Duration: 10/01/2025 to 09/30/2026

Administrative Advisor(s):

NIFA Reps:

Non-Technical Summary

Statement of Issues and Justification

Need & Importance of Proposed Development Project: The western US livestock industry is the dominant agricultural industry in areas that are not suited for farming.  The unknown future of public land policies, anthropogenic development, climatic variability and associated effects on annual forage availability, wildfire, and threatened and endangered species concerns, are just a few of the challenges facing livestock and land managers that threaten the long-term sustainability of rangeland-based livestock production and rural communities in the western U.S.  Consequently, the future of western livestock production is dependent on the development of precision livestock management strategies and tools that allow for economically efficient and environmentally responsive livestock production while maintaining/improving rangeland health, addressing wildlife habitat needs, and maintaining or enhancing local social networks.  These management challenges are complex and require a multidisciplinary approach that looks beyond any single discipline or issue.

Focus Areas: Development project members are uniquely qualified to provide the interdisciplinary framework, infrastructure, facilities, and intellectual resources to develop and disseminate precision livestock management systems that promote ecologically, socially, and economically sustainable practices for rangeland-based livestock production.  We will focus on developing a Standing Project around four primary areas: a) variables impacting carbon cycles on rangelands; b) incorporating precision technologies to better inform land and livestock management on rangelands; c) dissemination of results/products that will be used to inform land and livestock managers, land management agencies, policy-makers, and the general public; and d) professional development and mentoring opportunities for committee participants, students, and land and livestock managers.

Advantages of Multistate Effort: Participating members will represent land grant institutions and federal/state agencies from varied production environments and discipline specialties.  We will develop and disseminate information and tools to help managers address livestock, land, and wildlife management objectives while maintaining or enhancing vegetation diversity and biological processes.

Impacts: Potential key benefits of the project include: 1) ability to monitor and manage land and livestock utilizing existing and developing technologies (such as remote sensing, GPS tracking, virtual fencing, unmanned aerial vehicles, accelerometers, and genomic testing) to further our understanding and management of livestock behavior, livestock health and performance, and rangeland health and productivity; 2) increasing financial solvency of rangeland-based livestock enterprises while enhancing conservation values for rangelands and wildlife; 3) exchange of ideas, information, and data through sponsoring symposia or workshops, thereby, promoting advancements in technologies and incorporation and acceptance by land and livestock managers; and 4) professional training and knowledge for current and future land and livestock managers.

Objectives

Procedures and Activities

Expected Outcomes and Impacts

Projected Participation

View Appendix E: Participation

Educational Plan

Organization/Governance

Literature Cited

Attachments

Land Grant Participating States/Institutions

ID, NM

Non Land Grant Participating States/Institutions