Growers face difficult choices when adopting new technologies or making adjustments to existing technologies. When assessing the risks they must account for the full suite of costs and benefits associated with technology use. This project informed growers of advances in precision agriculture, irrigation systems, and bed management and provided tools to improve growers’ skills to evaluate and manage financial risks involved in technology use. The project also highlighted positive environmental externalities associated with these technologies, allowing producers to better manage legal risks associated with environmental regulations. The target audiences were citrus and vegetable growers.
The program included three workshops and farm-field days. Growers can assess risk factors related to adoption of new technologies (capital expenditures, sunk costs, cost of expertise/outsourcing, limited resale potential, economies of scale, and effect on production inputs), production (weather variability and disease pressure), and markets (changes in input and commodity prices), among others. We had 102 participants; 68% indicated they are likely to adopt the technologies presented, 56% indicated that financial considerations were very influential in their decision to adopt new technologies, and 93% said they were satisfied with program. The programs were recorded and featured in the media. Program documents can be found on https://swfrec.ifas.ufl.edu/programs/nat-res-econ.
UF / IFAS SWFREC - Immokalee
2685 SR 29 N | Immokalee, FL 34142
(239) 658-3444
Thursday, May 16th, 2019
Demonstration # 1 - “Influence of Irrigation and Nutrient on Growth Nutrient Acquisition and Water Relations in High-Density Young Planting and Affected Trees”
Presenter: Dr. Said Hamido and Ms. Ali Atta, UF/IFAS SWFREC
Demonstration # 2 - “Citrus Weed Management Field Trials”
Presenter: Dr. Ramdas Kannisery, UF/IFAS SWFREC
Demonstration # 3 - “Needle Assisted Trunk Infusion of Therapeutic Material”
Presenter: Dr. Ozgur Batuman, UF/IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #1 - “Effective, Long-term and Crop-safe Weed Management in Citrus”
Presenter: Dr. Ramdas Kannisery, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #2 - “Managing Risks in Technology Adoption”
Presenter: Dr. Tara Wade, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #3 - “Vision-Based Technologies for Citrus and Strawberry Yield Mapping”
Presenter: Dr. Won Suk Lee
Workshop #4 - “Precision Agriculture Technologies and UAV Applications in Citrus”
Presenters: Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop # 5 - “Maximizing the Probability of New Technology Adoption Success”
Presenter: Dr. John Schueller
Workshop #6 - “Payment for Water-Related Services Program for Citrus and Vegetable”
Presenter: Dr. Sanjay Shukla, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop # 7 - “Influence of Irrigation and Nutrient on Growth Nutrient Acquisition and Water Relations in High-Density Young Planting and HLB Affected Trees Workshop
Presenters: Dr. Said Hamido, Ms. Ali Atta, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Thursday, November 29th, 2018
Demonstration # 1 - “Compact Bed Geometry for Fresh Produce”
Presenter: Dr. Sanjay Shukla, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Demonstration # 2 - “Enhancing Water Storage and Treatment Using Impoundments”
Presenter: Dr. Sanjay Shukla, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Demonstration # 3 - “Tomato Fertigation”
Presenter: Mr. Timothy Ayankojo, PhD Student, UF / IFAS
Demonstration #4 - “Crop Safe Weed Management in Vegetables”
Presenter: Dr. Ramdas Kanissery, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Demonstration # 5 - “Precision Farming Technologies & Smart Machinery / Agriculture”
Presenter: Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #1 - “Precision Agriculture”
Presenter: Mr. Chris Crockett, Highland Precision Agriculture
Workshop #2 - “Reducing Inputs and Risks with Compact Beds”
Presenter: Dr. Sanjay Shukla, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #3 - “Crop Safe Weed Management in Vegetables”
Presenter: Dr. Ramdas Kanissery, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #4 - “Risks in Plasticulture Cabbage Production”
Presenters: Dr. Charles Barrett, UF / IFAS Suwanee Valley Ag. Extension Center
Dr. Lincoln Zoratelli, UF / IFAS Department of Horticultural Sciences
Workshop # 5 - “SmartAg”
Presenter: Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop #6 - “Risks Management and Crop Insurance Basics”
Presenter: Dr. Laurence M. Crane, National Crop Insurance Services
Workshop # 7 - “Managing Risks in Adopting Agricultural Methods & Practices”
Presenters: Dr. David Schimmelpfennig, USDA – ERS
Dr. Tara Wade, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop # 8 - “Tomato Fertigation”
Presenter: Mr. Timothy Ayankojo, PhD Student, UF / IFAS
Thursday, December 13rd, 2018
Workshop #1 - “The Economics and Risk Reduction of Plasticulture in Vegetable Production”
Presenter: Dr. Lincoln Zoratelli, UF / IFAS Department of Horticultural Sciences
Dr. Charles Barrett, UF / IFAS Suwanee Valley Ag. Extension Center
Workshop #2 - “Managing Risks in Adopting Agricultural Methods and Practices”
Presenter: Dr. Tara Wade, UF / IFAS SWFREC
Workshop # 3 - “Smart Agriculture And Smart Machinery”
Presenter: Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis, UF / IFAS SWFREC
