Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the overall goal of safe is to…

Awards issued prior to january 20, 2025, were funded under previous administrations and may not reflect the priorities and policies of the current administration.** the overall goal of safe is to improve the health and economic viability of rural communities by developing a sustainable food system model. The objectives are: 1) utilize soil management practices to improve crop and pasture production for enhanced productivity and food quality across different food systems; and 2) establish a food system training center to provide support in the areas production, processing, preservation, safety, and food science education. Researchers will utilize a dairy food system and vegetable food system to investigate the impact of soil management practices on crop, animal and food production and economics and education. Research will inform the enhancement of current and creation of new undergraduate courses in plant and soil science, animal science, food science, agriculture economics, and agricultural education. Outreach initiatives will target farmers, high school agricultural education teachers, undergraduate and graduate students through field day activities, seminars, website creation, mobile food science laboratory kits, and professional development. This project aligns with 2018-2022 USDA strategic plan, goal 4, promoting rural prosperity and economic development, and the nlgca program priority to increase the number and diversity of students entering food and agriculture-related science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. This integrated project (discipline codes D and G) addresses research need areas of studies and experimentation in food and agricultural sciences, education need areas of scientific instrumentation for education, experiential learning, and collaborative interactions with other academic institutions, and outreach/extension need areas of 4-H, or other, similar youth development activity, fanh sciences, and natural resources.