With an eye toward sustainability, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, better energy efficiency, and increased farm resilience, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) agriculture specialists and educators closely monitor the rapidly changing environment farmers are working within. Tapping into the latest research and best practices, ag specialists help growers and producers combat an increasingly uncertain world. 

To see what programs are offered in your area, visit or contact a local office.

Featured Programs

New York State

Farm to School

Farm to school programs in schools and early care and education sites engage young people in hands-on learning and connect families to fresh, healthy local food. In New York State, a cross-disciplinary team of Extension associates, Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) educators, and partners from NYS agencies work together to create better cohesion of farm to school programming across the state.

Buffalo school children on a farm visit
two men stand in a vineyard with grapes in the foreground

CCE regional agriculture teams are comprised of specialists who serve multi-county regions throughout New York state, providing research-based information, programs and technical assistance to dairy, livestock, field crops, vegetable, grape and fruit producers.

woman with cat puts her hand through a fence with sheep

The Cornell Small Farms program is a partnership between Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) and CCE that connects small farm owners and operators with a variety of educational opportunities including Labor Ready Farmer, Baskets to Pallets, Farm Ops and others.

students work in a garden next to a fence

CCE's Harvest New York specialists support workforce development and business expansion with a focus on diary food processing, urban agriculture, farm-based beverages, local food distribution, berry production, farm strategic planning and emerging crops.

people look at a hoof

CCE’s Agriculture Workforce Development program demystifies new farm and labor laws to help to build committed, engaged and effective teams through tried-and-tested human resource management practices and research-based leadership and management development education.

worker in a field

CCE’s PSEP promotes the proper use of pesticides for the applicator, the consumer, and the environment, and also serves as a pesticide education center for those interested in pesticide chemicals.

kids stand at a fence

NYAITC is a partnership between CCE, Cornell University, the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets, the New York State Education Department and the New York Farm Bureau. The program fosters awareness, understanding and appreciation of how we produce food and fiber, what we eat and how we live, by helping educators, pre-k to middle school students and their communities learn about and engage with agriculture and food systems.

Partner Organizations and Programs

CCE agriculture educators and specialists work closely with campus faculty primarily in the Cornell University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, researchers with Cornell Agritech and the Cornell University Agriculture Experiment Station and other partners to drive sustainable development in New York communities.

Stories

Three women & a man sit on stage

News

Over 450 dairy nutritionists, consultants and industry professionals from around the world gathered in East Syracuse, New York, last week for the 86th Annual Cornell Nutrition Conference. At the conference, participants gained insight into the...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • PRO-DAIRY
  • Animal Science
a horse grazes in a field

Field Note

This summer, I had the privilege of interning with the Horse Farm Improvement Program (HFIP) through Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) in Livingston County, New York. The internship provided invaluable experience in horse farm management and...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • Animal Science

Spotlight

Day in the Life Events Continue to Expand with Help from Cornell Extension Partners Co-written with Emily Fell Additional contributions from Chris Bowser Nearly 5,000 student scientists lined the shores along the Hudson River, tributaries in the...

  • Cornell Cooperative Extension
  • New York Sea Grant Institute
  • New York State Water Resources Institute
Angela Odoms-Young (second from left) at a community gardening event in Queens, N.Y.

News

Cornell Cooperative Extension (CCE) has named Dr. Angela Odoms-Young the critical issue lead for extension programming in the areas of human nutrition, food safety and security and obesity prevention, effective October 1. The appointment...
  • Cornell Cooperative Extension