New building at Sunbelt Agricultural Expo will showcase UF research and education programs

October 17, 2006
Topic(s): Uncategorized

By:
Chuck Woods (352) 392-0400

Source(s):
Jimmy Cheek jgcheek@ufl.edu, 352-392-1971
Wayne Smith whsmith@ufl.edu, 352-846-0867
Pete Vergot vergot@ufl.edu, 850-875-7137
Liz Felter LFelter@ifas.ufl.edu, 407-884-2034
Charlotte Emerson, cemer@ufl.edu, 352-392-1961

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GAINESVILLE, FLA. — Billed as the world’s largest farm show, the 2006 Sunbelt Agricultural Exposition in Moultrie, Ga., will include a new exhibit building for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

The building, which will feature more than 20 displays highlighting IFAS research and education programs, will be officially dedicated Oct. 17 at the beginning of the three-day event.

Jimmy Cheek, UF senior vice president for agriculture and natural resources, said the Sunbelt Ag Expo is the premier farm show in the world, and UF will now have a permanent presence at the annual event. The show features more than 1,200 exhibits and attracts more than 200,000 visitors.

“The Sunbelt Ag Expo emphasizes information, education and implementation of the latest agricultural technology, research and equipment – providing an important venue for showcasing our teaching, research and extension programs,” Cheek said.

Wayne Smith, Pete Vergot, Liz Felter, Charlotte Emerson and a team of other UF faculty and staff coordinated the installation of the IFAS displays at the facility in Moultrie. Smith is a professor and director emeritus of the School of Forest Resources and Conservation in Gainesville; Vergot is an extension district director at the North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy; Felter is an extension agent with statewide marketing responsibilities at Mid-Florida Research and Education Center in Apopka; and Emerson is director of recruitment and alumni services for the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) in Gainesville.

Smith, who leads the team, said the Sunbelt Ag Expo displays – which focus on managing and protecting water resources – will include information on programs to improve water quality in the 505,000-acre Everglades Agricultural Area, implement best management practices (BMPs) in the Suwannee River Basin, maintain forests as healthy watersheds, use reclaimed water from urban areas on agricultural crops, control irrigation systems with soil moisture sensors, grow crops with computer-controlled hydroponic systems and control aquatic weeds.

Other displays provide information on UF’s statewide Florida Automated Weather Network (FAWN) and AgClimate, a climate information system for the southeastern United States. Smith said both services are important for today’s precision agriculture.

Felter said an important feature of the display will be the UF Extension Service’s new Solutions for Your Life Web site – http://solutionsforyourlife.com – that provides instant access to the vast array of useful information from statewide IFAS teaching, research and extension programs. The consumer-oriented Web site includes information on UF’s Master Gardener Program, Florida Yards and Neighborhoods, BMPs for nurseries and turf, small farms and alternative enterprises, 4-H youth development, and the “Family Album Radio” and “Gardening in a Minute” radio programs.

Emerson said the CALS display showcases the college as a national educational leader in the areas of pre-professional training, food, agriculture, natural resources and the life sciences. “The display also shows how the many curricula available to CALS students are taught and advised by a distinguished faculty who are recognized nationally and internationally for their teaching, research and extension expertise,” she said. “As a college known for its student-centered focus, CALS prides itself on educating society-ready graduates.”

The Sunbelt Ag Expo is located on 1,680 acres, 4 miles southeast of U.S. Hwy 319 (Veteran’s Parkway) on Highway 133 near Moultrie, Ga. Hours for the Sunbelt Ag Expo are 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday and 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Thursday. Admission price is $6 per person each day of the show. Children 6 and under admitted free with parent.

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