-Congress.

Dr. Chantel Wilson lives where science and nature intersect, and she loves introducing youth to her world. Wilson is an Extension specialist and 4-H STEAM educator with the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) at Virginia State University (VSU).