About the mission, people and capacity of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Panhandle Research and Extension Center, and the Panhandle Extension District, in western Nebraska
6. History:
• 1909 – UNL, USDA homestead east of Mitchell
•1918 - Experimental Range in Sioux Co. granted
• 1956 - Administration for County Extension
• 1967 - Sioux Munitions Depot/HPAL established
• 1971 - Research & Extension admin combined
• 1974 - UNL acquires former Hiram Scott College
16. Human Resource Capacity
• Specialists
– 13 - Joint appointments with campus
departments
• Technical Support
– 25 research techs
– 12 operational / business/ facilities support
• Educators and Assistants
– 20 extension educators
– 6 extension assistants/coordinators
17. Specialists
Jeff Bradshaw Cheryl Burkhart-Kriesel Cody Creech Bob Harveson
Bijesh Maharjan
Dipak Santra
Karla Jenkins
Steve Sibray Carlos UrreaMitch Stephenson
Nevin Lawrence Xin Qiao
18. Academic Disciplines
• Specialty Crops
Breeding
• Dry Bean Breeding
• Dryland Cropping
Systems
• Irrigation & Water
Management
• Soil & Nutrient
Management
• Range and Forage
Management
• Integrated Weed
Management
• Cow-Calf Production
• Beef Feedlot Nutrition
• Plant Pathology
• Entomology
• Geoscience
• Community Vitality
19. Extension Educators
Aaron Berger Karen DeBoer
Sarah Paisley
Jamie Goffena
Connie HancockJessica Groskopf Jay Jenkins Bethany Johnston
Jenny Nixon Sue Pearman John Thomas
Jack Arterburn Cynthia Gill
Gary Stone
Jackie Guzman
Tammie Ostdiek
Rob Eirich
20. Extension Focus Areas:
• Cropping Systems
• Beef Systems
• Child & Youth Development
– The Learning Child
– 4-H
• Water & Environment
• Nutrition & Health
• Community Vitality
21. Facilities
• Scotts Bluff Ag Lab - 156 irrigated acres
• Mitchell Ag Lab - 269 irrigated acres
– Panhandle Research Feedlot - 105 pens
• High Plains Ag Lab (Sidney)
– 710 rain-fed acres
– 1600 acres of crested wheatgrass
• Sioux Co. Experimental Range - 800 acres
• Gudmundsen Sandhills Laboratory
22. Scotts Bluff Ag Lab
• 156 irrigated acres
• Several greenhouses
• Laboratories: weed science, dry bean
breeding, alternative crops breeding,
entomology, plant physiology/potatoes,
soils, plant pathology
• DA Murphy Arboretum
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30. Mitchell Ag Lab
• 269 irrigated acres
• Panhandle Research Feedlot - 105
pens
36. High Plains Ag Lab (Sidney)
• 710 rain-fed acres
• 1600 acres of crested wheatgrass
37.
38.
39.
40. Panhandle Agriculture
• 4800 farms
• 5.7 million acres of rangeland
– 270,000 beef cows
• 2.2 million acres of dryland crops
– wheat, proso millet, sunflowers
• 732,000 acres irrigated farmland
– corn, sugarbeets, dry beans, alfalfa,
potatoes
• 660,000 cattle on feed
5,698,482
732,589
2,210,655
Range
Irrigated
Dryland
41. Diverse Agricultural Production
Traditional crops
Hay – Wheat – Corn
Specialty crops
Dry bean – Sugarbeet – Sunflower – Proso
millet
Other crops
Potatoes – Grass seed – Chicory - Grapes
5,698,482
732,589
2,210,655
Range
Irrigated
Dryland
42. Panhandle Extension
Engaging the Public
• Field Days
• Open Houses
• Workshops
• Feedlot Round Table
• Advanced Cropping School
• 4-H Expo
• County Fairs
• Advanced Cropping School
• Dry Bean Day and Field Day
• Demonstrations
• Tours
• Classes: ServSafe, Medicare,
• TEAMS
The Panhandle has probably the most diverse agricultural production area as anywhere in the state. As you can see 2/3 of the region is used for range land. Dryland cropping systems make up 25% followed by 8.5 % being irrigated. Over 60% of this land is irrigated by center pivot systems.
The major crops grown in the region include hay(includes both alfalfa and meadow hay) wheat and corn. Specialty crops include dry bean and sugarbeet that include a substantial infrastructure in the North Platte Valley along with dryland sunflowers and proso millet. After the recent drought sunflower has also been introduced more and more into irrigated crop rotations. Other crops include potatoes, grass seed, chicory and grapes.
