News Release

(GAINESVILLE, Fla.) - The Florida Legislature should approve the 2003 proposed budget initiative requested by the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences along with three budget initiatives: serving and protecting Florida's agricultural and natural resources economic value, local extension matching initiative and teacher partnerships. That recommendation is among those contained in a report published by Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF) summarizing a review of the structure, function and future of UF/IFAS.

"This is the largest external industry-based review that has ever been conducted of IFAS or any other land grant institution that we are aware," said Carl Loop Jr, president of Florida Farm Bureau. "We formed a Task Force to conduct this review because IFAS is an integral part of Florida's diverse $54 billion plus agricultural- and natural resource-based industry."

The IFAS budget has not increased over the last ten years and, in fact, has actually decreased if inflation is factored in. The University of Florida is a chartered land grant university, and UF/IFAS comprises the agricultural component of the land grant mission. Within IFAS, the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) meets the teaching role, the Florida Agricultural Experiment Stations meet the research role and the Florida Cooperative Extension Service delivers educational programs to the public.

"IFAS truly serves as our research and development arm and is an economic development driver," said Loop. "The infrastructure that IFAS provides for Florida's agricultural industry and our citizens shows how government investment can return multiple benefits."

Florida Farm Bureau Federation (FFBF), the state's largest general interest agricultural organization, published the report which contains 20 recommendations aimed at ensuring UF/IFAS will continue to fulfill its education and research missions. "Florida Agricultural Industry Review: A Report on the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences," (The FAIR Report) reviews the structure and future of UF/IFAS from an industry perspective. It summarizes the observations and concerns expressed by agricultural producers in individual interviews, and incorporates information drawn from a written audit of IFAS by other agricultural groups working in concert through the Florida Agricultural Council.

"The question we are attempting to answer is: 'Will IFAS become one of the top five land grant agricultural institutions in the nation, or will it slide into mediocrity?'" said Pat Cockrell, director of the FFBF Agriculture Policy Division and author of the report.

Among the short-term goals, Florida Farm Bureau recommends the legislature approve the 2003 IFAS budget request, along with three initiatives: serving and protecting the economic value of Florida's agricultural and natural resources ($3.9 million); local extension matching initiative ($1.4 million); and teaching partnerships ($1.6 million).

The report also calls on the lawmakers to clarify existing law so that all three IFAS components (teaching, research and extension) fall in the IFAS budget line for the University of Florida. It suggests the Legislature maintain legislative oversight by having IFAS give an annual report to joint House and Senate agriculture and education committees.

The FAIR Report also puts forth a 10- year plan that would include industry participation in a review and planning process that will put the IFAS administration in the top 10 percent of land grant institutions in the nation, both in terms of effectiveness and the ratio of administrators to faculty.

"Truly, IFAS has a statewide campus for research and education," Loop said, "and all of our citizens benefit from the land grant mission."

The complete FAIR Report can be downloaded from the World Wide Web at http://FloridaFarmBureau.org. A printed copy can be obtained by contacting Linda Dixon, FFBF Agriculture Policy Division, phone 352-374-1544.

Florida Farm Bureau celebrates 61 years of service to agriculture this year. The Florida Farm Bureau is the largest independent agricultural association in Florida, representing the interests of more than 150,300 member-families. There are Farm Bureaus in 62 counties in Florida, where agriculture comprises a stable, vital leg of Florida's economy, rivaling the tourism industry in economic importance.