Priority Areas
With direct input from industry experts and researchers at local universities, the RANGE has identified a list of technology development opportunities with direct applications to the beef and dairy sectors. These R&D projects span the five strategic priorities listed below. The RANGE is currently formalizing partnerships with research labs at institutions like Rockwell Automation, Texas Tech, West Texas A&M, and Amarillo College to design shovel-ready research projects for launch in Q3 of 2023.
Water Stewardship
The Texas Panhandle has limited rainfall and a rapidly diminishing stock of underground water in the Ogallala Aquifer. The RANGE is researching, developing, and commercializing viable water conservation and deposition techniques for the agricultural industries that ensure long-term sustainability and ecological health in our growing water crisis.
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Cost-reduction technologies irrigation installation and improvement in watering technologies .
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Technology, policy, and right-of-way development to re-route water from water-rich regions.
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Water de-salination.
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Development of lowered water usage forage varieties.
Environmental Stewardship
Developing technology that decreases the environmental footprint (specifically Methane and Carbon and Nitrogen Emissions) of the Panhandle’s beef and dairy industry can position the region as a leader in sustainable protein and create a real value proposition for differentiating Amarillo-made beef against competitors.
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Accurately measure and model emissions.
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Develop technologies that reduce methane emissions.
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Develop compostable net wrap.
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Onsite solids concentration, water recapture and purification, and reuse in dairy production.
Workforce Development
The food, crop & energy production industries are under constant pressure to produce more food with decreasing labor and for a decreased cost. Labor's increasing technological demands present challenges that jeopardize industry resiliency and the US food, fiber and fuel supply. The RANGE is facilitating public/private partnerships to introduce new technologies to aid in the future of human + machine productivity.
These strategies include:
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New labor training methods and modules for increased learning and retention.
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New technologies that automate redundant and hazardous tasks.
Information & Technology
A collaborative approach to Advanced Data Analytics will transform the region’s industries by enabling the leveraging of data generation and large Data Sets and other technologies to:
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Reduce resource use.
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Improve production practices.
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Improve animal health tracking.
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Reduce financial risk.
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Increase food safety.
Health & Nutrition
Access to nutritious foods and healthcare is paramount to individuals & our rural communities. In the expansive landscapes of our region, these resources are essential cornerstones of health and vitality. Through collaboration and forward-thinking initiatives, we aim to make nutritious foods and healthcare readily accessible to all, fostering healthier lives and communities across the Texas Panhandle through:
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Support of research and implementation of programs that address food rural health care access
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Support of research and implementation that address food access & insecurity.
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Research and development of studies examining food production and distribution costs of dietary staples.