All Feature Stories

Archive of all feature stories:

Fruit teams responsive to grower needs
5/10/2012

New York is the second largest apple producing state in the country, marketing a nutritious crop worth $233 million in 2010. Apple and other tree fruit growers have been faced with considerable challenges this year after an extended spell of unusually warm weather was followed by late frosts this spring. Conditions have varied widely across the state depending on region, terrain and the timing of overnight cold snaps.

One of the important ways that CCE works with agriculture and horticulture producers across the state is through regional agriculture teams. Groups of Extension Educators and Extension Associates bring a high level of expertise to these multi-disciplinary teams, and they create a tightly connected system that also includes researchers, faculty members and the growing community.

Experts make a case for woodland grazing
4/16/2012

They may seem unlikely additions to a forest ecosystem, but cows, sheep and other livestock could prove to be valuable tools for New York woodland management, according to Cornell experts. Cornell Cooperative Extension agriculture educator Brett Chedzoy and his colleagues in the Cornell Forestry Program are advocating for the return of silvopasturing, or managed grazing in woodlands.

	See a slide show of stars 4/12/2012 Over 220 4-H teens represented 37 counties at the 2012 State Teen Action Representative Retreat (STARR) in Syracuse last month. The three-day event featured a variety of STEM topics from robotics 101 and fiber science to yoga and public speaking.

	CCE Youth Development Program gets new home 3/30/2012 4-H has officially settled into the Bronfrenbrenner Center for Translational Research in the College of Human Ecology. The BCTR, whose mission is to extend research-based knowledge to strengthen community-based programs, is a hub of extension work.

CCE Educators Take Lead in Training
3/14/2012

Three multi-county regions in New York State have been chosen to participate in “Stronger Economies Together,” a collaborative effort between USDA Rural Development, the Northeast Regional Center for Rural Development, and Cornell Cooperative Extension.

The program aims to build strong working relationships among clusters of rural counties by bringing together groups of key players for intensive strategic planning sessions. A nine-month training, developed by campus-based faculty, will result in an economic development plan and a blueprint for sound and sustainable job growth in the regions.

Trainings are led by CCE educators. Team members include Extension professionals, business owners, town officials, planning professionals, farmers, growers, and representatives from non-profit organizations, educational institutions and other local leaders. Though the project is in the early stages, some preliminary ideas have emerged.

CCE nutrition workshops reach diverse groups
2/28/2012
An enthusiastic local leader spreads the good word about Cooperative Extension nutrition education programs in the New York City area. CUCE-NYC has sponsored more than 150 workshops at faith-based organizations, emergency food assistance sites, after-school programs, adult learning centers, community development centers, homeless shelters and senior centers.

	Teaching vineyard to be established 2/13/2012 Cornell Cooperative Extension is partnering with Finger Lakes Community College to establish a teaching and research vineyard at the Anthony Road Winery in Yates County. Students will tend the vines and be connected to expanded viticulture resources through the CCE Finger Lakes Grape Program.

	CCE educators learn about latest research 2/1/2012 CCE parent educators came to campus last month to learn about the most current research-based practices in effective child rearing. Educators and researchers report the benefits of this kind of interaction.

Growing Organic: CCE supports the transition
1/5/2012
Agriculture contributes five billion dollars to New York State’s economy annually and organic production is increasing rapidly. In the past ten years, the number of certified organic farms in New York State has grown from 225 to 820. Like the rest of the country, many small farms in New York are transitioning to organic production to serve niche markets and remain competitive.

Cornell University and Cornell Cooperative Extension provide research, leadership, and outreach education to farmers who want to transition from conventional agricultural methods to organic production, one of fastest growing agricultural sectors in the country.

	MarketMaker NYC 12/13/2011 A New York City Extension program, MarketMaker, matches small upstate food producers with community organizations in the city.

CCE helps communities build sustainable futures
11/22/2011
Rust to Green Places and Networks: Mapping a Sustainable Future for Upstate New York links academic expertise and local knowledge to address environmental, economic and social challenges facing upstate New York’s shrinking industrial cities. CCE educators specializing in agriculture, community wellness and nutrition are working with Cornell faculty in the Department of Landscape Architecture to develop a participatory action research project in the pilot city of Utica.

According to Rod Howe, CCE’s Assistant Director for Community and Economic Vitality, Rust to Green is an excellent model for highlighting the ways in which Cornell Cooperative Extension can be a catalyst for sustainable communities. “It has the key ingredients of multi-layered partnerships, interdisciplinary approaches, and the integration of research based and local knowledge,” he said.

	First woman director is 2011 Friend of Extension 11/1/2011 Dr. Lucinda A. Noble, director of Cornell Cooperative Extension for 16 years and longtime Extension professional and advocate, was the honored guest at a CCE awards luncheon hosted by Extension Director Dr. Helene Dillard at the system-wide 100th anniversary conference.

	CCE is Active in Long-Term Flood Recovery 10/12/2011 The flood waters have receded but the rebuilding of New York State’s hardest hit communities has only just begun. Cornell Cooperative Extension is committed to long-term recovery efforts even as dramatic images of destruction have faded from the media.

	Extension responds to disaster 9/20/2011 CCE's deep connection to both the communities of NY and the resources of a major research university make it an invaluable partner in emergency response and disaster relief. CCE has made significant contributions to the recovery response.

	Emerald Ash Borer Invasion: How Can We Help Slow the Spread 8/18/2011 Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), a tiny metallic-green beetle that was first detected in Michigan in 2002, has now been found in 15 states, including New York and two Canadian provinces.

	CCE Top Administrators are Researchers Too 7/26/2011 At CCE, our Director, Dr. Helene Dillard and two Associate Directors, Dr. Rhoda Meador and Dr. Christopher Watkins continue to conduct research in their academic fields and provide extension outreach to the public.

	CCE Helps Soldiers and Families Navigate the Deployment Cycle 7/1/2011 The Cornell Civic Ecology Lab is partnering with Cornell Cooperative Extension and military personnel to enhance military families' resiliency through natural resources projects.