Our Extension programs often bridge our research work—whether through collaborative projects with county faculty or graduate students working closely with county agents at Extension offices. This ongoing partnership fosters meaningful dialogue that enhances both Extension outreach and research, ultimately strengthening the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension efforts. Visit our Research page to read more.
Extension is a partnership between state, federal, and county governments to provide scientific knowledge and expertise to the public. The University of Florida (UF), together with Florida A&M University (FAMU), administers the Florida Cooperative Extension Service.
At the University of Florida, Extension is located in the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), along with the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences (CALS) and the Florida Agricultural Experiment Station and is called UF/IFAS Extension. To learn more about Florida Cooperative Extension, visit the About Extension Webpage.
Healthy Eating, Food Access, and Lifestyle Behaviors
Healthy living starts with simple choices that build a stronger body, a clearer mind, and a better future. Eating nutritious foods and staying active makes us feel good and can lower the risk of serious illnesses like heart disease, cancer, and diabetes or help you manage a disease.
FYCS Extension programs teach kids and adults how to make smart food choices, create tasty and healthy recipes, and find fun ways to move their bodies. To make smart food choices, Floridians need to access healthy food. We work to build community relationships that make healthy food easier to get through local businesses, community gardens, farmers’ markets, and food banks.
Emphasizing food safety through proper handling, processing, cooking, and storage is crucial to preventing foodborne illnesses, which can make people sick. Florida Cooperative Extension’s programs offer food safety training for individuals who work with food and food businesses such as restaurant staff, caterers, bakers, butchers, and food processors.
If you’ve seen a local vendor selling homemade food products in cutely labeled packages, chances are you’ve seen a food entrepreneur. Food entrepreneurs who produce food either in the home or in shared-use commercial kitchens receive education and resources on food safety, labeling, food laws and regulations, business planning, and other topics. Food entrepreneurship also has far-reaching benefits by promoting innovation that drives new product development, creates jobs, promotes income and wealth, and addresses food challenges.
Your surroundings shape your mental health in major ways. Where you live, work, and spend time matters. Our goal is to help families and individuals overcome difficult situations of life. We also help build stronger, more resilient communities where Floridians know how to prepare for and recover from hardships or disasters. A few examples of FYCS outreach:
- Teaching useful skills to help you manage life's challenges,
- Running community workshops that it easier to talk about mental health issues,
- Connecting you with resources before you reach a breaking point, and
- Supporting communities during tough times like disasters recovery.
Finding an affordable place to live and learning to manage money are big challenges for many Florida families. And when individuals and families struggle with housing and money it can affect their overall health and well-being. Our outreach programs give you the tools and know-how to build financial security by providing:
- Money skills that help you budget, save, and manage credit;
- Housing wisdom for responsible renting and steps to homeownership;
- Safety steps for making your home a healthy place to live;
- Emergency planning to protect your finances during disasters; and
- Future protection through simple estate planning and asset management.
When families have stable housing and strong money management skills, they can focus on what really matters, each other.
Stress can feel like it’s everywhere—at home, at school, and at work. Some stress is normal, but too much can hurt your body, your feelings, and how you act. One way to help manage stress is through building healthy relationships with your family, friends, and other people you are around regularly. Our research shows that when people have strong, caring connections with others, they feel happier and healthier. Our outreach shares helpful information and offers events where couples, parents, kids, teens, school staff, and coworkers can learn and practice positive communication and skills to reduce conflict.
Communities across Florida care deeply about creating positive opportunities for young people to learn and grow. By developing confidence and skills youth will become tomorrow's innovators and problem solvers. Our outreach supports these efforts through youth development programs in:
- Creating healthy lifestyle habits,
- Promoting positive behaviors,
- Establishing healthy relationships, and
- Working with Florida’s youth in foster care.
Our experts also help support youth development through Florida 4-H, which provides supportive environments where young people thrive through hands-on experiences:
- Developing lifelong interest in learning,
- Teaching leadership and community engagement,
- 4-H Clubs offer long-term mentorship and skill building in community settings,
- School Enrichment brings 4-H learning into classrooms across Florida,
- Camps (both day and residential) create immersive learning adventures, and
- Special Interest Programs introduce youth to new subjects and career paths.
Through these research-based programs, we enhance essential life skills and prepare youth for success in our rapidly changing global economy.
We work alongside community members, local organizations, government agencies, and elected officials to tap into the strengths and resources already present in our communities. Together, we build programs that are led by the community and focused on creating lasting economic vitality, sustainability, and resilience. A big part of what we do includes helping local governments shape policies and programs that support things like local food systems, protecting natural resources, and preparing for disasters.
