**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** THE AMERICAN SOUTHWEST AND OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION ARE CONNECTED ECOLOGICALLY, SOCIALLY, AND ECONOMICALLY THROUGH BEEF PRODUCTION. EACH YEAR ABOUT 850,000 CALVES ARE EXPORTED FROM SOUTHWESTERN RANCHES TO THE OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION FOR IRRIGATED PASTURE GRAZING, GRAIN FEEDING, AND MEAT DISTRIBUTION. DESPITE GREAT GAINS IN PRODUCTIVITY AND EFFICIENCY DURING THE PAST CENTURY, PRODUCERS IN THIS BI-REGIONAL AGRICULTURAL SYSTEM ARE INCREASINGLY EXPECTED TO INTENSIFY PRODUCTION TO MEET GROWING GLOBAL DEMAND, AND TO DO SO WITHOUT COMPROMISING ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY - EVEN AMIDST RISING OPERATIONAL COSTS AND INTENSIFYING IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THIS PROJECT WILL USE AN INTEGRATED APPROACH OF RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION TO DEVELOP AND EVALUATE NOVEL STRATEGIES THAT CAN HELP PRODUCERS MEET THESE CHALLENGES AND IMPROVE SUSTAINABILITY: 1) HERITAGE CATTLE GENETICS, 2) PRECISION RANCHING, AND 3) RANGE-FINISHING. WE WILL COMPARE HERITAGE VS. CONVENTIONALLY USED DESERT-ADAPTED CATTLE IN STUDIES OF PROFITABILITY, INPUT EFFICIENCY, ECOSYSTEM EFFECTS, FEEDYARD PERFORMANCE, AND CARCASS AND MEAT QUALITY. WE WILL DEVELOP AND FIELD TEST A WIRELESS PRECISION RANCHING SYSTEM TO PROVIDE REAL-TIME INFORMATION ON WEATHER, WATER SOURCES, AND ANIMAL POSITION TO IMPROVE SOUTHWESTERN RANCH EFFICIENCY. WE WILL USE SYSTEMS MODELS TO UNDERSTAND ENVIRONMENTAL AND SOCIOECONOMIC LINKAGES BETWEEN THE SOUTHWEST AND OGALLALA AQUIFER REGION, AND EVALUATE THE TRADE-OFFS ASSOCIATED WITH ADOPTING THE THREE NOVEL STRATEGIES WE ARE INVESTIGATING. EXTENSION SPECIALISTS WILL DEVELOP AND CIRCULATE DECISION TOOLS TO ENABLE PRODUCERS TO EVALUATE COSTS AND BENEFITS OF THE STRATEGIES. EDUCATORS WILL DEVELOP AND DELIVER NEW LESSONS AND TEACHER TRAININGS TO INCREASE K-12 KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE INTERPLAY OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, AND SUSTAINABILITY IN AGRICULTURE AND FACILITATE MULTIGENERATIONAL LEARNING ABOUT SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGIES. RESEARCH, EXTENSION, AND EDUCATION WILL BE INTEGRATED INTO A NEW WESTERN BEEF KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM THAT CAN SUPPORT DECISIONS THAT IMPROVE PROFITABILITY, INPUT EFFICIENCY, CLIMATE ADAPTABILITY, AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF ALTERNATIVE BEEF PRODUCTION SYSTEMS.