Photo of Tracy Shane, Extension

Tracy Shane

Extension Livestock Specialist

Summary

Allow me to share a little about myself. I am passionate about agriculture education here in Nevada and am excited to share this passion with my students here at UNR. I take pride in the successes of my students and have designed my courses to help prepare students for success in their chosen bachelor's programs.  I've been an agriculture and natural resources program advisor and have mentored numerous students in completing undergraduate research projects. 

My graduate research focused on rangeland rehabilitation of pinyon-juniper encroached sagebrush/grasslands.  My most relevant professional experiences include my tenure as Agriculture Professor at Great Basin College in Elko, Nevada for seven years.  I also spent seven years as a rangeland management specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and in private consulting with Resource Concepts, Inc. 

I am a certified professional in rangeland management and a seven-year member of the National Association of Agriculture Educators and the Nevada Agriculture Teachers Association. I have been teaching live and online college-level agriculture courses for more than seven years. 

I come from a family that has been involved in agriculture in Nevada for three generations.  My great-grandfather trained horses and brokered cattle sales, my father has owned a feed store for 40 years, and I've stayed in the agriculture industry for my whole career upon graduation.  My uncle, cousin, and extended family on both sides of my family are in production agriculture as well.  I've personally owned and raised horses, sheep, cattle, chickens and turkeys. 

Interest:

  • Agriculture program curriculum design and implementation of online learning instruction best practices
  • Monitoring and evaluating 75+ years of livestock grazing history in Nevada
  • Improving consumer demand for beef and consumer perceptions of cow-calf production, the largest component of Nevada's farm receipts.
  • Technology transfer of rangeland monitoring protocols and assistance to livestock producers and NGOs in rangeland management planning and monitoring
  • NEPA analysis for projects impacting vegetation or rangeland resources

Education

B.S. University of Nevada, Reno, Animal Science
M.S. University of Nevada, Reno, Rangeland Rehabilitation
Ph.D. University of Nevada, Reno