Bill Text: FL S1846 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and Education Center
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-02 - Adopted [S1846 Detail]
Download: Florida-2017-S1846-Introduced.html
Florida Senate - 2017 (NP) SR 1846
By Senator Grimsley
26-03668-17 20171846__
1 Senate Resolution
2 A resolution commending the University of Florida
3 Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus
4 Research and Education Center for its 100 years of
5 service to the state’s citrus producers and residents.
6
7 WHEREAS, the University of Florida Institute of Food and
8 Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education
9 Center in Lake Alfred celebrates 100 years of service to the
10 state of Florida, its residents, and its agricultural producers
11 in 2017, and
12 WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
13 is the state’s oldest and largest agricultural research and
14 education center and the largest facility in the world devoted
15 to a single commodity, and
16 WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
17 began in 1917 after a group of Polk County citrus growers raised
18 nearly $14,000 to purchase land for a research station, and the
19 center was later legally established by the Legislature, and
20 WHEREAS, today the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education
21 Center employs 250 people and is also home to the scientific
22 research staff of the Florida Department of Citrus, and
23 WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
24 spans more than 600 acres of groves and has greenhouses, a fresh
25 fruit packinghouse, a juice processing pilot plant, and more
26 than 40 laboratories, and
27 WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
28 has an enduring legacy of service to the citrus industry in the
29 center’s work to develop the technology for making frozen
30 concentrate orange juice, as well as new orange, grapefruit, and
31 lemon varieties, contributing to the state’s multi-billion
32 dollar citrus production, and
33 WHEREAS, UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
34 scientists have been at the forefront in fighting diseases that
35 have threatened or continue to threaten the state’s citrus crop,
36 including solutions for yellow spot, greasy spot, alternaria
37 brown spot, and citrus canker, and in leading the fight against
38 the devastating Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening,
39 and
40 WHEREAS, UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
41 scientists and researchers have achieved advances in precision
42 agriculture, especially the use of global positioning system
43 satellites, computers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other
44 technology to analyze groves for disease and pests, soil
45 deficiencies, and other problems that may otherwise go
46 undetected, and have developed best management practices that
47 minimize the negative effects of herbicides and pesticides on
48 the environment, NOW, THEREFORE,
49
50 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
51
52 That the Florida Senate commends the University of Florida
53 Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and
54 Education Center for its 100 years of service to the state’s
55 citrus producers and residents.
56 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
57 the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the University
58 of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus
59 Research and Education Center as a tangible token of the
60 sentiments of the Florida Senate.
