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Title: Advancing the sustainability of US agriculture through long-term research

Author
item Kleinman, Peter
item Spiegal, Sheri
item Rigby Jr, James
item Goslee, Sarah
item Baker, John
item Bestelmeyer, Brandon
item BOUGHTON, R. - University Of Florida
item Bryant, Ray
item Cavigelli, Michel
item Derner, Justin
item Duncan, Emily
item Goodrich, David - Dave
item Huggins, David
item King, Kevin
item Liebig, Mark
item Locke, Martin
item Mirsky, Steven
item Moglen, Glenn
item Moorman, Thomas
item Pierson Jr, Frederick
item ROBERTSON, G.P. - Michigan State University
item Sadler, Edward
item SHORTLE, J. - Pennsylvania State University
item Steiner, Jean
item Strickland, Timothy
item SWAIN, H - Archbold Biological Station
item Williams, Mark
item Walthall, Charles
item Tsegaye, Teferi

Submitted to: Journal of Environmental Quality
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/2/2018
Publication Date: 11/1/2018
Publication URL: https://handle.nal.usda.gov/10113/6562443
Citation: Kleinman, P.J., Spiegal, S.A., Rigby Jr., J.R., Goslee, S.C., Baker, J.M., Bestelmeyer, B.T., Boughton, R., Bryant, R.B., Cavigelli, M.A., Derner, J.D., Duncan, E.W., Goodrich, D.C., Huggins, D.R., King, K.W., Liebig, M.A., Locke, M.A., Mirsky, S.B., Moglen, G.E., Moorman, T.B., Pierson Jr., F.B., Robertson, G., Sadler, E.J., Shortle, J., Steiner, J.L., Strickland, T.C., Swain, H., Williams, M.R., Walthall, C.L., Tsegaye, T.D. 2018. Advancing the sustainability of US agriculture through long-term research. Journal of Environmental Quality. 47(6):1412-1425. https://doi.org/doi:10.2134/jeq2018.05.0171.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2134/jeq2018.05.0171

Interpretive Summary: Tremendous demands are placed on U.S. agriculture to produce food, fuel and fiber in a way that maintains a high quality environment and supports the communities in which it is based. USDA’s Agricultural Research Service has established the Long Term Agroecological Research (LTAR) network to develop a vision for the sustainable intensification of U.S. agriculture: producing more for the world’s consumers while improving the role agriculture plays in conservation and rural quality of life. With 18 research sites spread across the United States, LTAR’s coordinated research on sustainable intensification applies to nearly one third of the nation’s land area.

Technical Abstract: Agriculture in the United States faces escalating demands for productivity and efficiency, as well as pressures to improve stewardship of the nation’s natural resources. The Long-Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network was established to provide a comprehensive perspective on where and how US agriculture can be intensified without exacerbating local and off-site concerns. The LTAR network’s 18 locations are coordinating research to advance sustainable intensification in croplands, pasturelands, and rangelands across the United States, leveraging state-of-the-art practices to enhance production while accounting for the diversity of services expected from agroecosystems. In this paper, we elucidate the factors that have shaped past and present conditions of agroecosystems represented by the LTAR network and prioritize research for future sustainable intensification of US agriculture. Ultimately, integrated long-term research on sustainable intensification at the national scale will be critical to developing practices and programs that can anticipate and address challenges before they become crises.