THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES

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1 THE UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES Ruth Hohl Borger, Ed.D., APR Assistant Vice President, UF/IFAS Communications

2 Thank you! Master Gardeners: 4500 volunteers 420,000 hours volunteer in ,500 clientele contacts Value of 9.2 million dollars to the state of Florida

3 UF/IFAS is a federal-state-county partnership throughout Florida, dedicated to improving lives by sharing information about agriculture, natural resources and life sciences.

4 A picture is worth a thousand words

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6 IFAS Some FACTS basic facts: Land-grant (1862) mission for state of Florida 4,000 faculty and staff around the state UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research College of Agricultural and Life Sciences and College of Veterinary Medicine 14 academic departments Financial partnerships with state, county, and federal government

7 The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is the largest and most comprehensive agriculture and natural resources program found among Florida s public universities. UF is tasked with improving the state s agricultural and natural resources production as part of its mission. The state s initial land-grant institution was Florida Agricultural College, established in Lake City in The college was then incorporated into the University of Florida, which commenced operations in Gainesville in The name Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences was adopted in 1964 as part of a re-organization of UF s existing agriculture and natural resources program.

8 Collectively, the business of agricultural and natural resources production represents Florida s second-largest economic engine, after tourism. In calendar year 2013, sales revenues from Florida agriculture and natural resources production totaled $ billion and accounted for about 20 percent of the state s jobs. Florida is a specialty crop state, producing about 300 commodities. Some of the most valuable include forest products, citrus fruit, beef cattle, seafood, ornamental and nursery plants, sugarcane, tomatoes, strawberries and winter vegetables. The warm, humid climate and abundant rainfall in Florida provide ideal conditions for many crops but these conditions also support many pests and pathogens. Furthermore, the state s robust international trade and tourism cause accidental introductions of many non-native organisms. When these organisms survive and reproduce in Florida they may become significant threats to crop production or even to human and animal health.

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10 How do we operate? State, local and federal funding Private donations Grants Volunteers!

11 UF/IFAS currently owns and maintains 342 structures FACILITIES (buildings, greenhouses, storage facilities, etc.) on the main campus in Gainesville on 100 acres, for a total of 969,931 GSF. UF/IFAS additionally owns and maintains 548 buildings and 1,782,786 GSF at Research and Education Centers in 13 locations around Florida, and 389 buildings and 1,009,968 square feet at 20 other Research Sites/Demonstration Sites throughout Florida.

12 The total number of buildings owned and maintained by IFAS is 1,279, for a total of 3,754,685 GSF.

13 SUCCESS STORIES UF/IFAS was created in 1964 to consolidate the agricultural, natural resource, and life sciences teaching, research and Extension programs at the University of Florida. Cultivated new strawberry varieties Helped establish the Florida blueberry industry Peaches, pomegranates and olives oh my! From sea to space

14 Points of Pride Education Lassie Goodbread-Black, the first woman to enroll as a fulltime UF student, was admitted in 1925 to the College of Agriculture, predecessor of today s CALS. Research Beginning in the 1930s, studies by animal nutritionist George K. Davis led to the elimination of salt sickness, a huge impediment to Florida s beef cattle industry. Extension The UF/IFAS online Extension library is the largest free resource of its type, with about 7,000 documents available on demand. Technology Transfer Longtime UF/IFAS tomato breeder Jay Scott developed the Tasti-Lee tomato, a traditionally bred premium tomato licensed by UF and now sold worldwide

15 In the 1940s, UF/IFAS researchers were part of a team that developed the technology needed to produce frozen concentrated orange juice; this work spawned an industry. Since Fiscal Year 2001, UF/IFAS has ranked first or second among U.S. universities, in terms of funding spent on agricultural research and development. Quick action by UF/IFAS Extension personnel helped stop a 2015 outbreak of the Oriental fruit fly in Miami-Dade County; by February 2016 the pest was declared eradicated. Termite expert Nan-Yao Su, along with colleagues at Dow Agrosciences, developed a revolutionary baiting system to eliminate subterranean termite colonies; marketed since 2005, it is UF s third most-valuable licensed property.

16 Challenges Citrus greening Invasive species Water, water everywhere but can you use it? Growing population and their needs Health of residents and children Coastal issues Mosquito-carried viruses Food safety/fsma Extreme weather Providing services to everyone

17 DID DID YOU YOU KNOW KNOW Every county has an extension office? IFAS Bookstore? Meat lab open on Fridays? Natural Area Teaching Laboratory trails? IFAS developed many breeds of fruits, vegetables, cattle in Florida? IFAS manages the youth leadership 4-H program around the state? IFAS runs leadership programs for community members?

18 IFAS EXTENSION: WHAT EDUCATIONAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS DO WE PROVIDE? IFAS Commercial EXTENSION: Agriculture WHAT and EDUCATIONAL Home Horticulture AND TECHNICAL gardening advice ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS DO WE PROVIDE? crop and livestock recommendations soil testing information pest and plant disease identification and recommendations restricted-use pesticide training Family and Consumer Science nutrition information food preservation and safety personal and family finances: budgeting, household inventory, insurance, estate planning consumer issues and credit rights housing and home environment. 4-H Youth Development 4-H club organization 4-H school enrichment program

19 Branding and why should you care What is a brand anyway? Branding.ifas.ufl.edu

20 You are critical to UF/IFAS You open the door to UF/IFAS You may be their only experience with the organization You are everywhere!

21 Questions???