F.R.E. Lunch: The Food and Resource Economics Podcast

Happy Thanksgiving from the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department! 

In this episode, we're focused on the hard work that sometimes goes unnoticed, but is critical to putting food on the table for our holiday feasts and everyday meals. 

FRE undergraduate student Savannah Bailey and AEC assistant instructional professor Dr. Heather Young join us to discuss their experiences growing up on cattle farms in Florida and Upstate New York, and how CALS can serve as a connector for students to their food systems. 

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

Happy Halloween from FRE Lunch!

While millions of people around the U.S. are getting ready to celebrate and fill their trick or treating bags with delicious candy, the FRE Lunch podcast sat down with UF Double Gator and Master of Agribusiness alumni Joshua Jantz to learn more about how the implementation of precision agriculture technology by his company, U.S. Sugar is helping maximize efficiency and sustainability in the production of sugarcane, one of the sweeteners responsible for many of our favorite Halloween Treats!

More Resources:

• U.S. Sugar Website: https://www.ussugar.com/
• AskIFAS : https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/collections/sugarcane_cultural_practices

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

FRE Lunch is back, with a very seasonal season all about the economics behind some of our favorite holiday traditions in our upcoming special mini-series!

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

Join us for the final episode of our Freshwater Economics Season as we discuss all things tourism! 

We are joined today by two expert guests:

• Dr. Taylor Stein, Professor of Ecotourism in the UF School of Forest, Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences
• Dr. Sergio Alvarez, Associate Professor of Tourism Economics in Rosen College of Hospitality Management at the University of Central Florida

This episode covers a wide range of topics including how tourism serves as a way to provide a valuation for our precious water resources, the costs and considerations behind effective recreation management, and a real life example of how these concepts can be seen played out at Wekiva Springs in Central Florida. 

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

In this episode of the Fresh Water Economics Season, we are joined by two guests, Christa Court and Jay Capasso, to discuss Best Management Practices (BMPs) and how they relate to Florida's Agricultural Water Usage.

Christa Court is an associate professor in the UF/IFAS Food and Resource Economics Department and Director of the UF/IFAS Economic Impact Analysis Program.

 Jay Capasso is the Northeast Florida Regional Specialized Extension Agent focusing on water resources. He is based at the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley in Live Oak. 

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

In this episode we are joined by three guests to tackle two topics that are causing major disruption to Florida's freshwater ecosystems: Harmful Algal Blooms and Invasive Species!

Abhishek Rajan and Liam Corcoran are graduate students in the Food and Resource Economics Department, whose work with Dr. Olesya Savchenko has focused on the management of hydrilla: Florida's most expensive aquatic plant invader. 

Dr. Lisa Krimsky is a Regional Water Resources Extension Agent (RSA) IV for the UF/IFAS Southeast District whose work centers around the control and management of harmful algal blooms in Florida's lakes and coastal waters.

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

In this episode, Drs. Weizhe Weng, Andrea Albertin and Yilin Zhuang join us to discuss rules, regulations, and treatment for Florida's drinking water systems.

More Resources

• Hall, N.D. The Safe Drinking Water Act at 50 years. Nat Water 2, 1132–1133 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00356-w
• Florida Well Owner Network website: https://water.ifas.ufl.edu/well/ 
• What Homeowners Should Do if Public Wastewater Treatment Plants Are Disrupted After a Hurricane https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/mrec/2024/09/27/what-to-do-if-public-wastewater-treatment-plants-are-disrupted-after-a-hurricane/ 
• Well Surveillance Program: https://www.floridahealth.gov/environmental-health/drinking-water/well-surveys.html

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

Olesya Savchenko, assistant professor of food and resource economics, and Don Rainey, UF/IFAS Extension Specialist, discuss Reclaimed Water reality and perceptions and how it impacts Florida Agriculture.

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

A Rose by any other name would smell as sweet - but does word choice impact our opinions?

In this episode, Dr. Sadie Hundemer, assistant professor of Agricultural Education and Communication, discusses the study of human behavior, and how understanding mental models and trusted sources can improve the way we talk about water science issues. 

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.

From precipitation to perception, this season of FRE Lunch is all about the economics of fresh water!

Today we are joined by podcast guest Dr. Matt Cohen, Director of the UF Water Institute to provide an overview of Florida's freshwater and the challenges associated with its management. The Water Institute brings together collaborators across disciplines at UF, and will be partnering with us this season to highlight the interdisciplinary research and solutions related to Florida freshwater that are being researched and carried out by faculty members and students at the University of Florida.

For more info on the UF Water Institute, visit https://waterinstitute.ufl.edu/

Send us Fan Mail

The opinions expressed by guests on this podcast are their sole responsibility do not represent positions, policies or opinion of the University of Florida, UF/IFAS, or the UF/IFAS Department of Food and Resource Economics.

Got thoughts on the episode, questions for us, or an idea for what we should cover next? Reach out to us by email at [email protected]

Intro and Outro Music - "Just Kidding" - Ahjay Stelino. Used under the Mixkit Stock Music Free License.