ORGANIC GROWERS REQUIRE VEGETABLE CULTIVARS THAT ARE WELL ADAPTED TO ORGANIC PRODUCTION SYSTEMS, AND THAT RETAIN HIGH QUALITY AND POSSESS GOOD HORTICULTURAL PERFORMANCE. GERMINATION IN COLD SOILS, THE ABILITY TO COMPETE WITH WEEDS, FORMS OF NUTRIENT AVAILABILITY IN ORGANIC SYSTEMS AND POST-HARVEST STORAGE ARE BARRIERS TO OVERCOME TOWARD ACHIEVING ADAPTATION AND INCREASING THE PRODUCTIVITY OF GROWERS. MOST CULTIVARS HAVE NOT BEEN BRED UNDER ORGANIC CONDITIONS AND MAY NOT BE OPTIMALLY ADAPTED AND GROWERS NEED MORE CHOICE TO MEET THE INCREASINGLY STRINGENT REQUIREMENTS OF CERTIFIERS. THE GOAL OF OUR PROPOSAL IS TO INCREASE THE DIVERSITY AND SUPPLY OF CERTIFIED ORGANIC VARIETIES AVAILABLE FOR ORGANIC PRODUCTION. WE WORK WITH A MIX OF VEGETABLE CROPS THAT REPRESENT A SPECTRUM OF GROWER'S NEEDS, AND FOR WHICH STAKEHOLDERS HAVE IDENTIFIED AS HIGH PRIORITY THROUGH REGIONAL NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEYS. WE HAVE ESTABLISHED A NATIONAL NETWORK OF ORGANIC VEGETABLE BREEDERS WHO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH EACH OTHER AND REGIONALLY BASED ORGANIC FARMERS WHICH ALLOWS US TO COLLECTIVELY DEVELOP CULTIVARS THAT COMBINE GROWER-SELECTED ATTRIBUTES THAT EXCEL IN ORGANIC SYSTEMS. WE WILL PUBLISH VARIETY TRIAL REPORTS, CONDUCT WEBINARS, AND PROVIDE INTENSIVE HANDS-ON BREEDING WORKSHOPS. EACH REGION WILL CONDUCT ANNUAL FIELD DAYS AND WILL MEET WITH FARMERS TO REVIEW PREVIOUS SEASONS' RESEARCH RESULTS AND TO PLAN FOR THE COMING GROWING SEASON. PARTICIPATORY BREEDING AND ON-FARM TRIALING WILL ENGAGE STAKEHOLDERS AND TRAIN GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN PLANT BREEDING FOR ORGANIC SYSTEMS.