On November 4, District 8 Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen-Higgins will kick off Miami-Dade Farmers Month at the 9th annual One Night in the Tropics.
As title sponsor, she will join other South Florida leaders and the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at this premier philanthropic event to pay homage to those who harvest the fields of food that feed our communities. At the same time, the event will raise funds for UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) — the research center dedicated to helping farmers grow that food sustainably for nearly a century.
The event, which is eagerly anticipated each year, will occur amid tropical fruit-filled orchards and ornamental plants that grace the campus grounds at 18905 SW 280 St. in Homestead. A blend of local flavors of food, drink, live music, entertainment, and silent auctions will set the stage from 6 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. for an evening in the company of world-class scientists and faculty of the center. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, along with donations for scholarships and silent auction items from this link https://tinyurl.com/bdrbrtvk. To register for the event, please use this link.
“At the core of TREC’s history are the scientists and graduate students building partnerships with Florida farmers who grow tropical and subtropical fruit, traditional and tropical vegetables and tropical, ornamental and agronomic crops,” said Edward “Gilly” Evans, a longtime agricultural economist at UF/IFAS and director at UF/IFAS TREC.
When TREC was founded in 1929, its mission was to develop solutions for Florida farmers focusing on a wide range of crops, including mangoes, papayas, tomatoes, avocados, corn, green beans, and squash. For the last 94 years, TREC scientists, students, and staff have collaborated with farmers and focused research and extension outreach on this wide range of tropical commodities and natural resources in the warm subtropics.
Today, TREC is recognized locally, nationally, and internationally as a leading research and education institution for tropical and subtropical horticulture and natural resources and contributes to the economic development and enhancement of the quality of life in Florida. The center has expanded to conduct cutting-edge research and disseminate findings to the public in areas such as crop and plant breeding and biotechnology, sea level rise, soil and water management, environmental conservation, climate change, invasive plant pests and disease management, agriculture and ecosystems sustainability, and much more.
“It is most fitting to celebrate under the auspices of Miami-Dade Farmers Month, a celebration inspired by District 8 Miami-Dade County Commissioner Danielle Cohen-Higgins,” said Evans.
The month-long celebration organized by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau, seeks to celebrate the Miami countryside and contributions of South Florida farmers during a harvest season. It was designed to give thanks to farmers past and present. From early on, a farmer’s hard work and dedication have benefited the nation regarding commodities for our livelihood and their immense contributions to the national and local economies.
“Together, faculty and farmers have built a rich history and a world-class reputation for its focused research and Extension programs to protect the stability of a long list of Florida commodities and natural resources. We are honored to be a part of this celebration.”
For more information about One Night in the Tropics and other philanthropic opportunities, please use this link https://trec.ifas.ufl.edu/friends-of-trec-endowments/.
###
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents.
ABOUT UF/IFAS TROPICAL RESEARCH AND EDUCATION CENTER
The mission of UF/IFAS Tropical Research & Education Center (UF/IFAS TREC) is to develop and disseminate science-based information about tropical horticulture and natural resource sciences through teaching, basic and applied research, and extension, to sustain and enhance the quality of human life and the natural environment. Established in 1929, UF/IFAS TREC is the only state university research and education center in the continental U.S. focusing on tropical and subtropical crops. Our faculty, support scientists, and students conduct cutting edge research and disseminate findings to the public in areas such as crop and plant breeding and biotechnology, sea level rise, soil and water management, environmental conservation, climate change, invasive plant pests and disease management, agriculture and ecosystems sustainability, and much more. The Center’s unique location—between Florida Bay and Everglades National Park—strategically situates research to the Caribbean region, Latin America, and tropical regions around the world.
1
