Assessing Climate Resilience Management Education Needs for Forage-Livestock Ecosystems in the Southeast USA

The growing worldwide demand for food and fiber is met with limited agricultural land for expansion, climate challenges, and rising production costs. Resilient management strategies are needed to address dynamic biotic and abiotic variables in forage-livestock systems. The objective of this web-based survey was to assess perceptions of climate-resilient management strategies among agricultural educators and livestock farmers in the Southeastern United States of America (USA). The 16-question survey was distributed through Qualtrics@ from 29 July to 29 August 2025. Participants were 38 farmers and 29 agricultural educators. Cow-calf operations were predominant (53%) among farmer participants. Land-grant university management recommendations were the primary resource used by participants, including for the adoption of new management technology. Flooding, drought, and rising temperatures were the primary weather-related issues identified as impacting agricultural production. Most respondents affirmed that financial incentives are essential to support the implementation of sustainable management practices in operations. Integrated pest and weed management, soil health, livestock management, and climate-resilient landscapes were the knowledge gaps identified. Future efforts should target emergent needs of forage-livestock ecosystems due to the changing climate conditions and increasing input costs. Thus, educational resources should address research-based recommendations to support the sustainability and feasibility of operations.