2026 EDEN Spring Training Set for Tampa (12/16/2025) - Tampa, Fla. — The 2026 Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) Spring Training will take place in Tampa from Feb. 24 to 26, 2026. Early bird registration closes Jan. 15. This year, attendees will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of high-impact trainings and experiences, including: FEMA Incident Command System (ICS) trainings Train the… more
UF/IFAS PIE Center to host policy communication workshop for professionals in agriculture and natural resources (11/6/2025) - The UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) will host a Lunch & Learn workshop focused on policy communication strategies for professionals in agriculture and natural resources (ANR) on Wednesday, Dec. 3, from 11 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Held at the UF/IFAS Social Science Research Laboratory, 1380 Sabal Palm… more
Scientists seek to curtail bird flu’s spread through education, outreach efforts (7/10/2025) - Though the current public health risk of H5N1 bird flu is low, the University of Florida (UF) is taking a proactive approach to education about the illness, which is responsible for one human death in the United States, as well as outbreaks among dairy cows and poultry. UF’s H5N1 Coordination Group combines the expertise of… more
After the storms: UF/IFAS study seeks photos illustrating hurricane recovery (4/30/2025) - UF/IFAS this week launched “Images of Recovery,” a photo-centric research study funded by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Floridians are asked to answer a survey and submit photos that illustrate how they have recovered following a hurricane experienced during the last three years. While organizers hope to reach the state’s hardest-hit agricultural… more
Los floridanos están fertilizando su césped sin ninguna orientación: una campaña de UF/IFAS tiene como objetivo brindarles información (4/1/2025) - Creado por Megan Winslow, especialista en relaciones públicas de UF/IFAS. Un informe recientemente publicado por UF/IFAS revela importantes deficiencias de conocimiento sobre fertilizantes entre los floridanos que los utilizan para cuidar sus jardines residenciales. Treinta y cinco condados y 97 municipios adicionales del estado cuentan con ordenanzas sobre fertilizantes, pero el 60,6% de las personas… more
Floridians are fertilizing lawns without guidance: A UF/IFAS campaign aims to educate (4/1/2025) - A newly published UF/IFAS report reveals significant knowledge gaps about fertilizer among Floridians who use it to care for their residential lawns. Thirty-five counties and 97 additional municipalities in the state have fertilizer ordinances, but 60.6% of people surveyed by UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education (PIE Center) researchers did not know whether they lived… more
UF/IFAS study identifies trust in science as key for supporting AI use in agriculture (2/11/2025) - Trust in scientific experts – even more than understanding their work – is the strongest predictor of support for artificial intelligence applications in agriculture. The finding is among conclusions reached by a new UF/IFAS study exploring Americans’ perceptions of AI-supported food and agriculture systems. “This research shows that even if people lack deep technical understanding,… more
Agricultural safety center, UF/IFAS release heat-related illness toolkit (6/18/2024) - The Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety (SCCAHS) and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) have partnered to create an online toolkit to help protect agricultural workers from the summer heat. Last year’s sweltering summer temperatures convinced SCCAHS leadership that additional promotion about heat-related illness education could save… more
UF/IFAS a Trusted Source of Information (8/20/2018) - By Ashley McLeod, AshleynMcleod@ufl.edu, 352-273-0793 GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida’s county commissioners look to the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) for reliable agricultural-related information, according to a recent study. In May 2018, the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) surveyed 43 county commissioners to… more
UF/IFAS PIE Center Offers Tools to Teach Mosquito Control to Residents (6/26/2018) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The University of Florida IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources received a $200,000 grant to help others teach the public about mosquito safety. The UF/IFAS PIE Center, as part of a Florida Department of Health grant, created the Prevent and Protect web page and related materials to… more
UF/IFAS Extension prepared to help Floridians facing Hurricane Matthew (10/6/2016) - University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension is working closely with Florida’s emergency operation centers to provide emergency information and assistance to those in the path of Hurricane Matthew. “The local UF/IFAS Extension office is a disaster response resource in every community in Florida,” said Angie Lindsey, assistant professor of family, youth… moreUF/IFAS helps local farmers break into the local food movement (6/2/2016) - When it comes to defining local food, things are hardly black and white. Instead, consumers perceive degrees of localness rather than firm local and non-local divisions, University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences researchers have found. Now researchers are using these findings to help Florida farmers effectively market their produce to Floridians. “There… more
Floridians passionate about, but puzzled by, endangered and invasive species (8/18/2014) - Photo cutline below GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Floridians would likely support a 1 percent sales tax bump to prevent and eradicate disruptive invasive species, a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences public opinion survey shows. The survey also shows that residents say they’re not as up to speed on endangered… more
Floridians remain conflicted on immigration; oppose eligibility for federal education grants (5/20/2014) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. -- Floridians support the children of people who illegally entered the U.S. attending public colleges in their home state at lower, in-state tuition rates. But that support fades fast when asked whether those students should be eligible for federal education grants, according to a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural… more
PIE Center survey: Floridians value water, but not ‘all in’ on conservation (2/10/2014) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Floridians value water, almost as much as they value money and their health — just don’t ask them to time themselves in the shower. An online survey of 516 Floridians found that interest in water ranked third in a list of public issues, just behind the economy and health care, but ahead… more
New UF/IFAS survey: Floridians strongly support endangered species protections (9/16/2013) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Floridians are ardent fans of endangered species and want to see them protected, even if it means fines for violators or restrictions on personal freedoms, a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences survey finds. In conjunction with the 40th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act, an online survey… more
UF/IFAS survey reveals Floridians conflicted about immigrants, related policies (5/22/2013) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Floridians have negative feelings about undocumented immigrants, but an overwhelming majority favor policy that would allow such immigrants a path to U.S. citizenship, a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences survey suggests. The survey of 507 Floridians found that although many see undocumented immigrants as threats to their… more
Webinar series makes communication ‘Easy as PIE’ (3/8/2013) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- The University of Florida's Center for Public Issues Education (PIE Center) is now hosting a monthly webinar series called "Easy as PIE." The series provides opportunities to learn about critical agriculture and natural resource issues in an interactive online environment. Speakers include experts and practitioners who share their relevant research, practical experiences… more
UF/IFAS report finds Floridians value water resources, want to conserve (2/18/2013) - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rk0POI4SRUE GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Floridians are more concerned with water quality than quantity, the results of a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences water survey suggest.The survey of some 469 Floridians found that when respondents were asked to assign levels of importance to 16 water-related topics such as “plentiful water for… more
PIE Center move will increase its prominence in UF/IFAS (10/26/2012) - Four months after winning recurring state funding, the Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) will be moving from a department-level center to an IFAS-wide center. Effective Nov. 1, the PIE Center will report to Jack Payne, University of Florida senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources. By moving… more
UF/IFAS center’s research looks at agricultural messages that pack the most punch (3/9/2012) - GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- Showing the kinds of words that appeal — and those that don’t — in agricultural messages, research by the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education (PIE Center) recently debuted in a national academic journal. Led by doctoral student Joy Goodwin, the PIE Center’s agricultural message testing project appears in the current issue… more