GAINESVILLE, FL — Governor Rick Scott has vetoed over $100M of programs in the budgets of Florida’s public universities. The total cost of University of Florida’s cuts are $20 million including approximately $6 milion to the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
The IFAS programs being cut include the Center for Public Issues Education (PIE Center) and the Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology (CLCE) which are both contained in the Florida Horticulture Research, Science and Education line item. The entire PIE Center budget will be cut, including funding for faculty, staff and programs. Dr. Payne notified IFAS that Senate President Joe Negron has invited further discussion of the budget vetoes at this week’s special session, which begins Wednesday June 7.
The PIE Center is the preeminent research and education organization on the social science perspectives of agricultural and natural issues to promote a more informed and engaged public. As funding for the PIE Center is stripped, resources will be eliminated that allow the center to address social, economic, and environmental challenges. The center works with stakeholders in communities throughout Florida to communicate and educate about food systems, water supply, and natural disasters. The Center does this by utilizing an interdisciplinary approach to examine how people think about, form and act on opinions regarding complex agricultural and natural resources issues. PIE Center research and outreach focuses on enabling and equipping the public and policymakers to make informed decisions to strengthen local economies, preserve and create jobs, and preserve Florida’s agricultural and natural resources assets.
During the special session, the Senate and House have the option to propose to override the vetoe and restore funding to IFAS and the center. While several IFAS programs are being cut, the PIE Center is contained in the Florida Horticulture Research, Science and Education line item. During times like these, it is important to stay and/or become civically engaged and informed. Unless the proposed cuts are overturned, we will see major impacts to the PIE Center, IFAS, the University of Florida and all of Florida’s agricultural industry.
