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Once research problems wert identified during the 1981
*Sondeo, the team began to initiate experiments designed in conjunction with researchers and extension agents. During the 1982-83 budget year, the team had a total of 23 individual research projects.
Participating with the team in this research have been
approximately 20 IFAS research scientists and 9 extension agents from 5 counties. Major_.calregional support has come from qwa-n 7--nty extension agents Dr. Wi1-_m gml, M and Philli m-kM i, Columbli -onty agents William Thomas and Rc and from Howard Smith, the district county extension
director and FAMU technicians Morris Lester and Jimmy Shepperd. The Live Oak Agricultural Research Center, directed by Drs. High.and Ed White, has also been extensively involved with the project. The team has periodically drawn upon the knowledge and advice of personnel in the Food and Resource Economics Department (records and market studies), James Wershaw (agricultural law), and the Agricultural Engineering Department.
During the 1983-84 fiscal year, there are 14 research
scientists and 9 extension agents cooperating with the team in studies similiar to the 1982-83 year.
Research plans and extension activities are jointly planned by these individuals and team members, and submitted as cooperative efforts during the annual budget review.
FARMER COLLABORATORS
Farm family collaboration is a fundamental part of farming systems. A Total of 66 farm households were contacted during the 1981 Sondeo, and since then team members have visited approximately 200 other farms of various size.
The following table presents data on the types of farm
households which have participated in various trials placed on farm in 1981-82, 1982-83, and 1983-84. A majority of these are located in Suwannee and Columbia counties, but some collaborators reside in Hamilton, Madison and Alachua counties. The latter have principally been involved in winter wheat, perennial peanut establishment and tropical corn trials.