UF/IFAS Tropical Research & Education Center

The UF Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC) was established in 1929 by an act of the state legislature, in what is now Miami-Dade County, on land donated by the Krome family and Mr. Charles E. Schaff.

As the premier teaching, research, and extension institution in Florida, UF/IFAS TREC's primary focus is on tropical and subtropical fruit crops, traditional and tropical vegetables, tropical ornamental crops, energy crops, and natural resources in the warm subtropics. The programs at UF/IFAS TREC seek to improve the viability of regional agricultural economies, protect and enhance natural resources, and encourage positive interaction at the urban-agriculture interface.

The top priorities in UF/IFAS TREC's strategic plan include enhancing the quality of our programs; developing a sustainable resource base for our Center; strengthening and expanding our partnerships at all levels; increasing the Center's visibility to various stakeholders; and improving the transparency and accountability of the research conducted at UF/IFAS TREC.

The mission of the UF/IFAS TREC is to develop and disseminate science-based information about tropical horticulture and natural resource sciences through basic and applied research, extension, and teaching to sustain and enhance the quality of human life and the natural environment.