The Western Great Plains, North America’s largest remaining grassland, sustains crucial livestock-based food production. However, climate change poses a significant threat to this ecosystem and industry, potentially causing substantial shifts in livestock farming, ecology, and economics. With pilot funding, this CSU team collaborated with ranchers, conservation groups, industries, and communities to address these challenges. Their primary goal was to develop a community-centered framework for implementing sustainable livestock practices, fostering rural resilience, and cultivating robust communities and economies.

The Reimagine Project emphasized the importance of broadening research team membership by integrating social scientists, data scientists, and engineers into agricultural-focused problem-solving efforts in response to escalating climate change impacts. By specifically examining the connections between livestock production, soil health, methane emissions, and carnivore conflicts, this project transformed team-building practices into actionable strategies. It aimed to establish future research teams equipped to effectively address agricultural transformations driven by climate change.