Services Provided by UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County

The UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County office is service-orientated. Our main goal is to enhance the wellbeing and economic opportunities for residents, both in the agricultural industry and out, through research-based information. Check out our services below to see how Extension can assist you!

Various agricultural industries

Agricultural Professionals

For producers in the agricultural industry, our office has five program areas designed to help grow your business while protecting our natural resources.

  • Our Commercial Horticulture Program provides support to local nurseries, greenhouses, and sod industries. The Commercial Horticulture agent works with local business owners on their pest management, regulatory compliance, sustainability, and other research-based solutions. Contact Caitlin Sollazzo for more information at sollazzocaitlin@ufl.edu
  • Florida Sea Grant uses research and education to enhance economic opportunities for local fisheries, working waterfronts, and shellfish aquaculture while promoting practices that conserve our coastal resources. For more information on Sea Grant, contact Dr. Angela Collins at abcollins@ufl.edu.
  • Our Livestock Program assists local ranchers and farmers with pest management, forage crops, pasture management, financial strategies, and more. The Livestock agent participates in many events and educational programs for youth and adults on livestock management. Contact Christa Kirby at ccarlson@ufl.edu for more information on livestock.
  • The Soil Conservation team partners with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (USDA NRCS) and the Manatee River Soil and Water Conservation District (MRSWCD) to help agricultural landowners conserve natural resources. This program also offers educational opportunities to local youth such as the annual speech contest, Envirothon, and Land Judging. To get in touch with our soils team contact Gail Somodi at gail.somodi@fl.nacdnet.net.
  • Our Sustainable Food Systems Program helps both small and large farms that produce fruit and vegetables with best management practices and keeping farmers up to date on the latest UF/IFAS research. This program also offers pesticide safety and applicator training, and is home to our Community Gardens Program.  
Various residential programs

Residents

For Manatee County residents, UF/IFAS Extension Manatee County also offers a wide variety of resources and educational programming.

  • The 4-H Youth Development Program teaches children ages 5-18 years practical skills while developing life skills such as record-keeping, responsibility, and public speaking. As well as teaching 4-H’ers, this program also offers educational presentations to Manatee County schools such as AgVenture, Embryology, Public Speaking, and Herpetology. Contact Alex Draper at aldraper@ufl.edu to learn more. 
  • Community Gardens are a great way to get involved with your community while building gardening skills. Residents are encouraged to grow their own food or ornamentals and attend free classes on topics such as vegetable gardening, pest management, and garden leadership. Community gardens membership is $25 per year and includes a 4ft x 8ft raised bed, soil, and water access.
  • Our Environmental Horticulture Program works with landscape professionals and residential communities to help conserve natural resources. This program also offers pesticide and applicator safety training and is home to the Mobile Irrigation Lab (MIL). The MIL is a free service for Manatee County residents with an automatic, in-ground irrigation system. The MIL team will come out to your landscape, test your irrigation system, and provide suggestions for water saving solutions and possible rebate programs. For more information contact Michelle Atkinson at michelleatkinson@ufl.edu.
  • The Family and Consumer Science Program helps residents with finances, health and wellness, relationship-building, home maintenance, disaster preparedness, and more. The mission of this program is to promote economic, environmental, and social sustainability for families. Contact Nelly Nelson at nelly.nelson@ufl.edu for more information. 
  • The Residential Horticulture Program helps homeowners create beautiful, healthy landscapes. Residents can take advantage of the free Florida-Friendly Landscaping (FFL) Landscape Assistance Program. Sit down with our FFL Coordinator for a consultation on how you can make your landscape more Florida-Friendly! Residential Horticulture also includes the Master Gardener Volunteer Program which is a great resource for residents. Whether you have a sick plant or need advice on what to grow next, contacting our Master Gardener Volunteer Plant Clinic will get you the research-based answers you need. Reach out to Mack Lessig at mlessig@ufl.edu to get involved.

From farming and ranching to gardening and disaster preparedness, Extension is a wide-ranging resource that I encourage everyone to take advantage of!

For more information on any of our programs, contact us at (941) 722-4524 or stop by our office at 1303 17th St W, Palmetto, FL weekdays from 8am – 5pm.

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Posted: January 18, 2025


Category: , UF/IFAS Extension



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