Category: Work & Life

Experts call for expansion of organic farming to meet rising demand

by Lourdes Mederos
September 4, 2025

Consumer demand for organic fresh fruits and vegetables outweighs the availability of organic farms growing the food. In fact, while certified organic U.S. land for growing crops or livestock is increasing according to the U.S. Department ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Farm Management, Food Safety, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agriculture, Dakshina Seal, Extension, Farming, Florida Economy, Florida Organic Growers, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jeff Wasielewski, Jonathan Crane, News, Organic, Organic Farms, Organic Produce, Qingren Wang, Research, Tropical Research And Education Center, U.S. Department Of Agriculture, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, University Of Florida, Vermicompost, Xiaoying Li

Better mangoes, papayas and other tropical fruit: Breeding fruits consumers love, growers need

by Lourdes Mederos
August 27, 2025

Florida has long held a special place in America's fruit bowl. With its subtropical climate, the state remains one of the few parts of the continental United States where exotic fruits -- from mangoes and avocados to papayas and dragon fruit ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Farm Management, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Horticulture, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Avocado, Consumers, Crops, Cultivars, Diseases, DNA, Dragon Fruit, Exotic Fruits, Flavor, Florida, Gardens, Genetic Markers, Genetic Tools, Growers, Health, Jugpreet Singh, Laurel Wilt, Mango, Nutrition, Papaya, Papaya Ringspot, Pests, Production, Shelf Life, Subtropical Climate, Tropical Fruit, Tropical Research And Education Center

Scientists will use $1M grant to build a support system addressing sea level rise and flooding in South Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
July 17, 2025

A team of University of Florida scientists has been awarded a $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation to tackle one of South Florida’s most urgent environmental threats: groundwater flooding and saltwater intrusion caused ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Conservation, Crops, Disaster Preparation, Farm Management, Forests, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Natural Resources, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, Water
Tags: Agricultural And Biological Engineering, Ashley Smith, Biochemistry, Conservation, Eban Bean, Edward Evans, Flood, Flood Mitigation, Flood Risk, Food And Resource Economics, Grant, Green Infrastructures, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Mangrove Restoration, Miami, National Science Foundation, News, Rain Gardens, Saltwater Intrusion, Sea Level Rise, Soil And Water Sciences, Soil Sciences, Southeast Florida, Stormwater, Stormwater Runoff, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, University Of Florida, Young Gu Her, Zachary Brym

UF/IFAS scientists confirm hybrid termites established in Florida

by Lourdes Mederos
May 21, 2025

Scientists confirm that two of the world’s most destructive invasive termite species are not only spreading in the United States but also hybridizing – the process of two different species crossbreeding to produce a hybrid. This raises ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, , Home Management, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Asian Subterranean Termites, Biology, Entomology And Nematology, Formosan Subterranean Termites, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale Research And Education Center, Genetic, Hybrid, IFAS, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Invasion, Invasion Science, Invasive, Lourdes Mederos, News, Proceedings Of The Royal Society B, Structural Damage, Termite Soldier, Termites, Thomas Chouvenc

Celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a Florida avocado tree; UF/IFAS expert offers tips to grow your own

by Lourdes Mederos
April 21, 2025

With Cinco de Mayo approaching, now’s the time to dig into guacamole and even plant the tree that produces it. Florida avocados offer a fresh, tropical twist on this fan-favorite fruit that stars in so many recipes. Did you know Florida ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Health & Nutrition, Home Landscapes, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Avocado, Avocado Toast, Avocado Tree, Choquette Avocado, Cinco De Mayo, Donnie Avocado, Extension, Florida Avocado, Fruit, Guacamole, Hass, Home Landscape, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Jeff Wasielewski, Lourdes Mederos, Miami-Dade Extension, Miguel Avocado, Monroe Avocado, News, Nutrition, Prune, Russell Avocado, Simmonds Avocado, Sub-tropical Fruits, Trees, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County, University Of Florida

Free business-planning, tax management workshop for farmers and ranchers at UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade

by Lourdes Mederos
June 3, 2024

Operating an agribusiness such as a farm or ranch successfully requires strong financial skills to ensure profitability and sustainability. Agribusiness managers can enhance their business operations by filing tax returns that take advantage ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Blog Community, , Conservation, Farm Management, Livestock, Money Matters, Professional Development, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Agribusiness, Business Planning, Derek Farnsworth, Farm, Farm Loan Program, Farm Service Agency, Financial Statements, Food And Resource Economics, Heirs, Ranch, Succession Plans, Taxes, Tropical Research And Education Center, USDA Programs, Workforce Development

Unlocking the secrets of mites: Agricultural acarology workshop aims to increase expertise in this emerging science

by Lourdes Mederos
March 25, 2024

Mites are arachnids that are found in almost every environment with more than 55,000 described species worldwide. Some mites are classified as pests, while others are beneficial. Those who study mites are known as acarologists. Fewer ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Blog Community, Crops, Fruits & Vegetables, Horticulture, Invasive Species, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, SFYL Hot Topic, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, Work & Life
Tags: Acarology, Alexandra Revynthi, Arachnids, Biological Control Practitioners, Daniel Carrillo, Entomology And Nematology, Extension, Institute Of Food And Agricultural Sciences, Mites, News, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS TREC, UF/IFAS Tropical Research And Education Center

Introducing South Florida to the calabaza market

by moniquescoggin
May 3, 2021

What does fall feel like in South Florida? Not much different from summer, actually. Unlike the rest of the country, we don’t get cold weather or leaves changing colors to indicate this seasonal change. If it wasn’t for national chains blasting ... READ MORE

Category: Agriculture, Crops, Health & Nutrition, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research
Tags: Alternative Crops, Geoffrey Meru, Nutrition, Tropical Research And Education Center, UF/IFAS Extension

UF/IFAS Experts: Skip the Roses and Go Straight for the Orchids on Mother’s Day

by Brad Buck
May 7, 2018

GAINESVILLE, Fla. --- What’s better than roses on Mother’s day? Orchids, which are easier to take care of and can last for years, according to University of Florida experts. Wagner Vendrame, a professor of environmental horticulture at ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, EVENTS, Horticulture, Relationships & Family, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Research, Work & Life
Tags: IFAS, Mother's Day, News, Orchids

One Night in the Tropics Event

by TREC SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM
October 2, 2017

The University of Florida-Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC)'s 4th One Night in the Tropics event is under way. This year’s celebration is a special one as our community has suffered major losses due to Hurricane Irma. After ... READ MORE

Category: Agribusiness, Agriculture, Crops, EVENTS, Farm Management, Florida-Friendly Landscaping, Fruits & Vegetables, Home Landscapes, Horticulture, Lawn, Livestock, Natural Resources, Pests & Disease, Pests & Disease, Relationships & Family, Turf, UF/IFAS, UF/IFAS Extension, UF/IFAS Research, UF/IFAS Teaching, , Work & Life

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