Committee members were notified July 1 that a Cornell Cooperative Extension SNAP-Ed nutrition educator has resigned after the educator’s federal funding source became uncertain.

Legislator attendees heard that the SNAP-Ed position is unlikely to be rehired in the near term because the federal funding stream supporting the role “is very, very unsafe or unclear,” and the staffer has taken another job. A county official said nutrition education is “an enormous part of what we do in this county” and pledged to return with ideas at the next committee meeting when budget discussions occur.

Committee members and county staff discussed federal budget movement: an earlier proposal to eliminate Hatch research and sharply cut Smith-Lever Cooperative Extension funding had been revised, with those items shown in the briefing as restored to level funding. As a county official said, level funding is preferable to proposed cuts but “we all know cost of living increase,” so level funding does not replace lost purchasing power.

Committee members noted broader impacts on regional universities and extension work; one county official described possible staff reductions at Cornell and said the county is “cautiously optimistic” that federal funding will hold at level next year but said uncertainty remains.

The committee requested further budget detail at its next meeting when the county’s budget presentation is scheduled; no formal committee action was taken on the staffing matter during the session.