February 2006
14625 CR 672, Wimauma,FL 33598
(813) 634-0000

The hardest years in life are those between 10 and 70.  - Helen Hayes (at 73)

 Forward into 2006...
It hardly seems possible that this time last year we were moving PODS into Bradenton to pack for the move to Balm/Wimauma.  Everyone can congratulate themselves on a successful and timely move (even though the greenhouse delay had us stretched between Bradenton and Wimauma for a period of time).  It was a good chance for "creative housecleaning" and reorganization.  I remember feeling so lost in the long and seemingly empty space which now feels as comfortable as home.  All that empty space has managed to fill to capacity, leaving us looking for even more office space.  There's a lot of cooperative research going on as we share space and ideas with county and industry people at our regional center.  The auditorium and main conference room are in constant use with meetings, workshops and training sessions for not only center employees, but industry, state and county organizations (and even a poly-com wedding).  This summer our diagnostic lab opened for business for personal, on-site assistance to local growers.  Our partnership with State of Florida's Hillsborough Correctional Institute for women has been very successful and we're very proud of the service they provide - be it custodial, field assistance, or facilities maintenance. Beginning January 1st we have also partnered with University of Florida's Plant City Campus at HCC. We've become a significant "place on the map" that has attracted a good deal of press coverage for the research done here as seen by articles such as those in Hillsborough's InTheField agricultural magazine and featured in the Fall 2005 edition of IMPACT.  Our center strives to continue to be responsive to producer and grower needs as we find ways to maintain a competitive edge in agriculture while balancing production and environmental issues. 

State legislators and county commissioners visited the Center in January as part of the OPERATION AGRICULTURE 2006 tour.