University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

This photo shows compact soil beds, developed by UF/IFAS Professor Sanjay Shukla. This geometric soil-bed design, which also uses plastic mulch, is taller and narrow than conventional soil beds. The design helps Lipman farms save 25% on water, plus nutrients and fumigants.

Florida farms reduce water use by 25% with simple change in crop beds

Brad Buck, UF/IFAS

Lipman Family Farms wanted to mitigate flood risk associated with heavy rain on their 2,000-acre farm in Naples.As general manager, Lucas Conran helps oversee seven farming operations for Lipman in Florida and other states along the East Coast. So, he asked for help from his longtime friend, Sanjay Shukla, a University of Florida hydrologist, who had just developed his “compact-bed geometry,” with state and federal funding, including the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Some of the different citrus grown at the center. The annual Open House for the UF/IFAS Southwest Florida Research and Education Center, was held Wednesday, Nov 8, 2023. This gave a chance to show anyone interested in seeing the research being done with citrus and vegetables at the center in Immokalee. The research and best practices from the University of Florida research is then passed on to our local Florida farmers. Many of the scientists had their research on display as well as a tour of the research farm was given. You can also see how artificial intelligence technology helps growers detect pests and diseases faster and more accurately. A technology that is changing the farming industry.

Environment

UF agriculture research center shows what it can do

Andrea Melendez and Tom Bayles

The open house held at the Southwest Florida Research and Education Center showed off what UF agricultural researchers are doing to solve problems growing citrus and vegetables

Cattle with GPS collars at Blackbeard’s Ranch

Agriculture

‘Invisible fence’ keeps cattle on ranch, helps protect environment

University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

A first-of-its-kind invisible fence project looks to keep cattle on one Southwest Florida ranch contained, provide the property with more efficiency and help protect the environment.

A 10-year effort is now published in the journal Management of Biological Invasions by wildlife biologists from the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences revealing how a series of efforts and strategies led to successful control and removal of spectacled caimans in the Eastern Everglades. The animal resembles a smaller American alligator

Blueprint created for invasive species removal in Everglades

Tom Bayles

A coordinated series of efforts over 10 years to eradicate the spectacled caiman from the Western Everglades resulted in the removal of 251 of the creatures

Business/Economy

SWFL Fresh continues to raise awareness about local producers to bolster regional food system

Tara Calligan

Florida’s agriculture sector was hit extremely hard following Hurricane Ian, with crop losses up to $1.25 billion. The brand “SWFL Fresh: Choose Local, Choose Fresh” raises awareness about locally-produced products to help the regional food system become more resilient, especially in the face of a natural disaster.

"SWFL Fresh" brand created to increase local farm visibility

Tara Calligan

A new branding project SWFL Fresh: Choose Local, Choose Fresh" hopes to expand public knowledge and buy-in about locally grown foods to better connect Southwest Florida producers with consumers.

An invasive Cuban Tree Frog specimen. Invasive species, amphibians and reptiles. frogs, pests. UF/IFAS Photo by Tyler Jones.

UF/IFAS creates new Invasion Science Research Institute

Mike Kiniry

As director of new UF/IFAS Invasion Science Research, Dr. Matthew Thomas will bring together more than 120 UF/IFAS scientists dedicated to the control of nonnative and invasive wildlife and plant species.

Business/Economy

Free UF Courses Helping Small-Scale Farmers Market on Social Media

Tara Calligan

Amid a spike in demand for locally-sourced foods, the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is offering a free education program for budding and seasoned agricultural entrepreneurs about how to market their small-growing operations in the digital consumer era.

Citrus greening (Huanglongbing) is reeking havoc on Florida's citrus industry.

A.I. may be the way to stop deadly disease decimating Florida's citrus groves

Mike Kiniry

New technology being tested by researchers at UF/IFAS to help Florida farmers reduce their costs as much as possible in order to try and stay profitable in the face of what’s called ‘citrus greening.'

UF Researchers Use Drones to Detect Tomato Diseases with 99% Accuracy

Andrea Perdomo

Scientists at the University of Florida’s Southwest Florida Research and Education Center have taken tomato research to the skies. An agricultural…