Publicly and privately owned range, pasture, and forage lands cover about 55%
of the Nation's total land area. Found in all 50 states, these lands continue to
contribute significantly to our agricultural, environmental, economic, and
social well-being. The grazing and forages they provide are the foundation of
the forage-livestock industry with its 60 million beef and dairy cattle and 8
million sheep that contribute more than $60 billion in farm sales annually. In
addition, the annual $11 billion hay crop is the third most valuable crop after
corn and soybeans. These highly diverse lands, extending from eastern pastures
and hay fields to western prairies and deserts, provide habitat for an infinite
variety of plant and animal life, including 20 million deer, 500,000 pronghorn
antelope, 400,000 elk, and 55,000 feral horses and burros. Because of the
vastness and diversity of range, pasture, and forage lands, they also play a
vital role in providing open space, air and water quality, and an endless array
of recreational opportunities. Despite the economic magnitude of the
forage-livestock sector, it is highly dispersed. For example, more than a
million farms and ranches are involved in beef and dairy cattle production, and
80% of these producers have fewer than a hundred head of cattle and calves while
34% have fewer than 20 head. Consequently, these producers frequently have very
limited means to manage the complex mix of resource values found on their lands.
Managing these resource-rich but often fragile lands to meet the needs of a
growing population and rapidly expanding economy is becoming increasingly
challenging. Producers, land managers, and environmental regulators need
improved plant materials, ecologically, based livestock production systems, and
innovative decision-support and monitoring tools if they are to meet individual
and national goals. The ARS has a network of 42 research locations in 31 states
addressing rangeland, pasture and forage problems. This national network offers
a unique research capability to provide the science-based information essential
for achieving economically and environmentally sustainable uses of private and
public range, pasture, and forage lands.
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