Agricultural Research Service
50th Anniversary

Local Event

Northern Plains Area
Fort Collins, Colorado

• History
• Photos

A Brief History of
The Great Plains Systems Research Unit

Mission and Objectives

Enhance the Economic and Environmental Sustainability of Agricultural Systems. This is accomplished by the following four objectives:

• Synthesis, Integration, and Quantification of Scientific Knowledge on the Whole System Level
• Developing Computer Models of Agricultural Systems and Supporting Their Application to Field Research and Analysis of Major Issues
• Providing Farm-Level Computerized Decision Support Technology Packages
• National and International Collaboration to Test and improve these Products and Fill Knowledge Gaps

Unit Timeline

1987 – Great Plains Systems Research Unit formed with scientists from the Soil-Plant-Water and Forage and Range Units

1989 – National Resources Research Center is formed, Dr. Don DeCoursey becomes GPSR’s interim research leader

1991 – Dr. Laj Ahuja becomes research leader

1991 – 2004 Products released by the unit include: NLEAP, RZWQM GPFARM, WISDEM, AgSimGIS, and PAL

2004 – Work proceeds on iFARM (the successor of GPFARM) and the Object Modeling System (OMS); Unit wins the Federal Laboratory Consortium 2004 Outstanding Performance Award

National Programs Served

• Integrated Agricultural Systems
• Water Quality and Management
• oil Resource Management
  · Rangeland Pasture and Forages
  · Global Change

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No photos are available at this time.