Tampa Bay Times: Your local Florida Extension service isn’t just for farmers

Think of a county Extension agent, and you might imagine an agricultural specialist standing beside a tractor in a freshly tilled field talking to a farmer about crop rotation. But Extension isn’t just for farmers — it serves all Floridians, including those in urban counties like Pinellas.

At the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), we meet community challenges whether on the farm, the city or suburb. In Pinellas, the most densely populated county in Florida, we address urban issues. That can mean managing stormwater and building resilience to storms and flooding. Or teaching pesticide specialists how to safely treat a lawn. Or working with kids on 4-H projects. Or helping urban gardeners establish Florida-friendly natural landscapes. The list goes on.