On Saturday, March 31, 2018, the University of Florida’s Dairy Unit in Hague will host its fifth “Family Day at the Dairy Farm”. Visitors will see a real working dairy farm, learn about dairy production, animal health and welfare, and hear experts discuss UF efforts that help provide local, top-quality milk to Floridians. The event is free to the public …
Register Now for Ona Field Day
Producers interested in seeing the many features of laboratories that will soon open at the University of Florida/IFAS Range Cattle Research and Education Center in Ona are urged to register for their Annual Field Day. The event will be held April 5 at the new facility, which now totals over 2,500 square feet. The Field Day runs from 8 a.m. …
UF Board of Trustees Approves Industrial Hemp Research Project
Florida’s farmers may have a new crop to grow if the University of Florida is successful in a pilot project to grow industrial hemp across the state. Researchers with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) received approval from the UF Board of Trustees to develop hemp management and cropping systems that could be economically viable for the …
Chefs to Prepare Delectable Delights at Annual Flavors of Florida
Some of Florida’s top chefs will showcase their skills, while featuring Florida’s bountiful agricultural products at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences’ fifth annual Flavors of Florida. Renowned Gainesville chef Bert Gill will lead a team of chefs with Florida producers contributing to the menu. Gill, who owns Blue Gill Quality Foods and Mildred’s Big City …
National Ag Day Reminds Us of the Enormous Impact of Agriculture on Our Daily Lives
When most people walk into a grocery store, the shelves are stocked year-round with all the food they want, so they might not consider the origins of their food. Jack Payne, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, said it’s critical to know the origins of our food supply, and not just the sake of being aware. “As …
Opening of New Labs Highlights Field Day at Range Cattle REC
New vials, beakers, test tubes and sinks. More room. Those are just some of the features of laboratories that will open at the annual Field Day on April 5 at the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Range Cattle Research and Education Center. “These spaces greatly advance our efforts to modernize our research laboratory and graduate student …
UF/IFAS Researcher Hopes to Breed, Grow Nutritious Pumpkins in Florida
Pumpkins and their seeds are good for you. For example, the flesh of the fruit is a good source of many vitamins and fiber, and its seeds provide unsaturated fats that help reduce cholesterol, among their other health benefits. The pumpkin’s nutrient values are driving Geoffrey Meru, a fruit and vegetable geneticist at the University of Florida Institute of Food …
UF to Host Seminar on Farm Safety on March 16
A leading researcher in farmworker safety will keynote a seminar hosted by the Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety at the University of Florida. The seminar will be held on March 16. Linda McCauley, dean and professor at the Emory University Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing, will speak about the evolution of academic/community partnerships between Emory University …
UF Study: To Help Prevent Harmful Algal Blooms, Limit Nitrogen and Phosphorus
Algal blooms can kill fish and harm a lake’s ecosystem, but by reducing two nutrients together such as nitrogen and phosphorus – not just one or the other — water managers might limit the blooms in lakes and rivers, a new University of Florida study shows. To come to this conclusion, UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers used …
Cool-Season Forages Field Days in Florida
A couple of winter forage field days are coming up this week in Florida. The first one will be held Thursday, March 8 at the University of Florida Dairy Unit in Gainesville starting at 10:00 am. There next one will be held Friday, March 9 at the White Oak Dairy in Lafayette County, and Shenandoah Dairy in Suwannee County starting at …