Agriculture and Forestry in a Changing Climate: What the Future Holds for Florida—

On August 12, 2019 the Florida Climate Smart Agriculture Work Group – through Solutions from the Land and UF/IFAS – hosted Florida House Representative Kathy Castor and chair of the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis at a field tour and knowledge sharing forum held in Gainesville. The forum highlighted the climate challenges now pressing Florida’s farms, ranches, and forests, as well as steps roducers and others are taking in response to the growing threat.

Scientists, state and national government, and Florida producers shared their knowledge and experience on topics from regional challenges, to incentives for ecosystems services provided by agriculture, to the recently released UNFCCC IPCC Report on Climate Change and Land. The mission of the initiative was reviewed: “The Florida Smart Agriculture initiative will identify and implement climate smart agriculture solutions and ecosystems services that benefit producers, the public and the planet.”

Florida Ag Producers, Foresters Share Ideas to Deal with Climate Change

Florida Rep. Kathy Castor told a group of farmers, ranchers and timber producers in her state Monday that responding to a changing climate must be a collaborative effort, drawing together producers, government agencies and academics to develop the steps needed for the agriculture sector to adapt to – and mitigate – worsening climate conditions.

“None of us have all of the answers,” Castor told a forum held in Gainesville and co-sponsored by Solutions from the Land and the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS). “It is important for all of us to work together.”