U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef & FFAR Announce Focus Group Series to Develop Sustainable Beef Research Roadmap

The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) are co-hosting a series of focus groups leading to the development of a comprehensive sustainable beef research roadmap. These sessions will address key sustainability goals and sector targets related to land resources, water resources and air and greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. beef industry.

Each interactive session will investigate the current state of the science related to USRSB’s goals and sector targets. Attendees will work to identify key knowledge and data gaps, as well as challenges and opportunities for the U.S. beef industry. Participants in each focus group will actively engage and work collaboratively to identify key avenues for future research needed to support the beef industry in achieving its ambitious goals.

The three focus group sessions are open to the public, including all members of the supply chain and anyone interested in the sustainability of the U.S. beef industry. Information collected from these focus groups will inform an invitation-only, in-person workshop to develop a comprehensive sustainable beef research roadmap.

Land Resources Focus Group Monday, July 22, 1–3 p.m. EST

Moderated by: Samantha Werth, PhD – Executive Director, USRSB

Presenters/Subject Matter Experts:

• Jeff Goodwin, PhD – Director, Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, Texas A&M University
• Jason Rowntree, PhD – Charles Stewart Mott Distinguished Professor for Sustainable Agriculture and Director, Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Michigan State University
• Paige Stanley, PhD – Research Scientist, Colorado State University

Water Resources Focus Group Monday, August 5, 1–3 p.m. EST

Moderated by: Samantha Werth, PhD – Executive Director, USRSB

Presenters/Subject Matter Experts:

• Kevin Wagner, PhD – Director, Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR Program and Director, Oklahoma Water Resources Center, Oklahoma State University
• Susan Metzger, PhD – Director, Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment and Director, Kansas Water Institute, Kansas State University

Air & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Focus Group Monday, August 19, 3–5 p.m. EST

Moderated by: Samantha Werth, PhD – Executive Director, USRSB

Presenters/Subject Matter Experts:

• Sara Place, PhD – Associate Professor, Colorado State University
• Logan Thompson – Assistant Professor, Kansas State University
• Troy Rowan, PhD – Assistant Professor, Beef Cattle Genomics, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

If you have any questions about the focus groups or the in-person event, please reach out to Samanatha Werth at swerth@beef.org.

Learn about Sustainable Beef Research Roadmap Workshop

Sustainable Beef Research Roadmap Workshop

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Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research

The Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research (FFAR) builds public-private partnerships to fund bold research addressing big food and agriculture challenges. FFAR was established in the 2014 Farm Bill to increase public agriculture research investments, fill knowledge gaps and complement the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s research agenda. FFAR’s model matches federal funding from Congress with private funding, delivering a powerful return on taxpayer investment. Through collaboration and partnerships, FFAR advances actionable science benefiting farmers, consumers and the environment.

Connect: @FoundationFAR 

U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef

About USRSB

The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (USRSB) is a multi-stakeholder initiative developed to advance, support, and communicate continuous improvement in the sustainability of the U.S. beef value chain. The USRSB achieves this through leadership, innovation, multi-stakeholder engagement, and collaboration.