66. Innovation in the U.S. Beef Value Chain: A Sustainable Beef Research Roadmap.

Abstract The U.S. beef industry has a long history of improving productivity and environmental performance; however, persistent scientific gaps and increasing demands for credible, scalable sustainability solutions underscore the need for a coordinated national research agenda. This work synthesizes current scientific knowledge and expert input to define a unified research roadmap aligned with the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef’s environmental indicator goals. The roadmap identifies six critical research areas—grazing management plans, feedyard optimization, technology innovation, advanced modeling, genetic improvement, and producer practicality—and 22 key research questions that collectively represent the most influential levers for measurable, scalable improvement. Key opportunities include strengthening the accuracy, consistency, and scalability of measurement approaches for emissions, soil carbon, water use, and ecosystem services; validating emerging technologies such as methane-mitigating additives, remote sensing tools, and virtual fencing; refining mechanistic and ecosystem-level models to better inform decision-making; and expanding phenotyping to enhance genetic selection for efficiency and environmental outcomes. A cross-cutting emphasis on producer adoption and economic feasibility underscores the need for research that is practical, regionally relevant, and capable of driving sustained implementation across diverse production systems. By outlining clear research priorities and highimpact opportunities, this work provides a strategic foundation to guide investment, enhance data credibility, support producer-level decision-making, and accelerate continuous improvement throughout the beef value chain. For image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text.