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by MEREDITH BAUER, UF/IFAS If you’re working with the Florida cattle industry and you’re trying to spread information about tick-borne illnesses, the best way to get your message across is using prevention-focused messages, rather than fear. That’s the takeaway from a new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research by University of Florida […]

by MEREDITH BAUER-MITCHELL, UF/IFAS University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is pleased to announce the recipients of the 2026 Launching Innovative Faculty Teams in AI funding program (LIFT AI), which provides UF/IFAS researchers with funding to pursue artificial intelligence research within agriculture. Five UF/IFAS teams were chosen this year, with a

BARTOW, Fla. — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) issued its first citrus crop forecast of the 2025-2026 harvest season on January 12. The agency projects Florida will produce 12 million boxes of oranges, down 2 percent from last season’s production; 1.2 million boxes of grapefruit, down 8 percent from last year; and 400,000 boxes of

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS Have you ever considered a walk in a tree-shaded park to relieve stress? If you have, you’re hardly alone, according to new University of Florida research. The study shows that spending time in tree-filled spaces — like parks or wooded areas — can be a powerful way to calm the mind.

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS University of Florida scientists are joining forces at the Crop Transformation Center (CTC) to wage a high-tech war against pests and diseases threatening Florida’s crops – arming farmers with cutting-edge solutions to protect the state’s agricultural lifeblood. The urgency to find a solution to citrus greening spawned interest to include citrus

by MEREDITH BAUER-MITCHELL, UF/IFAS As a freshman in college, Ben Wolking nearly drowned doing the sport he’d mastered. Due to an undiagnosed heart issue, he passed out while in the water at swim practice at Bates College, and he was subsequently thrust into a series of doctor appointments, surgeries and therapies – a world full

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS As we enter the height of Florida’s strawberry production season, many consumers crave the taste and aroma of the fruit. That’s part of what compels Mark Porter to try to enhance those qualities. For his doctoral dissertation, Porter led novel research in which he and his faculty advisors found groups of

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS Imagine 19th century Florida: sweltering heat with no air conditioning, swarms of mosquitoes, nights lit only by campfires and the harsh reality that any meat on your plate had to be hunted and killed by you. These gritty details aren’t just history – they’re lessons coming to life for 15,000 fourth graders,

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On December 15, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson announced the opening of an application cycle for landowners to apply to the Rural and Family Lands Protection Program. The program partners with farmers and ranchers through rural lands protection easements to preserve working agricultural operations that contribute to Florida’s economy and produce our

by BRAD BUCK, UF/IFAS Florida’s late fall and winter don’t just bring cooler, less humid weather. The seasons bring the sweet burst of locally grown strawberries. Juicy, vibrant and fresh from the fields, these Sunshine State gems are waiting for you at your favorite market.  Farmers in Hillsborough, Manatee, and Polk counties are growing and