Working the land, serving the state

Members of the Arizona Governor’s Cabinet got a firsthand look at how the University of Arizona’s land-grant mission translates into work on the ground during a recent visit to the Santa Rita Experimental Range. 

President Suresh Garimella opened the day by emphasizing a straightforward purpose behind the University’s work: the University is here to help Arizona. From research and education to partnerships with state agencies and producers, the land-grant mission is ultimately about serving the people and communities of the state.

The visit began at the Santa Rita Experimental Range Florida Canyon headquarters, where George Smith, dean of the College of Agriculture, Life and Environmental Sciences (CALES), shared its more than 120-year history. Established in 1902 following extreme drought and lack of forage that devastated Arizona’s cattle herds, the range was created to better understand the state’s rangelands and help support one of Arizona’s foundational industries. Early research at the Santa Rita Experimental Range helped lay the groundwork for rotational grazing and other approaches to managing livestock and stewarding the land. More than a century of research has since created an unparalleled record of Southern Arizona’s landscapes and informed livestock production, vegetation, wildlife and natural resource management. 

Smith connected that history to the breadth of expertise within CALES today. 

“We work across so many disciplines—agriculture and animal health, natural resources, nutrition, human development and family science, retailing and consumer science,” Smith said. “When you look across this Cabinet and the challenges facing the state, there’s an incredible amount of expertise within our college that can help.”

Brett Blum, interim director of the Arizona Experiment Station, explained how the Santa Rita Experimental Range fits into the University of Arizona’s statewide research network. As part of the Experiment Station, Santa Rita provides a place for scientists to study Arizona’s diverse landscapes under real-world conditions and connect that work directly with producers and state agencies. 

Blum highlighted several current projects connecting the University with state partners, including work with the Arizona Department of Agriculture on emergency preparedness and vector-borne disease. The projects reflect the increasingly important role that research, animal health and preparedness play in protecting Arizona’s agricultural economy. 

Paul Brierley, director of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, was grateful for the opportunity to highlight some of the work coming from his department in partnership with the University.

"I appreciated the chance to showcase Arizona agriculture and the work of the Arizona Department of Agriculture, in conjunction with the state's land-grant university, to my fellow Cabinet members. We all have many more touchpoints with agriculture than we realize, and this visit helps us see how we can continue to support this critical industry," Brierley said.

The group then traveled to the Santa Rita Ranch, where the McGibbons welcomed the Cabinet and shared what it means to operate a working cattle ranch in Southern Arizona. 

The McGibbons described themselves as equal parts cattle growers and grass farmers, emphasizing their commitment to maintaining healthy, sustainable rangelands. They shared the realities of running a cow-calf operation in Southern Arizona and why they raise Red Angus cattle. Known for their calm temperament, the cattle are easier to work with when they need to be gathered, sorted, moved, inspected or loaded — making everyday ranch work safer and more efficient while keeping stress on the animals to a minimum.

The practical ranching perspective provided context for several demonstrations highlighting how research and technology can give producers new tools without replacing the knowledge and experience that comes from working the land. 

Flavie Audoin, assistant professor and Cooperative Extension specialist in plant-herbivore interactions and targeted grazing, demonstrated virtual fencing technology and livestock collars. Santa Rita Ranch has been an early adopter of the technology, working with the University to test how it can be applied in a working ranch operation, including managing where cattle graze and how they move across the landscape.

The visit also focused on one of the most pressing threats facing the state’s livestock industry: New World screwworm. Audoin demonstrated how livestock can be inspected for the pest, while Amy Ganguli, professor and Cooperative Extension specialist in rangeland ecology, provided an update on Arizona’s response and the University’s ongoing work with the Arizona Department of Agriculture.

This kind of firsthand experience is exactly what motivated the Cabinet's visit, according to Larry Sandigo, deputy chief of staff of operations and cabinet affairs for Gov. Katie Hobbs.

"Governor Hobbs is committed to supporting Arizona's cattle producers," Sandigo said. "Bringing the full Governor's Cabinet to this University of Arizona partner ranch to meet with, and learn from, the folks who do the work day in and day out gave state leadership a real-world appreciation for the daily realities of raising cattle."

The day closed with Blum highlighting additional collaborations with the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Arizona Game and Fish Department, including research at the Santa Rita Experimental Range focused on wildfire risk and grassland restoration. The examples underscored CALES's broader role as a research and Extension partner to state agencies across issues that affect Arizona’s land, economy and communities.

The message throughout the visit was consistent: the University and Arizona’s state agencies share a common commitment to Arizonans.

“We have the same obligation and responsibility to the state,” Blum emphasized in closing. “We’re here to support Arizona.”