OSU Dean’s Dialogue brings ag stewardship to the forefront

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

Media Contact: Mandy Gross | Senior Manager of Strategic and VP Communications | 405-744-4063 | mandy.gross@okstate.edu

Oklahoma State University Agriculture is committed to elevating discussions about agriculture and bringing agricultural issues to the forefront through the Dean’s Dialogue series.

Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture, sat down with Steven Rhines, president and chief executive officer of Noble Research Institute, on April 29 and discussed Noble’s goals and regenerative agricultural efforts.

Noble Research Institute is an independent nonprofit agricultural research organization that aims to improve land stewardship through soil health and producer profitability.

“Our purpose is to save U.S. grazing lands, and we do that by promoting land stewardship through management, building soil health, and keeping farmers and ranchers on the land,” Rhines said.

Founded in 1945 by Lloyd Noble, the institute was created to help revitalize agricultural land after the Dust Bowl. Noble is the largest nonprofit agricultural research organization in the United States.

During the past few years, Noble Research Institute underwent a strategic shift within its organization to fulfill Noble’s original vision.

“We moved away from basic plant science,” Rhines said. “We still have a research component, but it’s incredibly applied. It works with farmers and ranchers and their challenges. All our research projects involve ranchers or producers, which I’m proud of.”

Noble’s research is more cause-and-effect focused, he said. Based on monitoring and measurement of the land, the intent is to provide farmers and ranchers with tools to make productive and profitable decisions based on the land and its health.

“On our ranches, we are measuring two dozen ecological indicators — above and below ground,” Rhines said. “That is too many for the average producer; however, our researchers are working to get that down to two or three things that farmers or ranchers can measure, regardless of geography, that make a difference in their grazing management.”

Noble Research Institute has expanded its research beyond southern Oklahoma and northern Texas to across the United States. They have partnered with several universities and organizations to help amplify their efforts and make these tools applicable nationwide.

“We are taking measurements across three incredibly different geographies — Oklahoma, Texas, Michigan, Colorado and Wyoming,” Rhines said. “Measurement sites involve Noble properties, university properties and producer sites in each region. We engage those producers to join the process, whatever their grazing management style.”

Noble considers different management approaches, geography and regional aridity, Rhines said. With more than a million acres in the study, the organization seeks to understand how these variables impact soil health, economics and producer well-being.

Research and ranching are only two components of Noble’s operations. The emphasis is on producer education and helping farmers and ranchers increase productivity and profitability while building soil health.

Noble is offering courses and education in seven states during 2024 to help farmers and ranchers understand their land and improve its condition during grazing animal production. Later in 2024, much of its educational programming will be online to complement its in-person programs.

Michael Kelsey, executive vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association and participant in the Dean’s Dialogue, said events like this bring many opportunities to the forefront.

“These two institutions, Noble Research Institute and OSU, working together and moving forward can provide opportunities and ideas I can learn from,” he said.

OSU Agriculture launched the Dean’s Dialogue series in the fall of 2023 to focus on vital conversations in the agricultural industry.

“The Dean’s Dialogue allows us to get together and talk in ways that will challenge us to think more broadly about some of the problems and issues we all care about,” Lusk said. “We want to elevate discussions about agriculture within the Ferguson College of Agriculture and across the university, raising visibility for our programs and faculty here at home and around the country.”

For a recap of the April 29 event, please view the Dean’s Dialogue highlight video.

Story By: Ainsley Treesh | ainsley.treesh@okstate.edu