Feb
07
2012
UF graduate students tour Florida farms
The PIE Center tagged along with the University of Florida’s Agricultural Education & Communication Graduate Students Association (AECGSA) on their annual farm tour. One of this year’s hosts were Michael Babb, president of Two Rivers Ranch near Tampa. The company does everything from raising cattle and developing real estate to producing timber and providing Crystal Springs water to Nestle to produce Zephyrhills bottled water. They recently launched Florida Energy Capital, a company that plans to break ground on a biomass power plant. Hank and Pamela Sindlinger, owners of Gateway Organic Farm in Clearwater, hosted the students in the afternoon. A former
Jan
27
2012
USDA official makes case for local produce at UF
USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan discusses the Know Your Farmer, Know Your Food initiative at the Straughn Extension Professional Development Center on the University of Florida campus on Jan. 26. (UF/IFAS Photo by Dawn McKinstry) Even the U.S. Department of Agriculture isn’t quite sure what the term “local food” means. “Local” has been described as everything from a 400-mile radius to within county limits. It has even been described as a “four-hour leisurely drive” to USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan, who spoke Thursday night at the University of Florida. However, the lack of a concrete definition doesn’t bother Merrigan,
Dec
14
2011
New location, people foster growth
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With new offices and fresh faces, the PIE Center continues to grow through a hectic summer and fall. Rachel Divine, Laura Bernheim and Lauren Hrncirik all recently joined the center, while former staffers Christy Chiarelli, Kevin Kent and Becky Raulerson pursue other opportunities. Christy and Kevin continue to work in the agriculture industry, while Becky is focusing on her family and role as a Union County School Board member. In the spring, Becky will also co-teach a public issues course for the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication (AEC), where the PIE Center is housed. Christy, a research coordinator
Dec
14
2011
PIE Center/Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology (CLCE) enter round two on state legislative budget request
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The PIE Center will again team up with the UF/IFAS Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology (CLCE) to secure recurring funding from the Florida State Legislature. Our legislative budget request, or LBR, provides the foundation for an innovative research partnership between environmental horticulture researchers and social scientists. It focuses on protecting the economic viability of the state’s agriculture and natural resources industries. In addition to hiring new faculty and staff, the request will secure external funding for research and Extension projects critically needed to more effectively educate and communicate with the public. A funded LBR will help the PIE Center
Dec
14
2011
PIE Center receives $150,000 to promote, examine ‘local’ produce
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The PIE Center will receive more than $150,000 to conduct a two-year research project that will help improve the way Florida-grown produce is marketed. In partnership with the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation and the Food and Resource Economics (FRE) Department, the project was one of 23 proposals selected by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences (FDACS) to receive a Specialty Crop Block Grant from the USDA. Through its grant program, which strives to enhance the competitiveness of states’ specialty crops, the USDA will direct more than $4.3 million to Florida research. “We are all very excited and feel
Dec
14
2011
Agricultural messages, words and images: New research coming soon from PIE Center and Ag Institute
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After discovering the public’s negative perceptions of many commonly used agricultural messages, images and themes, the PIE Center’s follow-up research with the Agriculture Institute of Florida (AIF) will explore what types of messages are most effective when targeting Florida’s young adult opinion leaders. In 2011, the PIE Center wanted to determine what other states were using for agricultural awareness campaigns and what type of message is most effective when targeting Florida’s young adult opinion leaders. To fund this new round of research, the Agriculture Institute of Florida’s fundraising campaign collected more than $15,000. A content analysis and series of six
Dec
14
2011
FDACS & PIE Center: A budding relationship
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2011 has proven to be a great year for the evolving partnership between the PIE Center and the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). In total, the PIE Center has worked on four different ventures with FDACS, two of which have already been completed. A survey conducted with the participants of FDACS’ Agriscience Leadership Education Program discovered that participants placed a high value on their experiences with the program. In addition, they were able to improve their educator effectiveness, networking capabilities and accept new leadership roles after the program concluded. Through another FDACS Specialty Crops Block Grant, the
Nov
18
2011
PIE Center welcomes media coordinator
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) welcomes Laura Bernheim as its newest team member. As the new Media Coordinator, she will work alongside PIE Center staff to publish industry research as well as improve the Center’s website and social media programs. Laura, originally from Dayton, Ohio, joins the PIE Center after a year of freelancing for the Gainesville Sun, where she helped produce the website, wrote sports and feature articles as well as shot and edited videos. She says her wide variety of experience in the newspaper industry has prepared
Sep
30
2011
PIE Center Welcomes Rachel Divine
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GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) is pleased to welcome Rachel Divine as its newest team member! Rachel is serving as the new Research Coordinator for the PIE Center where she will be working alongside PIE Center staff in the planning, conducting, and analyzing of industry research. Rachel comes to the PIE Center from Tallahassee where she served as an Environmental Specialist with the Florida Department of Agricultural and Consumer Services (FDACS). Working out of the Office of Agricultural Water Policy, she was responsible for communication and outreach planning. Rachel
Aug
29
2011
Our New Strategic Plan
We are very excited to release our new strategic plan for 2011-12. A steering committee of various industry and academic stakeholders met this summer to help craft the new road map for the center based on previous and current projects. The new strategic plan narrows the efforts of the center to two main goals: public opinion research and educational outreach. Take a look at the plan and expect many, exciting things to come for the PIE Center in the next two years! 2011-12 Strategic Plan