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**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SPECIALIZATION OF LIVESTOCK AND CROP PRODUCTION HAS LED TO RAPID GAINS IN FARM PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENCY, AND THE SUPPLY OF ABUNDANT AFFORDABLE FOOD. HOWEVER, THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF SPECIALIZED FARMING SYSTEMS HAS COME UNDER INCREASED SCRUTINY. THESE INCLUDE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH DECLINING SOIL HEALTH, REDUCED RESILIENCE TO EXTREME WEATHER, NUTRIENT LOSSES INTO GROUND AND SURFACE WATERS, LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT, AND GROWING SOCIETAL PRESSURE TO REDUCE THE WATER AND GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT FROM AGRICULTURE. A GROWING NUMBER OF FARMERS ARE INTERESTED IN RESPONDING TO THESE CHALLENGES THOUGH REINTEGRATION OF LIVESTOCK INTO CROPPING SYSTEMS, BUT NEED BETTER RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION TO GUIDE THEIR DECISIONS.THIS PROJECT WILL COLLECT REAL-WORLD DATA FROM WORKING FARMS IN OHIO THAT UTILIZE A RANGE OF APPROACHES TO CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION. WE WILL COLLABORATE WITH FARMERS TO QUANTIFY THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE DIFFERENT APPROACHES. USING FIELD DATA AND FEEDBACK FROM OUR COLLABORATING FARMERS, WE WILL BUILD AN INTEGRATED WHOLE-FARM MODEL TO QUANTIFY THE TRADEOFFS AND SYNERGIES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SYSTEM. OUR HYPOTHESIS IS THAT DEEPER LEVELS OF CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION WILL OFFER GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, BUT REQUIRE STRONGER PUBLIC POLICIES OR MARKET INCENTIVES TO OVERCOME ECONOMIC TRADEOFFS.WE WILL IDENTIFY THE MOST PROMISING CROP-LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THAT CAN BALANCE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES. WE EXPECT CONTINUED SOCIETAL CONCERNS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITYAND GROWING SHORTAGES AND RISING PRICES FOR CROP PRODUCTION INPUTS (ESPECIALLY FERTILIZER)WILL LEAD TO POLICY AND MARKET SHIFTS THAT WILL INCENTIVIZE GREATER CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION. WE WANT TO HELP FARMERS PREPARE FOR THAT FUTURE. BASED ON OUR RESEARCH AND INTERACTIONS WITH FARMERS, WE WILL DEVELOP EXTENSION MATERIALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO GUIDE FARMER DECISIONS TO FACILITATE AND ENHANCE THEIR SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION OF MORE INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO THESE CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES.

$1,000,000FY2021National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA

Ohio State University, The, Columbus OH

Investigators

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**AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** SPECIALIZATION OF LIVESTOCK AND CROP PRODUCTION HAS LED TO RAPID GAINS IN FARM PRODUCTIVITY, EFFICIENCY, AND THE SUPPLY OF ABUNDANT AFFORDABLE FOOD. HOWEVER, THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF SPECIALIZED FARMING SYSTEMS HAS COME UNDER INCREASED SCRUTINY. THESE INCLUDE CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH DECLINING SOIL HEALTH, REDUCED RESILIENCE TO EXTREME WEATHER, NUTRIENT LOSSES INTO GROUND AND SURFACE WATERS, LOSS OF BIODIVERSITY AND HABITAT, AND GROWING SOCIETAL PRESSURE TO REDUCE THE WATER AND GREENHOUSE GAS FOOTPRINT FROM AGRICULTURE. A GROWING NUMBER OF FARMERS ARE INTERESTED IN RESPONDING TO THESE CHALLENGES THOUGH REINTEGRATION OF LIVESTOCK INTO CROPPING SYSTEMS, BUT NEED BETTER RESEARCH-BASED INFORMATION TO GUIDE THEIR DECISIONS.THIS PROJECT WILL COLLECT REAL-WORLD DATA FROM WORKING FARMS IN OHIO THAT UTILIZE A RANGE OF APPROACHES TO CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION. WE WILL COLLABORATE WITH FARMERS TO QUANTIFY THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND ECONOMIC OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THESE DIFFERENT APPROACHES. USING FIELD DATA AND FEEDBACK FROM OUR COLLABORATING FARMERS, WE WILL BUILD AN INTEGRATED WHOLE-FARM MODEL TO QUANTIFY THE TRADEOFFS AND SYNERGIES ASSOCIATED WITH EACH SYSTEM. OUR HYPOTHESIS IS THAT DEEPER LEVELS OF CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION WILL OFFER GREATER ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS, BUT REQUIRE STRONGER PUBLIC POLICIES OR MARKET INCENTIVES TO OVERCOME ECONOMIC TRADEOFFS.WE WILL IDENTIFY THE MOST PROMISING CROP-LIVESTOCK MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS THAT CAN BALANCE ECONOMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL OBJECTIVES. WE EXPECT CONTINUED SOCIETAL CONCERNS ABOUT SUSTAINABILITYAND GROWING SHORTAGES AND RISING PRICES FOR CROP PRODUCTION INPUTS (ESPECIALLY FERTILIZER)WILL LEAD TO POLICY AND MARKET SHIFTS THAT WILL INCENTIVIZE GREATER CROP-LIVESTOCK INTEGRATION. WE WANT TO HELP FARMERS PREPARE FOR THAT FUTURE. BASED ON OUR RESEARCH AND INTERACTIONS WITH FARMERS, WE WILL DEVELOP EXTENSION MATERIALS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO GUIDE FARMER DECISIONS TO FACILITATE AND ENHANCE THEIR SUCCESSFUL ADOPTION OF MORE INTEGRATED CROP-LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS IN RESPONSE TO THESE CHANGING OPPORTUNITIES. · GrantIndex