Symposium Hosts and Partners
 

University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences

The University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is a federal-state-county partnership dedicated to developing knowledge in agriculture, human and natural resources, and the life sciences, and enhancing and sustaining the quality of human life by making that information accessible. While extending into every community of the state, UF/IFAS has developed an international reputation for its accomplishments in teaching, research and extension.  Because of this mission and the diversity of Florida’s climate and agricultural commodities, IFAS has facilities located throughout Florida. 

IFAS is the research and development center for Florida’s agricultural and natural resources industries that have a $97.8 billion annual impact.

Southeast Climate Consortium

The Southeast Climate Consortium (SECC) serves Alabama, Florida, and Georgia in partnership with NOAA Climate Program Office, USDA Risk Management Agency, and USDA Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service. 

At present, six universities are members of the SECC:  Auburn University, Florida State University, University of Alabama-Huntsville, University of Florida, University of Georgia, and University of Miami.

The mission of the Southeast Climate Consortium is to use advances in climate sciences, including improved capabilities to forecast seasonal climate, to provide scientifically sound information and decision support tools for agriculture, forestry, and water resources management in the Southeastern USA. As a multidisciplinary, multi-institutional team, the SECC conducts research and outreach to a broad community of potential users and forms partnerships with extension and education organizations to ensure that SECC products are relevant and reliable.

The centerpiece of the SECC is AgClimate, a web-based information dissemination and decision support to help agriculture manage risk caused by variable and changing climates.

SECC Partners

 

NOAA Climate Program Office

 

The Climate Program Office (CPO), created in October 2005, incorporates the Office of Global Programs, the Arctic Research Office, and the Climate Observations and Services Program and, coordinates climate activities across all NOAA. The new CPO focuses on developing a broader user community for climate products and services, provides NOAA a focal point for climate activities within NOAA, leads NOAA climate education and outreach activities, and coordinates international climate activities.

 

NOAA's Climate goal is to: Understand and describe climate variability and change to enhance society's ability to plan and respond.

 

USDA Risk Management Agency

 

The role of USDA’s Risk Management Agency (RMA) is to help producers manage their business risks through effective, market-based risk management solutions. RMA’s mission is to promote, support, and regulate sound risk management solutions to preserve and strengthen the economic stability of America’s agricultural producers.  As part of this mission, RMA operates and manages the Federal Crop Insurance Corporation (FCIC). RMA was created in 1996; the FCIC was founded in 1938.

 

USDA Cooperative Research, Education, and Extension Service

 

The Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service (CSREES) is an agency within the USDA, part of the executive branch of the Federal Government. Congress created CSREES through the 1994 Department Reorganization Act, by combining the USDA’s Cooperative State Research Service and Extension Service into a single agency. This move united the research, education, and extension portfolios of both agencies and consolidated their expertise and resources under one leadership structure.

 

CSREES' unique mission is to advance knowledge for agriculture, the environment, human health and well-being, and communities by supporting research, education, and extension programs in the Land-Grant University System and other partner organizations. CSREES doesn't perform actual research, education, and extension but rather helps fund it at the state and local level and provides program leadership in these areas.