Utilizing Agronomic Disasters to Engage Producers in Research.

On July 28, 2017 the University of Wyoming research and extension center located in Lingle, WY experienced a hail storm that completely wiped out the farm. Unfortunately, hail damage in crop fields is not a novel occurrence for growers in Wyoming, and they are left reeling from the damage while needing to make fast decisions on how to manage a field to reduce economic loss and prepare for the next year’s crop. After the hail event, the extension specialist at the station received inquiries from local producers who were affected by the same storm. The Lingle R&E team saw a unique opening to turn the environmental disaster into an opportunity to peruse research questions related to hail recovery in the region. Question ranged from to how to manage damaged fields, what cover crops could be used to mitigate feed loss, how fall management would affect the crop the next season, and what the economic gains and losses were for each option. Instead of the researchers making decision on what to do at the R&E center, local producers were invited to come to the station and engage in helping design the hail response study. The study not only helped us better define some options for late season hail response in irrigated corn, but also peaked much more community interest in the R&E center and its role in helping local producers.