UF and 12 other research institutions united with Supporters of Agricultural Research to create a report that highlights the benefits of agricultural research and innovation.
“Retaking the Field: The Case for a Surge in Agricultural Research” is meant to convince policy makers that increasing funding is necessary to ensure food security and safety for future generations.
Carrie Lapaire Harmon, the director of the Florida Plant Diagnostic Center at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, led UF’s project, which focused on a pathogen plaguing Florida’s Loropetalum, a popular shrub.
Many researchers suspected the pathogen causes a disease called olive knot, which could be detrimental to Florida’s growing olive industry, Harmon said.
After three years of further research, the team determined the pathogen only affects Loropetalum.
The study dismissed concerns about the pathogen hurting olives, and it helped the teams learn more about all bacterial pathogens related to olive knot.
Increased funding for agricultural research at UF would also mean more opportunities for students at the institute, said Jackie Burns, the dean of research for IFAS.
“If we were able to garner more support in any way, we would be able to enhance our mission, which is to not only conduct research but also train and mentor students,” she said. “They are the face of the future of agriculture.”
