RANCHERS AND RANGELAND MANAGERS IN THE WESTERN UNITED STATES FACE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX CHALLENGES, ESPECIALLY AS ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSORS CONTINUE TO IMPACT LAND CONDITIONS AND LIVESTOCK WELL-BEING. FORTUNATELY, NEW TECHNOLOGIES OFFER TOOLS TO HELP THEM ADAPT. PRECISION RANCHING (PR) TECHNOLOGIES, LIKE SENSOR NETWORKS, REMOTE SENSING, DIGITAL DASHBOARDS, AND VIRTUAL FENCING, ARE EMERGING AS POWERFUL SOLUTIONS FOR MAKING SMARTER, MORE INFORMED DECISIONS. WHILE THESE TOOLS HOLD GREAT PROMISE, THERE ARE IMPORTANT CHALLENGES TO ADDRESS. RAPID ADVANCEMENTS IN PR TECHNOLOGY ARE OUTPACING OUR UNDERSTANDING OF HOW RANCHERS AND LAND MANAGERS PREFER TO USE THESE TOOLS. THERE'S ALSO A LACK OF TECHNICAL TRAINING FOR THOSE WHO SUPPORT RANCHERS IN ADOPTING PR SYSTEMS. MOREOVER, THESE TECHNOLOGIES MAY BE MORE ACCESSIBLE TO LARGER, WELL-CONNECTED OPERATIONS, LEAVING OTHER PRODUCERS AT A DISADVANTAGE.THIS PROJECT AIMS TO TACKLE THESE ISSUES BY:LEARNING WHAT RANCHERS AND LAND MANAGERS NEED AND WANT FROM PR TOOLS THROUGH SURVEYS AND INTERVIEWS.CONNECTING RESEARCHERS, RANCHERS, AND FIELD STAFF TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE, BEST PRACTICES, AND TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES FOR PR TECHNOLOGIES.REDUCING BARRIERS TO ADOPTING AND APPLYING PR TECHNOLOGIESEFFECTIVELY.BY CREATING A NETWORK OF EXPERTS, USERS, AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT STAFF, THIS PROJECT WILL HELP MAKE PR TECHNOLOGIES MORE EFFECTIVE AND WIDELY AVAILABLE. ULTIMATELY, THIS WORK WILL EMPOWER RANCHERS TO MAKE INFORMED-DECISIONS FOR THEIR LAND AND LIVESTOCK.
$1,000,000FY2025National Institute of Food and AgricultureUSDA
New Mexico State University, Las Cruces NM