Economic Impact SummaryEconomic Impact Summary

20122012

$67,470

$118,202

$175,877 $536,000

$303,646

$181,430

$258,482 to

family members, attended EFNEP classes,

which are similar to ESNY. Using the recom-

mended value of $593.98 per participant

(Federal Fiscal Year Review) EFNEP improved

public health and saved Nassau at least $118,202. 

The Expanded Food and Nutrition Education

Program (EFNEP) enables limited-resource

families and youth to improve their diet,

health and well-being. Roughly 200 English

speaking and bilingual residents, representing 632

Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program: $118,202

Over half (53.2%) of Nassau’s residents are over-

weight or obese. Four-fifths of New York’s obesity-

related health spending is funded by Medicaid and

Medicare, far above the 50% national average.

Poverty is a risk factor for many health problems,

including heart disease, diabetes, cancer, poor preg-

nancy outcomes, and obesity. Positive changes in

nutrition and physical activity improve the likeli-

hood of avoiding these health conditions.

Eat Smart New York (ESNY) promotes and im-

proves public health by educating modest means

individuals, empowering them to establish healthier

eating habits and more active lifestyles. CCE-NC

nutrition educators teach the important connection

between nutrition and

health to many of the

70,160 Nassau residents

living in or near poverty.

USDA funds ESNY to

provide educational programs to food assistance recipi-

ents, for English speaking and bilingual audiences.

Weekly sessions, tailored to audience needs, last 60-90

minutes and span 6-8 weeks. Classes are small (6-12

participants) for individualized attention. Over 900

Nassau residents completed ESNY programs last year.

Using the recommended value of $589.66 per partici-

pant (Federal Fiscal Year Review), the ESNY program

saved Nassau County $536,000 in 2012.

Eat Smart New York: $536,000

2012 Total Extension Economic Impact: $1,377,625 - $1,454,677 Total public benefits from Cornell Cooperative Ex-

tension of Nassau County (CCE-NC) services ap-

proximated $1.4M in 2012. The

three main public service divi-

sions of CCE-NC (Nutrition Ed-

ucation, Horticulture (East

Meadow Farm), and the Doro-

thy P. Flint 4-H Camp) provided

combined community economic

impacts of between $898,102

and $975,154. New York State funds CCE-NC staff

fringe benefits, saving Nassau an additional

$252,010.94 (average of $7.79 per unit hour of

work performed) in 2012. NYS 224 (state) educator

staff compensation funding equaled $51,635 and fed-

eral staff funding contributions were $12,000, along

with $163,877 in other federal fund-

ing, for a total economic impact val-

ue range of $1,379,625 to

$1,456,677. The only county funding

received by CCE-NC in 2013 has

been $24,800 from the Department

of Aging for senior citizen nutrition

education. It is worth noting the

2012 CCE-NC operating budget totaled $1,398,352,

which roughly equates the direct economic benefits

enjoyed by the people of Nassau County as a result of

the public service performed by CCE-NC.

The East Meadow Farm (EMF) Diagnostic Center

provides Nassau County with unique and valuable

public services that benefit residents, property own-

ers, “green” industry professionals, municipalities

and the public generally. The EMF Diagnostic Cen-

ter provides quick and accurate plant diagnosis of

infected plant material

and insects, which pro-

vides direct benefit to the

impacted constituent,

along with the public as a

sentry, protecting Nassau

County from potential

horticultural pathogenic

outbreaks.

For example, Cornell Cooperative Extension has

been stalwart in alerting and educating the public

regarding the risk of pathogens such as tomato late

blight, which has ravaged backyard and commercial

Long Island tomato crops for years. Recently, EMF

Diagnostic Center identified a blight variety

(boxwood blight) from a Gar-

den City resident in July, that

if undiagnosed could destroy

landscape elements in just

days. If permitted to spread,

this pathogen can quickly

cause substantial property

damage to area landscapes.

The EMF Diagnostic Center provides up-to-date

pest control recommendations for homeowners,

landscapers, nursery personnel and commercial

growers. Services include on the spot analysis of

plant material and soil for abiotic issues, bacterial

and fungal pathogens. Tissue samples requiring ad-

vanced virus and nematode analysis are dispatched to

the Long Island Horticultural Research and Education

Center in Riverhead. Other diagnostic services typi-

cally charge $25 per sample, while EMF charges

$7.00 per sample. Most customers seek analysis of 2-

3 samples per visit.

On-site pH soil testing is

$5.00 per sample, which

costs $7.00 plus shipping at

other facilities. Most

homeowners and landscap-

ers test 2-3 samples with

each visit to EMF. More

than 900 Nassau County

residents had soil and/or plant samples tested in 2012.

Realized public savings for soil tests ranged from

$1,808 to $5,424, and plant sample savings ranged

between $22,600 and $67,800.

A wide range of educational presentations were deliv-

ered at EMF in 2012 covering topics of interest to

homeowners and commercial landscapers. Forty-three

classes were offered in 2012 at

low to no cost, often $10 per

person. A total of 122.5 hours

of classroom-based education

was delivered last year. Aver-

age class attendance was 10-15

participants in 2012. Compara-

ble educational presentations at

local botanical education facilities are valued at

$26.10 per participant / per instruction hour, meaning

Nassau saved between $19,722 and $47,958. With

Master Gardener volunteer public service added, Ex-

tension created public value between $181,430 and

$258,482 in 2012 at EMF.

266 Master Gardener volunteers

provided at least 6,325+ public

service hours in 2012 valued

at a county savings of over

$137,300 (at $21.70 per hour)

East Meadow Farm Diagnostic Center: $181,430 – $258,482

DPF is Long Island’s most affordable camp, and its

high-quality 4-H camping program is time-tested.

DPF features Cornell University resources for

curriculum, cutting-edge research and experiential

learning ideas. DPF offers Nassau youth ages 5-17

the chance to explore educational activities and

classes in more than 25 subjects, including swim-

ming, outdoor living, environmental studies,

kayaking, astronomy and drama. DPF also positive-

ly impacts Long Island. New York State’s 4-H

camps contribute over $2.5 million to local econo-

mies in payroll, purchases and contract services.

The only Long Island camp with an agricultural /

farming program is New York’s oldest 4-H camp and

it is the area’s most affordable. Operated by Cornell

Cooperative Extension of Nassau County since 1924,

The Dorothy P. Flint 4-H Camp (DPF) provides Nas-

sau County youth with enriching summer camping

experiences priced on average $130 less per camper

than other area camps, a savings of roughly 20%.

With 603 Nassau County campers in 2011, and 519 in

2012, DPF saved Nassau County families $78,390

and $67,470 respectively. The biggest impact of 4-H

camps is not measured in dollars and cents. The rela-

tionships, natural environments and carefully planned

learning programs at DPF can be life-changing for

our youth during the critical formative years.

New York’s Oldest 4-H Camp is Long Island’s Most Affordable

Community betterment by CCE-NC does not stop

with the tangible economic impacts described

throughout this summary. Through a variety of non-

economic means, CCE-NC makes

Nassau a better place to live. One

such example is a community alert

service for various health risks. As

a member of New York’s EDEN

Network, CCE-NC is a link in the

statewide system designed to in-

form the public about disaster pre-

paredness, provide information

when disaster strikes, and assist

with recovery. A recent example of this public infor-

mation system is a West Nile Virus alert. More than

Extension Impacts Nassau County Far Beyond the Bottom Line 550 people were alerted quickly to this potential

health risk via one of CCE-NC’s social media chan-

nels (to people who actively seek information from

CCE-NC) within 24 hours of dis-

covering the virus in Nassau on

August 9th. Whether it is weather

alerts in the days before Sandy,

February snow alerts, available gas

locations after Sandy, food recalls,

beach closing news, pathogen

risks, disaster preparedness and

safety tips, or disaster recovery

guidance, these are all among the

information disseminated quickly and affordably by

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Nassau County.

Building Strong and Vibrant New York Communities 

Cornell Cooperative Extension in Nassau County provides equal program and employment opportunities