UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE - PROJECT ABSTRACT RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IS THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THE NH AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. IN THE 2024-2028 PERIOD, THE STATION EXPECTS TO SUPPORT BETWEEN 44 AND 50 RESEARCH PROJECTS ACROSS FIVE CRITICAL ISSUES AS WELL AS PROJECTS WITHIN THE MCINTIRE-STENNIS FORESTRY SCIENCE AREAS. SLOW BUT CONSISTENT FACULTY HIRING IN OUR COLLEGE AND INCREASED EFFORTS TO RECRUIT SCIENTISTS TO APPLY THEIR EXPERTISE TO NH AGRICULTURAL ISSUES IS EXPECTED TO GROW THE AES RESEARCH PORTFOLIO. WITHIN THE AGRICULTURE AREA, RESEARCH WILL FOCUS ON INCREASING THE KNOWLEDGE AND TECHNOLOGY BASE THAT WILL BOLSTER NEW HAMPSHIRE'S VIBRANT AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD SYSTEM WHICH PRODUCES, PROCESSES AND DELIVERS FOOD, FIBER, AND MYRIAD ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES. EFFORTS WILL FOCUS ON BIOTECHNOLOGICAL AND MANAGEMENT IMPROVEMENTS IN CROP AND DAIRY PRODUCTION TO MINIMIZE PRODUCTION AND MARKET RISKS AND CAPTURE NEW MARKETING OPPORTUNITIES. RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO EXPAND EFFORTS TO GROW THE STATE'S SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY TO BENEFIT THE BLUE ECONOMY. THROUGH BASIC AND APPLIED SCIENCE, AN EMERGING AREA OF EXCELLENCE IS IN SOIL MICROBIOLOGY, AND THESE EFFORTS WILL BE ONE OF THE CORE OF THE NHAES RESEARCH MISSION. A SECOND CORE AREA IS IN WATER QUALITY MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY AS IT RELATES TO THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN WATER, AGRICULTURAL LAND AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICES. RESEARCH IS EXPECTED TO GROW IN THE FIELDS OF NUTRITION AND HEALTH AND WELLNESS AS WELL AS SOCIAL SCIENCES,. THE FOCUS OF THE SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH WILL BE ON IDENTIFYING AND DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR ENSURING NUTRITIONAL BALANCE AND HEALTH IN NORTHERN NEW ENGLAND. NHAES RESEARCH WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO ANALYZE HOW LOCAL FOOD SYSTEMS CAN BE BEST DEVELOPED TO SUPPORT ALL CITIZENS OF THE STATE AND REGION. THE NHAES WILL CONTINUE ITS OUTREACH AND SCIENCE COMMUNICATION PROGRAM. BIANNUAL THEMED RESEARCH REPORTS WILL CONTINUE TO BE COMPILED AND DISTRIBUTED IN THE STATION'S FLAGSHIP PUBLICATION INSPIRED. THE STATION ALSO MAINTAINS ITS HIGHLY ROBUST ACTIVITY OF DISSEMINATING ITS RESEARCH THROUGH WEEKLY NEWS BRIEFS (WHICH FOCUS ON NHAES RESEARCH), SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE, AND FIELD DAYS. FURTHERMORE, INCREASING INTEGRATION WITH EXTENSION IS EXPECTED, AS COMMUNICATORS FROM THE NHAES AND EXTENSION HAVE BEGUN REGULAR INTERACTIONS TO DETERMINE WAYS TO INCREASE STAKEHOLDERS' BENEFITS FROM SCIENCE COMMUNICATION.