PROJECT TITLE: BACK TO THE FUTURE: ENHANCING FOOD SECURITY AND FARM PRODUCTION WITH INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.RATIONAL: DIVERSIFYING PRODUCTION ON MARGINALLY-PRODUCTIVE CROPLANDS COULD CONTRIBUTE TO INCREASED CROP PRODUCTION AND CAN FEED THE INCREASED GLOBAL POPULATION AND ENHANCE FOOD SECURITY. INTRODUCING LIVESTOCK INTO ANNUAL AND PERENNIAL FARMING SYSTEMS CAN IMPROVE CROP PRODUCTIVITY, VARIOUS ECOSYSTEM SERVICES AND PROVIDE ECONOMIC BENEFITS. THIS USDA-CAP GRANT WILL ADDRESS THE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS OF FOOD SECURITY PROGRAM AREA AND FOCUS ON PROMOTING THE INTEGRATED CROP AND LIVESTOCK (ICL) MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS FOR MITIGATING FOOD SECURITY AND MAINTAINING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAIN. RUMINANT LIVESTOCK HAVE TRADITIONALLY GRAZED THE GREAT PLAINS GRASSLANDS BUT THIS REGION HAS BEEN LOSING GRASSLAND TO CROPLAND, SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTING VARIOUS ECOSYSTEMS SERVICES. A VARIETY OF LIVESTOCK FORAGE RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE WITHIN ANNUAL CROPPING SYSTEMS THAT CAN BE USED TO REPLACE FORAGE LOST THROUGH LAND CONVERSION. RESEARCH STUDIES THAT INVOLVE LIVESTOCK PERFORMANCE, GRAZING COVER CROPS AND PERENNIALS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED IN VARIOUS SETTINGS IN THE U.S AND SUGGESTED GENERALIZED SOLUTIONS. HOWEVER, TO IMPLEMENT THESE STRATEGIES ON FARMS THROUGHOUT THE GREAT PLAINS REQUIRES FURTHER WORK TO DEVELOP RECOMMENDATIONS TO PRODUCERS CONSIDERING CHANGES IN THEIR CROPPING SYSTEMS. GATHERING INFORMATION FROM EXISTING LONG-TERM STUDIES IN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS AND TRANSFERRING THIS KNOWLEDGE TO PRODUCERS WILL HELP PROMOTE MORE DIVERSE FARMING PRACTICES AND IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY. THROUGH THIS CAP THERE IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO INVOLVE FARMERS IN THE PROCESS OF ADDRESSING FOOD SECURITY BY DIVERSIFYING PRODUCTION AND INCREASING ECOSYSTEM SERVICES.HYPOTHESIS: WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT AN INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEM WILL ALTER NUTRIENT CYCLING AND IMPROVE SOIL RESILIENCE BY ALTERING THE MICROBIAL COMMUNITY, THE SOIL STRUCTURE AND OTHER SOILPROPERTIES, AND IMPROVE CROP PRODUCTION AND THE ENVIRONMENT.PROJECT OBJECTIVES: THE OVERALL GOAL OF THIS MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL AND MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROJECT IS TO UNDERSTAND AND INCREASE THE ADAPTABILITY AMONG RESEARCHERS AND VARIOUS AGE GROUP FARMERS BY USING ICL SYSTEMS WITHIN THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS REGION. WHILE OUR ENGAGEMENT OF CURRENT PRODUCERS WILL INCREASE THE AWARENESS AND ENCOURAGEMENT TOWARDS ADOPTING ICL SYSTEMS, A MAJOR IMPACT OF THIS PROJECT WILL COME IN THE FUTURE THROUGH OUR EDUCATION AND OUTREACH EFFORTS WITH STUDENTS, LANDOWNERS AND PRODUCERS IN THE REGION. THE PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO USE LONG-TERM DATA AND GENERATE ADDITIONAL DATA ON SOILS, CROP PERFORMANCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL PARAMETERS TO EVALUATE THE IMPACTS OF ICL SYSTEMS ON SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION AND SHARE THIS INFORMATION WITH THE LARGER AUDIENCES. FURTHER, THIS PROJECT WILL EXPLORE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND THEIR RISKS AND STABILITY IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF RESILIENT CROPPING SYSTEMS. THE PROJECT WILL TRAIN UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS AND THE NEXT GENERATION OF SCIENTISTS IN THE AREA OF SOILS, ENVIRONMENT, PATHOLOGY, MICROBIOLOGY, ANIMAL HEALTH, SOCIOLOGY AND EXTENSION.EXPECTED RESULTS: THE BENEFITS OF ICL SYSTEMS WILL BE DISSEMINATED TO PRODUCERS AND STAKEHOLDERS FOR ADOPTION OF NEW ALTERNATIVE SYSTEMS TO IMPROVE FOOD SECURITY. THE PROJECT WILL IDENTIFY OPTIMIZED ICL PRACTICES AND EDUCATING THE FARMING COMMUNITY THROUGH EXTENSION AND TRAINING ACTIVITIES. THIS CAP PROJECT WILL ALLOW US TO: (I) CONTINUE TO COLLECT DATA REGARDING CROP AND LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION, SOIL AND WATER QUALITY, AND GREENHOUSE GASES ON EXISTING LARGE- AND SMALL-SCALE FIELD TRIALS OF ICL SYSTEMS; (II) IDENTIFY KEY BARRIERS THAT INHIBIT FARMERS FROM USING INTEGRATED SYSTEMS; (III) DEVELOP OPPORTUNITIES FOR HIGH SCHOOL, UNDERGRADUATE, AND GRADUATE STUDENTS IN THIS IMPORTANT FIELD; (IV) CONDUCT ECONOMIC ANALYSES OF OUR PROPOSED PROCESSES; (V) UNDERSTANDING TRADE-OFFS WILL ALLOW PRODUCERS TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS ON MANAGEMENT SELECTION THAT INCLUDE LONG-TERM ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS. THE GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS WILL BE TRAINED ABOUT SUSTAINABLE ICL SYSTEMS AND VARIOUS LAND AND FIELD SAMPLING TECHNIQUES.ANTICIPATED IMPACTS: PROJECT IMPACTS INCLUDE AN IMPROVED UNDERSTANDING ABOUT ICL SYSTEMS TO VARIOUS PROFESSIONALS INCLUDING PRODUCERS, HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS. THIS PROJECT WILL HELP THE PRODUCERS TO: (I) UNDERSTAND THE SOCIO-ECONOMIC FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH ADOPTING ICL SYSTEMS, (II) IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND CONSEQUENCES OF ICL SYSTEMS, (III) UNDERSTAND THE ECONOMICS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF ICL SYSTEMS TO AID IN SELECTING THE 'BEST-FIT', (IV) IMPROVE THE KNOWLEDGE FROM RESULTS GATHERED FROM FOCUS GROUPS TO INFORM SURVEY AND EDUCATIONAL/OUTREACH ACTIVITIES, AND (V) IMPROVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE LIFE CYCLE ANALYSIS OF AN ICL SYSTEM, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS SYSTEM. PUBLICATIONS WILL BE SUBMITTED TO DISSEMINATE INFORMATION AS BROADLY AS POSSIBLE AND INCREASE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL AWARENESS OF ICL SYSTEMS. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS WILL BE DEVELOPED BY AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION EXPERTS AND WILL BE DISSEMINATED DIRECTLY TO TEACHERS IN THE REGION. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE GIVEN TO FUTURE LANDOWNERS, PRODUCERS, AND OTHER POTENTIAL STAKEHOLDERS BEFORE THEIR PRACTICES ARE ESTABLISHED, THUS ENABLING RECOMMENDED PRODUCTION PRACTICES TO BE INCORPORATED APPROPRIATELY ACROSS THE LANDSCAPE.