The U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef and the Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research 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 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.

Focus group sessions

Land Resources Focus Group, July 22, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern

• Moderated by Samantha Werth, executive director, U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef
• Presenters/subject matter experts: 
  • Jeff Goodwin, director, Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management, Texas A&M University
  • Jason Rowntree, Charles Stewart Mott distinguished professor for sustainable agriculture and director, Center for Regenerative Agriculture, Michigan State University
  • Paige Stanley, research scientist, Colorado State University

Water Resources Focus Group, Aug. 5, 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Eastern

• Moderated by Samantha Werth
• Presenters/subject matter experts: 
  • Kevin Wagner, director, Oklahoma NSF EPSCoR Program, and director, Oklahoma Water Resources Center, Oklahoma State University
  • Susan Metzger, director, Kansas Center for Agricultural Resources and the Environment, and director, Kansas Water Institute, Kansas State University

Air & Greenhouse Gas Emissions Focus Group, Aug. 19, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. Eastern

• Moderated by Samantha Werth
• Presenters/Subject Matter Experts: 
  • Sara Place, associate professor, Colorado State University
  • Logan Thompson, assistant professor, Kansas State University
  • Troy Rowan, assistant professor, beef cattle genomics, University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture

Sources: U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef; Foundation for Food & Agriculture Research