Agriculture in the state of iowa has grown beyond traditional production of crops and livestock to encompass the bioeconomy, life sciences, food sciences, value-added products, environmental sciences,…

Agriculture in the state of iowa has grown beyond traditional production of crops and livestock to encompass the bioeconomy, life sciences, food sciences, value-added products, environmental sciences, and social sciences. Iowa's world-class endowment of natural resources, highly skilled and educated people, and a well-developed infrastructure support a diverse and dynamic set of food, feed, fiber, biofuels and bioproducts, and environmental and community endeavors. Iowa's strategic location makes IT ideal for businesses, communities, and families involved in the agriculture and biotech industries to thrive. In 2023, iowa had 3,207,004 residents, ranking 31ST among states in total population size. The hispanic/latino population, which includes people of any race, is the largest minority group in iowa, accounting for 6.9 percent of the state's residents. The black or african american population is the second-largest minority group representing 5.6 percent of residents. The asian population is the third-largest minority group representing 3.3 percent. Iowa's rapidly changing political, social, and economic environment demands a dynamic program development and evaluation process that incorporates the following: diverse work teams; continuous needs and asset assessments to inform program design, impleme ntation, and delivery; expanded program outcome reporting; broadened development of public and private partnerships; varied funding strategies; and an extensive portfolio of virtual and in-person educational experiences and resources. To respond to the needs of U nderrepresented iowans, ISU extension and outreach seeks to broaden access to educational experiences and resources by hiring bilingual staff who are representative of underserved audiences and continues to intentionally broaden representation on advisory councils to meet parity more closely with the state's demographic data. Needs assessment will continue as ISU extension and outreach leadership develops and implements multi-method strategies to identify priority needs working in partnership with statewide constituencies. State level governmental agencies and nongovernmental organizations will be involved. Statewide surveys, focus groups, listening sessions, and advisory councils will be used to obtain input from iowans representing a broad set of interests, perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. County extension councils and other local stakeholder groups will participate in formal activities to confirm, prioritize, or regionalize needs assessments. ISU extension and outreach collects stakeholder input by facilitating statewide listening sessions; forming diverse advisory councils; administering surveys to obtain iowans' preferences for receiving, accessing, and engaging in education; and completion of participant questionnaires. Annually at the county extension level, elected county extension council members assess county needs and develop corresponding action plans. Using formal and informal processes, county extension council members make every effort to involve iowans that are a representative reflection of the local population. Ongoing demographic changes, technological innovations, and globalization present both opportunities and challenges in developing sustainable, socially responsible, and environmentally sound systems for food, feed, fiber, fuel, and other value-added products. To address these challenges, iowa state university research projects and extension educational programs focus on six, long-term critical areas including (1) community and economic development; (2) food production and agricultural systems; (3) health, nutrition, and well-being; (4) human potential and youth development; (5) natural resources and environmental stewardship; and (6) transformative technology.