In the same week, PIE Center researchers added an $8.7 million grant and its fourth specialty crop block grant to its roster of relevant and applied research projects.
The specialty crop block grant builds on previous research examining the marketability of Florida-grown fruits and vegetables, while the PIE Center also joins a team of researchers based at Clemson University looking at improving alternative water sources and their usage nationwide.
“These new projects reflect our commitment to both agriculture and natural resources,” PIE Center director Ricky Telg said. “The PIE Center team is dedicated to tackling these critical issues on both a statewide and national basis. These funding announcements illustrate that we are gaining traction in our mission to increase public understanding.”
Alexa Lamm, an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, will conduct interviews and surveys around the country to identify producers’ perceptions of using recycled water. The five-year, $8.7 million grant funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture as part of its Specialty Crop Research Initiative seeks to boost the availability and usage of alternative water resources. Lamm, one of four UF/IFAS researchers involved in the multi-university project, will also help develop extension programs to educate growers about new water conservation practices.
Joy Rumble, also an assistant professor in the Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, secured the PIE Center’s newest specialty crop block grant to promote effective marketing of Florida’s blueberries, valued at more than $47 million. The research team will work with both producers and consumers as part of the roughly $160,000 grant funded by the USDA and Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Researchers, partnering with the Florida Specialty Crop Foundation, aim to increase consumer awareness and create a marketing plan for Florida blueberries.
More information about the projects will be included in the PIE Center’s upcoming fall newsletter and piecenter.com.
