FEW: A sustainable rural framework workshop for the upper Great Plains.

南达科他州矿业与技术学院（与南达科他州立大学、内布拉斯加大学科尔尼分校、北达科他州立大学和坐牛学院合作）将举办一个研讨会，探讨半干旱的大平原上游地区可持续农村供应链问题和粮食-能源-水关系研究需求。研讨会将1)介绍食品、水、能源、土地利用和气候领域的主要专家最近的重要研究概要；2)在会议期间利用基于战略的讨论小组确定UGP中关键的少数研究需求；3)将研究需求总结成白皮书。南达科他州矿业与技术学院（与南达科他州立大学、内布拉斯加州大学科尔尼分校、北达科他州立大学和坐牛学院合作）将举办一个食物-能源-水（FEW） Nexus研讨会，探讨可持续农村供应链问题的研究需求。半干旱的大平原上游地区是粮食和能源的净出口国，但它也是相互竞争的利益关系所在地：巴肯页岩油繁荣、玉米乙醇生产、就地铀矿开采、煤矿、风力发电场和大型水力发电大坝与公共和私人利益在土地使用替代方案方面相互竞争。农产品和牲畜价格的大幅度波动，争夺即将到来的生物能源作物的土地使用，通过生物技术和精准农业提高农业效率；气候趋势和变化的区域效应已经影响到区域农业和水资源。最近能源和商品最终用途的发展导致了区域经济的大幅增长；然而，它使基础设施紧张（例如缺乏住房、电力传输、管道、公路/铁路线），促使草地转为耕地，导致土壤盐碱化和固化，并减少地下水供应。研讨会将1)介绍食品、水、能源、土地利用和气候领域的主要专家最近的重要研究概要；2)在会议期间利用基于战略的讨论小组确定UGP中关键的少数研究需求；3)将研究需求总结成白皮书。

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (working in collaboration with South Dakota State University, University of Nebraska-Kearney, North Dakota State University and Sitting Bull College) will host a workshop to explore sustainable rural supply chain problems and Food-energy-water nexus research needs in the semi-arid Upper Great Plains. The workshop will 1) present key recent research synopses by leading experts in food, water, energy, land-use and climate; 2) identify critical FEW research needs in the UGP using strategy-based discussion groups during the conference; 3) summarize research needs into a white paper. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (working in collaboration with South Dakota State University, University of Nebraska-Kearney, North Dakota State University and Sitting Bull College) will host a Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus workshop to explore sustainable rural supply chain problems research needs. The semi-arid Upper Great Plains UGP is a net exporter of food and energy, yet it is also the site of competing nexus interests: the Bakken shale-oil boom, corn grain ethanol production, in-situ uranium mining, coal mines, wind farms, and major hydroelectric dams compete with public and private interests in relation to land-use alternatives. Large and volatile changes in agricultural commodity and livestock prices, competing land-use for incoming bioenergy crops, increasing agricultural efficiencies through biotechnology and precision agriculture; and regional effects of climate trends and variabilities have impacted regional agriculture and water resources. Recent energy and commodity end-use developments have led to substantial regional economic growth; however it has strained infrastructure (e.g. lack of housing, power transmission, pipelines, roads/rail lines), contributed to grassland to cropland conversion, resulted in soil salinization and sodification, and reduced ground water supplies. The workshop will 1) present key recent research synopses by leading experts in food, water, energy, land-use and climate; 2) identify critical FEW research needs in the UGP using strategy-based discussion groups during the conference; 3) summarize research needs into a white paper.