Co‐produced agricultural research can provide value for communities while building trust and public support for science

Abstract Agricultural systems are vulnerable to extreme weather, market volatility, and changing socio‐cultural contexts. Despite efforts to create transformational solutions in agriculture to ensure economic, social, and environmental sustainability, there is often a disconnect between research findings and real‐world experience. Co‐production is a collaborative process that engages farmers, ranchers, and other community members as equals in research design and implementation, incorporates diverse knowledges, and includes community members as research decision‐makers. While co‐production requires more time, trust, and institutional support, it offers greater research impact and increased public support for science as a problem‐solving tool. We share three case studies from our own research, and an introduction to the literature featuring best practices, to illustrate pathways for integrating co‐production in research programs.