feast

Feast on Florida-Grown Foods This Thanksgiving

Dan Citrus, Field Crops, Florida, Fruits, Vegetables

As we sit down to dine during the annual Thanksgiving feast, it’s worth noting that much of what we eat comes from Florida farmers, say University of Florida researchers. Better still, scientists with the UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences try to see if they can breed and grow certain crops in Florida to help growers and consumers. When …

researchers

UF/IFAS Researchers Help Industry Keep Central Florida Green

Dan Education, Florida, Industry News Release, Nursery Crops

As the lead horticulturalist for Echo Conversions Group, Inc., Kyle Petersen knows his way around plants. But he was still surprised to learn so much more about insects, weeds and fertilizer use when he participated in a class offered by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences. He was one of 20 participants in the program held …

food supply chain

UF/IFAS Extension Teaches Food Pantry Staff, Clients About Better Food

Dan Florida, Industry News Release

Food pantry staff and clients are learning how to get the most nutrition from the food they give and receive, thanks to faculty with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension. In a program called “Feed Them Well,” Panhandle Extension faculty stress nutrition education at area food pantries. While faculty teach about healthy foods year-round, they …

Workforce Modernization Act

Expert Researchers Meet to Discuss Science Related to Heat Stress

Dan Industry News Release, Labor and Immigration

Researchers representing disciplines such as the military, agriculture and sports medicine met in late October to discuss the latest advances in science and technology related to occupational heat stress in the Southeast. The Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) brought together scientists from the University of Florida, Florida State University, University of South Florida, Emory University and …

drones

Central Florida UF Researchers Use Drones to Assess Hurricane Michael Damage in Panhandle

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Research

Researchers with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences recently traveled to Panhandle counties to include Gadsden, Jackson and Calhoun with their drones to assess damage after Hurricane Michael devastated the region. “This is the first time UF/IFAS scientists have used drones to determine agricultural crop damage and yield reduction,” said Jim Fletcher, a regional specialized agent …

north florida

UF/IFAS Employees Help Hard-Hit North Florida REC

Dan Education, Florida, Industry News Release, Research

Scientists at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center — particularly its Marianna facility — may take a while to fully recover their research after it was damaged by Hurricane Michael, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences administrators say. In Marianna, five center pivots – irrigation systems — were turned over and damaged, said Glen Aiken, …

legacy fund

Children to Benefit from UF/IFAS Master Gardener Legacy Fund

Dan Education, Florida, Industry News Release

The Florida Master Gardener program, part of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), recently created a Legacy Fund to help support educational projects directly in counties. The Legacy Fund was created by an anonymous donor in 2017, and the first applications were received in the summer of 2018. “The Master Gardener Legacy Fund will support …

corn maze

UF Student Helps Design Corn Maze at Local Farm

Dan Corn, Education, Florida, Industry News Release

Farmers and ranchers across Florida are fighting lack of consumer education on food systems by opening their properties to the public in a practice called agritourism. Agritourism allows non-farming folks to learn about the day-to-day operations of a working farm and see first-hand where their food comes from. One such farm is the Single R Ranch in Plant City, Florida. …

heat

UF/IFAS-led Study May Lead to More Heat-Tolerant Rice

Dan Industry News Release, Research, Specialty Crops

Rice, the most widely consumed food crop in the world, takes a beating in hot weather. To combat the high temperatures, a global group of scientists, led by a University of Florida researcher, has found the genetic basis to breed a more heat-tolerant rice cultivar. “The productivity of rice, one of the three major cereal grains feeding the world, is …

hurricane michael

UF Gives Update on Crop Damage in Florida

Dan Florida, Industry News Release, Weather

As of Oct. 15, economists with the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have begun gathering information they need to develop formal estimates of damages and crop losses Hurricane Michael inflicted upon agricultural and natural resources industries operating in Florida’s Panhandle. Dollar figures aren’t ready yet, but they’re on the way, said Alan Hodges, director of …