University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

What University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering does

The University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is a public academic department within UF's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), founded in the early 1920s and celebrating its centennial in 2024/2025. The department delivers ABET-accredited undergraduate programs in Biological Engineering and Agricultural Operations Management, plus MS, PhD, an Online Non-Thesis Master's, and three graduate certificates (Biological Systems Modeling, SmartAg Systems, and Advanced SmartAg Systems). Its research portfolio spans precision agriculture (GIS/GPS, UAV, remote sensing, IoT, machine vision, robotics, AI/ML), irrigation and water management, heat and mass transfer for cold-chain packaging, and food packaging engineering, supported by federal grants from USDA, NSF, and other agencies. Outreach is delivered through a statewide UF/IFAS extension network and dedicated programs including Florida AgrAbility (assistive technology for farmers with disabilities), the Florida Agricultural Safety and Health Program, and the Florida Inmate Workforce Initiative.

The department operates a community-led go-to-market model: it recruits undergraduate and graduate students through UF admissions, career fairs, student organizations (AOM Club, ASABE, Packaging Club), and industry-engaged classroom projects, while engaging industry partners through guest lectures, capstone projects, and the annual ABE Career Fair co-hosted with UF Career Connections. Its employer network at the most recent fair spanned Cal-Maine Foods, JBS USA, Kraft Heinz, Costa Farms, Kimley-Horn, Woolpert, Ben E Keith, water management districts, and others. Geographically it operates from Gainesville (Frazier Rogers Hall and the new W.W. Glenn Teaching Building), Immokalee (SWFREC), Quincy (NFREC), and Live Oak (NFREC Suwannee Valley), with extension coverage statewide. The department is funded by a mix of state appropriations, tuition, federal and state research grants (USDA, NSF), and sponsored industry engagement, with its graduate program ranked No. 6 nationally by U.S. News & World Report (2026).

Name

University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Legal name

University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering

Website

https://abe.ufl.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1925

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering is a public land-grant academic department within UF/IFAS that delivers ABET-accredited BS, MS, and PhD programs, three AI/SmartAg graduate certificates, and statewide extension programs in precision agriculture, water management, packaging, and farmer accessibility across Florida.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education - Agricultural and Biological Engineering

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Farm Management Services (115116), Other Technical and Trade Schools (611519)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Services (700), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Agriculture, Environmental & Earth Sciences (EDAGABAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Irrigation Systems & Water Management (Ag) (EDAOAOAG), Agribusiness, Farm Management & Compliance (EDAOAOAN), Agricultural Production & Farm Operations (EDAOAOAA), Carbon, Sustainability & Farm Certification Support (Agro-Environmental Advisory) (AFACABAL), Agriculture & Food Production (EDABALAA)

Keywords

• Agricultural engineering education
• Biological engineering research
• Precision agriculture technology
• Water resources management
• Agricultural extension services

Headquarters

HQ city

Gainesville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Tuition and State University Funding: As a public university department within UF/IFAS, the department is funded through student tuition, state appropriations, and UF institutional support for educational activities.
2. Research Grants and Sponsored Programs: Federal and state research funding through USDA, NSF, and other agencies for agricultural, biological, and environmental engineering research.
3. Florida AgrAbility - Extension Funding: USDA-funded program providing agricultural safety and accessibility services to Florida farmers with disabilities, supported by USDA special project funding.
4. Industry Collaboration and Continuing Education: Partnerships with industry through classroom projects, student internships, and professional development programs generate industry engagement and occasional sponsored research.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The department delivers higher-education degree programs (BS in Biological Engineering and Agricultural Operations Management; MS and PhD in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with specializations in Agricultural Production, Biological Engineering, Information Systems, and Land and Water Resources), plus certificates, an online non-thesis master's program, and minors in Precision Agriculture and Packaging Engineering. It also conducts sponsored research in precision agriculture, water resources, packaging, cold-chain technologies, and SmartAg/AI, and runs extension/outreach programs (Florida AgrAbility, Florida Agricultural Safety and Health, Florida Inmate Workforce Initiative) for Florida's agricultural community.

Product overview

The UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and outreach services. At the graduate level, it provides MS and PhD degrees with specializations in Agricultural Production, Biological Engineering, Information Systems, and Land and Water Resources, plus an Online Non-Thesis Master's Program and three certificate programs (Biological Systems Modeling, SmartAg Systems, and Advanced SmartAg Systems). Undergraduate offerings include BS degrees in Biological Engineering (with four concentrations) and Agricultural Operations Management (with six concentrations), along with minors in Precision Agriculture and Packaging Engineering. Extension programs include Florida AgrAbility (assisting farmers with disabilities), the Agricultural Safety and Health Program, and the Florida Inmate Workforce Initiative. Career services include the annual ABE Career Fair. The department is ranked No. 6 in U.S. News & World Report for agricultural and biological engineering graduate programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Florida AgrAbility: Program helping farmers with disabilities overcome barriers to continue farming
• Florida Agricultural Safety and Health Program
• ABE Blog

Products and services

• Graduate Programs (MS/PhD) Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with specializations in Agricultural Production, Biological Engineering, Information Systems, and Land and Water Resources for graduate students.
• Online Non-Thesis Master's Program Online version of the Master's program allowing students to advance their knowledge and skillset while earning a degree remotely.
• Biological Engineering (BS) ABET-accredited Bachelor of Science degree with four concentrations: Agricultural Production Engineering, Biosystems Engineering, Land and Water Resources Engineering, and Packaging Engineering.
• Agricultural Operations Management (BS) Bachelor of Science degree with six concentrations: Sustainable Land Energy and Water, Agribusiness Management, Animal Production Management, Horticulture and Crop Management, Smart Agricultural Management, and Agri-food Systems Management.
• Biological Systems Modeling Certificate Graduate-level certificate focusing on computational and mathematical modeling of biological systems.
• SmartAg Systems Certificate (CALS) Certificate in AI-based SmartAg Systems offered through the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences.
• Certificate in Advanced SmartAg Systems (HWCOE) Advanced certificate in SmartAg Systems offered through the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering.
• Precision Agriculture Minor Multidisciplinary undergraduate minor using satellite imagery, aerial photography, field sensors, GPS, and GIS for agricultural management decisions.
• Packaging Engineering Minor Undergraduate minor focused on packaging knowledge, technology, and skills for careers in or associated with packaging.
• Florida AgrAbility Program USDA-funded partnership between UF/IFAS Extension and the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida offering Barnyard Challengers and Roots to Work programs, farm site assessments, and assistive technology recommendations to Florida farmers with disabilities.
• Florida Agricultural Safety and Health Program Research and extension program for agricultural safety and health, including tractor safety training, injury statistics tracking, and child/youth safety initiatives.
• Florida Inmate Workforce Initiative Program reducing recidivism through professional development and certification for inmates in Florida.
• ABE Career Fair Annual recruiting fair specifically designed for UF Biological Engineering and Agricultural Operations Management students and alumni, held in partnership with UF Career Connections Center during UF Career Showcase week.

Quantifiable outcome

• Graduate program ranked No. 6 among agricultural and biological engineering programs nationally (U.S. News & World Report)

Named customers14 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida (CILNCF)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlorida AgrAbility is a joint effort of UF/IFAS Extension and the Center for Independent Living of North Central Florida (CILNCF). CILNCF co-deliversAgrAbility services including farm assessments and assistive technology recommendations to Florida farmers with disabilities. Amy Feutz serves as Director of CILNCF on the AgrAbility team.
• Center for Landscape Conservation and Ecology (CLCE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUF/IFAS ABE extension partners with CLCE on irrigation and water conservation programs. Dr. Michael Dukes serves as Director of CLCE. CLCE focuses on landscape irrigation efficiency and best management practices.
• Florida Water and Climate AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerABE extension faculty, including Dr. Christopher Martinez, co-chair the Florida Water and Climate Alliance - a group of cities, utilities, and water management districts integrating climate science into water resource decision making.
• UF Water InstitutemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABE extension programs on water resources collaborate with the UF Water Institute for integrated water management research and outreach.
• Program for Resource Efficient Communities (PREC)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABE extension faculty including Dr. Pierce Jones direct PREC, which works with utilities and community planners on energy efficiency and development-related energy outreach.
• Florida Climate Institute (FCI)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABE extension partners with FCI on climate-related programs for Florida agriculture and water resources.
• Coastal Systems Research and Development (CSRA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerABE extension partners with CSRA on research and development initiatives.
• UF Career Connections CentermajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorABE partners with the UF Career Connections Center to co-host the annual ABE Career Fair during the week of UF Career Showcase, providing employer access to ABE students.
• Southern Coastal Center for Agricultural Safety and HealthmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Florida Agricultural Safety and Health Program coordinates with the university's newly established Southern Coastal Center for Agricultural Safety and Health for agricultural safety research and extension.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Michigan State University Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering: MSU BAE is a directly comparable ABET-accredited BAE department with extension work in agricultural safety, water, and machinery engineering overlapping Florida ABE scope.
• Iowa State University Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering: Iowa State ABE is a top-ranked land-grant counterpart offering ABET-accalaureate BSE, MS, and PhD programs with parallel extension work in water, machinery, and bioprocessing.
• Purdue University Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering: Purdue's ABE department is a fellow land-grant ABE program with ABET-accredited BS, MS, and PhD tracks, traditionally a top-ranked peer to UF ABE in U.S. News & World Report graduate rankings.
• University of California Davis Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering: UC Davis BAE is a peer ABET-accredited BAE program with research strengths in precision agriculture, food engineering, and biosystems closely overlapping with UF ABE.
• Cornell University Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering: Cornell's BEE is a directly comparable BAE department offering ABET-accredited BS and graduate programs with extension work in water resources, bioprocessing, and environmental engineering.
• Ohio State University Department of Food, Agricultural and Biological Engineering: Ohio State FABE is a land-grant FABE program offering ABET BS, MS, and PhD degrees with extension and applied research mission directly comparable to UF ABE.
• Virginia Tech Department of Biological Systems Engineering: Virginia Tech BSE is a land-grant BSE program with ABET-accredited undergraduate and graduate degrees and extension programming comparable to UF ABE in scope and structure.
• Texas A&M University Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering: Texas A&M BAE is a large land-grant BAE program offering BS/MS/PhD degrees in agricultural and biological engineering with extension and research missions closely paralleling UF ABE.
• Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences — Agricultural Systems Management: Penn State's Agricultural Systems Management and Biological Engineering programs sit in a sister land-grant college with similar extension-driven applied research and agronomy-farmer interface.
• University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering: UIUC ABE is a top-ranked ABET-accredited ABE program with parallel BS/MS/PhD tracks and extension/advisory work overlapping UF ABE's applied engineering focus.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UF_ABE
• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?PLVa4akutWV7DfdHVHS0zTcF-xWp01tC6c
• Facebookfacebook.com/PkgClubUF
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ufabe

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles20 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about University of Florida Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering