UF/IFAS Launches 40,000-Square-Foot AI Center to Boost Florida Agriculture and Environmental Resilience
The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is breaking ground on a new 40,000-square-foot Center for Applied Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture at its Gulf Coast Research & Education Center in Balm, Hillsborough County, aimed at helping Florida farmers protect crop yields and the environment while fostering a tech-driven agribusiness economy. The hub will unite AI scientists, engineers and extension specialists to develop innovations like precision breeding, robotic spraying and reduced-chemistry crop management systems, tools that could combat pests, labor challenges and rising input costs. With direct employment of around 100 staff and an expected boost to local ag-tech startups and high-skill jobs, the center underscores Florida’s push toward smarter, more sustainable agriculture.
Read More: UFNews