Northeast Pasture Consortium 2019 Research and Education Priorities¶

1. Explore new methods to transfer knowledge and information to increase adoption of research findings within the agriculture community; incorporate social science research into increased adoption and technology transfer.

• Including Farm Bureau to additionally influence regulations and legislations
• USDA-ARS—keep working with and building partnerships
• Seek new contact with USDA-NRCS Chief, commitment to encourage reps from every state (electronic options for joining?)
• Strengthen Extension research connections, work listservs and across communication methods
• University research connections, work listservs and across communication methods—use OREI funding opportunity
• Invite farmers from all NEPC states (Cedar Tree grant—NE states, could apply to USDA OTT, USDA-NIFA Scott Angle)

2. Ecosystem services and disservices from pasture systems and grazing management.

• Impacts to riparian areas
• Impacts to water quality (citizen involvement)
• Wildlife benefits to adaptive grazing management
• Impacts of permanent stream and streambank exclusion from livestock grazing riparian area pastures
• Economic models for ecosystem service payments (measurement, payment, structure)
• Silvopasture contributions to carbon sequestration; adaptive strategy in changing climate conditions

3. Research adjustments in forage management needs in a changing climate.

• Regional management approaches (understanding variability)
• Species adaptation and evaluation (meadow fescue, use of annuals, increase in invasive plants)

4. Soil biology and management impacts on animal health and human health.

• Small ruminant parasite research at WVU, Rhode Island, Cornell
• Red and white clover functions in animal and soil health, pollinators, forage and animal production
• Grazing management as it affects soil health (compaction, worms)

5. Further research in meat and dairy products regarding human nutrition and health.

• Fatty acid updates, importance of side chains on long chain FAs, and short chain FAs
• Artificial gut for milk digestibility
• Whole milk/fats
• Probiotics/prebiotics
• C3, C4 grasses, forbs, and effects on O-3 in milk and meat

6. Addressing the heavy use area/pasture interface (vegetation management).

• Comparison of options (deep-bed packs, composted packs, wood chips)
• Biological composition of bedded packs and livestock health (mastitis—John Barlow & Deb Neher)
• Bale grazing & in-field winter management/calving
• Species evaluation for vegetated heavy use areas

7. Farm profitability and upcoming cultural/societal changes.

• Compare different philosophies, results, benchmarks
• Development of artificial meat (and other animal products) and how will that affect our work, audience, research
• Ecological/carbon footprint of animal production compared to ecological footprints of alternative products
• Quality assurance program requirements; impacts on profitability