by MEGAN WINSLOW, UF/IFAS
The 10th annual Florida Agricultural Policy Outlook Conference will address the issues, research and policies shaping the state’s agriculture industry.
Hosted by the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department, the day-long event is scheduled for May 8 at the Plant Science Research and Education Unit (PSREU) in Citra, Florida. Participants may attend in person or watch online.
Attendees will hear an overview of several high-profile topics expected to affect Florida agriculture in the upcoming year, including the delayed United States Farm Bill and applications for artificial intelligence, said Suzanne Thornsbury, a UF/IFAS professor of food and resource economics and coordinator of the conference.
“Each carefully selected topic chosen may impact our attendees’ businesses, their clientele and the economy at large,” she said. “The information provided can inform decision-making as attendees navigate the year ahead.”
Conference speakers include state and federal leaders from entities like the Florida Department of Commerce, the Foundation for Food and Agricultural Research and the American Farm Bureau Federation, as well as UF/IFAS leaders and researchers.
“We’re proud to provide this opportunity for our community of agricultural producers, researchers and policymakers to come together and discuss the future of Florida’s food and resource industries,” said Lisa House, chair of the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department, or FRE. “We look forward to this being our best conference yet.”
Event pricing ranges from $40 to $60, and registration, open through May 1, is available online. Members of the media may attend for free, and students may receive a discount by emailing Alena Poulin, FRE marketing and communications specialist, at alenarene@ufl.edu.
Agenda highlights include:
8:30 a.m. – Registration
9 a.m. – Welcome
- Lisa House chair of the UF/IFAS food and resource economics department.
- Scott Angle, UF/IFAS senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources.
9:30 a.m. – State agricultural policy
- Alex Kelly, secretary, Florida Department of Commerce.
- Tripp Hunter, director of state legislative affairs, Florida Farm Bureau Federation.
10:30 a.m. – Federal agricultural policy
- John Newton, executive head, Terrain.
- John Walt Boatright, director of government affairs, American Farm Bureau Federation.
11:15 a.m. – Legislative Perspective
- J.J. Grow, member, Florida State House of Representatives.
11:45 a.m. – PSREU Overview
- Jim Boyer, center director, PSREU.
1 p.m. – Reconvene
- Derek Farnsworth, associate professor, UF/IFAS food and resource economics department.
1:15 p.m. – Agricultural research and extension partnerships
- Damian Adams, associate dean for research, UF/IFAS.
- Brittany Lee, vice president, Florida Blue Farms, and member, USDA Agriculture Trade and Advisory Committee for Fruits and Vegetables.
- LaKisha Odom, scientific program director, Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research.
- Paul Hindsley, chief economist, Everglades Foundation.
2:45 p.m. – Artificial intelligence applications for agriculture
- Nathan Boyd, associate center director and professor of horticulture, UF/IFAS. Gulf Coast Research and Education Center.
- Weizhe Weng, assistant professor, UF/IFAS food and resource economics department.
- Martha Montoya, chief executive officer, Agtools.
3:45 p.m. – Wrap-up, evaluations and poster results
- Suzanne Thornsbury, professor, UF/IFAS food and resource economics department.
4 p.m. – Optional PSREU tour
— provided by UF/IFAS