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UF Gulf Coast Research & Education Center

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UF Gulf Coast Research & Education Center

Empowering growers through science-driven innovation that advances the future of Florida agriculture.

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06/12/2026

𝗪𝗲’𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗼’𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗼𝗻! 🍻

Across Florida, we distributed more than 200 lbs of fresh hops to 8 breweries and 1 homebrew club—bringing Florida-grown hops straight from the field into the brewhouse.

It’s been exciting to see our Cascade hops move from harvest to brewing, where aroma, flavor, and creativity come together in every batch. These collaborations help us better understand how hops perform in Florida’s unique growing conditions—and how we can continue improving production.

We can’t wait to see (and taste!) what you create. Stay tuned—there’s more brewing ahead 👀

🥰 A huge thank you to:
Late Start Brewing
Amicus Brewing Ventures
Emerald Coast Brewing Company
3 Bridges Brewing
Bootleggers Brewing Company
Ulele Spring Brewery
Brewers Anonymous
The Local Brew Company
Leaven Brewing Co.

Cheers to collaboration, innovation, and Florida-grown hops! 🍻

06/08/2026

𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝘆𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗚𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀: 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🍺

Can hops become a viable crop for Florida growers?

Last week, commercial brewers, home brewers, growers, home gardeners, researchers, and industry stakeholders came together to explore that question and the opportunities Florida hops may offer for both growers and brewers.

A highlight of the day was a brewer panel featuring
🍻 Bob Curl of Emerald Coast Brewing Company
🍻 Shaun Goeckner of Bootleggers Brewing Company
🍻 Drake Hoffman of Cypress & Grove Brewing Co.
who shared their experiences brewing with our hops and offered insights for other brewers interested in working with Florida-grown hops.

Attendees toured the hopyard, watched harvesting demonstrations, and learned how researchers are evaluating hop varieties and production practices to understand how hops can succeed in Florida’s unique climate.

We are grateful to our sponsors for making this event possible—Harrell's LLC for sponsoring lunch and Cypress & Grove Brewing Co. for sponsoring the beer tasting, featuring their “Florida Flora” brew, brewed with hops grown right here in our hopyard.

06/05/2026

We were honored to welcome American Farm Bureau Federation President Zippy Duvall and Florida Farm Bureau Federation President Jeb S. Smith for a visit to the center.

During their time here, they toured several of our programs and met with faculty and staff working across diverse areas of agricultural research, including crop breeding and production systems, w**d science, entomology, nematology, hops production, and our Plant Diagnostic Clinic.

Each program highlighted integrated agricultural research focused on addressing real-world challenges facing Florida growers.

Thank you to both presidents for taking the time to engage with our team and programs.

06/03/2026

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 🍅

Thank you to everyone who joined us last week. It was a great opportunity to share ongoing research in tomato breeding, disease management, and hybrid trials directly in the field.

From bacterial spot research and air-sampling studies to commercial hybrid comparisons and experimental breeding lines, the event highlighted the tomato research taking place at GCREC and the work being done to support Florida growers.

We appreciate everyone who attended, engaged in discussion, and contributed to a successful event.

A special thank you to our sponsors TriEst Ag Group, Kennco Farm Equipment Manufacturing, Southeast Ag Solutions and Teleos Ag Solutions for their support of this event. Your partnership helps make programs like this possible. 👏

06/01/2026

𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗿𝗲𝘄 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮-𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀? 🍻

Join us tomorrow (June 2) for our Hops Field Day and get a behind-the-scenes look at Florida hops research in action.

Tour the hopyard, see harvesting demonstrations, meet the team, and learn how is exploring new possibilities for hops production in Florida.

Late Start Brewing was on-site today picking up freshly harvested Florida hops—straight from our field to their brew.

🎟️ Registration is free: https://shorturl.at/wck2o

05/29/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝘄𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮 𝗳𝗹𝗮𝘃𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗹𝗲?

When we think of hops, we usually think of the Pacific Northwest or Europe—regions known for the cool conditions this brewing crop prefers.

But could Florida-grown hops develop a distinct identity of their own?

Ph.D. student Álvaro J. Bautista of Dr. Agehara’s lab is helping answer that question.

In wine production, the concept of terroir describes how local climate, soil, and environmental conditions influence flavor and quality. Alvaro's research investigates whether Florida's environment leaves a similar fingerprint on hops—shaping their aroma, chemistry, and brewing potential in ways that distinguish them from hops grown in traditional production regions.

He is studying how Florida's heat, humidity, and seasonal conditions influence hop growth, yield, cone quality, and brewing characteristics. His work also evaluates hop varieties developed for subtropical production and management practices that can help growers optimize production under Florida conditions.

The findings could help determine not only whether hops can become a viable specialty crop for Florida growers, but also whether Florida-grown hops can offer a characteristic that is uniquely Floridian!

🍻 𝗝𝗼𝗶𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗙𝗶𝗲𝗹𝗱 𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗝𝘂𝗻𝗲 𝟮 👀

Tour the hopyard, watch harvesting demonstrations, meet the team behind the research, and learn how is helping shape the future of hops production in Florida.

Registration is free 👉 https://shorturl.at/wck2o

05/27/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝗳 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘀 𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘁 𝗯𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗯𝗲𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻?

Two months after a 10% urea application, our blackberry plants are covered in fruit and currently at peak harvest.

For many blackberry cultivars, Florida's warm winters don't provide enough low-chill hours for uniform budbreak. The result can be uneven growth, flowering, and fruit production.

Our research is exploring whether urea applications can help overcome this challenge by promoting more synchronized budbreak and improving fruit set under subtropical conditions.

Judging by the berries on these canes, the field is providing plenty to be excited about.

This collaborative project with Dr. Shahid's team at the UF IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center (NFREC), funded by the Florida Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services – Specialty Crop Block Grant Program.

05/22/2026

𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗿𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗽𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀? 🍅

At the 2026 Tomato Field Day, Dr. Gary Vallad will share research from his plant pathology lab investigating how the bacterium responsible for bacterial spot may spread during tractor-mounted spray applications.

Led by PhD student Roger Renzo Ramirez Antazu, the project uses air sampling towers positioned throughout tomato fields to track how bacteria move during field spraying applications.

The findings will help improve disease forecasting and support smarter management decisions for growers across Florida.

Join us Tuesday, 𝗠𝗮𝘆 𝟮𝟲 | 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. to explore the latest advancements in tomato breeding, disease management, and production research shaping the future of the industry.

Don’t miss the chance to connect with the researchers behind this work — register today 👉 https://shorturl.at/I8rl5

05/20/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗳𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗽 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆 𝗮𝘁 𝗚𝗖𝗥𝗘𝗖 🤩

At the Second Biennial Plant Pathology Research and Professional Development Symposium, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and faculty shared research spanning citrus greening, disease detection, AI-driven tools, and emerging plant health challenges shaping the future of agriculture.

Continuing the symposium’s student-led tradition, PhD student Lis Porto helped lead the organization of this year’s event alongside a team made up of GCREC and University of Florida Department of Plant Pathology members.

“Organizing this symposium gave me the opportunity to connect with researchers across different areas and learn skills beyond the research itself,” Porto said. “It was exciting to see the passion behind everyone’s work and to help create a space where students could share their science.”

Congratulations to this year’s award winners and presenters for showcasing innovative plant pathology research throughout the symposium. 👏🐊

Thank you to everyone who attended, volunteered, judged, and sponsored this year’s event. 💙🧡

📸 View the full photo album here: https://l1nq.com/zvvq1ob

05/18/2026

𝗛𝗼𝗽𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 | 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀 “𝗖𝗼𝗿𝗻𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱” 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗖𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼

For more than 10 years, Chris has helped shape the UF IFAS GCREC Hops Program from its earliest experimental plantings into one of Florida’s leading hops research operations.

In the beginning, harvests produced only a handful of cones per plant, vines were short enough to harvest from a golf cart, and researchers were still learning how to adapt hops — a crop traditionally grown in cooler climates — to Florida conditions.

Today, the program produces towering 18-foot vines, operates two growing seasons per year, and collaborates with breweries and industry partners across the state.

Behind much of that progress has been DelCastillo’s work in the field.

From helping build the original hopyard and trellis systems to managing harvesting, drying, pelletizing, equipment, and field operations, DelCastillo has spent years refining the behind-the-scenes work required to successfully grow hops in Florida.

“There’s almost an unlimited amount of things to do behind the scenes,” he added. “Nobody will ever see what you did, but some will eat — or in this case, drink — what you grew.”

His role also includes training both students and staff, while supporting their research in the field, where much of the program’s success depends on passing down hands-on skills across constantly changing teams.

“My job is helping students learn. When new people come in and you see them become passionate about hops — like PhD student Alvaro J. Bautista — I’m excited to support that. I can match passion with passion,” DelCastillo said.

Join us 𝐉𝐮𝐧𝐞 𝟐 for our 𝐇𝐨𝐩𝐬 𝐅𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐲 to tour the hopyard, experience harvesting demonstrations, meet the team behind the research, and see firsthand how UF/IFAS is shaping the future of hops production in Florida.

Don’t miss the chance to step inside the hopyard and see us in action — registration is free 👉 https://shorturl.at/wck2o

Address

14625 County Road 672
Wimauma, FL
33598

Opening Hours

Monday	8am - 5pm
Tuesday	8am - 5pm
Wednesday	8am - 5pm
Thursday	8am - 5pm
Friday	8am - 5pm

Website

https://gcrec.ifas.ufl.edu/

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