termite

UF Study: Large Termite Colonies Less Vulnerable to Sprays Than Baits

Dan Florida, Forestry, Research

Liquid sprays don’t control large subterranean termite colonies as well as baits, giving more credence to the benefits of baits as a way to minimize the bugs’ damage to structures, a new University of Florida study shows. Formosan and Asian subterranean termites are responsible for most of the $32 billion in economic damage to structures worldwide, UF Institute of Food …

crayfish

Crayfish Personalities May Be Key to Understanding Water Ecosystems

Dan Aquaculture, Industry News Release, Research, Water

Just like people come in different personalities, animals vary in their behavior. For example, some crayfish can be shier while others are bolder, a University of Florida scientist says. While crayfish are known as those little, lobster-like crustaceans eaten by some as a delicacy in soups, bisques and étouffées and are used by others as fish bait, Lindsey Reisinger and …

New Bee Lab for UF/IFAS

Dan Florida, Pollinators, Research

Last month, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) opened a brand new bee lab mini-campus at its Entomology and Nematology Department in Gainesville. Jack Payne, UF/IFAS senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, is excited about this new edition. New Bee Lab for UF/IFAS

nifa

NIFA Invests in Research to Solve Critical Water Problems

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Research, Water

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) announced seven grants for research that will provide solutions to critical water problems across the United States. These awards were made through the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) Water for Food Production Systems Challenge Area. AFRI is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill and administered by …

students

UF/IFAS Connecting Students to the Real World

Dan Education, Florida, Research

University of Florida has enjoyed seeing skyrocketing enrollment at their College of Agricultural and Life Sciences. Many of those students are attracted to the education that UF/IFAS offers. Dr. Jack Payne, University of Florida senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, explains how they go beyond book learning to prepare these students for the real world. UF/IFAS Connecting Students …

buyers

UF Study: Buyers Want Environmentally Safe Strawberry Production

Dan Florida, Fruits, Research

As buyers browse strawberry packages at the supermarket, they might see labels such as “organically grown” or “locally grown.” But they’d also like to know if the fruit was produced in a way that preserves the environment, a new University of Florida study shows. Consumers say they’ll pay more for strawberries grown in a manner that is sustainable, the research …

global

Egypt’s Wheat Production Illustrates Global Security Issues

Dan Industry News Release, Research, Wheat

Scientists, including many at the University of Florida, are trying to figure out how to feed 10 billion people worldwide by 2050. As they do, some UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers are studying how arid nations can produce enough crops to feed themselves and to avoid civil protests or even war. Egypt, for instance, lacks sufficient water …

study

UF Researcher to Study Migration Trends, Health of Emerging Farm Workers

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration, Research

As the University of Florida IFAS Extension director for Hendry County, Gene McAvoy has seen firsthand a sea change in the types of workers now coming to the United States to work on farms. “It used to be 95 percent or more of the workers were from Mexico,” McAvoy said. “Now, it’s about 50 percent from Haiti and the Caribbean. …

asta

ASTA Outlines Priorities for Final Farm Bill

Dan Exports/Imports, Farm Bill, Industry News Release, Legislative, Research, Seeds, Trade

The American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) urges members of the Farm Bill Conference Committee to include several key provisions important to the seed industry within the final bill. In a recent letter to conferees, ASTA highlighted the following priorities within the Conservation, Trade, Research, Horticulture and Crop Insurance titles: Conservation: ASTA is concerned with the proposal in the House version …

related

UF/IFAS a Trusted Source of Agricultural-Related Information

Dan Field Crops, Florida, Fruits, Industry News Release, Livestock, Research, Specialty Crops, Sugar, Vegetables, Water

Florida’s county commissioners look to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for reliable agricultural-related information, according to a recent study. In May 2018, the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) surveyed 43 county commissioners to identify the sources they use for information on agriculture, food, water and natural …