Think you can’t grow avocados in the chilly winters of North Florida? Think again. The significant cold snap of January 2026, which sent temperatures plunging across the Sunshine State, has become the optimal testing grounds for University of Florida scientists developing new cold-hardy avocados at the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS).
After a winter that hit harder than anyone expected, freezing blossoms and fruit, and bruising hopes, Florida blueberry growers are working to recover from this chilly season. Florida’s harvesting season runs from March through May.
The UF/IFAS Hastings Agricultural Extension Center is hosting a centennial anniversary dinner and field day tour event on March 28. It will showcase over 100 years of advancement and commitment to the Tri-County Agriculture Area, an epicenter of potato growth and development across the state.
In a significant step forward for the performance horse industry, University of Florida Department of Animal Sciences researchers recently announced they were finally able to successfully fertilize an equine egg using in-vitro fertilization, the first time this feat has been accomplished in the state of Florida.
Growing a business is difficult. Growing an agriculture business can have its own unique challenges that can be daunting for a budding businessperson. That’s why the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Department of Food and Resource Economics (FRE) is launching a new entrepreneurship program, specifically targeted for students who want to create agricultural businesses.
Many science students are familiar with tests referred to as a lab practical. In this test creatures are placed in stations around the lab – students rotate through and have 1 to 2 minutes to answer 1 to 5 questions about the creature. I have given hundreds of these to first-year marine science students, and when they approach a barnacle, the response is generally the same.
It’s that time again – No Mow March. This is a chance to give the mower and the bees a break. This will be the fourth year we have promoted the No Mow March campaign, which started based on an idea received from a Leon County citizen in 2022 about the No Mow May campaign up north.
White-tailed deer damage in agricultural fields can be substantial and is an increasing concern for growers across Florida. Deer may not be a major issue in every region, but understanding where damage occurs and what types of impacts growers experience helps guide effective research, outreach and management efforts.
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Alternative story formats created or supported by UF/IFAS Communications.
Chris Wilson, a professor in the UF/IFAS soil, water and ecosystem sciences department, and his wife, Sandra Wilson, a professor in horticultural sciences, explore the relationship between pesticide management practices, plants and pollinators.
Florida's greatest natural resource is its water, and our economy depends on clean, plentiful amounts of this resource. Our state's population is expected to grow from 23 million to 33 million by 2070, putting our water resources at risk.
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