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Cornell Cooperative Extension of Ulster County reviews programs and urges continued county support
Summary
Melanie Forstrom, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension (Ulster County), told the Legislature June 16 that CCE runs roughly 260 programs annually, reached about 1,700 students in classrooms last year, and relies on diversified funding while county appropriations remain critical for operations and low‑cost programming.
Melanie Forstrom, executive director of Cornell Cooperative Extension in Ulster County, used a June 16 presentation to describe the extension’s work, volunteer base and financial situation and to ask legislators to maintain support.
Forstrom told legislators CCE runs hundreds of programs — 260 in 2025 — with about 30 staff and hundreds of volunteers, reaching roughly 1,700 students across 96 classrooms and hosting conferences on topics from hemp production to cut flowers and environmental research. "Our master gardeners answer your gardening questions for free every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday," she said, highlighting free public services and community education.
She emphasized the role of the county appropriation as a base that keeps programs free or low cost and described long‑term funding erosion: adjusted for inflation, the organization receives about the same hard dollars as it did in 1992 despite increasing costs. Forstrom said CCE is diversifying revenue through private giving and development work, but she urged continued county investment, citing gaps such as the loss of a federally funded nutrition educator that once directly reached 1,300 youth.
The presentation included examples of CCE’s partnerships — civic engagement programs that bring youth to county government, a watershed tour, and jail parenting classes — and ended with a public call for volunteers and county support to sustain and expand services.
