Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried Visits Newberry to Discuss Ag-Tech

The Little Town That Plans to Feed the World.

By 2050, experts estimate that the world's population will grow to 9.5 Billion people. Unfortunately, current agricultural production is inadequate to provide enough food to sustain that many people. On July 30, 2019, the City of Newberry welcomed Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried to Newberry to solicit her support for the development of Newberry's Agricultural Technology Innovation Park. The park's mission is to foster breakthrough technologies in agricultural sciences. These breakthroughs will lead to higher and more sustainable production levels and to advance the commercialization of those innovations through the creation of agribusiness and supporting technology companies.

Newberry's Agri-Tech Park will include a state-of-the-art collaborative research facility where leading research entities such as the University of Florida's Institute for Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) can develop new technologies and incubate new agri-tech companies that will bring new products to market. The park, which is soon to be the home the Alachua County IFAS Extension Agency, will include space for large-scale production facilities, which will allow companies to remain in the park as they expand. As explained by Mayor Jordan Marlowe, "the Newberry Agri-Tech Innovation Park will provide hundreds of new local high-tech jobs. Our park will have regional, national, and ultimately global impacts as the new technologies developed right here in Newberry will help to feed the growing world population."

For more information on the Newberry Agri-Tech Innovation park, contact Bryan Thomas, Director of Planning and Economic Development, at bryan.thomas@ci.newberry.fl.us, or 352-472-2161 ext 3.

Photo (left to right):Staci-Ann Bertrand, Greater Gainesville Chamber; Mike New, Newberry City Manager; Doug Hutchinson, Development Services Team; Bryan Thomas, Newberry Director of Planning & Economic Development; Dr. Matt Hersom, Newberry City Commissioner; Nicole “Nikki” Fried, Florida Agriculture Commissioner; Florida State Representative Chuck Clemons (House District 21); Jordan Marlowe, Newberry Mayor; Alyssa Brown, Greater Gainesville Chamber; Eric Godet, Greater Gainesville Chamber; Dr. Jack Payne, Senior VP, UF/IFAS.