Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

Short Term Outcomes

Burbach: 1.An on-going program evaluation of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy shows that Academy alumni have emerged as leaders in their communities and with the knowledge and skills to drive innovative approaches to water management in Nebraska. 2.An evaluation of the influence of a real-life farm management competition on producers’ adoption of new management practices and technologies demonstrated that innovative Extension and educational programs framed in farm management competitions grounded in gamification along with adult, experiential, and peer learning are an effective way to increase adoption of new management practices and new technology. 3. An evaluation of the influence of a real-life farm management competition on non-agricultural producers' relationship with producers with implications for collaborative natural resource management demonstrated that innovative Extension and educational programs framed in farm management competitions grounded in gamification along with adult, experiential, and peer learning are an effective way to help policymakers be more comfortable interacting with producers.

Church: 1. The Gallatin Water Collaborative is using my students' work to understand how adaptive management is included (or not) in water plans. They are using these concepts to organize projects and planning in the watershed. 2. Madison Boone's work in the Upper Clark Fork watershed is helping organizations in the watershed understand how an NSF-funded project has helped catalyze learning across groups, including how information and data that came out of the project are currently being used to help clean the watershed, which is a Superfund site."

Schad: 1. As part of a USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) On-Farm Conservation Innovation Grant, 15 producers continue to participate in the Utah Soil Health Network On-Farm Soil Health Demonstration Project (‘trial’) to represent the geographic and agricultural diversity of the state of Utah. For participating they are receiving annual incentive payments, and are expected to keep records, maintain test plots, and implement various practices on their farm/ranch. Each program participant will have on-farm/ranch trials implemented (e.g., cover crops, no-till, and integrated grazing along with conventional strips) from which soil, crop, and water samples will be drawn. Participants are also working with soil planners, USU Extension agents, and crop advisors to develop a soil health plan for the five-year project and technical assistance will be provided throughout. Each year my team is either interviewing or surveying trial participants on their experience with the project and implementing the various soil health practices.

Davenport: 1. In our “water policy co-development workshops” with more than 140 community leaders, environmental professionals, and policy makers. We raised awareness about community needs in urban water access and collaboratively identified practices and policies to address those needs. One state agency participant observed, “I was truly inspired by the conversation with water regulators and community members.... The workshops were powerful, rewarding, and above all, respectful. I was honored to have been able to participate in these conversations.” 2. We built skills in community-engaged research and policy across disciplines and scientists around water across the Midwest.

Aspooth: 1. Changing the conversation around diversification: Discussions at RAD team meetings have helped to change the way that agricultural stakeholders think about diversification by providing more information and room for discussion. 2. Connecting agricultural stakeholders around diversification: By hosting our RAD team meetings over the last three years, we have brought together a wide range of agricultural stakeholders to discuss diversification, its merits, downsides, and how to improve agriculture in the regional context. These connections can help continue the conversation and potential action around diversification into the future. 3. Increasing understanding: Outreach of our work among non-governmental organizations involved in agriculture, conservation professionals, agricultural educators, and academics have helped to increase knowledge on what farmers think about diversification and how it can be supported. This knowledge is key to strategizing for future diversification efforts.

Haigh: 1. As a result of Drought-Smart Indigenous Ag project, 12+ pueblo farmers have individuals soil fact sheets, pueblo staff have new resources to share with farmers, 2 students were trained through internships and are continuing their education in natural resources management, built new partnerships among pueblos, NGOs and state/fed agencies.

Outputs (Products delivered by research: reports, data, information, observations, publications, patents)

This team produced 27+ publications, the presentations and reports listed below, and the following additional outputs:

Haigh: *Kirchner, O.G., *Varisco, K., Haigh, T., and Bathke, D. (2024). IMPACT2 State Farm Game. Developed and used to engage with farmers and Extension personnel at workshop in Lafayette, IN as part of IMPACT2 Project (Haigh, PI), USDA AFRI

*Kirschner, O.G., Haigh, T. Critical Dates Dashboard. Web Interface Prototype developed through USDA Cooperative Agreement

*Kirschner, O.G., Haigh, T. Range & Drought Monitoring Tool Library. Web Interface Prototype developed through USDA Cooperative Agreement

Presentations

Sprague, T., Rodman, M. Kreiter, A., Davenport, M.A., Roth, S. (2024). Drops of change: Community-centered water stewardship and policy pop-up. Water Resources Conference, Special Session, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, October 16, 2024.

Roth, S., Davenport, M. “Understanding diverse water perspectives for inclusive water planning.” International Association of Society & Natural Resources. Cairns, Australia. June 10, 2024.

Roth, S., Davenport, M. , “Centering Water Justice in Environmental Planning and Policy: Community-Centered Research on Urban Water Values.” Capitol Region Watershed District. Staff Meeting. July 15, 2024.

Roth, S., Davenport, M. “Centering Water Justice in Environmental Planning and Policy”. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, Water Forum. January 16, 2026. Guest Lecture, University of Minnesota, Department of Forest Resources. Sustainable Land Use & Planning. “Centering Water Justice in Environmental Planning and Policy.” October 8, 2024. 

Burbach, M., & Kenneyd, S. An Assessment of the Impact of an Innovative and Interactive Real-World Farm Management Competition on First-time Participants. Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, August 1, 2025.

Eaton, W., Burbach, M., & Arbuckle, J. Attitudes toward distributed energy systems in Iowa and Nebraska. Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, UT, August 1, 2025.

Burbach, M., & Kennedy, S. The Impact of an Innovative and Interactive Real-World Farm Management Competition on First-time Participants: A Pre/Post Assessment. 2025 IASNR Conference, Vancouver, BC, Canada, June 10, 2025

Burbach, M., Boundary Spanning Skills for Effective Stakeholder Engagement. Nebraska State Irrigation Association, Kearney, NE, March 21, 2025.

Burbach, M., Full Range Leadership for Leaders in the Water Arena. Nebraska State Irrigation Association, Nebraska Water Leaders Academy, January 23, 2025.

Burbach, M., Personal Empowerment - Engaging Your Leadership Capacity. Nebraska State Irrigation Association, Nebraska Water Leaders Academy, November 21, 2024.

Burbach, M., Discerning differences in attitudes toward river management between agricultural producers in the upper and lower Colorado River basin. Nebraska Department of Natural Resources, Brown Bag Series, Lincoln, NE, October 2, 2024.

Burbach, M., Niobrara National Wild & Scenic River – Outstandingly Remarkable Values. Nebraska Water Leaders Academy, September 11, 2024.

Yoder, L. The role of social norms as a governance tool to scale-up conservation: A review of farmer agri-environmental management research. Ostrom Workshop Colloquium Series. Bloomington, IN. 2025.

Yoder, L. Cover crops as climate insurance. Indiana Sustainability and Resilience Conference. IU Environmental Resilience Institute. Bloomington, IN. February 28, 2025.

Yoder, L. Collective action theory for nonpoint source water pollution. Ostrom Water Governance Research Group Seminar. 2024. Talk given virtually."

Arbuckle: Arbuckle, J. and Clare Lindahl. “Conservation Practitioners Would Like to Have a Word: 2024 Conservation Practitioners Poll.” SWCS Conservation Voices Webcast, January 28, 2025. (47)

Arbuckle, J. C. Wardropper, and K. Genskow. Panel Presentation: Understanding the Social Science Dynamics Underpinning Climate-Smart Agriculture Adoption. North Central Agriculture and Climate Conference: Connecting Research, Extension, and Outreach, Peoria, IL, July 31, 2024. (70)

Arbuckle: Du, Z., H. Feng, J. Arbuckle. Adoption and Disadoption of Conservation Practices - an Analysis with Machine Learning and Traditional Econometric Methods. Heartland Environmental and Resource Economics Workshop. Urbana-Champagne, IL October 26 to Sunday, October 27, 2024.

Ortiz, E. and J. Arbuckle. What do Corn Belt farmers think about climate change? A meta-analysis review to inform communication strategies. Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting, Madison, WI, July 26, 2024.

Ortiz, E. and J. Arbuckle. What do Corn Belt farmers think about climate change? A meta-analysis review to inform communication strategies. Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Annual Conference, Syracuse, NY, June 6, 2024.

Aspooth, L., Facilitator, Practitioner Panel on Designing Successful Farmer-led Conservation Efforts. 2025. Michigan's 2025 State of the Western Lake Erie Basin Conference, Adrian, Michigan, 26 June.

Boone, M. and S.P. Church. (2025). “Understanding social learning in collaborative environmental research: A case study of the Upper Clark Fork Working Group”. International Association for Society and Natural Resources Conference. June 9-13, 2025. Vancouver, BC, Canada.

Church, S.P. (2024). “Adaptive water management plan synthesis”. Gallatin Water Collaborative meeting. Bozeman, MT, December 4, 2024."

Schad “Rural U.S. Communities (Especially Agricultural) & the Climate.” Speaker for Climate Crossroads Congressional Fellowship, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine; Washington, D.C. 2025.

Barkat, Zubair**, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Mark Brunson, Edem Avemegah, Elizabeth Bennett**, & Kaitlin Welsh**.  “Land, Legacy, and Livelihood: How Senses of Place Complicate Utah Ranchers’ Management Decisions.”  International Association for Society & Natural Resources Annual Meeting; Vancouver, British Columbia. 2025.

Ryder, Stacia, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad.  “Understanding and addressing community concerns around the drying of Utah's Great Salt Lake.”  International Association for Society & Natural Resources Annual Meeting; Vancouver, British Columbia. 2025.

Barkat, Zubair**, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, and Stacia Ryder. “Reimagining Rangeland Research: Feminist Standpoint Theory Meets Rangeland Social Science.” Society for Range Management Annual Meeting: Spokane, WA. 2025.

Barkat, Zubair**, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Edem Avemegah, Elizabeth Bennett**, and Mark Brunson. “Land, Legacy, and Livelihood: Beyond Dollars—How Senses of Place Influence Utah Ranchers’ Economic Decision Making."" Society for Range Management Annual Meeting: Spokane, WA. 2025.

Edem Avemegah** & Jessica Ulrich-Schad.  “Farmers' Adoption of Nutrient Management Plans in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.” Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting: Madison, WI. 2024

Zubair Barkat**, Jessica Ulrich-Schad, Kaitlin Welsh**, & Eric Thacker. “Voices from the Rangeland: Exploring Utah Ranchers' Perspectives on Smart Foodscapes.” Rural Sociological Society Annual Meeting: Madison, WI. 2024.

Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Peggy Petrzelka, & Matt Yost. “’We’re Very Late to The Party’: Motivations and Challenges with Improving Soil Health in Utah.”  International Association for Society and Natural Resources Annual Meeting: Cairns, Australia.   2024.

Edem Avemegah** & Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad. “Residents’ Support for Varied Scenarios for Agricultural Systems in Urbanized Landscapes.” Chesapeake Community Research Symposium. 2024. 

Nelson, A., M. Kreiter, A., Davenport, M.A., Eshenaur, T., Raber, C. (2024). Equity in drinking water: Beliefs, education, and policies. Water Resources Conference, Special Session, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, October 16, 2024.

Sprague, T., Rodman, M. Kreiter, A., Davenport, M.A., Roth, S. (2024). Drops of change: Community-centered water stewardship and policy pop-up. Water Resources Conference, Special Session, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, October 16, 2024.

Davenport, M.A., Seekamp, E., & Chosa Smith, K. (2024). Social science research needs for climate change community resilience work: A talking circle. International Association for Society and Natural Resources Conference, Cairns, Australia, June 23-27, 2024.

Kreiter, A., Davenport, M., Roth, S., Keller, M., Mohamed, K., Delgado-Ortiz, G., Tuisl, O. (2024). "In My Community, You’ll Never Find Someone Who Drinks from The Tap": Exploring Urban Water Values & Relationships. International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR), Cairns, Australia, June 23-27, 2024.

Durglo, M., Graveen, W., Chosa Smith, K., Davenport, M.A., Seekamp, E. (2024). Sharing our journeys of deliberative science, the process of science co-production. 2024 National Adaptation Forum, St. Paul, Minnesota, May 15, 2024.

Delgado-Ortiz, G., Ledeneva, S., King, H.J., Tran, J., Graveen, J., Smith, K.C., Davenport, M.A. (2024). Manoomin·Psíŋ, an Indicator for Healthy Lives, Minds, and Ecosystems. 2024 St. Louis River Summit, (Poster). Superior, Wisconsin, March 6-7, 2024.

Davenport, M.A., Chosa Smith, K., Ledeneva, S., Tran, J., White, S. Delgado-Ortiz, G. (2024). Honoring Indigenous knowledge and knowledge holders in social science interview research. 2024 Social Coast Forum, Charleston, South Carolina, February 12-15, 2024.

Davenport, M. (2025). Cultural relationships with water: Lessons for water equity. Minnesota Drinking Water Protection Health Equity Group, Virtual Meeting, February 12, 2025.

Landon, A., Davenport, M., & Flagg, K. (2025). Motivating environmental stewardship. 2025 Minnesota DNR Roundtable. Bloomington, MN, January 10, 2025

Davenport, M. & Roth, S. (2025). Centering water justice in environmental planning and policy. Minnesota Pollution Control Agency Water Forum, Virtual. January 16, 2024.

Davenport, M. (2024). Drought preparedness and adaptation. University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension, The Current Webinar Series, Virtual Meeting, October 16, 2024. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAcBbcQahUE

Davenport, M., Matteson, S., Boustead, K., & Merriam, J. (2024). Minneapolis-St. Paul rambles, National Science Foundation, APEAL, Virtual Meeting, October 10, 2024.

Davenport, M. (2024). Community engagement and water in Minnesota. Clean Water Council, Virtual Meeting, August 19, 2024.

Davenport, M. & Roth, S. (2024). Centering water justice in environmental planning and policy. Capitol Region Watershed District, St. Paul, MN. July 15, 2024.

Davenport, M., Kreiter, A., Roth, S., Keller, M., Mohamed, K., Delgado-Ortiz, G., Tuisl, O. (2024). Centering water justice in environmental planning and policy. Metro Conservation Network All-Network Meeting, Andover, MN, July 10, 2024.

Davenport, M., Kreiter, A., Roth, S. Keller, M., Mohamed, K., Delgado-Ortiz, G., Tuisl, O. (2024). “Thank you so much for doing this in my community!”. MN One Water Delegation, Virtual Meeting, July 9, 2024, 13 attendees.

Davenport, M., Kreiter, A., Keller, M., Delgado-Ortiz, G., Mohamed, K., Tuisl, O. (2024). Cultural water values and water justice: A Twin Cities investigation. Hennepin-University Partnership Webinar Series, Virtual Meeting, March 26, 2024, 50 attendees, https://hup.umn.edu/events/cultural-values-water-and-water-justice.

Davenport, M. (2024). Gathering stories: What can Manoomin/Psiη (wild rice) teach us about being a good relative? The Nature Conservancy Science Lunch and Learn, Virtual Meeting, March 21, 2024.

Davenport, M., Keeler, B., Roth, S., Kreiter, A., Keller, M., Rogers M., Niehoff, E., Delgado-Ortiz, G., Tuisl, O. (2024). The Value of Water in the Twin Cities: A Community-Centered Framework. Metropolitan Council Environmental Committee Meeting, St. Paul, Minnesota, January 23, 2024.

Asprooth, L., Arbuckle, J., Church, S., Floress, K., Harden, S., Maynard, E., Thompson, A., Usher, E., Prokopy, L. 2025. Divergent pathways; Navigating a course to diversification in the Corn Belt. International Association for Society and Natural Resources, Vancouver, British Columbia, 11 June.

Asprooth, L., 2025. A walk through DCB social science results; Attitudes, visions, barriers, and opportunities towards a more diverse agricultural landscape in the Corn Belt. Seminar speaker, O'Neill School of Public & Environmental Affairs, Indiana University. Bloomington, IN, 24 April.

Asprooth, L., 2025. Overview of the Diverse Corn Belt project. Emerging Crops Accelerator, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Division of Extension. Virtual, 25 March.

Reports and Fact Sheets

(In draft). Roth, S. (2025) Minnesota Farmer Perspectives and Experiences with Soil Health Practices. Technical report prepared for the Board of Water and Soil Resources. University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

Young, A.R., Burbach, M.E., Lackey, S.O., Joeckel, R.M., Shrestha, N., & Westrop, J.P. (2025). Nebraska statewide groundwater-level monitoring report − 2024. School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Water Survey Paper 93.

Burbach, M.E. (Ed.). (2025). Australia: Managing Diverse Ecosystems (A Storybook of Student Research). University of Nebraska-Lincoln, School of Natural Resources, Open-File Report 265.

Burbach, M.E., Joeckel, R.M., & Akin, H. (2024). 2024 Nebraska Water Leaders Academy – Final report. University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Conservation and Survey Division, Open-File Report 259.

Young, A.R., Burbach, M.E., Lackey, S.O., Joeckel, R.M., Shrestha, N., & Westrop, J.P. (2024). Nebraska statewide groundwater-level monitoring report − 2023. School of Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Water Survey Paper 92.

Arbuckle, J.G., C. DeLong, C. Lindahl, and C. Morris. 2024. Conservation Practitioner Poll 2024 Summary Report. Ankeny, IA: Soil and Water Conservation Society.

Arbuckle, J. 2024. Iowa Farm and Rural Life Poll: 2024 Summary Report. Extension Report SOC3111. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension.

Arbuckle, J. 2024. STRIPS Collaborator Survey: 2023 Results. STR1065. Ames, IA: Iowa State University Extension Sociology.

Bjorklund, E., S.P. Church. (2024). Rethinking Water Conflict and Cooperation. People Places Water Lab. Bozeman: Montana State University.

Cranmer, E.S., S.P. Church (2024). Adaptive water management plan analysis synthesis report: Report for the Gallatin Watershed Council. People Places Water Lab. Bozeman: Montana State University.

Church, S.P. and McEvoy, J. (2024). A Systematic literature review of nature-based water storage infrastructure: MSU S&C Report. Department of Earth Sciences. Bozeman: Montana State University.

Petrzelka, Peggy, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Matt Yost, Jenae Dean**, Earl Creech, Linda Schott, Tony  Richards, & Kristy Davis. 2024. “Utah Producers & Soil Health: Results from a Statewide Survey.” USU  Extension Fact Sheet. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2480

Petrzelka, Peggy, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Matt Yost, Jenae Dean**, Earl Creech, Linda Schott, Tony Richards, & Kristy Davis. 2024. “Crop Advisors Approaches to Soil Health Advising and Opportunities for Improvement.” USU Extension Fact Sheet. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2473

Petrzelka, Peggy, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Matt Yost, Jenae Dean**, Tony Richards, & Kristy Davis.  2024. “Agricultural Producers’ Motivations and Challenges with Improving Soil Health in Utah.” USU Extension Fact Sheet.  https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/extension_curall/2482"

Davenport, M.A. (2024). Urban water values in the Twin Cities Metro Area. Research Bulletin Center for Changing Landscapes, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 2 p.

Davenport, M.A. (2024). Agriculture, nitrate, and drinking water protection. Research Bulletin Center for Changing Landscapes, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 2 p.

Pradhananga, A. & Davenport, M.A. (2024). Community relationships with water in the Flathead River Valley. Technical report prepared for Salish Kootenai College, Center for Changing Landscapes, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 49 p.

*Varisco, K., Haigh, T. Building Drought Resilience with Soil Health, draft. Individualized fact sheet produced for participants in Climate-Smart Indigenous Ag Project (Haigh, PI), USDA-NRCS.

Haigh, T. (2024) Ranch Drought Planning Guidance Factsheet and Worksheets. Developed through USDA Cooperative Agreement

Activities (research activities to reveal new knowledge/develop new understanding) & Milestones (key intermediate targets for achieving/delivering outputs of project within set timeframe)

Roth: 1. Project on diverse water values within Minnesota's Twin Cities Metro Area to promote more inclusive water policy and management. Finalized diverse water values project and report with many presentations about findings. 2. Statewide project on Minnesota farmer perspectives, experiences, and behaviors around soil health practices and conservation. Sent statewide survey to 8000 farmers in MN. Analyzed data of more than 1100 responses and working on a draft report. 3.  Contributing to Minnesota's Nutrient Reduction Strategy update on the ""scaling up adoption"" committee.

Burbach: 1. Evaluated the effect of the Nebraska Water Leaders Academy in producing catalysts of change in water issues. 2. Evaluated the influence of a real-life farm management competition on producers’ adoption of new management practices and technologies. 3. Evaluated the influence of a real-life farm management competition on non-agricultural producers' relationship with producers, with implications for collaborative natural resource management.

Yoder: Lab and collaborators carried out: six focus group discussions with a total of 39 stakeholders in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana regarding crop insurance discount pilot programs; a survey on cover crop adoption of 1,023 respondents in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana; I conducted 15 follow-up interviews with farmers regarding the nitrate levels in their tile drains.

Schad: 1. In spring 2024 a graduate class that I taught conducted 28 interviews with residents of Bear Lake (Idaho and Utah) about their perceptions of community and environmental change in the area. We partnered with a local non-profit - Bear Lake Watch - to do this work. We did a community presentation in May 2024 with nearly 40 in attendance. We are working on and have published a report, briefs, exhibition along with photos, and peer-reviewed publications from the project. 2. We conducted an online/mail survey of 3,000 Utah producers in spring of 2024 about usage and attitudes about soil health practices. We wrote a descriptive report, completed Extension fact sheets, and published a peer-reviewed publication with the data. 3. As part of the Smart Foodscapes project (see https://www.usu.edu/smart-foodscapes/), we conducted 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews with Utah ranchers during the summer of 2023. Topics included: Ranchers’ views on the SFS project, decision-making and trust, sense of place, and demographic information. We reached out to potential respondents by utilizing our team's networks, relevant listservs, including USU Extension. We have done a variety of presentations at academic and project conferences with the results and are working on a manuscript focused on ranchers’ sense of place and economic decision-making. 4. PhD student Edem Avemegah successfully defended his dissertation in Summer of 2024 on "Agriculture in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: Views on Water Quality, Agricultural-Related Conflicts, And the Adoption of Nutrient Management Plans." His work was part of the external evaluation for a 6 year USDA SAS grant called Thriving Ag (https://thrivingag.org/).

Davenport: 1. I supported Native American nations and their environmental program staff to document and communicate the relationships community members have with water, wetlands, Manoomin (wild rice, English), and fish.My research teams conducted more than 50 interviews with knowledge holders on water and Manoomin in the region. Preliminary findings of this work were shared with partners and have influenced management approaches on tribal lands and treaty territories in the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin. 2. I explored and uplifted different voices around access to clean drinking water including Minneapolis-St. Paul Metropolitan Area urban residents and rural Minnesotans who manage their own private wells. We designed events called “equitable water policy co-development workshops” and facilitated 6 of these workshops in 2024 with more than 140 community leaders, environmental professionals, and policy makers. 3. I investigated community-engaged research processes and implications for community members and scientists. In this work my research team has conducted interviews, administered surveys, led talking circles, and facilitated workshops using community-engaged participatory approaches. We directly engage community members as partners and participants in research projects. We work closely with project collaborators including local, state, federal and tribal agencies. Our work uplifts community voices and values different ways of knowing and being in relationship with nature. It upholds tribal sovereignty and uplifts communities to serve as a model for community engaged research. I have presented this approach to social science and environmental policy as a model to scholars, managers, and policy makers in the region and across the globe. "

Aspooth: 1. Diverse Corn Belt farmer survey – farmer perceptions and identified barriers, and opportunities for the adoption of diversified farming practices in the Corn Belt. 2. Diverse Corn Belt farmer interviews – diversified farmers path to diversification, drivers of diversification, and barriers and opportunities for continued or further diversification according to diversified farmers. 3. Diverse Corn Belt Reimagining Agricultural Diversity (RAD) team meetings – bringing together diverse actors in each of the three project states (IL, IA, IN) throughout the agricultural sector to co-create ideas and opportunities for how to diversify the agricultural landscape in their region. 4. Drivers of small grain adoption in the Upper Midwest study – farmer and practitioner identified barriers and opportunities for the adoption of small grains in corn and soybean systems. *Noting that activities around agricultural diversification (e.g., crop diversification to include small grains and other food crops, crop and livestock integration, grazing livestock) relate directly to water quality and quantity issues due to the benefits of diverse rotations to water sequestration and retention and reduction in erosion, as well as the reduction in nitrogen from the spreading of manure when moving to grazed livestock systems. 

Haigh: Analyzed survey of ecological land managers on their response to drought, data analysis and reporting stage. Implemented a scenario-based activity to engage small-scale farm managers in discussions of adaptation to future climate scenarios, data gathering stage. Surveyed/interviewed Great Plains Ag/Natural Resources Extension Educators and Specialists about challenges and needs related to drought management education, data gathering stage. Developed farmer-friendly fact sheets on soil health and drought resilience. Wrapped up Drought-smart indigenous ag project. Began gathering data on mental models of research scientists and rural community members on the concepts of ""rural community resilience"" and ""co-production"" approaches to building resilience. Data gathering stage.

Publications:

1. Abulbasher, Abdelrahim Haroun**, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Deepthi Kolady, Tong Wang, & David Clay. 2024. ""Entrepreneurial Aspirations of South Dakota Commodity Crop Producers."" Sustainability 16:6839. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16166839 
2. Asprooth, L., Arbuckle, J., Traldi, R., Usher, E., Church, S., Floress, K., Awashra, I., Pivaral, K., Thompson, A., Margenot, A., Woodings, F., Maynard, E., Torres, A., & Prokopy, L. To Diversify or Not to Diversify: A Preliminary Report on Farmers’ Perspectives on Diversification in the U.S. Midwest. Accepted, Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems.
3. Asprooth, L.,* Stedden, C.,* Hammond, E., Okur, A., & Silva, E. Assessing knowledge levels and learning preferences among organic grain farmers and professionals; The experience of the University of Wisconsin OGRAIN program. Accepted, Journal of Extension. *Co-lead authors
4. Asprooth, L., Krome, M., Hartman, A., McFarland, A., Galt, R., & Prokopy, L. (2025). Our daily bread in the Heartland: Understanding and leveraging diversification to small grains in corn and soybean systems. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation, 80(2). https://doi.org/10.1080/00224561.2025.2451000
5. Avemegah, Edem**, Elizabeth Bennett**, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Tong Wang, Weston M. Eaton. Heidi L. Sieverding, David C.  Clay, and Shaina Westoff**. 2024b. “Understanding South Dakota Farmers' Adoption of Diversified Crop Rotation: An Examination of the Role of Sense of Place and Sense of Responsibility.” Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 48(7). https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2024.2346794 
6. Barkat, Zubair**, Stacia Ryder, and Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad. Accepted. “Reimagining rangeland research: Feminist standpoint theory meets rangeland social science.”  Rangelands.
7. Barkat, Zubair**, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, & Eric Thacker. 2024. “Ranchers’ Views of Smart Foodscapes: Applied and Methodological Insights.” Rangeland Ecology & Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rama.2024.08.027 
8. Baylis, K., Lentz, E., Caylor, K., Gu, M., Gunderson, C., Haigh, T., Hayes, M., Lahr, H., Maxwell, D., and Funk C. (Accepted). “Six lessons for closing the last mile: How to make climate decision support actionable.” Earth Futures. 
9. Burbach, M.E., Kennedy, S., Eaton, W.M., Brasier, K.J., Rudnick, R.R., & Whitmer, W. (2025). Examination of cooperative extension as a bridging organization to enhance cross-boundary collaborative water management. Journal of Extension, 63(2), 
10. Burbach, M.E., Kennedy, S., Rudnick, R.R., Stockton, M., Burr, C.A., & Rhoades, K. (2024). The influence of a real-life farm management competition on how non-agricultural producers relate to producers with implications for collaborative natural resource management. Socio-Ecological Practice Research, 6(2), 455-467. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42532-024-00196-8
11. Davenport, M.A., Keeler, B., & Roth, S. (2024). A community-centered framework of the value of water in the Twin Cities. Technical Report prepared for the Metropolitan Council. University of Minnesota, St. Paul, 127 p.
12. Davenport, M.A., Seekamp, E., Taylor, A., Chosa Smith, K., Kubat, A., Graveen, W., Durglo, M., & Willis Amspacher, K. (2025). Perspectives on liberating and deliberating knowledge in science. Society and Natural Resources: An International Journal.
13. Du, Z., H. Feng, and J. Arbuckle. 2025. Exploring the complementarity between traditional econometric methods and machine learning – an application to adoption and disadoption of conservation practices. Applied Economics, 0(0), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1080/00036846.2025.2462792
14. Gao, L., and J.G. Arbuckle. 2024. What’s Good for the Land Is Good for the Farmer: Investigating Conservation-Related Variables as Predictors of Farmers’ Job Satisfaction. Rural Sociology 89(2):311–34. doi: 10.1111/ruso.12543.
15. Gustine, Rebecca**, Alex Theophilus**, Courtney Flint, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Emma Epperson**, Claudia Wright, & Jennifer Adam. 2025. “Managing beyond water: utilizing community wellbeing interviews in the Upper Yakima River Basin for climate change adaptation.” Ecology & Society. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-15809-300107 
16. Haigh, T., Goebel, M., C. Knutson. (Accepted) Conceptualizing ranch drought plans and planning: A typology. Rangelands. 
17. Haigh, T., Kluck, D., Todey, D., Nowatzke, L. 2024. Delivering & Evaluating Climate Services: The North Central Climate and Drought Webinar Series. Weather, Climate, and Society.
18. Irvine, R., C. Wardropper, S. Harden, and L. Yoder. 2025. Improving agri-environmental policy design: Farmer and administrator insights on voluntary conservation programs. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems 40:e9. 10.1017/S1742170525000067. 
19. Irvine, R., L. Yoder, E. Carman-Sweeney, S. Harden, and C. Wardropper. 2024. Risk mitigation or risky business? Agricultural stakeholders’ perspectives on crop insurance discount programs, cover crops, and risk management. Journal of Soil and Water Conservation. 79(6):289-302. https://doi.org/10.2489/jswc.2024.00105.Jedd, T., Sixt, G., Schutz, A., & Burbach, M. (2024). Framework conditions for groundwater governance: Evaluating social legitimacy in polycentric arrangements in Nebraska, U.S. Environmental Policy and Governance. Early view.
20. McCreary, A., Seekamp, E., Larson, L. R., Smith, J., & Davenport, M. A. (2024). Climate change and nature-based tourism: How do different types of visitors respond? Tourism Planning & Development, 21(1), 1-19.
21. Morris, C., & Arbuckle, J. 2024. The effects of collective trauma on Iowa farmers, their communities, and sustainability outcomes. Agriculture and Human Values. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-024-10596-x
22. Nowatzke, Laurie W., and J. G. Arbuckle. 2025. “Global Warming’s ‘Six Americas’ among Iowa Farmers: Exploring Differential Attitudes towards Climate Change and Agriculture.” NPJ Climate Action 4(1):1–9. doi: 10.1038/s44168-025-00239-0.
23. Petrzelka, Peggy, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, & Matt Yost. 2025. “Utah Producers and Soil Health: Digging Deeper.” Agriculture & Human Values. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-024-10697-7 
24. Petrzelka, Peggy, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad (corresponding author), Matt Yost, and Matthew J.  Barnett. 2024. “Crop Advisors’ in the Intermountain West and the Challenge of Soil Health.""  Agricultural & Environmental Letters 9:e20142. https://doi.org/10.1002/ael2.20142
25. Ryder, Stacia, Alexander Theophilus**, Charlotte Emelia Williams**, Elizabeth Brunner, Jessica D. Ulrich-Schad, Mufti Nadimul Quamar Ahmed**, Zubair Barkat**, Nowrin Fatema**, & Jordan Rowley**.  Accepted. “Understanding Socio-environmental Concerns about Bear Lake: Findings from a Community-Engaged Teaching Study.”  Transforming Communities.
26. Traldi, R., Asprooth, L., M. Usher, E., Floress, K., Arbuckle, J. G., Baskerville, M., Church, S. P., Genskow, K., Harden, S., Maynard, E. T., Thompson, A. W., Torres, A. P., & Prokopy, L. S. 2024. “Safer to plant corn and beans”? Navigating the challenges and opportunities of agricultural diversification in the U.S. Corn Belt. Agriculture and Human Values. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10460-024-10570-7
27. Yoder, L., S.P. Church, S., K. Wagner*. (2024). Navigating Urban-Agricultural Watershed Management Conflicts: A View from Watershed Coordinators. Society & Natural Resources, 1-20.
28. Yoder, L, C. Wardropper, R. Irvine, and S. Harden. 2025. Cover crops as climate insurance: Exploring the role of crop insurance discounts to promote climate adaptation and mitigate risk. Journal of Environmental Management. 373: 123506. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2024.123506.