OSU agriculture investments are helping position Oklahoma producers for the future, according to Dr. Jason Lusk, Dean of Agriculture at Oklahoma State University, who says new facilities, research initiatives, and stronger industry partnerships are aimed at improving profitability and advancing science for farmers and ranchers across the state.
Speaking with associate farm reporter Carli Davenport during a Dean’s Dialog event, Dr. Lusk reflected on conversations with pork industry leadership, current wheat field conditions, a major new agronomy investment, and the university’s plans for a new Beef Center of Excellence.
Connecting Agriculture Research to Industry Needs
Dr. Lusk said bringing agricultural leaders to campus is an important way to ensure university research stays grounded in real-world needs.
During the Dean’s Dialog, Dr. Lusk hosted David Newman, CEO of the pork board, to discuss challenges and opportunities facing the pork industry. “I think it’s really important that as an academic institution we don’t get stuck in an ivory tower, and that we learn what’s happening in the world, and that we get connected to what’s happening there.”
He said having someone “leading one of the major commodity organizations in the United States in the animal protein industry” speak directly with faculty and students helps the university remain relevant. “Having somebody like David come talk to us about what’s important to that industry and how they’re thinking about the future helps us make sure that we’re relevant and connected and producing the kind of knowledge and training that we need to here at the University.”
Dr. Lusk said his goal during the conversation was to better understand “the big positive things, and the big negative things” affecting the pork sector and use those insights to guide research and education priorities.
Wheat Field Days Offer Learning Opportunities Despite Tough Crop Conditions
Turning to wheat, Dr. Lusk acknowledged that many producers are facing difficult conditions across Oklahoma. “We’re excited to have a chance to engage with producers and look at the wheat crop throughout Oklahoma,” he said. “Unfortunately, the crop isn’t good in big parts of the state.”
Dr. Lusk said wheat field days provide an opportunity to evaluate crop conditions while sharing research that could improve future production. “One reason we do these field days is to see what the crop conditions are, and to try to share what research we know about how we can improve those yields in the future, or what to make of a poor crop, help people understand how they could get ahead of some of the plant disease issues in the future,” he said.
Drought remains one of the biggest uncontrollable challenges. “Unfortunately, not a lot we can do about drought, other than try to produce new varieties of wheat that are more drought-tolerant,” Dr. Lusk said.
He added that field days also help university leaders stay connected to ongoing research efforts and innovations happening in real time. “It’s a great opportunity for me to get to learn what our faculty are doing and the research that they’re working on,” Dr. Lusk said.
One of the most notable developments he recently saw at the Lahoma Wheat Field Day involved new technology capable of rapidly measuring crop performance. “One of the things I learned at our most recent field day in Lahoma was we’ve got a new robot that can go out throughout the field and measure heights of wheat plants, estimate yield, estimate test weight, these kinds of things in real time in a more accurate and timely way than we could do by hand the old fashioned way,” he said.
$40 Million Agronomy Investment Targets Wheat and Beyond
Lusk also discussed Oklahoma State University’s newly approved $40 million investment in a new agronomy center, calling it a major opportunity to modernize agricultural research infrastructure. “It’s an incredible opportunity for us to invest in the future, and we’re very grateful that the state legislature has invested in us, and we’re very grateful for our partners in the industry that have also come forward and made some generous donations,” he said.
The new facilities will strengthen the university’s wheat improvement efforts, including the development of more resilient varieties. “This is where we grow new wheat varieties that are more drought tolerant, more disease resistant, can hopefully produce more bushels, put more dollars in the back pockets of farmers,” Lusk said.
He added that researchers are also focused on improving wheat quality for consumers. “We want to produce new wheat varieties that are even better for our health, and there’s a lot of work we’re doing in that space,” he said.
According to Dr. Lusk, existing facilities are outdated and increasingly unable to meet modern demands. “The facilities we have today were built in the 1940s and unfortunately just can’t withstand the temperatures that we have in the winter these days.”
While wheat research remains central, Dr. Lusk emphasized that multiple agricultural sectors will benefit. “The generous investment by the state’s going to allow us to invest in more than just wheat,” he said, noting improvements planned for turfgrass, sorghum, cotton, and peanut research. “All the agronomy programs are going to get a facelift, and we’re really excited about the future,” Dr. Lusk said.
Beef Center of Excellence Aims to Support Rancher Profitability
Dr. Lusk said the university is also focused on strengthening Oklahoma’s beef industry through the development of the Beef Center of Excellence. “We’re the number two state in the nation in terms of number of beef cows,” he said, adding that Oklahoma State wants to become the top destination for beef production knowledge.
“When people think about where do I go to learn about beef production and what’s happening in terms of new knowledge, new science, we want them to think Oklahoma State University,” Dr. Lusk said.
The initiative will support research, education, and industry outreach, backed by donor support and advisory involvement. “The goal is to drive some resources towards doing outstanding research, getting that research in the hands of farmers and ranchers that need it.”
Dr. Lusk said the center will also focus on workforce development while supporting cattle producers financially. “We want to train students that want to go work in the beef industry and position the new future leaders for that sector,” he said. “But ultimately we want to improve profitability of the beef cattle producer and make Oklahoma State be the go-to place for beef cattle knowledge and scientific information.”
