About

Mission Statement:

To serve the research and extension needs of the horticultural industries of Long Island.

Additional goals

To increase crop yields, improve crop quality, decrease production and marketing costs, increase production and marketing efficiency, and preserve and enhance the quality of the environment.

In brief

LIHREC traces its roots to 1922 with the founding of the 30-acre Long Island Vegetable Research Farm. In 1975, the Ornamentals Lab moved east from Farmingdale and our name was changed to the Long Island Horticultural Research Lab. Our present name, which better reflects our mission, was adopted in 1999. Read more about our history.

Our 68-acre facility features state-of-the-art greenhouses, nursery and container production area, and a plant tissue culture facility. We have specialists in floriculture, viticulture (grape production), vegetables, potatoes, and woody ornamentals. We also have cross-commodity specialists in plant diseases, weed management, entomology and plant tissue culture.

Funding

The majority of the LIHREC's financial support is provided by county, state and federal funds administered by Cornell University. In addition, many companies, associations and growers have provided plant material, equipment, supplies or grants-in-aid. (Full list.) Industry support is vital for supplementing general operational funds and is greatly appreciated.

Grant programs that support our work include:

• American Floral Endowment
• College of Agriculture & Life Sciences
• Cornell Univ/Dept. of Hort/Organic Project
• Cornell Univ/IPM Program
• East End Economic & Environmental Institute
• Friends of Long Island Horticulture
• Horticultural Research Institute
• Post/Schenkel Memorial Council
• The Fred C. Gloeckner Foundation, Inc.
• NYS Center for Advanced Techology
• NYS Department of Agric. & Markets
• NYS Office of Sci. Tech. & Academic Res.
• USDA/CSREES
• USDA Floral & Nursery Research Initiative
• USDA IR-4 Program
• USDA Hatch
• USDA PMAP Program
• USDA SARE Project

Advisory Committees

Advisory committees help guide our research programs:

Long Island Horticultural Research and Extension Advisory Council Committee

• Chris Baiz
• Jane Baxter-Lynn
• Lou Caracciolo
• Ron Fox
• Tom Germano
• Jim Glover
• Ray Kujawski
• Thomas McMahon
• Mark Michaud
• Jeff Rottkamp
• Robert Strubel

Friends of Long Island Horticulture Committee

• Ray Bell
• Robert Van Bourgondien
• Jack Van de Wetering
• Lyle Wells

Long Island Organic Vegetable Advisory Committee

• Dale Haubrich
• Stephen Storch
• Matthew Kuszynski
• Rex Farr
• Scott Chaskey
• Anu Rangarajan
• Philip Schmitt III
• Lyle Wells
• Jeff Rottkamp
• Carl Key
• Ernie Lewin
• Fred Lee
• Ray Kujawski

Potato and Vegetable Advisory Committee

• Hank Kraszewski
• Todd Wells
• Martin Sidor
• Ed Harbes
• Larry Halsey
• Cliff Foster
• Richard Corwith

Grape Research Advisory Committee

• Ursula Massoud, Chair, Paumanok Vineyards
• Richard Olsen-Harbich, Raphael
• Larry Perrine, Channing Daughters
• Dave Thompson, Bedell Cellars

Floriculture and Greenhouse Advisory Committee

• Mary Anne Anderson
• Jack Filasky
• Amy Halsey
• Jeff Keil
• Greg Soles
• Mark Van Bourgondien