About Cornell Cooperative Extension

From food and nutrition to economic vitality to environmental and social resilience, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) is dedicated to improving lives across New York state. CCE connects communities with Cornell University research from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and the College of Human Ecology (CHE) to enrich and empower New York state neighbors, local businesses, towns and cities. Across New York, CCE works hard to improve:

• Farming and food production
• Parenting, family life and family dynamics
• Child health and nutrition
• Veteran and military family opportunities
• Water, land and energy conservation and management
• Community resilience
• Nutrition education and health
• Financial security and economic vitality

Cornell Cooperative Extension is a dynamic education system connecting Cornell’s world-class research with regional and county-based educators and partners across the state. With a presence in every county and all five boroughs of New York City, CCE is uniquely positioned to tailor opportunities and resources to match the diverse and ever-evolving needs of individual communities across the state.

CCE partners with local, state and federal government agencies, and is supported by the national Land-Grant system and Cornell University. In fulfillment of Cornell’s Land-Grant mission, faculty and staff—primarily from CALS and CHE—collaborate with extension associates, agriculture specialists, CCE educators and staff, local partners and volunteers across New York state to engage citizens and empower communities to transform and grow from the ground up. 

The resulting education system is responsive, nimble, research-based and locally-rooted. CCE educators develop programming that collects information and experience from their own communities to inform Cornell research and program development. Such a dynamic organization would not be possible without the dedicated staff, volunteers and partnerships that power the CCE system.

New York was a pioneer in extending research information to its citizens with the founding of “Cornell University Extension” in 1894—a milestone that predates the nationwide Cooperative Extension system established in 1914.

The campus, with its research and extension role, has been—and must continue to be—critical to the success of New York’s diverse communities. From agricultural innovations aimed at keeping our food systems secure and economically sustainable to conservation efforts and outreach designed to mitigate climate change, to 4-H youth development, nutrition education, and parenting programming, CCE is here to meet new and unique challenges faced by citizens in every county and across the five boroughs of New York City.

Cornell Cooperative Extension is committed  to diversity, equal opportunity and affirmative action in the development of its policies, programs, procedures and practices through its affiliation with Cornell University and as a part of the national extension system through the United States Department of Agriculture.  

CCE's mission, vision and values are entrenched in the principles of diversity, equal opportunity and affirmative action; they provide the foundation from which we operate.