We are expanding! On July 17, 2024, a groundbreaking ceremony showcased a collaborative vision that became action. The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Extension will now have physical presence in the southern portion of Okaloosa County.

Construction of a 3,000 square-foot building began on Okaloosa County-owned land near Miss Ruth’s Farmers Market located off Lewis Turner Boulevard in Fort Walton Beach. The building will house Okaloosa County UF/IFAS Extension faculty and staff and support various educational opportunities and programming important to community members.

The UF/IFAS Extension partners with communities to provide quality, relevant education and research-based expertise to foster healthy people, a healthy environment, and a healthy economy. Each of Florida’s 67 counties has an UF/IFAS Extension office. The purpose of Extension is to meet community needs in the county. The Okaloosa County UF/IFAS Extension team is committed to serving our county’s community through education programming that enhances knowledge, experience, and life for individuals and families.

Okaloosa County UF/IFAS Extension is more than just agriculture. Our foci include agriculture, coastal resources and economics, horticulture (residential and commercial), environmental literacy, food and consumer sciences, natural resources, 4-H youth, and a Master Gardener volunteer program.

The Okaloosa County UF/IFAS Extension team thanks all who contributed to create this educational space, allowing more individuals and families to benefit from Extension services. We are excited and look forward to continued growth as a community.

Follow this link for video highlights of the groundbreaking ceremony:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TDrOSDhFZjQ

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