A child chops vegetables.

Free family literacy and nutrition program expands statewide reach, adds Type 2 diabetes prevention

by Meredith Bauer-Mitchell
July 2, 2026

The UF Books & Cooks literacy and nutrition program is expanding to more counties and will include information on Type 2 diabetes prevention. Participants say the program has boosted their children’s reading abilities and opened ... READ MORE

Category: Health & Nutrition, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Work & Life
Tags: Books & Cooks, Literacy, New Worlds Reading Institute, Nutrition, UF Lastinger Center For Learning

From fields to space farming, new tool detects crop drought stress before it’s visible

by Jamie Groh
June 30, 2026

When it comes to drought stress, timing can be the difference between saving a crop and losing it, whether in a greenhouse or the high-stakes environment of future space missions.   In a recent study published in Plant Phenomics, researchers ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Horticulture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agricultural Innovation, Agricultural Technology, Artificial Intelligence In Agriculture, Automated Irrigation Systems, Blog Community, Controlled Environment Agriculture, Crop Monitoring, Crop Resilience, Crop Stress Detection, Department Of Horticultural Sciences, Drought Management, Drought Stress Detection, Featured, Greenhouse Farming, Horticultre, Horticultural Science, Horticultural Sciences, Horticultural Sciences Department, Hyperspectral Imaging, Indoor Farming, Irrigation Management, Lettuce Plants, Mars Farming, Moon Missions, NASA Agriculture, Non-destructive Crop Monitoring, Plant Health Monitoring, Plant Phenomics, Precision Agriculture, Precision Irrigation, Smart Farming Technology, Space Agriculture, Sustainable Agriculture, UF/IFAS, USDA Research, Water Conservation

From Colonial Roots to 250 Years: Florida’s heritage cattle offer lessons for the state’s agricultural past, present and future

by Jamie Groh and Meredith Bauer-MitchellA professional headshot profile image of a young woman with brown hair in a pink jacket and tan shirt.
June 29, 2026

As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary, a small, rugged breed of cattle roaming Florida’s pastures is helping tell a much longer American story, one that predates the nation itself and may offer insight into the future of agriculture.  Heritage ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Livestock, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Agricultural Heritage USA, American Ranching History, Cattle Conservation, Climate Resilient Livestock, Featured, Florida Agriculture, Florida Cracker Cattle, Florida Farming, Florida Ranching, Heritage Cattle, Historic Cattle Breeds, Livestock Sustainability, Paynes Prairie Cattle, Pineywoods Cattle, Ranching Practices, Rotational Grazing, Scrub Cattle, Spanish Livestock History, St Johns County Agriculture, St. Johns County, Sustainable Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension

PIE Center and Florida EDEN to Host Hurricane Readiness Webinar

by Karlibeth Leitheiser
June 25, 2026

On Aug. 5, 2026 at 12:00 PM EDT, join us for an engaging webinar, titled "Tropical Season Readiness," featuring Angela “Angie” Enyedi, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather Service (NWS) in Jacksonville, Florida. ... READ MORE

Category: EVENTS, UF/IFAS
Tags: Event, FL EDEN, Florida EDEN, Hurricane Preparation, Hurricane Season, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, News, PIE Center, Storm Season, Tropical Storm, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS PIE Center, Webinar
Pinned insect collection displayed in a specimen case, featuring dozens of beetles and other insects arranged in rows. The insects vary in size and color, including large dark beetles and smaller iridescent green and metallic ones. Each specimen is mounted with a pin and labeled with small tags on a light-colored background.

“Bug Camp” Cultivates Next Generation Growth for Agricultural and Environmental Science Careers

by Jamie Groh
June 22, 2026

At the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), summer brings more than heat, it brings insects! Through its annual Bug Week celebration and the UF Department of Entomology and Nematology Field Camp, ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Blog Community, Camp, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS
Tags: 4-H, 4-H Bug Week, 4-H Camps, Department Of Entomology And Nematology, Entomology Education, Featured, Hands On Learning, Insect Camp Florida, Insect Collection, Insect Field Camp, STEM Summer Camp Florida, Student Science Experiences, UF Entomology And Nematology, UF IFAS Bug Camp, University Of Florida Entomology, Youth Science Programs
Swaying palm leaves in the wind by an out-of-focus sea background.

Communicating Before, During and After a Hurricane – A PIE Center Lunch and Learn

by Annabel Henson
June 22, 2026

The UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources, in collaboration with Florida Extension Disaster Education Network, will host a virtual Lunch and Learn on Jun. 23, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. EST on Communicating ... READ MORE

Category: Disaster Preparation, EVENTS, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: Hurricane Webinar, PIE Center, UF/IFAS Center For Public Issues Education In Agriculture And Natural Resources, UF/IFAS PIE Center

UF competition student winners reimagine invasive plants as food and art

by Jamie Groh
June 17, 2026

What happens when scientists and artists team up to tackle invasive plants? At the University of Florida (UF), a student-led project is testing whether the answer could include edible mushrooms — and a creative approach to recycling. The team ... READ MORE

Category: Blog Community, Invasive Species, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS
Tags: Art And Science Collaboration, Blog Community, CALS, College Of Agricultural And Life Sciences, College Of The Arts, Community Engagement, Environmental Sustainability, Featured, Food Innovation, IFAS, Invasive Species, Oyster Mushrooms, Recycling, Student Research, Sustainable Agriculture, UF Students, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida
Farm laborers workiing in the field next to a farm machine.

UF experts help farmers use web-based tools to predict strawberry, tomato yields faster, more accurately

by Brad Buck
June 16, 2026

To make a successful return on their investment, growers need to accurately predict how much crop they might grow in a given season. University of Florida researchers are developing web-based tools that incorporate artificial intelligence to ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Farm Management
Tags: Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Artificial Intelligence, Crops, Forecasting, Gulf Coast Research And Education Center, HiPerGator, Images, Jessica Chitwood-Brown, Kevin Wang, PhenoSeg, PhenoSnap, Shinsuke Agehara, Strawberries, Tomatoes, Vance Whitaker, Wael Elwakil, Web Tools, Yield
Featured image: Young explorers observing mushrooms with magnifying glass in forest. AdobeStock_ 1655868095 By Serhii, Photo used under license.

Don’t let the ‘summer slide’ slow down learning; experts share fun options to fuel young minds

by Lourdes Mederos
June 11, 2026

Summer break has arrived for kids. A time for fun, freedom and family vacation. It can also be a time when academic skills fade away. With nearly 3 million students enrolled in Florida public schools, University of Florida experts at ... READ MORE

Category: 4-H & Youth, Blog Community, Camp, Clubs & Volunteers, EVENTS, Professional Development, Relationships & Family, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension
Tags: 4-H, 4-H Camp To Go, 4-H Programs, 4-H Summer Camps, Adventure, Adventures, Backyard Fun, Bonnie Wells, Citizen Science, David Hafner, Espanol, Exploring, Gardening, INaturalist App, Learning Opportunities, Lynsey Occenac, Outdoor Adventures, Science, Spanish, STEM, Summer, Summer Slide, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Broward County, UF/IFAS Extension Martin County, UF/IFAS Extension Osceola County, University Of Florida, Vacation, Young, Youth
Dos niños sentados en el suelo de un bosque iluminado por el sol, explorando la naturaleza; uno usa unos binoculares mientras el otro observa con curiosidad a su lado, ambos vestidos de manera casual y rodeados de árboles altos y hierba verde.

Evite el retroceso académico de verano con actividades divertidas recomendadas por expertos para mantener a los jóvenes aprendiendo y con la mente activa

by Luz Bahder
June 11, 2026

Creado por Lourdes Mederos, gerente de relaciones públicas en español para el Departamento de Comunicaciones de UF/IFAS. Llegaron las vacaciones de verano para los niños, una temporada de diversión, relajación y paseos familiares. ... READ MORE

Category: UF/IFAS
Tags: 4-H, Actividades, Actividades De Verano, Bonnie Wells, Campamentos, CLOVER, David Hafner, De University Of Florida Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), Espanol, Florida, Jovenes, Juvenil, Lynsey Occenac, Ninas, Ninos, Oficina Local De Extensión De UF/IFAS, Oportunidades De Aprendizaje, Pérdida De Aprendizaje Durante El Verano, Programa 4-H, Programas, Retroceso Académico De Verano, Spanish, Vacaciones De Verano, Verano

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