The Florida Cattle Enhancement Board plays a critical role in advancing research that directly impacts the Florida cattle industry. By funding targeted, science-based projects, the board helps address Florida-specific challenges while supporting transparency, innovation, and workforce development within the livestock sector.
We spoke with Dr. Maria Silveira, Director of Research with the Noble Research Institute, who conducted research funded by the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board while she was a faculty member at the University of Florida. According to Silveira, that funding made a meaningful difference in the scope and relevance of her work. “So that’s where the Cattle Enhancement Board grants were vital for us to be able to address some of those more local specific questions. So yeah, the money helped us expand and being able to do things that are specific to Florida.”
Beyond financial support, Silveira emphasized the proactive nature of Florida’s cattle industry and its commitment to sound science. “Another thing that I want to say is that cattle industries in Florida, they are very proactive. They think that they have any responsibility on the issue.” She explained that producers were genuinely interested in understanding their role in environmental and management concerns. “There was several times where individuals from the cattlemen would call me and say, well, we want to know if this is the cattle is really responsible for this thing. Can you design a study by any shape or form.”
Importantly, Silveira noted that the industry never attempted to influence outcomes. “The cattlemen want to shape the results or the direction of my research efforts? They want to support, but we’re also very hands off. They want to make sure that the science was taking the lead, not their perception.” That approach, she said, was one of the most valuable aspects of the program.
Transparency and academic independence were key strengths of the funding model. “It’s not the money, the funds didn’t come with a string attached. It was basically up to me to design the study and analyze the data.” Silveira added, “They never by any means forced the data to be supportive of the industry or anything. They were, I think the transparency was something that was very positive.”
In addition to generating meaningful research, Florida Cattle Enhancement Board grants also support education and workforce development. “I had different projects funded through the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board grant and supported a master’s degree student. He completed his program. Now he’s a PhD student.” Silveira emphasized that this aspect of the funding helps ensure long-term benefits for agriculture. “There’s also that component where training students, where those funds are also helping train the next generation of scientists that are working on related issues.”
Through targeted research funding, transparency, and student training, the Florida Cattle Enhancement Board continues to make a lasting impact on Florida’s cattle industry and its future.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.