In this episode of Conservation Stories, host Tillery Timmons-Sims sits down with Todd Baughman, director of the Texas A&M AgriLife Research and Extension Center in Lubbock, to explore how cutting-edge research connects directly to the challenges and opportunities facing High Plains producers.

Todd reflects on this year’s unusual weather patterns—cooler nights and timely rains—and what they mean for cotton crops, plant stress, and yield potential. He highlights the center’s expanding drip irrigation research, as well as projects in fertility, cropping systems, regenerative agriculture, and integrating livestock into row-crop systems. The conversation dives into soil health, compaction concerns, and innovative practices like short-term grazing, which can reduce costs, improve cover crop viability, and create new opportunities for younger producers.

Tillery and Todd also tackle big-picture themes: the importance of trustworthy, unbiased research in an age of information overload, the evolving role of GMOs, and how U.S. agriculture underpins not only local economies but also national security. They discuss challenges in global competitiveness, the burden of innovation on American farmers, and the potential for direct farmer-to-buyer models that strengthen local economies and reduce middlemen in the supply chain.

Blending science, economics, and on-the-ground experience, this episode offers a thoughtful look at how research, resilience, and collaboration keep agriculture moving forward in West Texas and beyond.

More about our guests: 

Todd Baughman

Website

Email

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Conservation Stories is presented by The Sandhills Area Research Association (SARA). Subscribe now to hear all the interviews.

Upcoming Episodes Include: 
• Ian Timmons, Beefy Meat Chips
• DeLinda Hicklen, Capital Farm Credit
• Todd Baughman and Katy Lewis