The Nancy M. Cummings Research, Extension and Education Center is the University of Idaho’s primary cow-calf and forage research station. The center provides land and facilities for beef cattle research at the scale of a working ranch. The center also provides continuing education for those involved in the livestock industry and learning opportunities for University of Idaho students.

In 2005 the Auen Foundation donated the 1,000-acre Hot Springs Ranch to the University of Idaho for use as a commercial-scale cattle research center. Their donation honors Sherrie Auen’s late mother, longtime Lemhi County resident Nancy M. Cummings — bringing greater educational opportunities to the area.

Since 2008, NMCREEC has progressed to a well-equipped research station that is large and complex enough to produce research findings that apply to today’s commercial cattle operations.