Employ Florida Banner Centers

Boosting Florida’s agricultural economic engine through collaboration with key industry and educational partners is the goal of the Employ Florida Banner Center for Agriscience. Started in July 2009, the Banner Center is located at the Florida Farm Bureau (FFB) in Gainesville and is focused on building a talent pipeline of future agriscience workers in areas such as veterinary assisting, animal science and services, farm work and agricultural technology.

Founding partners in the initiative include the Florida Future Farmers of America Association (Florida FFA Association), the Florida Department of Agriculture, the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) and the Florida Department of Education. Under the FFB’s leadership, these organizations are working together to develop industry-driven curricula for specific career paths within the agriscience discipline.

Underscoring the urgency and significance of the Banner Center for Agriculture’s work are the recognized benefits Florida’s diverse agriculture industry provides to the state’s overall economic welfare. A longtime economic engine, agriculture in Florida provides jobs – from entry level to entrepreneurial – for more than 750,000 citizens and produces commodities valued at more than $7.8 billion.

Helping to shape the industry-driven curriculum and training created by the Banner Center for Agriscience are the following organizations:

• University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences
• University of  Florida Department of Agriculture Education and Communications
• Heartland Workforce Board
• Florida Department of Education
• Florida FFA Association
• Miami-Dade District Schools, Division of Career & Technical Education
• Florida Department of Environmental Protection
• Levy County Schools
• Florida Department of Agriculture
• Alachua/Bradford Regional Workforce Board
• Chipola College
• Florida Strawberry Growers Association
• Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscape Association
• Southeast Milk

An equal opportunity employer/program. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. All voice telephone numbers on this web site may be reached by persons using TTY/TDD equipment via the Florida Relay Service at 711.