Florida Resources
University of Florida
The University of Florida is a top-ranked public land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research university. Serving as the flagship institution of the State University System of Florida, UF delivers comprehensive undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs backed by robust research initiatives, health centers, and statewide Extension operations that advance education, economic growth, and innovation.
Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) protects and promotes Florida’s diverse agricultural industry while safeguarding consumer interests and natural resources across the state. The agency oversees food safety standards, manages public land forestry and wildfire prevention, enforces consumer protection regulations, and promotes Florida-grown agricultural products, including the “Fresh From Florida” initiative, to support local producers and drive state economic growth.
988
Administered by Vibrant Emotional Health and funded by SAMHSA, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of over 200 local crisis centers providing free, confidential, 24/7 emotional support and crisis intervention across the United States. Accessible via call, text, or online chat at 988, the service connects individuals experiencing mental health struggles, substance use concerns, or suicidal distress—as well as those seeking support for loved ones—with trained counselors to offer immediate aid, compassion, and connections to local care resources.
211
Operating statewide across all 67 counties through accredited regional centers, the Florida 211 Network serves as a free, confidential, 24/7 information and referral system connecting residents to essential health, human, and social services. Accessible by dialing 211, texting, or chat, the network links individuals to local resources for emergency housing, utility payment aid, food security, healthcare, veteran services, disaster relief, and behavioral health support.
Florida Farm Bureau
As the state’s largest general agricultural organization, the Florida Farm Bureau Federation serves as the collective voice for farmers, ranchers, and rural communities across Florida. Operating as a grassroots, non-profit association with offices across 60 county farm bureaus, the organization engages in legislative advocacy, public policy development, leadership training, and community outreach to protect agricultural interests, improve rural quality of life, and increase the net income of Florida’s agricultural producers.
Florida Farm Credit
Serving rural communities and agricultural producers across 48 of Florida’s counties, Farm Credit of Florida is a cooperative lending institution dedicated to supporting the state’s agricultural sector. As part of the national Farm Credit System, the cooperative provides specialized financial services, including agricultural real estate loans, operating lines of credit, equipment financing, rural home mortgages, and crop insurance, helping farmers, ranchers, and rural landowners secure the capital necessary for long-term sustainability and business growth.
Florida Farm Services
The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) Florida State Office serves as the state-level administrative division of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency. Operating through a statewide network of county service centers, the office administers federal agricultural programs that provide safety-net assistance to Florida farmers, ranchers, and forest landowners. Its core responsibilities include managing agricultural commodity loans, disaster relief assistance, farm operating and ownership loans, and conservation stewardship incentives to help stabilize farm incomes and support sustainable rural economies.
FL EDEN
The Extension Disaster Education Network (EDEN) is a collaborative multistate initiative linking Land-Grant University Extension specialists across the United States to advance disaster preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. Supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), EDEN equips local Extension professionals with research-based educational materials, emergency management training, and real-time information sharing to reduce the impact of natural disasters, agricultural crises, and public health emergencies on individuals, families, and communities nationwide.
Center for Public Issues Education
Operating within the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), the UF/IFAS Center for Public Issues Education in Agriculture and Natural Resources (PIE Center) conducts research and educational outreach to inform public understanding and decision-making on high-stakes agricultural and natural resource topics. The center specializes in public opinion research, social science analysis, strategic communication, and leadership development, equipping key stakeholders, policy makers, and the public with science-based insights on complex issues such as water quality, disaster management, agricultural labor, and rural health.
Southeastern Coastal Center for Agricultural Health and Safety
Based at the University of Florida and funded by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Southeast Center for Agricultural Health and Injury Prevention (SCCAHS) serves as a regional research and outreach center dedicated to protecting the health, safety, and well-being of agricultural workers, fishermen, and foresters across the southeastern United States. The center conducts targeted epidemiological research, provides safety intervention training, and partners with rural communities and academic institutions to reduce occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatality rates throughout the agricultural sector.
Mind Your Melon
Mind Your Melon is an agricultural mental health and wellness initiative specifically designed to support farmers, farmworkers, and their families. By addressing the unique stressors inherent to farming such as unpredictable weather, financial pressures, and social isolation the program provides targeted educational resources, mental health awareness campaigns, stress-management tools, and connections to professional support networks to promote psychological resilience and well-being across rural agricultural communities.
