Florida Senate - 2017                            (NP)    SR 1846
       
       
        
       By Senator Grimsley
       
       
       
       
       
       26-03668-17                                           20171846__
    1                          Senate Resolution                        
    2         A resolution commending the University of Florida
    3         Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus
    4         Research and Education Center for its 100 years of
    5         service to the state’s citrus producers and residents.
    6  
    7         WHEREAS, the University of Florida Institute of Food and
    8  Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Citrus Research and Education
    9  Center in Lake Alfred celebrates 100 years of service to the
   10  state of Florida, its residents, and its agricultural producers
   11  in 2017, and
   12         WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
   13  is the state’s oldest and largest agricultural research and
   14  education center and the largest facility in the world devoted
   15  to a single commodity, and
   16         WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
   17  began in 1917 after a group of Polk County citrus growers raised
   18  nearly $14,000 to purchase land for a research station, and the
   19  center was later legally established by the Legislature, and
   20         WHEREAS, today the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education
   21  Center employs 250 people and is also home to the scientific
   22  research staff of the Florida Department of Citrus, and
   23         WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
   24  spans more than 600 acres of groves and has greenhouses, a fresh
   25  fruit packinghouse, a juice processing pilot plant, and more
   26  than 40 laboratories, and
   27         WHEREAS, the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
   28  has an enduring legacy of service to the citrus industry in the
   29  center’s work to develop the technology for making frozen
   30  concentrate orange juice, as well as new orange, grapefruit, and
   31  lemon varieties, contributing to the state’s multi-billion
   32  dollar citrus production, and
   33         WHEREAS, UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
   34  scientists have been at the forefront in fighting diseases that
   35  have threatened or continue to threaten the state’s citrus crop,
   36  including solutions for yellow spot, greasy spot, alternaria
   37  brown spot, and citrus canker, and in leading the fight against
   38  the devastating Huanglongbing, also known as citrus greening,
   39  and
   40         WHEREAS, UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center
   41  scientists and researchers have achieved advances in precision
   42  agriculture, especially the use of global positioning system
   43  satellites, computers, unmanned aerial vehicles, and other
   44  technology to analyze groves for disease and pests, soil
   45  deficiencies, and other problems that may otherwise go
   46  undetected, and have developed best management practices that
   47  minimize the negative effects of herbicides and pesticides on
   48  the environment, NOW, THEREFORE,
   49  
   50  Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
   51  
   52         That the Florida Senate commends the University of Florida
   53  Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus Research and
   54  Education Center for its 100 years of service to the state’s
   55  citrus producers and residents.
   56         BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution, with
   57  the Seal of the Senate affixed, be presented to the University
   58  of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Citrus
   59  Research and Education Center as a tangible token of the
   60  sentiments of the Florida Senate.