UF/IFAS Wedgworth Leadership Institute alumni ranked food and water issues as four of the five most important issues facing agriculture and natural resources, according to a survey conducted by the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education.
Water supply and quality topped the list, followed by food safety, immigration and food security. Given a list of 15 issues to rank, Wedgworth alumni were less concerned with issues dealing with the environment, such as endangered species, animal welfare and renewable energy.
On local, state and regional levels, Wedgworth alumni identified water supply and quality in the top three issues. At the national and international levels, however, Wedgworth alumni prioritized food safety and food security, respectively. Other issues prioritized at the national and international level included immigration, climate change and imports and exports.
A little over half of the alumni thought that the average Florida resident is the most aware about immigration, climate change or water quality. Just over 30 percent of Wedgworth alumni believed the average Florida resident is least aware about invasive species, import and exports and pests and disease control.
Of the Wedgworth alumni, 88 percent receive information about agriculture and natural resources issues from personal contacts. About three-fourths receive their information from traditional media such as television, radio and newspapers.
About two-thirds of Wedgworth alumni said they had attended a public meeting about an issue, compared to 57 percent who worked with a local organization and half who worked with a state organization.
Trackbacks/Pingbacks