Dr. Ann Blount
Woman of the Year in Agriculture
Dr. Ann Blount was raised on a family farm in Frederiksted, St. Croix, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She attended Good Hope High School and moved to Florida.
Dr. Blount earned a Bachelor of Science in crop science from Texas A&M University. She continued her education at the University of Florida, where she earned her master’s degree in crop ecology (forages) and Ph.D. in plant breeding and genetics.
Dr. Blount joined the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) in 1988. She currently serves as Professor of Forage Breeding and Genetics for the UF/IFAS North Florida Research and Education Center in Quincy.
Dr. Blount’s research focuses on breeding efforts on physiological aspects of fall season forage production.
She works to develop improved bahia grass and evaluate new introductions of perennial peanut and limpo grass with a goal of producing adapted new forages for the southern coastal areas and peninsula of Florida.
The impact of Dr. Blount’s forage breeding program and extension activities for the animal livestock industry in Florida has been immense. She has produced 76 cultivars and germplasm releases and a variety of forages. She has also produced six plant patents and/or plant variety protections. Dr. Blount’s contributions to Florida agriculture affect many thousands of acres of improved forage varieties that are more productive, efficient in use of inputs and enhance the environment.
Dr. Blount’s research is impressive as evidenced by her numerous publications. Her record includes two book chapters, 198 refereed articles, 385 non-refereed articles, 22 national and international proceedings, 124 abstracts and 28 refereed extension articles. Dr. Blount was recognized as the 2014 Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents Specialist of the Year.
She was married to Clyde Blount, who passed away in 2005. Clyde was a farmer and owner of the Mecca Restaurant (a student eatery near FSU) in Tallahassee. They have one daughter, Evie Blount. Dr. Blount lives in Gadsden County on a Florida Century Pioneer Family Farm now in its fourth generation.
