Driftwood logs on the shore at sunset, with a small boat carrying two people who are fishing on the calm water.

Who We Are

University of Florida (UF) Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) Extension of Volusia County is part of a nationwide program called the Cooperative Extension Service. This program began in 1914 with the Smith-Lever Act. It is a team effort between one state university, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the county governments within a state. There are Cooperative Extensions in all U.S. states. All of these groups work together to plan, pay for, and run Extension programs. In Florida, UF manages the Cooperative Extension Service.

UF IFAS Extension works with County of Volusia, UF, and the USDA to bring programming, and education to local communities. The Extension Service is an off-campus part of the University of Florida. Extension agents are like teachers to the citizens of the county. Each year, the agents help more than 2 million people through classes, phone calls, printed materials and community programs throughout Florida.