Celebrating the Careers of Dr. Andy Senesac and Irene Bradley

CCE Suffolk is celebrating the careers of two of our most impactful employees as they begin their retirement! Weed Scientist Dr. Andy Senesac and his longtime Program Assistant, Irene Bradley, constitute a formidable research and extension team, addressing the weed management needs of the full range of commodities on Long Island. Andy is a first-rate scientist, a respected colleague, and a terrific mentor for members of the CCE Agricultural Staff. Andy is known state-wide and regionally for his encyclopedic knowledge of herbicides and plant materials, both cultivated and wild. Irene works quietly and efficiently but is recognized as the power behind the throne.

All the best to Andy, Irene, and their families for a well-deserved, happy, healthy retirement.

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Updates

Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) is still a present threat to NYS commercial and backyard poultry producers as cases across the Northeast increase. Learn more from our two recent webinars:

One webinar was hosted by CCE Suffolk, NYS Department of Agriculture & Markets, and the Cornell Duck Research Laboratory covering information on this year’s outbreak and how to protect your birds during the fall migration season.

Another webinar for NYS was hosted by the CCE Livestock Program Work Team, along with the NYS Department of Ag and Markets.

You can find links to these two webinars along with other resources HERE.

Please click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Agriculture

Mobile Diabetic Screening Clinic

In recognition of National Diabetes Awareness Month, our team of diabetes and SNAP-Ed educators partnered with the Sun River Health Mobile Diabetes Screening Clinic to provide free diabetes screening at the Brentwood Library. The event was supported by Legislators Manuel Esteban and Samuel Gonzalez.

The Mobile Diabetes Screening Clinic is an innovative approach to have people learn what their blood sugar numbers are and at the same time offer resources and invaluable support while learning how to manage their diabetes. Many resources were shared throughout the day including information on pre-diabetes, hidden sugars, carb counting, the signs & symptoms of diabetes, and visitors were able to sample a hearty vegetable garden chili.

Diabetes remains at epidemic proportions across the US and in our own backyard of Suffolk County, 9% of adults are diagnosed with diabetes and many more are undiagnosed. For this reason, the diabetes education, resources and support we offer free to the community of Suffolk County is so very vital to improve the lives of those impacted with diabetes.

Click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Community Education

During this holiday month, I feel so lonely. What can I do?

December is a festive time, full of busy days, lights, shopping, and anticipation of getting together with family and friends for celebrations. Despite all of this hoopla, research shows that Americans are feeling lonelier than ever. This loneliness leads to both physical and mental health problems which have been exaggerated by the pandemic as well as exacerbated by the upcoming holiday season. An October, 2020 Harvard University study found that 36% of Americans reported feeling seriously lonely.

Loneliness often leads to depression, which affects all bodily systems. In older people, it increases their risk of dementia, heart disease and stroke, and can lead to an earlier death. Among younger adults, there can be an increase in stomachaches, headaches, sleep disturbances, and over dependence on internet use. In fact, neuroscientists found that feeling lonely can change the structure and function in brain areas associated with emotions, thinking, and stress response.

Lonely people miss someone who genuinely cares about them. They tend to be more critical of themselves and others, and they expect to be socially rejected. This leads to a vicious cycle.



How can you cope with these lonely feelings? Now that you know how loneliness can affect your physical and mental health, do not feel embarrassed. Learn how to change your negative feelings to more positive ones with some professional guidance. Educating the general public might make people more sensitive, kinder, and inclusive. Be courageous and reach out to others. Even if you are naturally shy, this is a good time to create some social ties. Volunteer to help others during this month of good cheer and good deeds. In this way, you will meet like-minded individuals, and perhaps make new social connections. Creating trusting relationships makes us feel that we belong, no matter how young or old we are. Let’s strive for that connection all season long into the new year!

Visit from The Butterfly Effect Project

This month, we had the honor of hosting The Butterfly Effect Project for a tour of the Suffolk County Farm and discussion on future collaborations between our organizations. This group is dedicated to empowering young girls by giving them the tools to achieve emotionally stable and self confident futures. The organization started in 2014 with 8 girls, and has since grown to over 500 girls (and boys) from Riverhead, Flanders, Calverton, Mastic, Shirley, Bellport, Westhampton, Peconic, Patchogue and West Islip in 17 different chapters. We are very excited to see what this relationship brings in the future!

Suffolk County Farm in the News

News 12 Long Island came with cameras rolling to feature the farm on their segment, Road Trip: Close to Home! They highlighted our mission of providing hands-on, research-based learning in a fun environment for the whole family to enjoy. You can watch the whole segment HERE.

Active Shooter Safety Training

The Suffolk County Farm would like to extend its thanks to the Suffolk County Police Department for providing our staff with the training needed to prevent and prepare for an active shooter situation, allowing us to keep our organization and communities safe.

Click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Farm & 4H

Seafood Chowder Cooking Demo at Taste NY

Our Seafood Chowder Cooking Demo at the Long Island Welcome Center was a great success! In celebration of National Seafood Month, Chef Julio from Gra-Bar Fish & Seafood showed how to cook a delicious fish chowder featuring locally harvested monkfish.

This tasting was part of CCE Marine's "Choose Local F.I.S.H" initiative, which aims to increase interest, awareness and demand for locally harvested, wild-caught and grown Long Island seafood. Learn more about Choose Local F.I.S.H HERE!

Special thanks to CCE Nassau for hosting us and don't forget to check out the Taste NY Long Island Welcome Center for products from 1,800 New York State farmers and producers!

Bass Fishing for a Cause

This year, The CCE Suffolk Fisheries Team began a collaborative project with the NYSDEC in sampling Striped Bass for PCBs, PFAS, and other contaminants. 

A study like this hasn’t been conducted since 1997, when striped bass were found to be contaminated with chemicals known to have adverse effects on human health. Due to those findings, multiple areas around Long Island and NYC were closed to fishing, causing economic strain to fishermen in those areas. 

Since then, New York’s waters have gone through a transformation and are cleaner now than they have been in recent memory. Our hope is to aid the NYSDEC in determining current striped bass contaminate levels, and reopen closed areas to commercial striped bass fishing!

Pictured here are Fisheries staff aboard Captain Rob Aaronson’s boat the Oh Brother: Tara McClintock, Alex Mercado, CCE Marine Program Director Chris Pickerell, Commercial Fishermen Dave Aripotch and Malcolm McClintock, and Director of the Long Island Commercial Fishing Association, Bonnie Brady.

CCE's Marine Program in the News

The CCE Marine Program's work with scientists from Stony Brook University has been gaining recognition! Their collaborative effort to address scallop die-offs in the Peconic Bay was featured in Newsday, Long Island Business News, The Gothamist, Smithtown Matters, and NPR’s WSHU Radio. CCE Suffolk Executive Director Vanessa Lockel and Aquaculture Specialist Harrison Tobi also made an appearance on Connoisseur Media's Island Outlook radio segment to discuss the issue. Listen to that episode HERE!

Click here to learn more about CCE Suffolk Marine