Panhandle Extension DistrictPanhandle Research and Extension Center
Panhandle Extension District
12 County-Based Extension Offices
County-based personnel:
• Extension Educators• 4-H Assistants• Office Support Staff
Administrative Hub:Panhandle Research & Extension Center
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
1910:Scotts Bluff Experimental Substation
1910: Breaking the sod at the Experiment Station
Threshing the first crop at the Experiment Station, 1910
Knorr-Holden Continuous Corn Plot
Early Irrigation Research
Wheat rotation research, ca. 1914
Early livestock feeding tour
Panhandle R&E Center Centennial, 2010: The old and the new
Human Resource Capacity
• Specialists– 14 faculty members, research/extension
appointments– Joint appointments with campus departments
• Technical Support– 25 research technicians/technologists– 12 operational / business/ facilities support
• Educators and Assistants – 20 extension educators– 6 extension assistants/coordinator
Academic Disciplines
• Ag Economics• Alternative Crops Breeding • Dry Bean Breeding• Soil/Nutrient Management• Crop Physiology/Potato• Weed Management• Cow-Calf Production/ Range
Management• Feedlot Nutrition/
Management
• Plant Pathology• Entomology• Geoscience• Entrepreneur/Business
Development• Dryland Cropping Systems• Irrigation Management• Range/Forage Management
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
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
Mitchell Ag Lab
• 269 irrigated acres• Panhandle Research Feedlot - 105
pens
Sioux Co. Experimental Range - 800 acres
High Plains Ag Lab (Sidney)• 710 rain-fed acres• 1600 acres of crested wheatgrass
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
5,698,482732,589
2,210,655
Range
Irrigated
Dryland
Diverse Agricultural Production
Traditional crops
Hay – Wheat – Corn
Specialty crops
Dry bean – Sugarbeet – Sunflower – Proso millet
Other crops
Potatoes – Grass seed – Chicory - Grapes
5,698,482732,589
2,210,655
Range
Irrigated
Dryland
Spires of Extension:• Cropping Systems
• Beef Systems
• 4-H Youth Development
• The Learning Child
• Community Vitality
• Nutrition and Health
• Water and Environment
Panhandle ExtensionEngaging 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
Responsive. Innovative. Trusted.