New Research Endowment Established at Cornell LIHREC

An endowment has been established at Cornell University’s Long Island Horticultural Research & Extension Center (LIHREC) in Riverhead, New York, called the “Founder’s Fund.”

This endowment was established by five Long Island greenhouse businesses and is worth approximately $130,000.  The interest that is generated by the fund supports the research and extension programs at the Center.

This endowed fund is a restricted account that is managed by Cornell University.  The principle from this endowment is reserved and protected in perpetuity to allow the account to grow.  Only the interest from this endowment can be used, and it will be used exclusively for LIHREC.

The Founder’s Fund was established through the generosity of five Long Island greenhouse businesses:  Ivy Acres (now called Coastal) Greenhouses, Van de Wetering Greenhouse, Kurt Weiss Greenhouses, Otto Keil Greenhouses, and C.J. Van Bourgondien Greenhouses.

Cornell University has maintained the Long Island campus in the center of New York’s main agriculture region to help the green industry prosper. The LIHREC is the only horticultural research center in the United States that has scientists and professionals in all commodities, as well as cross-commodity specialists in plant pathology, entomology, weed science, and plant tissue culture/ micropropagation.

This endowment is only the second ever to be established for the exclusive benefit of the LIHREC.  Last year, retired nurseryman, Ray Bell, established the first-ever endowment for the Center.

These two endowments offer the LIHREC a tremendous advantage for its continued success in the future.  With the establishment of the new Founder’s Fund, the LIHREC can now receive donations to support the research and extension programs.

For more information, please visit cuaes.cals.cornell.edu/farms/lihrec.