Everglades Research and Education Center

Fall 2024 Extension Events

June 4: Dr. Lynn Gettys and EPA Delegates Visit

Dr. Samira Daroub, Dr. Pamela Pamela Aracena Santos, and Maryory Orton lead an EPA site visit in early June. The tour involved a stop at the soil subsidence post and Best Management Practices (BMP) Poster. This group included Dr. Lynn Gettys, Associate Professor of Agronomy and several members of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

June 26, 2024: MCA Total Experience

UF EREC and MCA Total Experience recently hosted their second annual collaboration, spearheaded by Jeffery Willis. MCA Total Experience is a transformative summer program that immerses youth from Belle Glade, Pahokee, and South Bay in outdoor education, fostering a deep connection to nature through activities such as fishing, archery, wildlife observation, and conservation practices. This hands-on program equips participants with essential life skills while promoting environmental stewardship.

July 18: Summer Programming in Yesteryear Village

Yesteryear Village and the Agriculture Department joined forces for fun-filled, action-packed Thursdays and Fridays throughout the months of June and July! This Summertime Program is fun, engaging, interactive and educational. The EREC team was invited to setup in the Village in the Bink Glisson Museum to interact, engage, and present to children that visited during this June and July event.

August 8: 2024 Rice Field Day

On August 8th, 2024, the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center hosted the 6th annual Florida Rice Field Day. This event was organized by Dr. Matthew VanWeelden, agronomic crops extension agent with UF/IFAS Extension Palm Beach County, and was sponsored by the Florida Rice Growers Inc. Attendees represented a wide range of groups, including the local rice industry, UF/IFAS, FDACS, USDA, and agriculture chemical companies, to name a few. This year’s program consisted of both indoor and outdoor sessions, covering a wide range of topics including arthropod pest management, agronomy, weed control, and soil and water science.

August 19: IHARA Brazil

IHARA (Brazil) visited the Everglades REC station yesterday. This group had the opportunity to learn about the history of the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), hear about the research programs at EREC, and participate in a site tour. The visitors consisted of sugar cane farmers and cooperatives. There was also an observation in similarities and differences in agricultural research practices.

September 4: Best Management Practices Training

The in-person Best Management Practices (BMP) Training workshop in the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) was conducted on September 4, 2024 with 112 attendees. This training featured a scenario-based workshop that led to collaboration and teamwork.

October 1: New Horizons Elementary School

Anna Meszaros, UF/IFAS Vegetable Extension Agent, Denisse Conway, School Garden Specialist with Palm Beach County, and Krista Basore had a discussion about engaging students in the classroom and get them involved in agriculture. They designed a curriculum that can be applied for all ages (grades) in the future. They invited scientists from the UF/IFAS Everglades Research and Education Center (UF/IFAS EREC) to give the students a real hands-on experience.

The class took place at the New Horizons Elementary School in early October 2024. Anna Meszaros, Matt VanWeelden from UF IFAS extension, and 3 labs from the UF/IFAS EREC visited the class. The entomology lab, led by Julien Beuzelin, the plant pathology lab, led by Katia Xavier, and the soil science lab led by Jango Bhadha created hands-on displays for the students.

October 22: Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau Annual Meeting

A group from EREC attended the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau’s annual meeting and dinner in October. Congratulations to the Wedgworth Family for being selected as this year’s EAA Farm Family of the Year!

November 5-6: UF/IFAS Leadership

The UF/IFAS leadership had a great time visiting EREC earlier this week. There was much engagement with faculty, staff, students, and growers in the community. Dr. Robert A. Gilbert, Dean for Research and Executive Director for Academic Affairs, formerly served as a faculty member and center director during his time at EREC.

November 19: UF/IFAS Spray Rodeo Field Day

he UF/IFAS Spray Rodeo Field Day was a great success with several high school students from Glades Central FFA and Glades Day FFA in attendance. These students had the opportunity to get hands-on with spray equipment calibration and learn more about pest management.

November 20: 2024 Farm City Luncheon

Everglades REC had the pleasure of being invited to the annual Farm City Luncheon sponsored by Baptist Health. It was a great opportunity to connect with governmental, community, and business leaders throughout Palm Beach County. This also included a panel discussion which featured our Center Director, Dr. Samira Daroub, discussing sustainable agriculture and food security.

November 25: Meg Weinberger

The UF IFAS Everglades REC - Belle Glade had a great visit from Meg Weinberger, Florida House of Representatives, District 94 Meg Weinberger for State House. She enjoyed learning about our research programs, rich history, and more information about the Everglades Agricultural Area. There was also an opportunity for a guided tour with our Center Director, faculty and students.

December 13: Lighthouse Cafe and Ella's Closet Donation

The Everglades REC participated in an annual food and toy drive just in time for the holiday season. The donations were presented to Ella's Closet, which is a ministry within Light House Café. This organization provides support to many families across the Glades community.