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There are 5 awards that the Recognition and Awards Committee is responsible for. The Distinguished Service Award for employees with more than 10 years of service (DSA); The Achievement Award for employees with less than 10 years of service (AA); The Service to Agriculture Award for someone who has made significant contributions to agriculture in NC or the region; and The Young Agent Scholarship Award. These awards have a July 15 application deadline. Official forms have been revised and should be obtained from District Committee Chairs.

The fifth award is a national award offered by NACAA called The Purcell Pinnacle Award. The deadline for this award is July 15th, which is different from the date in the County Agent Magazine. Award information can be found in the Awards & Recognition issue of The County Agent Magazine.

Recognition and Awards Policy

The procedure for selecting Distinguished Service Award (DSA), Achievement Award (AA), Young Agent Scholarship Award (YASA), and Service to Agriculture recipients are as follows:

1. Distinguished Service Award (DSA)

   1. Each Extension District, through its Recognition and Awards Committee, sets a procedure which will permit input from members in nominating one agent from their district. Applicants should submit nomination forms to their District Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee by July 15 of each year. These nominees are then submitted to the State Extension Director for approval.

      1. Nominee must have served a total of at least ten years with outstanding service as a member of the Cooperative Extension Service and be a member of the Cooperative Extension Service and be a member of the NCACAA when selected.

   2. The official NACAA Form must be completed on the nominee when submitted to the State Chair along with supporting materials and information as appropriate. Supporting material will not exceed five additional 8 ½ x 11 inch pages. Selection is based on Extension programs, professional improvement, county achievement, and work with the district and state association.

   3. The State Recognition and Awards Committee then selects from all nominees, on a state-wide basis, the number of DSA's allowed (two percent of membership), and rank the remaining nominees as first alternate, second alternate, etc. and submitted to the Regional Chair of the NACCA Recognition and Awards Committee.

2. Achievement Award (AA)

   The North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents voted several years ago to select an agent from each Extension district and present them a plaque in recognition of their Extension program.

   1. Each Extension district, through its Recognition and Awards Committee sets a procedure which will permit input from members in nominating one agent from their district.

      The nominee should submit their application to the District Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee by July 15 of each year.

   2. The agent must have worked in Extension less than 10 years as of July 15 of the year the award is presented. An agent can receive the award only one time at either the District or State level. The purpose of this award has been to recognize young agents that did an exceptionally good job.

   3. A recipient must be employed by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at the time of the presentation. If a recipient has resigned before the Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents in the year in which he is to receive the award, he will be ineligible to receive the award.

   4. Three State Achievement Award Agents will be selected from the current year nominees of Achievement Awards winners from the districts. The Stare AA Agents will represent North Carolina at the National meeting.

   5. Each district nominee should complete the official form #9(97) for the current year, Nomination Sheet for NCACAA Achievement Award to be used by the Recognition and Awards Committee in making their selection of State winners. Do not break down and enlarge the form. Supporting materials will not exceed two additional 8 ½ x 11 inch pages.

   6. Achievement Award winners will be listed in the Annual Report.

3. Young Agents Scholarship Award (YASA)

   The North Carolina County Agricultural Agents Association endowment goal of $10,000 is established by the retired county agricultural agents in the North Carolina Agricultural Foundation to motivate and encourage young agricultural Extension agents to develop their professional talent and skills, purse excellence in their work, and broaden their educational experiences for successful careers with the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service. The amount of the scholarship is expected to be from $350 to $500 annually.

   At the 1991 State meeting, the membership voted to include the "Young Agent Scholarship" available from the North Carolina Agricultural Agents Association endowment, under the selection process of the Recognition and Awards Committee.

   1. Purpose - The North Carolina County Agricultural Agents Association Endowment is established to provide a scholarship for a young county Extension Agent(s) to attend the annual National Association of County Agricultural Agents meeting and for other purposes approved by the Board of Directors that contribute to the professional development of young Extension Agents.

   2. Each Extension district, through its Recognition and Awards Committee, sets a procedure which will permit input from members in nominating agents from their district. The district will submit this nominee to the State Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee by July 15 of each year. The state Recognition and Awards Committee will select the first place winner and a runner up in case the winner is not able to accept the award. All nominees must be approved by the State Extension Director.

   3. Criteria for selection of recipients to receive award - to be considered for awards, agents shall not be over 30 years of age, with 5 years of service or less by October 1st of the year nominated, and shall be active in the affairs of the professional Extension associations. An agent can receive this award only one time, and will be ineligible for this award if selected for the District Achievement Award in the same year.

   4. Selection of agent(s) shall be based on their application of interpersonal skills, growth potential, motivation, performance of duties, and progress made in carrying out a successful Extension program in their area of work and their involvement in their professional organization.

   5. A recipient must be employed by the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service at the time of the presentation. If a recipient has resigned before the Annual Meeting of the North Carolina Association of County Agricultural Agents in the year in which he is to receive the award, he will be ineligible to receive the award.

   6. Each district nominee should complete the official form NC#201 for the current year, Nomination Sheet for NCACAA Young Agent Scholarship Award, to be used by the Recognition and Awards Committee in making their selection of state winners. Do not break down and enlarge the form. Supporting materials will not exceed two additional 8 1/2 x 11 inch pages. This form is available from the State Chair as a WordPerfect document.

   7. Young Agent Scholarship Award winners will be listed in the Annual Report of the Association

4. Service-To-Agriculture

   The North Carolina Association of County Agriculture Agents voted in 1969 to select a person outside of governmental agencies, that has made a significant contribution and strongly supports the North Carolina Agricultural Extension program. This person is to receive a plaque from the Association at the annual meeting. All districts are requested to make nominations to the State Recognition and Awards Committee. Nominating materials not exceed 5 pages 8 ½ x 11. Use the official form NC #101. The district will submit the nominee to the State Chair of the Recognition and Awards Committee by July 15 of each year. Form #101 is available from the State Chair as a WordPerfect document.

Submitted by: Eric Spaulding 10/1/2001.