I’m excited to share with you a new monthly newsletter all about Florida Cooperative Extension. It’s called SOLUTIONS.

If you’re unfamiliar with Extension, let me introduce ourselves: the University of Florida and Florida A & M University provide educational programming to help all Floridians find answers to their questions about agriculture, natural resources, food and nutrition, economics, and youth development. Think of Extension as your front door to  our universities, open 24/7. We take the research and teaching of UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and FAMU’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences–two leading institutions for scientific research–and make it accessible, understandable and applicable to everyone who needs it.

You can plug in Extension to do everything from growing crops, to starting a business, to living a healthier life, to helping your kids get the opportunities to excel beyond school.

Extension has Solutions for Your Life—https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu.

We’ve been around since 1914. We have offices in every Florida county–our faculty, staff and volunteers are right in your neighborhood. Yet, we’re often called the “best-kept secret” in Florida.

SOLUTIONS is one way we’re trying to spoil that secret, and it comes free to your email box when you subscribe.

Each month, we’ll keep you informed with stories about Extension in the news and upcoming programs and events.

In addition, we will feature videos that bring an area of Extension programming to life. In January’s issue, we tackle artificial intelligence–what it is, and the role Extension plays in understanding how A.I. is transforming our food and agriculture.

Success Stories will highlight the work of innovative Extension agents, specialists and volunteers who are changing lives and making an impact on communities throughout the state.

Heads Up goes into greater detail about the significance of an upcoming event, like Florida’s Arbor Day.

The Short Course is a list of  tips to help you learn a new skill or accomplish something you’ve always wanted to do. This month, in honor of Arbor Day, we’re offering a how-to about planting a tree in your landscape.

What is it? helps to explain the many facets of an unfamiliar topic. In this issue, we’ll talk about Plant Hardiness Zones—what they are, why they’re changing, and how they affect you.

Consider SOLUTIONS as a sampler. No one newsletter can cover the breadth and depth of Extension’s educational programming or to touch on the vital work being done in each community. Instead, each month we’re pulling together a wide range of highlights from our programs, resources and events across the state.

We hope it will pique your interest, enlighten you, and provide you with solutions for your life.

To read the latest issue and subscribe to SOLUTIONS, visit http://tinyurl.com/ExtSolutions.

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