UF/IFAS school to information nationwide city agriculture initiatives as USDA committee member – City Ag Information
January 27, 2025 — A UF/IFAS assistant professor has been chosen by the U.S. Sec. of Agriculture for a USDA federal advisory committee to supply steerage for supporting city agriculture and progressive manufacturing throughout the U.S. Catherine Campbell, an assistant professor within the UF/IFAS household, youth and group sciences division, was lately chosen for the City Agriculture and Modern Manufacturing Advisory Committee.
The three-year appointment positions Campbell in an advisory function to – together with 11 different committee members – present the Secretary of Agriculture with evidence-based info to tell rules, legal guidelines and different choices associated to agriculture.
“Dr. Campbell’s choice for this USDA committee is a testomony to UF/IFAS’ management in progressive and concrete agriculture areas, and her experience associated to meals methods and group well being make her uniquely certified for this honor,” mentioned Rob Gilbert, UF/IFAS dean for analysis and government director for tutorial affairs.
The committee’s function is to supply recommendation on the event of insurance policies and outreach that might profit city, indoor and progressive agricultural manufacturing practices. The committee additionally advises on boundaries to city agriculture.
The committee’s space of experience spans manufacturing, processing, distribution and sale of agriculture merchandise inside city and suburban areas, akin to group gardens, bee conserving, yard rooster conserving, farmer’s markets, Neighborhood Supported Agriculture, hydroponics and aquaculture. The innovation side of the committee contains areas like synthetic intelligence and different high-tech endeavors.
“That is It’s an incredible honor. It’s a important alternative for the College of Florida, IFAS, Extension, the state of Florida to have a nationwide platform,” Campbell mentioned. “Florida is on the forefront of the urbanization pattern that’s occurring throughout the U.S. The challenges we face right here function a priceless preview for the remainder of the
nation.”
She mentioned the committee will sort out topics like meals system resilience and meals safety.
“We’re being given a possibility to share what we’ve realized and the way we’re working via these urbanization traits,” she mentioned.
She mentioned industries like city agriculture are uniquely tied to group well being outcomes, and accessing nutritious, contemporary meals makes it simpler for folks to stay wholesome, full lives.
Campbell’s analysis has targeted on understanding producers, shoppers and native governments that work together with meals methods, particularly city meals methods, and the habits, motivation and decision-making that affect their choices.
Her analysis has been funded partly by the UF/IFAS SEED-IT (Help for Rising Enterprise Integration Groups) Program, which supplies funding for collaborative Extension group efforts in direction of rising enterprises.
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the College of Florida Institute of Meals and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop information related to agricultural, human and pure assets and to make that information out there to maintain and improve the standard of human life. With greater than a dozen analysis services, 67 county Extension workplaces, and award-winning college students and school within the UF School of Agricultural and Life Sciences,
UF/IFAS brings science-based options to the state’s agricultural and pure assets industries, and all Florida residents.
