NOBLE RESEARCH INSTITUTE LLC

GRAZING LANDS RESEARCHTHE INSTITUTE'S GRAZING LAND-FOCUSED RESEARCH ENCOMPASSES DIFFERING ENVIRONMENTS (E.G., SILVOPASTURE, INTRODUCED PASTURE, NATIVE RANGE), PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, AND GEOGRAPHIES. IN GENERAL, THE RESEARCH CONCERNS THE OBSERVATION, MEASUREMENT, STUDY, AND ASSESSMENT OF ECOSYSTEM SERVICE RESPONSES, FARM AND RANCH RESILIENCE, AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE FOR DIFFERING LAND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES AND METHODOLOGIES. IT VALIDATES REPORTED RESEARCH, OFFERS NEW PUBLISHABLE INSIGHTS INTO SOIL HEALTH AND PRODUCTIVITY, AND ADDRESSES U.S. FARMER AND RANCHER CHALLENGES.(SEE SCHEDULE O)THE INSTITUTE CONDUCTS THIS RESEARCH, IN PART, IN CONJUNCTION WITH BOTH LAND GRANT UNIVERSITIES AND NON-LAND GRANT COLLEGES OF AGRICULTURE.A KEY RESEARCH EMPHASIS CONCERNS SOIL HEALTH-FOCUSED MANAGEMENT IN SILVOPASTURE ENVIRONMENTS. RESEARCH MEASUREMENT AND OBSERVATION INCLUDES SOIL HEALTH, OVERALL ECOSYSTEM SERVICES RESPONSE AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY. FOR THIS RESEARCH, THE INSTITUTE IS PARTICULARLY FOCUSED ON ASSESSMENT IN PECAN ORCHARD ENVIRONMENTS - A NON-TRADITIONAL GRAZING ENVIRONMENT. THIS RESEARCH IS FUNDED THROUGH PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SOURCES.THIS RESEARCH ENTERED ITS THIRD YEAR OF MONITORING CHANGES IN SOIL HEALTH IN THE PECAN ORCHARDS AT THE INSTITUTE, WHICH ARE UNDER REGENERATIVE MANAGEMENT WITH GRAZING LIVESTOCK USING ADAPTIVE MULTI-PADDOCK GRAZING, USE OF COVER CROPS, AND LIMITED-TO-NO INPUT APPLICATIONS. THE PROJECT FURTHER INVOLVES PRODUCER ORCHARDS ACROSS OKLAHOMA (TULSA-AREA AND SOUTH CENTRAL) AND TEXAS (NORTH CENTRAL, AUSTIN-AREA AND SOUTH CENTRAL) REPRESENTING DIFFERING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES. THE RESEARCH SEEKS TO IDENTIFY ORCHARD MANAGEMENT PRACTICES THAT LEAD TO IMPROVED LEVELS OF SOIL HEALTH, ECOSYSTEM RESILIENCY, AND INCREASED ECONOMIC MEASURES PER ACRE. PRIMARY MEASUREMENTS WILL CONCERN THE IMPACT OF MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ON TREE SYSTEMS AND PRODUCTS TO ACCOUNT FOR (A) SOIL HEALTH, (B) ORCHARD HEALTH, (C) FSMA-ASSOCIATED RECOMMENDED GRAZING RESTRICTIONS, AND (D) NUT NUTRIENT VALUE.ANOTHER COMPONENT OF THIS RESEARCH INVOLVES THE COLLECTION, MEASUREMENT AND QUANTIFICATION OF SHIGA TOXIN-PRODUCING E. COLI AND SALMONELLA FROM THE ORCHARD FLOOR IN CONJUNCTION WITH OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY, A LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY.A MORE TRADITIONAL GRAZING RESEARCH PROJECT ASSESSES THE IMPACT OF GRAZING MANAGEMENT ON SOIL HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS IN GRAZING LANDS LOCATED IN OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, MICHIGAN, COLORADO, AND WYOMING. FUNDED IN PART BY THE FOUNDATION FOR FOOD AND AGRICULTURE RESEARCH, THE INSTITUTE LEADS A RESEARCH COLLABORATION INVOLVING, AND OPERATING IN CONJUNCTION WITH, THE FOLLOWING LAND GRANT UNIVERSITIES: MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERISTY, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING, TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY, AND OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY. THIS RESEARCH IDENTIFIES ECOLOGICAL METRICS, INFLUENCING MANAGEMENT AND RELATED SOCIOECONOMIC FACTORS, INCLUDING FARMER AND RANCHER WELL-BEING. THE RESEARCH TEAM IS INTENSIVELY MEASURING WATER AND MINERAL CYCLES, ENERGY FLOW AND COMMUNITY DYNAMICS IN CONTRASTING GRAZING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES (ADAPTIVE VS PRESCRIPTIVE) IN TWO OF THE INSTITUTE'S RANCHES (NATIVE RANGELAND AND INTRODUCED PASTURE) AND THE OTHER UNIVERSITY HUBS (MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY AND UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING). METRICS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, VEGETATION DIVERSITY, WATER INFILTRATION, SOIL CARBON AND NITROGEN STOCKS, CO2 EXCHANGE, SOIL MICROBES, NUTRIENT CYCLING PROCESSES, ETC. THE PROJECT FURTHER INVOLVES SIMILAR DATA COLLECTION AT ABOUT 60 VOLUNTEER-PRODUCER FARM AND RANCH SITES CONCENTRATED IN THESE SAME STATES. THESE MEASURES WILL BE MONITORED OVER AT LEAST FIVE YEARS (2021-2026). IN THE END, THE PROJECT SEEKS TO CHARACTERIZE DRIVERS AND BARRIERS TO RANCHERS' ADOPTION OF REGENERATIVE AGRICULTURE PRINCIPLES. AS MENTIONED ABOVE, PROJECT RESULTS WILL BE LONG-TERM AND INVOLVE COMPREHENSIVE SOIL HEALTH MONITORING OF DIFFERENT GRAZING MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES ACROSS UNIVERSITY AND WORKING LAND SITES. THE INTENT IS TO UNDERSTAND THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN SOIL HEALTH INDICATORS AND GRAZING MANAGEMENT AS WELL AS TO INFORM GRAZING MANAGEMENT DECISIONS WITH SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND ECOLOGICAL OUTCOMES. OUTCOMES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS AND SHARED THROUGH SCIENTIFIC AND LAY MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES.ANOTHER KEY RESEARCH EMPHASIS INVOLVES THE MEASUREMENT AND MONITORING OF INSTITUTE RANCHES UNDER REGENERATIVE MANAGEMENT AS IT RELATES TO SOIL HEALTH, GRAZING LAND PRODUCTIVITY, AND ECONOMIC VIABILITY. THE PROJECT INCLUDED TAKING BASELINE MEASUREMENTS AT 134 SITES ACROSS SIX RANCHES AND 13,500 ACRES. THE TEAM CONTINUED ITS MONITORING OF SOILS, VEGETATION, WATER, AND WILDLIFE. MEASUREMENTS ARE TAKEN THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, FROM WATERFOWL MONITORING IN THE WINTER, SMALL MAMMAL SURVEY, AND SOIL AND VEGETATION IN THE SPRING; WATER INFILTRATION, EARTHWORMS, AVIAN ACOUSTIC MONITORING, AND TERRESTRIAL MAMMAL SURVEY IN THE SUMMER; AND VEGETATION, AND THE NATIONWIDE SNAPSHOT CAMERA MAMMAL SURVEY IN THE FALL.ONE COMPONENT OF THIS RESEARCH FURTHER INVOLVES UNDERSTANDING THE ROLES OF BEES ON GRAZINGLANDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH AT LEAST THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA, A NON-LAND GRANT UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.OUTCOMES WILL BE PUBLISHED IN ACADEMIC JOURNALS AND SHARED THROUGH SCIENTIFIC AND LAY MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES.REGARDING THE RESEARCH DESCRIBED ABOVE INVOLVING INSTITUTE RANCHES, THE INSTITUTE OPERATES AND REGENERATIVELY MANAGES SIX OKLAHOMA RANCHES TOTALING 13,500 ACRES. THE RANCHES PRODUCE CATTLE, GOATS, AND SHEEP AND, ON SOME, NATIVE AND INTRODUCED PECANS. IN ADDITION TO SERVING AS WORKING RANCHES, THESE RANCHES DEMONSTRATE REGENERATIVE MANAGEMENT FOR VISITING FARMERS AND RANCHERS, AND AS EXTENSIVELY NOTED ABOVE, SERVE AS LIVING LABORATORIES FOR OBSERVATION, MEASUREMENT, RESEARCH, AND STUDY.

EDUCATION, MENTORSHIP, AND LEARNER SUPPORTTHE INSTITUTE DESIGNS, DEVELOPS, AND DELIVERS TOOLS, PRODUCTS, AND SERVICES TO OWNERS, MANAGERS, AND STEWARDS OF U.S. GRAZING LANDS TO BUILD KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND CONFIDENCE IN APPLICATION OF REGENERATIVE PRINCIPLES. THE INSTITUTE SEEKS TO IMPACT U.S. GRAZING LANDS ON A NATIONWIDE SCALE.LARGE-SCALE ADOPTION AND REGENERATION OF U.S. GRAZING LANDS THROUGH THE WORK OF INTENTIONAL FARMERS AND RANCHERS YIELDS IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL BENEFITS TO THE NATIONAL LANDSCAPE. THE INSTITUTE EMPHASIZES AND OFFERS DATA THAT ILLUSTRATES THE IMPACTS OF REGENERATIVE LAND MANAGEMENT, INCLUDING: (SEE SCHEDULE O) -IMPROVED SOIL HEALTH AND ECOLOGICAL FUNCTION, -IMPROVED AIR QUALITY, -IMPROVED WATER AVAILABILITY AND QUALITY, -INCREASED BIODIVERSITY (SOIL, PLANT AND ANIMAL), -ENHANCED WILDLIFE AND THEIR HABITATS, AND -SEQUESTRATION AND STORAGE OF ATMOSPHERIC CARBON. BEYOND THESE IMPORTANT ECOLOGICAL TRANSFORMATIONS, A STRONG DOMESTIC RANCHING COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTES DIRECTLY TO AVAILABILITY OF NUTRIENT-DENSE ANIMAL PROTEIN FOR HUMAN NUTRITION AND DOMESTIC FOOD SECURITY, VIABLE RURAL ECONOMIES, AND CONTINUES THE RICH WESTERN HERITAGE OF THIS NATION.THE INSTITUTE'S PRODUCER-CENTRIC EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO ADDRESSES RANCH OPERATONS AND MANAGEMENT HOLISTICALLY, INCLUDING LAND, LIVESTOCK, BUSINESS AND FINANCE, PEOPLE AND MANAGEMENT, AND COMMUNITY. THIS EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO IS IN CONTINUOUS DEVELOPMENT AND WILL CONTINUE TO GROW TO OFFER PROGRAMMING FOR DIFFERING SKILL LEVELS AND DIFFERING PRACTICE/SKILL DEVELOPMENT.THIS EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO GUIDES LEARNERS THROUGH EVERY STEP OF THEIR RANCH MANAGEMENT JOURNEY FROM AN INTRODUCTION TO SOIL HEALTH TO IMPROVING ECONOMIC VIABILITY TO HERD DEVELOPMENT AND GRAZING MANAGEMENT TO ADVANCED LAND AND OPERATIONAL STEWARDSHIP.THE INSTITUTE DELIVERS LEARNING, CONSULTATION AND SUPPORT THROUGH DIFFERING MODALITIES, INCUDING IN-PERSON INTERACTION, ONLINE (LIVE AND ASYNCHRONOUS), PEER NETWORKING AND DECISION TOOLS AND RESOURCES. CRITICIALLY, THE INSTITUTE'S EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO IS FOUNDED UPON INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN PRINCIPLES, WHICH FOCUSES ON ADULT LEARNING UPTAKE AND RETENTION. MOREOVER, EDUCATIONAL CONTENT IS BASED ON PRACTIAL SKILLS AND USEFUL KNOWLEDGE SUPPORTED BY SCIENCE AND THE INSTITUTE'S LAND-BASED RESEARCH, WHICH ENSURES THAT THE EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO REMAINS DYNAMIC, PIONEERING AND SCIENTIFICALLY SOUND. LASTLY, THE INSTITUTE'S EDUCATIONAL PORTFOLIO EMPHASIZES CHANGE MANAGEMENT TO BETTER SERVE THE PRODUCER AND PROACTIVELY ADDRESS THE CHANGE IN MINDSET REQUIRED TO ADOPT AND PRACTICE A NEW APPROACH TO LAND MANAGEMENT. THE INSTITUTE'S EDUCATIONAL FRAMEWORK FACILITATES LONG-TERM TRANSFORMATION THROUGH PEER-TO-PEER NETWORKING, VIRTUAL SUPPORT, AND COMPLEMENTARY TOOLS FOR KNOWLEDGE APPLICATION AND LEARNING REINFORCEMENT. EXISTING PROGRAMS INCLUDE COURSES SUCH AS LAND ESSENTIALS AND GRAZING ESSENTIALS. A THREE-YEAR CURRICULM DEVELOPMENT PLAN OFFERS A FORWARD-LOOKING ROADMAP OF PROGRAMMING DEVELOPMENT FOR FARMER, RANCHER AND LANDOWNER ENGAGEMENT. EXECUTING THIS ROADMAP, IN 2024 THE INSTITUTE INTRODUCED IN-PERSON COURSES PROFITABILITY ESSENTIALS AND BUSINESS OF GRAZING AND TWO ONLINE LEARNING PROGRAMS, LAND STEWARDSHIP AND LAND ESSENTIALS ONLINE. FROM 2023-2024, 38 COURSES WERE OFFERED TO 633 ATTENDEES OVERALL. THE INSTITUTE FACILITATES A LEARNING PEER NETWORK TO INSPIRE AND MOTIVATE PRODUCERS THROUGH BUILDING A SUSTAINED LEARNING COMMUNITY. THE PEER NETWORK INCLUDES A MONTHLY ONLINE GATHERING AND A DISCUSSION BOARD. RANCHER TO RANCHER LAUNCHED IN 2024 AND HAD AN OVERALL ATTENDANCE OF 231. THE DISCUSSION BOARD HAD 144 TOTAL DISCUSSION POSTS.IN 2025, THE INSTITUTE WILL DEVELOP AND INTRODUCE MARKET SMART RANCHING, A TAILORED THREE-PART GRAZING SERIES FOR RANCHERS IN THE FLINT HILLS, AND AN UPDATE TO LAND ESSENTIALS. THE ONLINE COURSE PORTFOLIO WILL BE EXPANDED IN 2025 TO INCLUDE PROFITABILITY ESSENTIALS.IN-PERSON COURSE DELIVERY LOCATIONS INCLUDED MULTIPLE SITES IN OKLAHOMA, TEXAS, KANSAS, MISSOURI, MONTANA, ARKANSAS, COLORADO AND NEW MEXICO. SITES FOR DELIVERY OF IN-PERSON EDUCATION WILL EXPAND IN 2025 TO FURTHER INCLUDE OREGON, GEORGIA, CALIFORNIA, NORTH DAKOTA, WYOMING, AND FLORIDA.